April 1: Notable Births, with Quotes

Let’s celebrate these public figures, some currently gracing the headlines and others who made their mark in years past, born on April 1.

Barry Sonnenfeld, filmmaker and director (April 1, 1952–present)

“No director should ever say, ‘Do one more.’ You’ve got to say, ‘Do it faster, angrier, sadder.’ You got that one, why are you doing one more? Give them some advice.” —Barry Sonnenfeld
Scheetz, Cameron. “Director Barry Sonnenfeld says his ‘Addams Family’ movie would cost 5 times as much, be half as good if it were made today.” AV Club, October 20, 2021, https://www.avclub.com/addams-family-director-barry-sonnenfeld-says-it-would-c-1847851692.

“I’ve always believed as a cameraman—and now as a director—that the camera is a storytelling device. It’s more than just a recording device. So, whether it’s ‘Raising Arizona,’ or ‘Three O’Clock High,’ or ‘Throw Momma from the Train,’ I’m always using the camera to help tell the story: pushing in, pulling back, wide-angle lenses, center punch.” —Barry Sonnenfeld
Scheetz, Cameron. “Director Barry Sonnenfeld says his ‘Addams Family’ movie would cost 5 times as much, be half as good if it were made today.” AV Club, October 20, 2021, https://www.avclub.com/addams-family-director-barry-sonnenfeld-says-it-would-c-1847851692.

Phil Niekro, baseball player (April 1, 1939–December 26, 2020)

“My dad played for a coal-mining team in eastern Ohio; he was a very good pitcher. If he hadn’t hurt his arm he probably would have got a shot somewhere. He hurt his arm one spring, didn’t warm up good enough, couldn’t throw a fastball anymore. Another coal miner taught him how to throw the knuckleball.” —Phil Niekro
Merron, Jeff. “Page 2 interview: Phil Niekro.” ESPN, http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=merron/050718&num=0.

“There’s nobody around who can teach how to throw a knuckleball. Everybody’s shying away from it. In my case, my first organized game was in high school, and I was a knuckleball pitcher by then. But there was no place we could go to get any help.” —Phil Niekro
Merron, Jeff. “Page 2 interview: Phil Niekro.” ESPN, http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=merron/050718&num=0.

Abraham H. Maslow, psychologist (April 1, 1908–June 8, 1970)

“I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” —Abraham H. Maslow
McRaney, David. “Maslow’s Hammer.” Psychology Today, March 27, 2012, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/you-are-not-so-smart/201203/maslows-hammer.

“Being a full human being is difficult, frightening, and problematical.” —Abraham H. Maslow
McRaney, David. “Maslow’s Hammer.” Psychology Today, March 27, 2012, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/you-are-not-so-smart/201203/maslows-hammer.

Otto von Bismarck, former chancellor of the German Empire (April 1, 1815–July 30, 1898)

“When I say that it is our duty to endeavor to be ready at all times and for all emergencies, I imply that we must make greater exertions than other people for the same purpose, because of our geographical position. We are situated in the heart of Europe, and have at least three fronts open to an attack.” —Otto von Bismarck
Bismarck, Otto von. “Document: Otto von Bismarck, ‘Speech to Reighstag on Diplomacy’ (1888).” University of Pittsburgh, 1888, https://sites.pitt.edu/~syd/bisrei.html.

“We Germans fear God, and naught else in the world! It is this fear of God which makes us love and cherish peace.” —Otto von Bismarck
Bismarck, Otto von. “Document: Otto von Bismarck, ‘Speech to Reighstag on Diplomacy’ (1888).” University of Pittsburgh, 1888, https://sites.pitt.edu/~syd/bisrei.html.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, politician and epicure (April 1, 1755–February 2, 1826)

“You are what you eat.” —Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Fitzgerald, Mary. “The Phsyiolology of Taste – Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.” The Guardian, November 21, 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/22/physiology-of-taste-brillat-savarin.

“The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a star.” —Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Fitzgerald, Mary. “The Phsyiolology of Taste – Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.” The Guardian, November 21, 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/22/physiology-of-taste-brillat-savarin.

“A dinner which ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.” —Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
Fitzgerald, Mary. “The Phsyiolology of Taste – Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.” The Guardian, November 21, 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/22/physiology-of-taste-brillat-savarin.

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