Mahershala Ali: Dr. Donald Shirley
Photos
Quotes
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Tony Lip : You know, when you first hired me, my wife went out and bought one of your records. The one about the orphans?
Dr. Don Shirley : Orphans?
Tony Lip : Yeah. Cover had a bunch of kids sittin' around a campfire?
Dr. Don Shirley : Orpheus.
Tony Lip : ...Yeah.
Dr. Don Shirley : Orpheus in the Underworld. It's based on a French opera. And those weren't children on the cover, those were demons in the bowels of Hell.
Tony Lip : No shit! They must've been naughty kids!
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Dr. Don Shirley : You never win with violence. You only win when you maintain your dignity.
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[last lines]
Dolores : Hello.
Dr. Don Shirley : You must be Dolores.
Dolores : Welcome!
Dr. Don Shirley : Buon natale. Thank you for sharing your husband with me.
Dolores : [Whispering as they hug] Thank you for helping him with the letters.
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Dr. Don Shirley : So if I'm not *black* enough and if I'm not *white* enough, and not *man* enough, then tell me, Tony, what am I?
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Tony Lip : Ain't they supposed to be following us?
Dr. Don Shirley : They have the itinerary. As long as they get to the show on time, I'm not worried about it, and neither should you.
Tony Lip : I ain't worried about nothin'... In fact, when you see me worried? You'll know.
Dr. Don Shirley : Tony...
Tony Lip : You'll know if I'm worried...
Dr. Don Shirley : How 'bout some quiet time? Hmm?
Tony Lip : [Shrugging] Sure.
[Chuckles]
Tony Lip : It's amazing you said that. "How 'bout some quiet time?" Dolores, my wife, used to say that all the time... Well, not all the time but, y'know, she says it when, when I come home from work sometime, you know, she been with the kids all day and she'll say, "Tony? How 'bout some quiet time?" Exactly like how you said it! I mean, it's amazing...
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Dr. Don Shirley : [to Tony, dictating a letter for him to send to Dolores] Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I've ever done.
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Tony Lip : You know, Doc, something's been eatin' at me this whole trip.
Dr. Don Shirley : Hmm?
Tony Lip : [Using a friend's nickname for Pittsburgh, from the reputed large endowments of its female residents] That Titsburgh was a major disappointment. I didn't notice any difference at all. Did you?
Dr. Don Shirley : Good night, Tony.
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Dr. Don Shirley : Yes, I live in a castle, Tony! Alone. And rich white people pay me to play piano for them because it makes them feel cultured. But as soon as I step off that stage, I go right back to being just another nigger to them. Because that is their true culture. And I suffer that slight alone, because I'm not accepted by my own people 'cause I'm not like them, either. So, if I'm not black enough and if I'm not white enough and if I'm not man enough, then tell me, Tony, what am I?
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Dr. Don Shirley : [clears throat] Could you put out the cigarette, please?
Tony Lip : Why?
Dr. Don Shirley : I can't breathe back here.
Tony Lip : What are you talkin' about? Smoke's going down my lungs. I'm doin' all the work here.
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Tony Lip : I dunno. Personally I think if you stuck to the classic stuff it would've been a big mistake.
Dr. Don Shirley : A mistake? Performing the music I trained my entire life to play?
Tony Lip : Trained? What are you, a seal? People love what you do! Anyone can sound like Beethoven or Joe Pan or them other guys you said. But your music, what you do? Only you can do that!
Dr. Don Shirley : Thank you, Tony. But not everyone can play Chopin. Not like I can.
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Dr. Don Shirley : Tony! I'm sorry about last night.
Tony Lip : ...Don't worry 'bout it. I been working nightclubs in New York City my whole life. I know it's a... complicated world.
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Tony Lip : You know, if this got out, it would kill your career.
Dr. Don Shirley : OK Tony, I need you to stop it with the phony altruism and concern for my career.
Tony Lip : The hell's that mean?
Dr. Don Shirley : You were only thinking about yourself back there because you know if I miss a show it'd come out of your pocketbook.
Tony Lip : Of course I don't want you to miss a show, you ungrateful bastard! You think I'm doing this for my health? Tonight I saved your ass! So show a little appreciation, maybe! Besides, I told you never to go nowhere without me!
Dr. Don Shirley : ...I assumed you'd want this to be the exception.
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Tony Lip : What's the big deal, Doc? Squirrels woulda ate it anyway!
Dr. Don Shirley : Pick it up, Tony.
Tony Lip : Nature takes care of the earth!
Dr. Don Shirley : Pick it up!
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Dr. Don Shirley : What on God's green earth are you doing?
Tony Lip : A letter.
Dr. Don Shirley : Looks more like a piecemeal ransom note. May I? "Dear Dolores"... D-E-A-R.
[taps paper]
Dr. Don Shirley : This is an animal. "I'm meeting all the highly leading citizens of the town. People that use big words, all of them. But you know me, I get by. I'm a good bullshitter." Two Ts in bullshitter. "As I'm writing this letter, I'm eating potato chips, and I'm starting to get thirsty. I washed my socks and dried them on the TV. I should have... brung... the iron..." You know this is pathetic, right?
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Dr. Don Shirley : I am not a medical doctor. I'm a musician. I'm about to embark on a concert tour in the Deep South. What other experience do you have?
Tony Lip : [Thinking of how to best describe his job a a bouncer] Public relations.
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Dr. Don Shirley : So where did this "Tony the Lip" moniker come from?
Tony Lip : [laughs] It's not "Tony the Lip", it's "Tony Lip". One word. I got it when I was a kid 'cause my friends said I was the best bullshit artist in the Bronx.
[Chuckles]
Dr. Don Shirley : [Horrified] Why are you smiling?
Tony Lip : What do you mean?
Dr. Don Shirley : It doesn't bother you that your friends - the people closest to you - consider you a liar?
Tony Lip : Who said liar? I said bullshit artist!
Dr. Don Shirley : And what's the difference?
Tony Lip : 'Cause I don't lie! Ever! I'm just good at talkin' people into... y'know, doin' things they don't wanna do... By bullshittin' 'em.
[Grins]
Dr. Don Shirley : And you're proud of that?
Tony Lip : Well, it got me this job.
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Tony Lip : [Surveying the snow] This could get bad, Doc.
Dr. Don Shirley : Yes. It's a shame we don't have something to protect us on our journey. Oh, I know. Why don't you put your lucky rock up on the dash, Tony? Come on, Tony, we need all the help we can get.
[Tony puts the stone on the dash]
Dr. Don Shirley : Thank you. I feel safer already.
Tony Lip : You're a real prick, you know that?
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Tony Lip : I don't make the rules down here.
Dr. Don Shirley : No? Then who does?
Tony Lip : You're saying just 'cause I'm white and they're white? You know, that's a very prejudiced thing you just said there. A very prejudiced thing. I got more in common with the Hymies at 2nd Avenue Deli than I do with these hillbilly pricks down here.
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Tony Lip : You speak German, huh?
Dr. Don Shirley : That was Russian.
Tony Lip : Yeah, I was stationed in Germany in the army. I could pick up a little bit of what you were saying there...
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Dr. Don Shirley : Tony, are you hungry?
Tony Lip : Does Betty like Butta? Er?
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Dr. Don Shirley : Ahh that was a good time. I'd do that once a month for free.
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Dr. Don Shirley : [Tony offers him a fried chicken] Come on.
Dr. Don Shirley : I told you not to get grease on my blanket.
Tony Lip : [mockingly] Oooh, I'm going to get grease on my blanket.
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Tony Lip : Christ, I'm blacker than you are.
Dr. Don Shirley : Excuse me?
Tony Lip : You don't know shit about your own people. What they eat, how they talk, how they live. You don't even know who Little Richard is.
Dr. Don Shirley : Oh, so knowing who Little Richard is makes you blacker than me?
Tony Lip : [nods]
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Dr. Don Shirley : And make sure there is a bottle of Cutty Sark in my room every night.
Tony Lip : A whole bottle?
[laughs after Dr, Shirley nods]
Tony Lip : You know, if you need any help with that...
Dr. Don Shirley : I won't.
