From childhood I was passionately fond of music and wanted to be a musician. I have no recollection of any real desire ever to be anything else.

My music had roots which I'd dug up from my own childhood musical roots buried in the darkest soil.

I had the standard movie geek childhood because for as long as I can remember all I wanted to do was make movies.

I spent much of my later childhood and adolescence very very involved and interested in art and particularly in animated movies.

My childhood was influenced by the roles my father played in his movies. Whether Abraham Lincoln or Tom Joad in the 'Grapes of Wrath ' his characters communicated certain values which I try to carry with me to this day.

That was my childhood. I grew up with the monks studying Sanskrit and meditating for hours in the morning and hours in the evening and going once a day to beg for food.

Just this morning out of a large memory for songs and having been obsessed by them since childhood suddenly at the age of 84 I thought of a song I hadn't thought of in over 50 years. It came into my head unbidden.

One's age should be tranquil as childhood should be playful. Hard work at either extremity of life seems out of place. At midday the sun may burn and men labor under it but the morning and evening should be alike calm and cheerful.

I don't know what your childhood was like but we didn't have much money. We'd go to a movie on a Saturday night then on Wednesday night my parents would walk us over to the library. It was such a big deal to go in and get my own book.

One thing that people keep on saying to me is that the wealth and the fame must have made up for missing out on my childhood. But the idea of money - putting a price on your childhood - is ridiculous. You will never get those years back and you can't put a price on them.

I always was drawn to the performing arts. I started dancing when I was two. I sang loved to act and loved going to visit my mom on-set. But she wanted me to have a normal childhood so I wasn't really allowed to pursue acting till I got older.

Sure my childhood was unusual. All these eccentric wild people frequented our home: rock stars drag queens models bikers freaks. But I was not this little rich girl. My mom and I lived in an apartment.

Mom was the greatest influence of my childhood. She wanted to save me from the vice lust and drinking that was all about me.

My mom died when I was 16. I had a rough childhood you know what I mean but it made me strong.

I used to have a theory actually that if you've had a good childhood a good marriage and a little bit of money in the bank you're going to make a lousy comedian.

We all have a childhood dream that when there is love everything goes like silk but the reality is that marriage requires a lot of compromise.

Do not miss your children's childhood. Do not be away 200 nights a year as I was. Do not put strains on your marriage or family.

What makes this story so remarkable is that throughout my early childhood I had ongoing learning difficulties particularly in mathematics. I struggled to learn the multiplication table and no matter how hard I tried I simply couldn't remember 6 times 7 or 7 times 8.

I get stubborn and dig in when people tell me I can't do something and I think I can. It goes back to my childhood when I had problems in school because I have a learning disability.

All the time a person is a child he is both a child and learning to be a parent. After he becomes a parent he becomes predominantly a parent reliving childhood.

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

Some of the companies we helped start are names you know. An office supply company called Staples - where I'm pleased to see the Obama campaign has been shopping The Sports Authority which became a favorite of my sons. We started an early childhood learning center called Bright Horizons that First Lady Michelle Obama rightly praised.

It's the continuation of everyone's childhood to see these young children who grow up full of life full of intelligence full of a sense of wonder. And within an instant they're gone from this world. It's terrible.

Because of my faith and my imagination I was able to enjoy my childhood even though it was tough.