Michael Keaton Globes Acceptance: ‘Work Hard, Don’t Quit, Never Complain’

In his acceptance speech after winning the award for Best Actor, “Birdman’s” Michael Keaton said his father instilled a hard work ethic into him when he was growing up with six siblings in a “run-down farmhouse.”

“In the household in which I was raised, the themes were pretty simple,” Keaton said. “Work hard. Don’t quit. Be appreciative, be thankful, be grateful, be respectful. Also, never whine, never complain. And always, for crying out loud, keep a sense of humor.”

“My name is Michael John Douglas, I’m from Forest Grove, PA,” Keaton continued. “I’m the seventh child of George and Leona Douglas, and I don’t ever remember a time when my father didn’t work two jobs. When my mother was going to the grocery, or going to Mass, or trying to take care of seven kids in a run-down farmhouse.”

“I’ve got six wonderful brothers and sisters. I have some tremendous, tremendously loving, generous friends all over the world. But my best friend is kind, intelligent, funny, talented, considerate, thoughtful, did I say kind?”

“He also happens to be my son Sean,” Keaton said, choking up. “I love you with all my heart buddy. I’m so grateful, from the bottom of my heart, you have no idea what this means to me. And to come from a place where I come from, out of all my friends and my family, thank you very, very, much, I’m extremely grateful.”

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