You remember the first rule of retirement, George? No moonlighting, no fooling with loose ends, no private enterprise, ever. You remember who preaches this rule, at Sarratt, in the corridors? George Smiley did. Quote, "When it's over, it's over. Pull down the shutters, go home," unquote. We're over, George. We've got no license. They don't want us anymore.
Played by Bernard Hepton
Smiley's People · 21 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Smiley's People: in 10 of its 21 quotes
Most scenes with: George Smiley (5)
Lines by Toby Esterhase 5
Grigorieva got herself a driving license two months ago. And she's terrible! Terrible, like lousy. You know what Pauli Skordeno says to me? He says, "Toby, I need danger money just to follow that woman."
He's so conspicuous he's embarrassing.
Well, they like the guy, George. You know how watchers are, it's like or hate all the time. They like him.
(on Karla's defection) George, all your life! Fantastic!
Scenes with Toby Esterhase 5
Toby EsterhaseThis an interrogation, George?
You know me, Toby.
Toby EsterhaseSure I know you. You want matches so you can burn my feet?
Toby EsterhaseGeorge, do me a favor, okay? You want a Hungarian babysitter someday, call me. You go messing around with creeps like Kirov and Leipzig, you better have a creep like Toby look after you. You're an old spy in a hurry, George. You used to say they were the worst.
Oh they are, Toby, they are.
So how [security] conscious is he?
Toby EsterhaseGeorge, he's Russian, okay? The Russians think the butterflies are spying on them.
So which way will he jump when we hit him?
Toby EsterhaseBurning, George, that's always a hazard, know what I mean? Some guys get heroic and want to die for their countries suddenly. Other guys roll over and lie still the moment you put the arm on them. Burning, that touches the stubbornness in certain people.
Toby EsterhaseGrigoriev has a salad. She has steak and chips, glass of beer, and a slice of cake. George, the guy will fold, believe me! You never had a wife like that.
No, I don't think I ever did.
Toby EsterhaseYou think he wants to be locked up in a two-room flat in Moscow with that bitch for the rest of his life? Ha-ha, don't worry.
More Smiley's People characters
All Smiley's People quotes →
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Smiley's People pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.