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Who really said it

A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn

Attributed to Bill Murray
Attribution status: Attributed Reuse status: In copyright

Wikiquote credits this remark to an interview with Thomas Chau. It places the sentence in Murray’s discussion of coping with melancholy, rather than presenting it as a line from a film character. Source and attribution evidence ↗

Last verified 9 Nov 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?

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Unconfirmed quote & credit

“A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn” — Bill Murray

Can you use it?

Still under copyright (rights held by Bill Murray and/or the original publisher; exact present holder not established here). A short, credited quote is generally fine for talks, teaching, and internal decks; for commercial, published, or large-scale reuse, get permission.

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In context

Evoking the world of Bill Murray — Actor. Theme: "A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.

Minimalist

Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.

Provenance

The source

Source
Interview with Thomas Chau
Evidence
Source trail checked; limitations stated

A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn

An excerpt of the wording under discussion; see the source and attribution limitations below.

Source and attribution evidence

How we verified this

  • Wikiquote credits this remark to an interview with Thomas Chau. It places the sentence in Murray’s discussion of coping with melancholy, rather than presenting it as a line from a film character. Source and attribution evidence ↗
  • The named interview is a useful trail, but its original text was not independently verified in this review. The exact interview date and venue therefore remain unstated. Read the supporting source ↗

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Filed under

More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.

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The author

About Bill Murray

Bill Murray

Actor

Bill Murray is an actor whose interview with Thomas Chau is cited by Wikiquote. The source places his remark about melancholy in a discussion of feelings and how people deal with them.

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The primary source (Chicago)

Interview with Thomas Chau. See the linked evidence for the wording and attribution limitations.

This verification page

Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘A melancholy can be sweet. It's not a mean thing, but it's something that happens in life — like autumn’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/a-melancholy-can-be-sweet-its-not-a-mean-thing-but-its/

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