Tracing Quotations
Jackie ‘Moms’ Mabley? Bette Davis? Joan Crawford? Craig Russell? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: Two stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age were combative rivals. When one died the other said something like the following: I was taught that you shouldn’t speak of the dead unless you have something good to say. Therefore, I will only say this, …
Continue reading “Nothing But Good Should Be Said of the Dead — He’s Dead. Good”
Bette Davis? Ruth S. Hain? Malcolm Forbes? John S. Whelan? Paul Newman? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: One grows in wisdom as the decades accumulate, but the challenges to health and intellect also increase. Here are four versions of a spirited adage: In this context, the words sissy and wimp refer to a weak or …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Old Age Sure Ain’t for Sissies”
Bette Davis? Richard Branson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: In 2014 Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, wrote an essay discussing some of his favorite quotations. One motivational remark about creating and fulfilling a dream was attributed to the Hollywood star Bette Davis. Are you familiar with this quotation? Would you please …
Bette Davis? Leonora Corbett? Kenneth Tynan? Anonymous? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: I love the following catty quotation that was said by one Hollywood actor or actress about another performer who had allegedly slept her way to success: She’s the original good time that’s been had by all. Can you tell me who said this and …
Continue reading “She’s the Original Good Time That’s Been Had By All”