Milton Berle? Russell Kay? Young Student? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Teachers enjoy sharing an anecdote about a student who was taught that the word “frugal” meant “to save”. Afterwards the student generated the following story: The beautiful damsel was held prisoner in a tower. When she saw a prince nearby she cried out: “Frugal …
Tag Archives: Milton Berle
Proverb Origin: There May Be Snow On the Roof, But There’s Fire In the Furnace
Groucho Marx? Caroline Newnes? Louise Manning Hodgkins? Bert Lahr? Ted Ray? John Diefenbaker? Milton Berle? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The emergence of grey hair is inevitable as a person ages. Yet, most senior citizens are able to maintain their energy and vitality. A family of sayings uses figurative language to reflect this viewpoint. Here …
Continue reading “Proverb Origin: There May Be Snow On the Roof, But There’s Fire In the Furnace”
Quote Origin: The Hurrier I Go, the Behinder I Get
Lewis Carroll? Charles L. Dodgson? Alice in Wonderland? White Rabbit? March Hare? Emmaleta Hicks? Gene Meihsner? Ed Sussdorff? Milton Berle? Truck Driver Named Bill? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: There is a family of statements about the difficulty of keeping up with a heavy workload. Here are four instances: This saying has often been credited …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The Hurrier I Go, the Behinder I Get”
Quote Origin: Live That You Wouldn’t Be Ashamed To Sell the Family Parrot To the Town Gossip
Will Rogers? Ray Thompson? Walter Winchell? Milton Berle? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A talkative pet parrot can cause enormous embarrassment when it publicly recites phrases spoken in private. A comedian offered the following guidance: Live your life so you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell your family parrot to the town gossip. Popular entertainer Will …
Quote Origin: The Fellow Who Thinks He Knows It All Is Especially Annoying To Those of Us Who Do
Isaac Asimov? Harold Coffin? Unitarian Church Bulletin? Robert Reisner? Joey Adams? Milton Berle? Robert K. Mueller? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Know-it-alls are eager to assert their expertise on all subjects. I love the following comical reaction to grandiose egotism: Those who believe they know everything are a great nuisance to those of us who …
Quote Origin: The True Friend Walks In When Others Walk Out
Walter Winchell? Robert Hill? C. R. Durrant? William T. Ellis? Milton Berle? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: When you encounter difficulties some nominal friends will walk away from you, but your genuine friends will offer help and support. Here are two versions of an apposite adage: (1) The true friend walks in when others walk …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: The True Friend Walks In When Others Walk Out”
Quote Origin: Laughter Is an Instant Vacation
Milton Berle? Bob Hope? Eugene P. Bertin? Connie Nelson? Robert Zwickey? Dale Turner? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The comedian Milton Berle was a major star for decades on radio and then on television. The following insightful adage has been attributed to him: Laughter is an instant vacation. I have also seen these words credited …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: Laughter Is an Instant Vacation”
Quote Origin: I’ve Never Been Hired by a Poor Person
Robert Orben? Milton Berle? Ronald Reagan? Phil Gramm? Michael Dolan? Roger Ross? Sean Hannity? Arnold Schwarzenegger? Question for Quote Investigator: Years ago I heard a quotation that was credited to Ronald Reagan about the creation of jobs. I do not remember the precise wording, but here are two versions that express the gist of the …
Continue reading “Quote Origin: I’ve Never Been Hired by a Poor Person”