I hate to bother you with this but I need a bit of assistance, having exhausted my usual sources. In a nutshell…I have two different quotations which I plan to use as an introduction to a novel I am writing and I need the source of each.
The first is: “Italy is a land of actors…the least of which are on the stage.” I heard this one repeatedly from my father, God rest his soul, and he would recite it when referencing his mother-in-law, my maternal grandmother. He insisted that the source of the quote was Orson Welles. I have researched the quote and have been unable to find it attributed to Orson Welles, or to Orson Bean for that matter. And, no, Orson Scott Card didn’t say it, either. I can’t ask Dad if he was sure, though I know he was; please believe me when I tell you that it would have been easier to disinter Welles, prop him up, and bribe him to utter the statement in question than it would have been to persuade Dad that Welles was not the source. Anyone?
The second quote is one used repeatedly, and never sourced, by my late friend Michael Fenneman. He would usually say the following when we would see an attractive woman: Mike would mime the smoking of a cigar, and in a Foghorn Leghorn voice would say, “I did not tell you that I was takin’ you to Tampa…what I said, my deah, was that I was gonna tampa with ya.” Mike never recalled where he originally heard the statement, and quite honestly, I have used it as my own for many years. I am at a point, however, where I need to give proper credit if possible.
Can anyone help? If so, I would appreciate it. If you have a quote of your own which needs sourcing and so far has eluded same, by all means, offer it up to those assembled. We are a helpful group here. Either way, Happy Thanksgiving to you, one and all, whether you visit here regularly or have stumbled upon us for the first time. I am thankful for you.
Joe,
I don’t know if this info is much help, but here is what I found:
The closest I came to locating the first quote, is a variation posted on an Italian travel tour site:
1) “Italy is a country of actors…of which none are on stage.”
Source: The Insider’s Rome
http://www.theinsidersrome.com/index.php/2011/01/11/la-bella-figura
Perhaps, you can email the site owner, Bill Bucci and ask his source.
Variations of the second quote abound. The oldest I found was from a 1967 MIT publication:
2) “Hey wise guy,” complained the well-built young thing. “What’s the big idea? You promised to take me to Florida.”
“I said nothing of the sort,” insisted her gentleman friend. “I merely said I was going to Tampa with you.”
Source: Voodoo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1967
http://web.mit.edu/voodoo/www/archive/pdfs/1967-Nov.pdf
Joe,
Regarding the Tampa quote: I found variations attributed from everybody from the Three Stooges, to Groucho Marx, to Redd Foxx. I also located a quote, “I met her in Jacksonville, and I am going to Tampa with her tonight,” in the Official Proceedings, Vol. 39 (1926), of The Western Railway Club. However, I couldn’t access enough of the quote, or the entire proceedings. So, I guess that joke has been around for awhile.
WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP! Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner already, or at least an excellent entry. A tip of the fedora and a huge Thank You to T.L.! Re: the “Tampa” quote…I can state to a reasonable degree of certainty (to the nth degree) that my late friend, God rest his soul, did NOT discover the quote while pouring over MIT publications, but this is great. Thank you so much! Any alternate sources out there? And again, thank you, T.R.! You are living up to the second half of your handle, for sure.
T.L., I can just imagine Redd Foxx saying that. I am a huge Foxx fan, but don’t recall ever hearing that from him. And you traced the remark as far back as 1926? Amazing! Thanks again.
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Third time the charm?
My grandfather used to acknowledge minor courtesys with, ” ‘Thank you, sir,’ she said, ‘your kindness I shall never forget. ‘ “
My cousin’s response to this one time was, “Big Papa’s always quoting Shakespeare.”
I am relatively confident the Bard is NOT the source.
Suggestions aanyone?
G., was your grandfather associated with the railroad at any point? The Railroad Carmen’s Journal in the early 20th Century recommended a similar phrase in response to tipping, etc.
I think that your cousin was perhaps being gently sarcastic. Or maybe not. For myself, I don’t think that one can be too polite.
I agree, Sir; though it seems common courtesy is not quite so common these days.
As to my cousin’s sarcasm, I’m inclined to believe he was serious as we were middle schoolers at the time.
I appreciate the direction to the Railroad Carman’s Journal~ it sounds exactly something he would’ve been exposed to, or at least heard from railroad carmen as he grew up in 1910’s Alabama. He was, however, employed in early commercial aviation in the Tidewater area and DC.
Still and all; thanks for the lead.
🙂
The Tampa line is hilarious. Reminds me of the (suitable for kids) joke in which a real estate agent is showing houses to a Southern miss and says, “Now, here is a house without a flaw!” and she replies, “Really? What do you all walk on?”
John, I love it! It reminds me of the joke (NOT suitable for children) about the difference between “you can do it” and “y’all can do it”! Thanks!
Joe,
I am of no help other than to sympathize. I have a quote I want to use from an obscure contemporary poem and I have lost the source and poet’s name. Have tried everything…
Maybe this is just God’s way of telling me to stop using epigrams. 🙂
Sympathy is appreciated, Kris… but…what is the obscure contemporary poem? Folks are really helpful here! And, as I have learned, really, really smart!
Yes, what is the quote? You may find help here.
The Tampa line sounds like classic W.C.Fields but other than that, I’m no help at all.
Can you not use a quote and simply acknowledge, “Unknown”?
Amanda, I could go the “Unknown” route, but I prefer to give credit where possible. I think it stems from my music law background. Thanks, though.
Joe, I am of no help with the quotations. I just wanted to stop by to mention that I always enjoy your posts. They are always so informative.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving – you and your family.
Steve, thanks once again for your kind words. It’s always nice to know that you’ve visited. And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well. Some friends of ours are spending Thanksgiving near you in Zanesfield, btw, heading over the river and through the woods to their grandparents. Hope you have a good one!
Joe, the second one sounds like WC Fields and the bit with the air cigar is typical WC. As for going around doing a line like that is something else again. You should list and describe every one of them. It would be fascinating reading.
Adam, it sure reads like W.C. Fields, but my friend would adapt a faux southern upper class, Kentucky Colonel accent when he said it which made it even funnier. It sure could have been Fields who said it, however. I have thought about listing and describing the incidents, as you suggested, but have refrained from doing so in order to protect the guilty and innocent, living and dead. Maybe someday. Thanks!
According to my cousin Leonard, the Tampa line was actually his. He said it once while time travelling back to 1932 and was overheard by both WC Fields, Groucho Marx, and Curly Howard. All of whom appropriated it, but refused to admit they heard it was a curly red-headed guy with big lips who had managed to steal all the pretty ladies attentions with what what he claimed to be his “Time Machine”. He had also used such phrases as, “Come tour the cosmos with me baby, I’ll give you the ride of your life.” and “Honey you make my space-time continuum shift in all kinds of groovy ways.”
I have this on the most sincerest of authority.
Basil, I would have been disappointed with anything less from you. Thanks so much! Problem solved!
*dies*