Whole Nine Yards (1855); Show Must Go On (1909)

Thu May 12 06:51:30 UTC 2005

WHOLE NINE YARDS
...
I think this solves it. "The whole nine yards"  dates from the Vietnam War,
in 1855.

  _Agitator _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=9cbxNIiVHYuKID/6NLMW2gIf9vmVJnI1pxCnJIRLdB3SbYepfaKUYkIF+CsZYmrz)

...

Thursday,  March 29, 1855 _Wellsboro,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="whole+nine+yards"+AND+range:1753-1974+AND+city:wellsboro+AND+sta
te:pennsylvania)  _Pennsylvania_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="whole+nine+yards"+AND+range:1753-1974+AND+state:pennsylvania)
...of making three she has sut  the WHOLE NINE YARDS-into one shin But we
must.....the kind-hearted teacher got or boy's WHOLE history, and  while gen-
erous..
...
     _Oakland Tribune _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=4uFNimLMxoSKID/6NLMW2sf2NgZ30qnbbmxCr6us1rb8QYOoatr/RkIF+CsZYmrz)  Wednesday,
March 21, 1973 _Oakland,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="whole+nine+yards"+AND+range:1753-1974+AND+city:oakland+AND+state:california)
_California_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="whole+nine+yards"+AND+range:1753-1974+AND+state:california)      ...loud music, fancy cars
(he  WHOLE NINE, YARDS simply resolves itself  into
 ...
...
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THE SHOW MUST GO ON
...
I can't find my cite in the ADS-L archive, which dies when I try to search
it.
...
...

_http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=519916_
(http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=519916)
    Subject: Re: The Show must go on
Answered By: _justaskscott-ga_
(http://answers.google.com/answers/ratings?user=3822341574987929257)   on 10 May 2005 07:55 PDT
Rated:
Hello bronzegoddess,

The phrase predates Irving Berlin's "There's No Business Like Show

Business" from the 1946 musical "Annie Get Your Gun."  It does not

appear to have an identified originator.

"The saying and principle are traditional in the theater, but

apparently they both originated in the 19th century with circuses.  If

an animal got loose or a performer was injured, the ringmaster and the

band tried to keep things going so that the crowd would not panic."

The Oxford English Dictionary cites it in print from 1941 and 1943; so

it appears that the phrase was gaining popularity at the time that

Irving Berlin wrote "There's No Business Like Show Business."

Online posting, "The Show Must Go On", by ozziemaland (1/24/04)

Wordorigins Org

_http://p098.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm14.showPrevMessage?topicID=26.topic
_
(http://p098.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm14.showPrevMessage?topicID=26.topic)

Online posting, "Re: tHE show must go on", by esc (1/15/03)

The Phrase Finder

_http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/18/messages/331.html_
(http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/18/messages/331.html)  [Note:

This is the working version of the link cited in the Wordorigins Org

posting]

"There's No Business Like Show Business" (1946)

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Williamson Music

_http://www3.rnh.com/rhstein/williamson/williamson_song.asp?song_title=THERE'S
+NO+BUSINESS+LIKE+SHOW+BUSINESS_
(http://www3.rnh.com/rhstein/williamson/williamson_song.asp?song_title=THERE'S+NO+BUSINESS+LIKE+SHOW+BUSINESS)

- justaskscott

...
...
  1._A QUARTETTE NO LONGER.; Death of One of Mr. Wilson's Babies After a
short Hiness. _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=276367782&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1115880414&clientId=65882
)
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Jul 3, 1879. p. 1 (1 page)
       2._TO FOLLOW DU MAURIER.; PUNCH WILL STAR PHIL MAY, HOGARTH OF THE
LONDON SLUMS. His Art Differs Widely from the Work of the Man He
Succeeds--Favorite Subjects Found in the Gutters and Alleys of London--In Freedom of Line May
Resembles Gibson--His Early Life Was a Remarkably Hard Struggle. Types Which
May Portrays. Resemblance to Gibson. May's Humble Beginning. _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=1&did=428798401&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=
PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1115880414&clientId=65882)
Chicago Daily. Oct 18, 1896. p. 33 (1 page)
       3._NEWS OF THE THEATERS; "Polly of the Circus" Returns. Jeffries in
Vaudeville. Coming of the Mendelssohns. _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=404365551&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&
TS=1115880414&clientId=65882)
Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Mar 2, 1909. p. 8 (1 page)
     And every night, feeling, with Polly, that "the show must go on," and
being willful, she gt out of bed and went to the theater.  4._LITTLE JOKER"
COMES TO PASS.; TALBOT'S NEW PLAY CHARMS TWO HUGE AUDIENCES; As a Drama It Is
Chaotic and Uncertain--Author Revising--Splendid Company Gives Superb Rendition of
Its Many Roles--OtherDramatic News of the Day. MUSIC AND STAGE. _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=348238882&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&V
Type=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1115880414&clientId=65882)
JULIAN JOHNSON. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current. Dec 11, 1911. p. II5 (2
pages)
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CHICAGO CUBS
...
I guess March 27, 1902 is the date to beat for "Cubs."

...
...
...
_http://www.angelfire.com/co3/MLBX/franchises.html_
(http://www.angelfire.com/co3/MLBX/franchises.html)

Franchise: Charter franchise NA. Charter franchise NL. Merged with  Chicago
Pirates
1891. Merged with Chicago Whales 1916.
Named Anson's Colts because manager Cap Anson had starred in a silent film
called "A Runaway Colt." The word also meant rookie back then.
Name of Cubs used first 3/27/02 by Chicago sportswriters George Rice and
Fred Hayner in Chicago Daily News.