[Ads-l] Family of Sayings: You're only as good as your last performance (UNCLASSIFIED)

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Mon Dec 17 22:10:02 UTC 2018


Fantastic citation, Bill. Prominent Hollywood figure Douglas Fairbanks
received credit for a version containing the word “only” and “last
picture” in July 1926: “A man’s only as good as his last picture”.

Date: July 1926
Periodical: Photoplay
Article: Close-Ups and Long-Shots: Satire Humor and Some Sense
Author: Herbert Howe
Start Page 44, Quote Page 45

https://archive.org/details/photoplay3031movi/page/n47

[Begin excerpt]
Poor little idols of a day. We put them on a pedestal and defy them to
stay there.

Already they are asking me eagerly in Hollywood, "You don't think
Gilbert will last, do you? Do you think Novarro has a future? Can
Colman go much further?"

>From force of Hollywood habit I say, "Yes," and get such disappointed
looks that I hurriedly say "No."

No mere actor-idol can last beyond a short allotted time. Fairbanks,
Lloyd, Chaplin are not mere actors. They are artists—producers. We go
to see them because their names assure great entertainment.

"A MAN'S only as good as his last picture," says Doug, and I heartily concur.

AN actor who endures as an idol must have not only character but
creative force — and the chance to exercise it.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Dec 17, 2018 at 12:45 PM MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY
RDECOM AMRDEC (USA) <0000099bab68be9a-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu>
wrote:
>
> CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
>
> _Photoplay_  May 1924 p 109
> "Generally speaking, a star is as good as his last few pictures."
> https://archive.org/stream/pho26chic#page/n674/mode/1up
>
> This was from an article by James Quirk, editor of Photoplay, describing a poll of the most "consistent box office attractions", i.e, the most popular stars.  The article and/or the line was reprinted in _Film Daily_ 6/22/1924, p 31, and in _Exhibitors Herald_ 5/3/1924, p. 50.  With such wide dissemination in the movie press, perhaps this is source from which the quote spread into the show-business world, where so many of Garson's early cites come from.
>
>
> >
> > The saying in the subject line is a member of a family of adages that was examined by Charles Doyle and Wolfgang Mieder in the 2016
> > update to “The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs” published in “Proverbium”. They presented citations beginning in November 1935.
> >
> > Barry Popik also examined part of this topic and presented citations beginning in July 1935.
> > https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/youre_only_as_good_as_your_last_trade_wall_street_adage
> >
> > The Quote Investigator website now has an entry with citations beginning in July 1930. Earlier citations and pertinent information would be
> > welcome.
> > https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/12/17/good-last/
> >
> > The first match located by QI that fits into the family was published by the powerful syndicated gossip columnist Walter Winchell:
> >
> > [ref] 1930 July 16, The Akron Beacon Journal, Winchell On Broadway, Quote Page 15, Column 1, Akron, Ohio. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > MERCILESS TRUTH
> > A columnist is only as good as his last column.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > In October 1930 Hollywood columnist Louella Parsons published an instance of the adage while disclaiming authorship:
> >
> > [ref] 1930 October 14, Beaumont Enterprise, Sophisticated Plays Continue Popular by Louella O. Parsons, Quote Page 5, Column 2,
> > Beaumont, Texas. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > If John Ford's “Up the River” is as good as everyone says, anything connected with his next picture is of special interest. Who was it said an
> > actor is only as good as his last picture and a director too?
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > In November 1930 the movie star Barbara Stanwyck used the saying while discussing her desire to leave Hollywood:
> >
> > [ref] 1930 November 7, The Hartford Courant, The Show Window, Quote Page 20, Column 6, Hartford, Connecticut. (Newspapers_com)
> > [/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > Barbara Stanwyck will abandon the screen as soon as her present contract expires. "A star is only as good as her last picture," she explains
> > and then another reason for her proposed retirement is that she wants to be able, to give more time to being Mrs. Frank Fay.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > In March 1932 Stanwyck employed the saying again. This time she employed a version with the pronoun “you”:
> >
> > [ref] 1932 March 6, The Hartford Courant, Barbara Stanwyck Takes Rank With Box Office Stars, Quote Page D2, Column 4, Hartford,
> > Connecticut.
> > (Newspapers_com) [/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > "Marriage and a career can go together if you do it sensibly," she said. "Marriage is the most important. I mean it continues. In the 'movies'
> > I'm a success as long as the public likes me. When they stop going to see me I'll stop work . . . you're only as good as your last picture."
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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