Break a Leg (1954, 1957)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   The HDAS, under "leg," has this from 1964.  See our prior discussion.
   The Yankees will play the Boston Red Sox.  I think it's time to end my
"Yankee curse" and wish the team "good luck."


   18 June 1954, NEWS (Frederick, Maryland), pg. 4, col. 6:
_Director Is_
_Hurt During_
_Rehearsal_
   If old theater sayings are any indication of success, there's a great many
"breaks" in store for the Mountain Theater, rehearsing nightly for the
opening attraction of the sixteenth season, "Stalag 17."  The Braddock Heights
theater group experienced, its first, and they sincerely hope its last, "break"
last night.
   Among the many sayings for "good luck," you can hear actors whisper "neck
and leg break" to each other as the footlights dim and the curtain rises each
opening  nights.  Although "neck and leg break" sounds more like a call for a
wrestling arena, theatrically it means, "good luck."
   Stuart Vaughan, making his bow as the director for the Mountain Theater's
resident professional stock company this year, could have used some "good
luck" last night during the rehearsal for "Stalag 17" which opens June 23.  Mr.
Vaughan literally went out on a limb to prove the "good luck" saying.
   During one of the director's demonstrations of a funny piece of stage
business which occurs in the first act of the lusty comedy about GI's in a prison
camp, Mr. Vaughan, according to the script, was to jump up on a folding chair
and shout "at ease."  Mr. Vaughn jumped with great ease but before he could
shout his lines, the chair folded and he fell to the floor with a crash that
would make any sound-effects man green with envy.
   The director today wore a cast on his right leg and requested that no cast
member ask to autograph it.  For the remainder of the rehearsal period, he
will do no more demonstrations of funny business for his cast of twenty men.
   The actors of the "Stalag 17" company, meanwhile, are looking up new and
different opening night good luck sayings.  Somehow, no one seems to feel that
Mr. Vaughan would appreciated hearing "neck and leg break."


   29 May 1957, GETTYSBURG TIMES (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), pg. 4, col. 8:
_Dancer Breaks Leg_
_In Fall Off Stage_
   PHILADELPHIA (AP)--In the theater, they say "break a leg" to an actor just
before he goes on stage, but it really means "good luck."
   Dancer Jean Williams was appearing in a musical at a tent theater near
Philadelphia recently and no one remembered the ritual as she went on.
   During a second act blackout, Jean tumbled into the orchestra pit.  She
broke her leg.