Wake me up when Kirby dies; Broker than the Ten Commandments

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 04:29:26 EST, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

>(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=000000324266932&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=11016
>28569&clientId=65882)
>Los Angeles Times (1886-Current  File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Dec 12, 1898.
>p. 6 (1 page)
>The San Francisco papers, in speaking of the death of the pioneer actress,
>Sarah Stark Thorne, mentions James Stark as her first husband, which is
>quite incorrect. The lady was three times married, her first husband being
>the famous Bowery actor of fifty years ago, Hudson Kirby. Out of his name
>grew the popular newsboys' shibboleth of "Wake me up when Kirby dies."

>From Newspaperarchive:

Lima (Ohio) Daily Democratic Times, November 10, 1888
Laughing over the story recently told about the old Chatham theatre, W. B.
Gregg recalls that in 1846 or 1847 an old actor named Kirby was the
favorite there. Kirby was strong on melodrama and could die so
pathetically that he always captivated the house in that scene. Once he
was going through a particularly dull play and a kid in the pit grew
weary. Stretching himself for a nap he requested his nearest neighbor in a
tone clearly audible, "Wake me up when Kirby dies."
The expression raised a hurrah. The curtain was rung down and Kirby was
obliged to make a speech. "Wake me up when Kirby dies" was a Bowery
expression from that time down to a very short time ago. -- New York
Evening World.


--Ben Zimmer