TV words

[Fred Shapiro]

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006, Alison Murie wrote:

> "What a revoltin' development dis is!"  Though I guess this goes back to
> radio.  And who said it?  Wm Bendix?

According to The Yale Book of Quotations, which leads off the New York
Times roundup of holiday gift books today, Groucho Marx originated this
phrase ("What a revoltin' development this is!") during a telephone
conversation with Irving Brecher in the 1940s.  Brecher later used it as
the catchphrase of Chester A. Riley, played by Jackie Gleason followed by
William Bendix, on the television series _The Life of Riley_ (1949-1958).
Daffy Duck also uttered this expression in the animated feature _Mexican
Joyride_ (1947).

Fred Shapiro


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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE BOOK OF QUOTATIONS
   Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press
Yale Law School                             ISBN 0300107986
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
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