"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story" (J. Frank Dobie?)

Tue Jan 9 15:36:33 UTC 2007

This is similar (or is it the opposite?):

" . . . did not allow a want of facts to stand in the way of a good story." -- D. W. Green, "Moose - II: An Expedition into New Brunswick," _Forest and Stream_, 28 June 1902 (p. 509).

--Charlie
_____________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 10:15:15 -0500
>From: Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
>Subject: Re: "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story" (J. Frank              Dobie?)
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>
>Google Books shows a "snippet" from John Stephen Strange's novel _The Bell in the Fog_ (1936): "Never one to let the truth stand in the way of a good story . . . ."
>
>--Charlie
>_____________________________________________________
>
>---- Original message ----
>>Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 22:51:27 EST
>>From: Bapopik at AOL.COM
>>Subject: "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story" (J. Frank Dobie?)
>>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>
>>
>>Did anyone coin "(Never/Don't) let the (facts/truth) get in the way of a =20
>>good story"? (Search for "way of a good story.")
>>...
>>It's been credited to Texas folklorist J. Frank Dobie (one quote in YBQ), =20
>>but I don't know if anyone in particular can take credit.
>>...
>>...
>>...
>>_http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/never_let_the_facts_get_in_=
>>th
>>e_way_of_a_good_story/_=20
>>(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/never_let_the_facts_get_in_=
>>the_way_of_a_good_story/)=20
>>...
>>=20
>>=E2=80=9CNever let the facts get in the way of a good story=E2=80=9D
>>=20
>>Texans are known for their bragging. Common sayings are =E2=80=9CIt ain=E2=
>>=80=99t braggin=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D=20
>> (if you can do it, or if it=E2=80=99s true) and=20
>>_=E2=80=9Cno  brag, just fact.=E2=80=9D_=20
>>(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/no_brag_just_fact/) =20
>>
>>=E2=80=9CNever let the facts get in the way of a good  story=E2=80=9D (somet=
>>imes given with =E2=80=9C
>>truth=E2=80=9D replacing the word =E2=80=9Cfacts") is something  that seems=20=
>>either from=20
>>Texas or Hollywood (or a bit of both). The phrase dates  from at least 1940.=
>>=20
>>
>>Folklorist J. Frank Dobie is sometimes credited with  this phrase, but this=20
>>has not been verified with documentary evidence. Delbert  Trew (another Texa=
>>s=20
>>folklorist) has claimed: =E2=80=9CI never let the truth stand in the  way of=
>> a good=20
>>story=E2=80=9D=20
>>
>>
>>_The 1824 Flag of the Texas  Revolution_=20
>>(http://www.texianlegacy.com/1824flag.html) =20
>>Texians and Hollywood seldom allow facts to get in the way of  a good story=20
>>and sometimes these stories take on the guise of history.  =20
>>
>>_=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s All Trew=E2=80=9D  Texas columns by Delbert Trew_=20
>>(http://www.texasescapes.com/DelbertTrew/It's-All-Trew.htm) =20
>>=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s All Trew=E2=80=9D by Delbert Trew =20
>>Appears in the Amarillo Globe News=20
>>Delbert Trew was born in  Ochiltree County in the northern Panhandle of Texa=
>>s=20
>>in 1933. His wife Ruth was  also born in the Panhandle on a farm near=20
>>Follett, Texas. This was during the  darkest days of the Great Depression an=
>>d in the=20
>>heart of the Dustbowl. They are  retired and live 65 miles east of Amarillo=20=
>>on=20
>>a ranch that=E2=80=99s been in the family  for 54 years.=20
>>(...)=20
>>As a disclaimer he sometimes says, =E2=80=9CI never let the  truth stand in=20=
>>the way=20
>>of a good story=E2=80=9D and other times he says, =E2=80=9CIf you=E2=80=99ve=
>>  already heard this=20
>>story, don=E2=80=99t stop me, =E2=80=98cause I want to hear it again,  mysel=
>>f.=E2=80=9D=20
>>
>>_Handbook  of Texas Online_=20
>>(http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/DD/fdo2.html) =20
>>DOBIE, JAMES FRANK (1888-1964). J. Frank Dobie,  folklorist, was born on a=20
>>ranch in Live Oak County, Texas, on September 26,  1888, the eldest of six=20
>>children of Richard J. and Ella (Byler) Dobie. His  ranching heritage became=
>> an=20
>>early influence on his character and  personality. =20
>>
>>_Wikipedia: J. Frank Dobie_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Frank_Dobie)  =20
>>James Frank Dobie (September 26, 1888=E2=80=93September 18, 1964) was an  Am=
>>erican=20
>>folklorist, writer, and newspaper columnist best known for many books  depic=
>>ting=20
>>the richness and traditions of life in rural Texas during the days of  the=20
>>open range. As a public figure, he was known in his lifetime for his  outspo=
>>ken=20
>>liberal views against Texas state politics, and for his long personal  war=20
>>against what he saw as bragging Texans, religious prejudice, restraints on =20
>>individual liberty, and the assault of the mechanized world on the human spi=
>>rit. =20
>>He was also instrumental in the saving of the Texas Longhorn breed of cattle=
>> =20
>>from extinction. =20
>>
>>_Google  Groups: alt.old.west_=20
>>(http://groups.google.com/group/alt.old-west/browse_thread/thread/a9350d6cc0=
>>491418/07233879f8a496c2?lnk=3Dst&q=3D"way+of+a+good+s
>>tory"+and+texas&rnum=3D2&hl=3Den#07233879f8a496c2) =20
>>From:  laro=20
>>Date:  Fri, Feb 21 2003  11:44 am=20
>>
>>Gerald, I had a hard time believing that Bigfoot was a  descendant of Willia=
>>m=20
>>Wallace...I went to the Handbook of Texas and sure enough,  there it is.=20
>>
>>Then I noted that J. Frank Dobie actually penned that  article before he die=
>>d=20
>>and was reminded of a quote OFTEN attributed to Dobie,  =E2=80=9CNever let t=
>>he truth=20
>>get in the way of a good story.=E2=80=9D=20
>>
>>I=E2=80=99m still  wondering.  Do you have any personal sources of knowledge=
>> or were=20
>>you  accepting the Handbook, as I always do (well, almost always.  Dobie did=
>> =20
>>have a way with the truth!)=20
>>
>>I like Dobie, don=E2=80=99t get me wrong.  I=E2=80=99ve  got all of his book=
>>s with about two=20
>>exceptions.=20
>>But he was a  folklorist!   =20
>>
>>29 June 1940, Nebraska State Journal (Lincoln, NE),pg. 5, col. 7: =20
>>...the women (and men) who won=E2=80=99t let truth stand in the way of a goo=
>>d story =20
>>and embroider a little on every bit of gossip they hear;...=20
>>
>>15 December  1956, Winnipeg , pg. 32, col. 6:=20
>>His book, which he calls  frankly a novel, is a stringing together of=20
>>vigorous and racy anecdotes, and if  the facts get in the way of a good stor=
>>y, so=20
>>much the worse for the facts. =20
>>
>>9 March 1964, Fresno (CA) Bee, pg. 28, col. 8:=20
>>Lawrence  Lader=E2=80=99s writing in Sunday=E2=80=99s Parade Magazine on the=
>> bail system=20
>>followed with  slavish devotion the slogan: =E2=80=9CNever let the facts sta=
>>nd in the way=20
>>of a good  story.=E2=80=9D=20
>>
>>13 December 1969, Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville,  AR), pg. 4:=20
>>Murray writes for the Los Angeles Times, and wears the literary  mantle of=20
>>Artemus Ward, Josh Billings and Don Rickels. He=E2=80=99s a colorful writer,=
>>  and he=20
>>rarely lets facts get in the way of a good story.=20
>>
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>
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