OED Appeals list (UNCLASSIFIED); Ghost-Written Famous Quotations

[Doug Harris]

I believe it was a New Yorker cartoon with a great variation on this theme:
A man on a telephone saying, "No, Thursday won't work. How about never?"
--
I've been known to, in response to the opposite type 'when do you need it'
question, say, "What time is it now?" But always in jest, of course.
(the other) doug




> In a message dated 6/21/2007 5:14:38 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL writes:
>
> don't  call us .. (we'll call you) (phr.):
> antedate 1987, or any exx. in  print
> (now antedated to 1959; variants also accepted (e.g. with  'ring'))
>
> "Guys and Dolls Lexicon" By GILBERT MILLSTEIN. _New York  Times_; Feb 17,
> 1952; Magazine section, pg. 20 col 3.
> "Keep in touch  with the office -- Means the reverse; don't bother us;
> stay out of the way;  a variation of the casting director's "Don't call
> us, we'll call you."  "

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