Maxim of acting: Honesty ... fake that, I'll have it made (1962 April 6)

[Garson O'Toole]

A comical adage about acting has been attributed to multiple
performers. George Burns said a version in 1984 in Playboy magazine as
noted in the Yale Book of Quotations. YBQ also has a cite in 1970 that
mentions Peyton Place. Here are some generic examples of the
expression:

Honesty; Learn how to fake that, you're in.
Sincerity; Fake that, you've got it made.

The earliest cite I have located so far is dated 1962 and is credited
to an anonymous theatrical actor.

Cite: 1962 April 06, Morning Advocate [Advocate], The Lyons Den by
Leonard Lyons, Page 2-A, Column 2, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(GenealogyBank)

[Begin excerpt]
Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. invited a panel of performers -
including Celeste Holm and Shelly Berman - to discuss the trends in
show business. Miss Holm spoke of the vogues in acting, and said she
heard one actor say: "Honesty. That's the thing in the theater today.
Honesty ... and just as soon as I can learn to fake that, I'll have it
made."
[End excerpt]

In 1969 an actor named Ed Nelson who played the character Dr. Michael
Rossi on the soap opera Peyton place used the saying in Life magazine.
I think this is a key locus for some of the later instances including
the YBQ 1970 cite.

Cite: 1969 April 25, Life, Requiem For a TV Town by Joan Barthel,
Start Page 47, Quote Page 49, Published by Time Inc., New York.
(Google Books full view)
http://books.google.com/books?id=jE8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22fake+that%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
... Ed Nelson (Dr. Rossi) summed up what he had learned in his five
years on the show. "I've found that the most important thing for an
actor is honesty," he said. "And when you learn how to fake that,
you're in."
[End excerpt]

Earlier examples would be welcome. Thanks.
Garson

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org