Tennis anyone? Tennis anybody? Anyone for tennis?

[Garson O'Toole]

The phrase "Tennis, anyone?" is associated with juvenile roles played
by Humphrey Bogart. The phrase has been discussed a few times on the
ADS list in previous years: 1999, 2000-2003, 2007.

FYI: The QI website now has an analysis.
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/02/14/tennis-anyone/

The most interesting cite uncovered, I think, was an interview with
Bogart in 1948 in which he mentioned the variant phrase "Tennis
anybody?":

Cite:  1948 September 16, Portsmouth Herald, Erskine Johnson: In
Hollywood, Page 12, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. (NewspaperArchive)

[Begin excerpt]
Bogart laughed. "I used to play juveniles on Broadway and came
bouncing into drawing rooms with a tennis racket under my arm and the
line: "Tennis anybody?" It was a stage trick to get some of the
characters off the set so the plot could continue. Now when they want
some characters out of the way I come in with a gun and bump ‘em off."
[End excerpt]

Feedback welcome
Garson

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