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What is the origin of " Slowly I turn, inch by inch.."?

By Anonymous Asked Oct 17 2007 9:05AM
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Top Answer out of 4

by Jtigger on Oct 17, 2007 at 9:21 am Permalink

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It's from a Three Stooges movie, "Gents Without Cents" made in 1944. Curly says "Niagra Falls" and Moe (who was under some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion? I don't remember) turns on him and launches into the speech. (I dunno. Seemed funny when I was a kid.) See www.imdb.com for good sources of movie quotes, trivia, etc.
This was also from an Abbott and Costello movie entitled "Lost in A Harem".
Many of Bud and Lou's best-known routines were vaudeville and/or burlesque standards. The "Niagara Falls" bit ("Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch...I took my revenge.") was performed by many vaudeville teams before becoming identified with Abbott & Costello.


http://www.youtube.com/watch


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Avatar Koz_Dracon - Nelson Remembered Oct, 17 2007 at 09:24 AM
I just love the Three Stooges with Curly. I thought the words were from another movie that they quote?
Avatar Jtigger Oct, 17 2007 at 09:47 AM
Me too! They are so funny. I'm not sure about another movie. I know it was used in the early comedy acts on vaudeville, Abbot and Costello used it, as well as The Three Stooges. I think it was used in an episode of I love Lucy too.

Answer 2 out of 4

by Jingles on May 3, 2009 at 12:45 pm Permalink

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The original author of this timeless chestnut of American Burlesque was the legendary Joey Faye. Joey started in the Borcht Belt in the Catskills and made his way to Minsky's Old Republic in the 1930's after working in radio, writing for and directing Kate Smith and Bert Lahr. Joey was a prolific writer of the great sketches,amassing 8000 of them, including "Floogle Street" which was later performed by Abbott and Costello. (Susquehanna Hat Co.)
He later went on to the legitimate stage and films. His career spanned 70 years with seamless transition in all phases.
He won an award for his performance in Samuel Beckett's "Waiting For Godot" opposite Jack Albertson playing Estragon.
He would be 100 years old this year.
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Answer 3 out of 4

by Anonymous on Mar 2, 2009 at 11:44 am Permalink

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It is an old Vaudeville sketch that predates moving pictures, but was used by both the Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello in movies.

The actual author of the sketch is lost to history.
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Answer 4 out of 4

by JayTee on Jul 18, 2008 at 10:55 am Permalink

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I don't know the answer but I remember hearing it on the "Three Stooges Show" which played every weekday after school. Whatever happened on the show was acted out the next day on the playground at Osage Elementary School in Los Angeles and we couldn't get enough of it.
My yoga teacher, nowadays, while explaining the benefits of certain postures, will say in almost every class when we are doing something, "Inch by inch, the tendons and muscles start to repair themselves so don't be discouraged if you can't do it now. Keep trying and sooner or later, your body will heal." Well, every time he says, Inch by inch", I go back for a few minutes to the playground acting out the latest Stooges' routine seen the day before. Yoga is good and so were the Stooges.
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