Was this common practice? I was familiar with the Mitchum version, from "Baby I Don't Care" biog: This provoked one of the most durable of Mitchum anecdotes. In the pithiest version of the story, an assistant explained to Bob how the curse box worked, with its sliding scale of penalties.
"It’s fifty cents for ‘hell,’ a dollar for a ‘damn,’ a dollar-fifty for ‘shit’—" "What I want to know is," said Mitchum, in a voice that could be heard throughout Oregon, "what does Miss Young charge for a ‘fuck’?" Also just discovered similar story online where Jerry Lewis gets the credit. On 10 Jul 2012, at 01:57, rodxmorgan wrote: > "My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine" consists of one blank page. > ---EM > > Merman was notorious for her love of vulgar jokes. She delighted in telling > dirty jokes and vulgar stories at public parties. For instance, she once > shouted a dirty joke across the room at José Ferrer during a formal > reception. Merman also enjoyed sending out greeting cards with obscene jokes > in them. Merman was known for swearing during rehearsals and meetings. While > rehearsing a guest appearance on The Loretta Young Show, she was told she had > to pay $1 each time she swore since Young could not abide foul language. As > she was being shoehorned into an ill fitting gown for the next number Merman > exclaimed, "Oh shit, this damn thing's too tight." Young advanced on her > waving her curse box and said, "Come on Ethel, put a dollar in. You know my > rules." Merman's retort reportedly was, "Ah, honey, how much will it cost me > to tell you to go fuck yourself?" > > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com > ___________________________________________________________________ > How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List > Send a message addressed to: [email protected] > In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L > The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
