January 29
FIELDS DAY
“Ah, yes...” On this day in 1880, William Claude Dukenfield was born. He became one of the most celebrated comics and actors in the U.S., starting his career as a vaudeville juggler, then spending several decades on the musical stage before turning to films.
W.C. Fields (he shortened his name for stage and screen) made his first short, Pool Sharks, in 1915. After silent movies, he performed in many comedy classics like, My Little Chickadee with Mae West (1940), The Bank Dick (1940) and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941).
W.C.’s famous lines became subject matter for nightclub impersonators and comedians. One of the most-repeated quotes was originally directed at the child-actor, Baby LeRoy, Fields’ on-screen nemesis: “Go away, kid, you bother me.” The one-liner that demonstrated Fields’ jaundiced humor the best, and is probably his most-quoted, was fired at a party hostess who, unfortunately, had offered the bombastic curmudgeon a glass of water. “Never touch the stuff; fish fuck in it,” was his response. Other W.C. Fields witticisms: “Doctors say don’t worry about your heart -- it will last as long as you live.”, “Californians talk so much about their climate, it makes their weather vane.”, “I am very humble and proud of it.”, “It was a woman who drove me to drink and I never even thanked her.”
A filmfest is held in Lompoc, California each year to commemorate their favorite son, who spoke of the town in several movies... calling it, “Lom-POCK.” He despised children and babies and requested that his headstone read, “All things considered, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.”
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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