Who were these people?
Dates: 2/20/01,8:48 AM through 2/20/01,11:46 AM (8 postings)
Return to February 2001 thread menu | Fiction_L Archives Menu
|
Fiction_L Archives
Who were these people?
Return to February 2001 thread menu | Fiction_L Archives Menu |
|
FROM: Carol Elmore <celmore@westga.edu>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 8:48 AM
FROM: Spencer Ms Martha <Martha.Spencer@usmc-mccs.org>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 10:11 AM
Martha Spencer
-----Original Message-----
From: Carol Elmore [mailto:celmore@westga.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 6:40 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Who were these people?
Hi,
A patron asked about two men named Alphonso (sp?) and Gaston who were
super polite to each other...everything was manners, manners, manners. She
wants to know if they were fictional characters or actual people. Does
this ring a bell with anyone?
Carole Elmore
Newnan-Coweta Public Library
FROM: "Vinton Library" <vintonpl@netins.net>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 10:21 AM
Virginia Holsten
Vinton Public Library
----- Original Message -----
From: Spencer Ms Martha
To: Fiction_L
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 8:51 AM
Subject: RE: Who were these people?
I am not sure exactly who they were, but my mother used to quote their
lines..."After you, my dear Alphonse." "No,no, after you dear Gaston."
Martha Spencer
......................................................................
FROM: Bsbgc@aol.com
REC'D: 2/20/01, 10:21 AM
According to infoplease.com (reached through ask.com, with Alphonse & Gaston=20
as search term):
Opper, Frederick Burr
Opper, Frederick Burr, 1857–1937, American cartoonist and illustrator, b.
Madison, Ohio. He began as a contributor to comic papers and was associated
with Frank Leslie's publications for three years, with Puck for 18 years, and
with the New York Journal. His work is characterized by extreme simplicity,
vigor, and humor. He illustrated the works of Mark Twain, Bill Nye, Eugene
Field, and Finley P. Dunne and wrote and illustrated Happy Hooligan (1902),
Our Antediluvian Ancestors (1902), Alphonse and Gaston (1902), and John Bull=20
(1903).
The following turned up within ask.com, as a question about Vaudeville:
Q: I keep hearing the reference to the names Alfonse and Gaston, and someone=20
told me they were a Vaudeville act. Is this true? I'm trying to find info on=20
these two. If you can help, I would really appreciate it.
Juan
A: "After you my dear Alphonse, After you my dear Gaston" was probably one of
the first popular "catch phrases" of the modern era. Alphonse and Gaston were
comic strip characters created by the American cartoonist Frederick Burr
Opper (1857-1937). The popular strip ran from 1902-1920's and featured
Alphonse and Gaston, two inordinately polite Frenchmen. Their signature
phrase was "After you, my dear Gaston" and "After you, my dear Alphonse." The
two soon became synonymous with exaggerated politeness or deference.
Although Alphonse and Gaston were originally comic strip characters, they did
find their way into Vaudeville, which as a genre reflected most of the
popular cultural icons of the day. There is a film clip at:
American Library of Congress, American Memories - Variety Stage
Warning: It takes a long time to load. The clip is probably not a true
representation of the sketch as it would have been performed in Vaudeville,
as sound and music were not available for film in that period. I have found a
few references to a song called "Alphonse and Gaston," but haven't heard it
yet.
Their popularity as character types has remained to this day. The characters=20
were parodied by Warner brothers in their characters of Mac 'N Tosh, two
overly polite gophers that were featured in a number of cartoons. Also, the
Marx Brothers used the names of Alphonse and Gaston in "I'll Say She Is,"
probably as a nod to the characters.
* * *
Hope your patron finds the above helpful.
Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist.former librarian
In a message dated 2/20/2001 9:40:17 AM Eastern Standard Time,
celmore@westga.edu writes:
<<
Hi,
A patron asked about two men named Alphonso (sp?) and Gaston who were
super polite to each other...everything was manners, manners, manners. She
wants to know if they were fictional characters or actual people. Does
this ring a bell with anyone?
Carole Elmore
Newnan-Coweta Public Library
>>
FROM: Miller <cmiller@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 10:32 AM
FROM: "christine jeffords" <sevenstars39@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 10:32 AM
>From: Carol Elmore <celmore@westga.edu>
>Reply-To: "Fiction_L" <Fiction_L@maillist.webrary.org>
>To: Fiction_L <fiction_l@maillist.webrary.org>
>Subject: Who were these people?
>Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 09:39:57 -0500 (EST)
>
>Hi,
> A patron asked about two men named Alphonso (sp?) and Gaston who were
>super polite to each other...everything was manners, manners, manners. She
>wants to know if they were fictional characters or actual people. Does
>this ring a bell with anyone?
>Carole Elmore
>Newnan-Coweta Public Library
>
>
This comes, I believe, from a very *ancient* cartoon. The characters are
two Frenchmen, Alphonse & Gaston. Every time they have to go in or out of
anywhere they go into this routine--"After you, my dear Alphonse." "No, no,
after *you,* my dear Gaston." Kind of like Laurel & Hardy with "Who's on
first?"
>
>......................................................................
>Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
>Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
FROM: Bsbgc@aol.com
REC'D: 2/20/01, 11:35 AM
<<
This comes, I believe, from a very *ancient* cartoon. The characters are
two Frenchmen, Alphonse & Gaston. Every time they have to go in or out of
anywhere they go into this routine--"After you, my dear Alphonse." "No, no,
after *you,* my dear Gaston." Kind of like Laurel & Hardy with "Who's on
first?"
>>
"Who's on first?" was Abbott and Costello. But I do recall Laurel & Hardy
doing something very like A & G.
Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librrian
FROM: "Stefano, Debbie" <dstefa@camden.lib.nj.us>
REC'D: 2/20/01, 11:46 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: Bsbgc@aol.com [mailto:Bsbgc@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 12:30 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: Who were these people?
In a message dated 2/20/2001 11:29:54 AM Eastern Standard Time,
sevenstars39@hotmail.com writes:
<<
This comes, I believe, from a very *ancient* cartoon. The characters are
two Frenchmen, Alphonse & Gaston. Every time they have to go in or out of
anywhere they go into this routine--"After you, my dear Alphonse." "No,
no,
after *you,* my dear Gaston." Kind of like Laurel & Hardy with "Who's on
first?"
>>
"Who's on first?" was Abbott and Costello. But I do recall Laurel & Hardy
doing something very like A & G.
Binnie Syril Braunstein
romance novelist/former librrian
Return to February 2001 thread menu | Fiction_L Archives Menu
|
The Webrary® and Fiction_L are services of the Morton Grove Public Library
"Webrary" is a registered trademark of the Morton Grove Public Library. All rights reserved.
|