[net.nlang] George Bernard Shaw quote/comeback

werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (11/28/84)

<><><><><><><><><>

      The following is probably correct, but if anyone could mail me the
definitively correct version, it would much appreciated.

      An English actress (Sarah Bernhardt ?) had engaged George Bernard 
Shaw in a conversation, and remarked that a marriage between the two of them
would be ideal, since the children could inherit her looks and his brains.

     "Yes," replied Shaw, "but what would happen if he ended up with MY looks
and YOUR brains."

Again, if anyone has a more definitive quotation, mail me.

-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		What do you expect?  Watermelons are out of season!

unni@uwvax.UUCP (Shankar Unni) (11/29/84)

> 
>       An English actress (Sarah Bernhardt ?) had engaged George Bernard 
> Shaw in a conversation, and remarked that a marriage between the two of them
> would be ideal, since the children could inherit her looks and his brains.
> 
>      "Yes," replied Shaw, "but what would happen if he ended up with MY looks
> and YOUR brains."
> 

No! No!
That was Tallulah Bankhead, not Sarah Bernhardt.
And the last line was:
What if *she* (not 'he') ended up with my looks and your brains.
---
Shankar Unni.		..!{ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|seismo}!uwvax!unni

robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (12/03/84)

>>An English actress (Sarah Bernhardt ?) had engaged George Bernard 
>>Shaw in a conversation, and remarked that a marriage between the
>>two of them would be ideal, since the children could inherit
>>her looks and his brains.
>>
>>"Yes," replied Shaw, "but what would happen if he ended up with
>>MY looks and YOUR brains."
>> 
>
>No! No!
>That was Tallulah Bankhead, not Sarah Bernhardt.
>And the last line was:
>What if *she* (not 'he') ended up with my looks and your brains.

Tallulah Bankhead's brains were excellent.  Many of her Bons Mots are
still floating around NYC.

  - Toby Robison (not Robinson!)
  {allegra, decvax!ittvax, fisher, princeton}!eosp1!robison

benson@dcdwest.UUCP (Peter Benson) (12/04/84)

In high school I wrote a term paper on GBS.  I ran across the
quote in my research and I believe it was attributed to Ellen
Terry, an actress of some reknown.  I believe that GBS said of
her that her face looked like it was made of sugar which
someone had just licked.

I won't swear to these beliefs.  High school for me is a LONG
time ago.


-- 
                                _
Peter Benson                    | ITT Defense Communications Division
(619)578-3080                   | 10060 Carroll Canyon Road
decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson    | San Diego, CA 92131
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