Who Is the Murgatroyd in "Heavens to Murgatroyd"

[BeaMyra]

According to Wikipedia it was popularized by Snagglepuss.

And Snagglepuss was based on Bert Lahr.

And then it says Bert Lahr said it in the film Meet The People (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_the_People)

The phrase "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" later popularized by cartoon character Snagglepuss was originally uttered by Bert Lahr in the movie.

I looked at the IMBD (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037062/) for the movie but I don't see a character named Murgatroyd

Any idea who the Murgatroyd, Lahr is referring to? Or was it some kind of generic name for people. Like I hear in old time movies people saying "What do you know Joe?" referring to any man.

[Derleth]

This site seems fairly conclusive (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/heavens-to-murgatroyd.html); unfortunately, it conclusively comes down on "We don't know." It does, however, trace the name back to Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Ruddigore, from 1887, and then back to Johanus de Morgateroyde, appointed constable for the district of Warley in Yorkshire in 1371. We have no idea whether any of that is actually relevant to this phrase.

[md2000]

Maybe it's a reference to Betsy Murgatroyd. That's why we also have 'Heavens t Betsy!"

Wasn't she noted for her piety? I think she was often overheard in her house saying "oh, GOd, oh God, oh God...oooohhh!!"

[C. Montgomery Burns]

For what it's worth, I remember Bing Crosby using the term in one of the Road to... movies with Bob Hope.