“Is it bigger than a breadbox” is always one of the questions in any humorous 20-questions list. Does anyone know where it originates? I couldn’t find anything helpful searching.
Back in the early days of TV there were two game shows called I’ve Got a Secret and What’s My Line? where celebrity panelist (often interchanged between the two shows) tried to guess either the occupation or some other fact about the “mystery challenger.” Whenever they were trying to find out about some physical object that the person worked with, one of the first questions was, “Is it bigger than a breadbox?”
I’m not aware of any earlier usage, but someone else may be along with other evidence.
The line was Steve Allen’s catchphrase on * What’s My Line?*
From his 1960 autobiography, Mark It and Strike It:
I love the SDMB. Thanks, guys.
I am reminded of the episode of “Matlock” set on a game show where the host’s catchphrase was, “Put the apple pie in the oven, mother – I’m comin’ home!” or something like that. A scene later in the episode showed the host groaning loudly about all the frickin’ apples that his idiot fans kept sending him (as, of course, he was eating an apple).
I wonder if Steve Allen grew to hate bread?
Kinduv off-topic, but I had to throw this in:
INT. SPIKE’S CRYPT - NIGHT
Spike and Harmony sit opposite each other.
SPIKE (resigned) Okay, is it bigger than a bread box?
HARMONY (delighted) No… Four left.
SPIKE So it’s smaller than a bread box?
Harmony claps with excitement.
HARMONY No-o! Only three.
SPIKE (seething calm) Harmony. Is it a sodding bread box?
HARMONY Yes! Omigod, someone’s blondey bear’s a twenty questions genius!
(From buffy the vampire slayer, “Out of my mind.” 
I’m reminded of one of my favorite exchanges on BtVS between Spike and Harmony.
SPIKE: Okay, is it bigger than a breadbox?
HARMONY: (smiling) No. Four left.
SPIKE: So it’s smaller than a breadbox.
HARMONY: (giggling) No! Only three!
SPIKE: (quietly annoyed) Harmony … is it a sodding breadbox?
HARMONY: (clapping and laughing) Yes! Oh my god! Someone’s blondie bear is a twenty-question genius!
Whooa! Simulpost and how! Here’s my favorite breadbox-scene: http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20001014&mode=classic
IIRC, it predates “What’s My Line” and “I’ve Got a Secret.” I first heard it on an old radio show, probably late '40s or early '50s, called – would you beleive it – “Twenty Questions.” Among it’s regular guests were Bennett Cerf and Ed Zern.
Why did people ever use a breadbox and why don’t they anymore?
I’m reminded of one of the last episodes of Soap where Jessica Tate was playing 20 Questions with her captors. Her first question on each item was “is it bigger than a breadbox”
WAG: a breadbox was used to keep bread from going stale back when it wasn’t possible to go shopping every day. Because we can now get bread much more conveniently, theres no more need for a breadbox.
People used breadboxes because they didn’t have fridges and just leaving bread out is an open invitation to pests, mold, etc. And, yes, I still do have and use a breadbox. A nice enameled metal one that says ‘Fresh Bread’, no less.
I grew up in a breadbox home and that wasn’t that long ago in the grander breadbox scheme of things.
I’ve seen dozens of episodes of the old b/w What’s My Line and I’ve Got a Secret and for a running gag it’s conspicuous in its absence. Size questions always seemed to be in the eps I’ve seen expressed in terms of whether it would fit in one’s hand.
I’m fascinated that the simulposted BtVS quotes have different stage directions.
Huh? Breadboxes are outdated? I have one, my parents have one, everyone I know has one. Why wouldn’t you have a breadbox?
Derleth: You keep bread in the fridge?
Actually, I tend to keep bread in the freezer and thaw it out in the toaster or microwave when I need some. :] But then, I mostly eat bread as toast.
First of all, that phrase is associated solely with “WML”, and not “IGAS”.
Secondly, it wasn’t used nearly as often as myth says. I’ve seen hundreds of episodes of “WML”, and I’ve never heard anyone ask that question.
And, yes, it is highly likely that “20 Questions” used that question.
Upon reading this threa, I realized that I’d never actually seen a breadbox. Or if I have, I certainly don’t remember it. So I have to ask: How large is a breadbox? Are they large enough to hold one or two loaves? And what about different shaped loaves? Can they hold both the long skinny loaves and the short fat ones?
But this line of questions quickly lead to wondering if they’d standardized the size of breadboxes. Has NIST defined how large a breadbox is? Is there a differenece between a US Customary breadbox and an Imperial breadbox? Is there a platinum-iridium breadbox kept in a vault in Paris that all other breadboxes are measured against? Inquiring minds want to know!
WHY is it highly likely that “20 Questions” used that question?
Did you watch the multiple-hundreds of WML shows at the time they appeared? What period of time would you have watched the shows? It was live from 1950-1967. Steve Allen was on there only on the 1953-54 seasons. If he originated the question, it probably would only have been used in the mid-late 50’s, perhaps the very early 60’s. It would have been a stale question at some point, and not used much.
Because it was shown at 10:30 on Sunday night for most of its life, while I think I also saw hundreds of shows, it was probably late 50’s-very early 60’s, when I would have been allowed to stay up that late on a school night.
I THINK I have a memory of hearing the phrase used, but memories are tricky things. Just ask your MOM. You remember things as a kid, but your Mom can supply the straightdope in many cases.
A breadbox was a vented, metal cabinet about 18-24 inches long, 12 inches high, and 12-18 inches wide. About the size of a very modern, average microwave oven.