Near the end of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Major T. J. “King” Kong (played by Slim Pickens) is piloting his B-52 toward the target when he finds that the bomb-bay doors won’t open.
After trying everything in the manual, Kong decides to take matters into his own hands and utters the immortal line, "Stay on the bomb run, boys! I’m gonna get them doors open if it harelips everybody on Bear Creek."
It’s obvious from context what Kong means, but I’ve got to ask about the etymology of the phrase, “if it harelips everybody on Bear Creek.” Was this ever in common use? If so, what’s its origin? Or is this just some sort of faux-Texan nonsense that Terry Sourthern and/or Slim Pickens dreamed up for the script?
I did a little research online and found this page, http://www.eslnotes.com/movies/html/dr-strangelove.html, which gives notes on Dr. Strangelove for ESL students, but it pretty much punts when trying to explain this one.
…and, the whole reason i give my genealogical history is to say that, while i don’t know if they say it in ireland, i’m pretty sure that she picked it up from my okie father.