# "My Stradivarius!" \[in movies and TV\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371 "2010-05-14T00:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/1 "2010-05-14T00:52:59Z")
This is an old gag, used in the movies and on TV many times. A violin gets smashed, and the owner of the violin puts his hands on his head and cries, “My Stradivarius!” (He can’t just go, “My violin!”, it has to be a Stradivarius, otherwise not funny.) Can anyone think of a movie or comedy short or TV show where this gag was used? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/2 "2010-05-14T01:08:01Z")
> [@Vashbul](#): > > This is an old gag, used in the movies and on TV many times. A violin gets smashed, and the owner of the violin puts his hands on his head and cries, “My Stradivarius!” 😕 That’s a gag? I can see how, in the right context and with the right sort of comic acting, it might be made funny, but so can reading from the phone book. In itself, I don’t see any joke there at all. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/3 "2010-05-14T02:18:53Z")
I don’t recognize it either, but I suppose it’s the same trope as the smashing of a Ming vase. Any other priceless vase? Not funny. It must be a Ming vase or nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/4 "2010-05-14T02:30:02Z")
“But that’s a priceless Steinway!” “Not anymore…” [YouTube clip, start at about 3:20](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek44tW0Dqig) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/5 "2010-05-14T02:59:25Z")
“Ah! Superintendent!” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/6 "2010-05-14T02:59:33Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 😕 That’s a gag? > > I can see how, in the right context and with the right sort of comic acting, it might be made funny, but so can reading from the phone book. In itself, I don’t see any joke there at all. AIUI, it’s not really a Stradivarius. It’s just an ordinary violin, and the exclaimer wants to recoup the cost of a Stradivarius from the one who destroyed it. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/7 "2010-05-14T03:10:19Z")
> [@](#): > > AIUI, it’s not really a Stradivarius. It’s just an ordinary violin, and the exclaimer wants to recoup the cost of a Stradivarius from the one who destroyed it. No, it’s a real, valuable antique, or rather, it’s a prop but the audience assumes it is “valuable”, in quotes, by the owner’s _crie de coeur_ upon seeing it get busted. I will accept variations, ex: “Oh! You breaka da Strad!” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/8 "2010-05-14T03:16:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > AIUI, it’s not really a Stradivarius. It’s just an ordinary violin, and the exclaimer wants to recoup the cost of a Stradivarius from the one who destroyed it. That is still not humorous as such. It could just as well be a scene from a crime drama as from a comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/9 "2010-05-14T03:23:34Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I can see how, in the right context and with the right sort of comic acting, it might be made funny Major win to **Suburban Plankton** for proving both the OP and **njtt** correct. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/10 "2010-05-14T03:26:45Z")
I aim to please… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/11 "2010-05-14T04:00:30Z")
Jack Benny? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/12 "2010-05-14T05:08:01Z")
Since the question is specifically about the use of this trope in movies and TV, it’s better suited for CS than GQ. I have also edited the thread title. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/13 "2010-05-14T05:15:04Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 😕 That’s a gag? > > I can see how, in the right context and with the right sort of comic acting, it might be made funny, but so can reading from the phone book. In itself, I don’t see any joke there at all. The gag itself is the accidental smashing the violin (or any other valuable object), by some schlemiel, idiot, stooge, or mean little kid, to the dismay of its owner (often a pompous snob or windbag, but sometimes just a forlorn schlimazel). The fact that it is a Strad (or Ming or Steinway) just makes the misfortune more misfortunate because of its value. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/14 "2010-05-14T05:29:24Z")
Oh, man, the accidental destruction of priceless valuables has always been one of my least favorite “comedy” devices—right down there with the painfully awkward misunderstanding leading to huge embarrassment or disappointment. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/15 "2010-05-14T05:29:24Z")
(see below) ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/16 "2010-05-14T05:31:20Z")
> [@](#): > > The gag itself is the accidental smashing the violin (or any other valuable object), by some schlemiel, idiot, stooge, or mean little kid, to the dismay of its owner (often a pompous snob or windbag, but sometimes just a forlorn schlimazel). The fact that it is a Strad (or Ming or Steinway) just makes the misfortune more misfortunate because of its value. Correct. I guess that’s how you got to be a curator. Thank you for moving this to a better place. Googling around, I see Jack Benny did have a real Stradivarius and it featured prominently in at least one television plot, though whether it was ever put in jeopardy is unknown (by me). I could see him saying the target line. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/17 "2010-05-14T05:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, man, the accidental destruction of priceless valuables has always been one of my least favorite “comedy” devices Nobody named Thudlow Boink gets to decide what’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/18 "2010-05-14T07:19:40Z")
There was at least one Three Stooges short that had that bit in it. Don’t remember the name, though. ETA: I think Larry was trying to hit a bird with a hammer and ended up destroying his “Stradivarius! [His] beautiful Stradivarius!” ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/19 "2010-05-14T09:36:43Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > There was at least one Three Stooges short that had that bit in it. Don’t remember the name, though. > > ETA: I think Larry was trying to hit a bird with a hammer and ended up destroying his “Stradivarius! [His] beautiful Stradivarius!” [Disorder In The Court](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZeqHamjyjU) (1936). At about 14:25 in. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371/20 "2010-05-14T09:46:00Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > [Disorder In The Court](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZeqHamjyjU) (1936). At about 14:25 in. Ah, yes, that’s the one. One of the all-time great Stooges shorts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-stradivarius-in-movies-and-tv/539371.md?page=2)