I know Jerry used it in the commercial, but I have the feeling it’s from something earlier. Anybody know?
Simpsons. Specifically, Mr Burns.
“Release the hounds” has been a phrase associated with hunting (specifically British fox-hunting) for at least several hundred years. Mr. Burns has firmly established or re-established it in modern American vernacular, but it certainly didn’t originate with him.
I agree with Bryan. Another possibility is that some aristocrats kept large kennels, and they may not have been above siccing their dogs on trespassers.
More here.
Shakespeare always got there first
“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war” (Julius Ceasar I think)
In early armies, possibly the Saxons, used their hunting dogs battle too.
But Mr. Burns CAN claim sole credit for the phrase, “Release the robotic Richard Simmons!” That’s much worse.
I was thinking of the particular “houuunds” sort of delivery. Is there a previous (to the Jerry credit card commercial) instance?
That’s how it was said in “The Simpsons”. I don’t that that particular phrasing was used before that.
I just found an audio clip and the one from “The Simpsons” isn’t as drawn out. I haven’t heard the Jerry line in a while but IIRC it’s in quite a higher pitch.
There’s a scene in Moonraker (1979) in which Evil Overlord Hugo Drax (or maybe one of his henchmen) releases, or orders the release of, two or three very aggressive Dobermans against E.O.-betrayer Corinne Clery. Does anybody remember the dialogue in that scene? (IMDB doesn’t list it amongst their Moonraker quotes.)
To be torn apart by dogs has got to be one of the worst ways to go. I think it’s even worse than being devoured by sharks with laser beams attached to their heads…
No, but here’s the dialogue from the Mad Magazine parody, Moneyraker:
Dreks: So you gave Mr. Bomb the combination to my safe! You must pay for that! SIC HER!!
Female Assistant [unnamed in parody] : Why are you doing this?!?
Drexs: My dogs need their roughage!!
FA: Stop, doggies! Stop! I’m smoothage! I’m smoothage!
I just want to interject at this juncture to say how proud I am of everyone who’s contributed to this thread so far (and it’s not even my thread!). In two economical pages, starting with a Simpsons-inspired query, we’ve run the gamut from an actual historical explanation to Monty Python, Shakespeare, James Bond, and MAD Magazine. If only we could scrounge up references to Star Trek and a Marvel comic, we could nominate the thread for the Internet Message Board Geeky Discussions Hall of Fame [the 5-Pages-or-Less wing], if there was such a thing.
Number One: Red alert!
Picard: Mr. Dater, what is that thing?
Data: It appears to be an anomolous rift in the fabric of space-time. Without dimension or mass, it should not exist.
Picard: And yet it does.
Wesley: Captain, it’s coming right for us!
Worf: Phasers ready!
Picard: Don’t be an idiot, Worf. Our phasers are no match for a dimensionless space-time anamoly!
Wesley: Sir, we can eliminate the anamoly.
Picard: How?
Wesley: We must release the hounds!
Picard: Make it so. Release the hounds into the center of the anamoly!
The Romans and some earlier civilisations didn’t use hunting dogs, they had specially bred and trained war dogs. Nothing breaks up the momentum of a charge quite like a couple of dozen blood crazed 100 pound mastiffs charging right back at you.