# Rich Men Called "J.B." in the Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113 "2014-08-08T16:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/1 "2014-08-08T16:23:56Z")
I have a co-worker who keeps referring to someone on the telephone as “J.B.” Every time I hear her say it, I always think of a rich man in a top hat, a banker from the twenties or thirties or such. Why are rich men in the movies often called “J.B”? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/2 "2014-08-08T16:36:30Z")
The iconic American financier you’re describing isn’t a J.B., but a J.P.: [John Pierpoint Morgan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.P.Morgan), who formed General Electric and U.S. Steel, and is one of the most significant figures in the history of American finance. I think using either J.P. or J.B. in naming a rich character is an allusion to J.P. Morgan, and in an earlier era would have automatically conjured up his image. I know that when I hear J.P., I still think of him first. Here’s a picture of J.P. Morgan, and his son, J.P. Morgan, Jr., showing the [iconic image](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:J.P._Morgan_and_J.P._Morgan_Jr.png). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/3 "2014-08-08T17:44:21Z")
_“J. Pierpont Finch, that’s F-I-N-C-H.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/4 "2014-08-08T17:59:19Z")
Great. Now the rest of the day I’ll be going, “J. Pierpont…Rosemary…and for the rest of my lifetime program, give me more of the same…” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/5 "2014-08-08T18:17:08Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > I have a co-worker who keeps referring to someone on the telephone as “J.B.” Every time I hear her say it, I always think of a rich man in a top hat, a banker from the twenties or thirties or such. Why are rich men in the movies often called “J.B”? Name three. Heck, name one. I can’t think of any off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/6 "2014-08-08T18:39:29Z")
John Wayne in The Shootist… J.B. Books ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/7 "2014-08-08T18:45:08Z")
ETA: Not stunningly rich though I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/8 "2014-08-08T19:03:32Z")
There was also J.D. Rockefeller. Not a J.B., either but… close? ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/9 "2014-08-09T10:10:06Z")
Not a movie, but I remember an ad for McDonald’s, I think, from the 80’s, probably, wherein the venerable corporate chairman J.B. daydreams about French fries, or some such, during the board meeting while the other directors labor in vain to bring him back to here and now. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/10 "2014-08-09T11:19:42Z")
He was already technically rich, but it was during his brief fantasy of being a Hollywood agent that Jethro Bodine of the _Beverly Hillbillies_ had Elly May (playing his girl Friday) answer him, “Yes J. B.” I never thought it had to do with anything other than his actual initials. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/11 "2014-08-09T14:23:05Z")
I don’t know where it comes from but I imagine some toady in a black and white show or movie saying to his Boss “Great Idea J.B.!” “That’s another winner J.B.!” etc. I have made the same joke based off this memory. But yeah, I have no idea where it comes from. ETA: it’s very possible this comes from the Beverly Hillbillies episode referenced above. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/12 "2014-08-09T14:41:04Z")
Is everyone unaware of J. B. Biggley? (ETA: And yet there were refs to the musical HTSIBWRT in this thread!) > **[How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Succeed_in_Business_Without_Really_Trying#Characters)** > > How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying may refer to: Maybe not a super-rich man in that particular realm, but probably on his way. Of course FINCH would no doubt become even richer in the long run. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/13 "2014-08-09T16:04:45Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Great. Now the rest of the day I’ll be going, “J. Pierpont…Rosemary…and for the rest of my lifetime program, give me more of the same…” 🙂 OK, this might help displace that:\* Stand, Old Ivy, stand firm and strong Grand Old Ivy, hear the cheering throng Stand, Old Ivy and never yield Rip, rip, rip the chipmunk off the field\* ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/14 "2014-08-09T16:43:29Z")
Oddly, a search of characters in IMDB list only one: J. B. Baker, in the TV series LA Firefighters. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/15 "2014-08-11T16:01:17Z")
> [@FUTBOL!](#): > > Is everyone unaware of J. B. Biggley? (ETA: And yet there were refs to the musical HTSIBWRT in this thread!) > > [How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Succeed_in_Business_Without_Really_Trying#Characters) > > Maybe not a super-rich man in that particular realm, but probably on his way. Of course FINCH would no doubt become even richer in the long run. 😃 **Somebody refresh my memory here!** Over the weekend I vaguely recalled the origin and first appearance of [Captain Boomerang](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Boomerang#Digger_Harkness) from a reprint in a [Giant Annual comic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80-Page_Giant#Types_of_Giant_comics) some time after I started to buy and collect my own comics. (This, BTW, was the same summer as the Rochester riot.) It seems to me that while CB was already planning to start a one-man crime wave using boomerangs, a big exec proposed the idea of selling boomerangs as toys, using an already-skilled operator as human “mascot” and spokesman. The exec was surrounded by the most obvious yes-men you could imagine, and whether or not they would have spontaneously been enthused by such an idea, the air was filled with congratulatory agreement. I seem to recall that the “great idea” and similar phrases were followed by “J.B.” although I suppose I could be remembering wrongly. * * * _… because FUTBOL!_ * * * _ **FUTBOL!** _ is formerly known as… _ **Trans Fat Og** _, who in turn was once… _ **True Blue Jack** _… and the “Jack” later became an eleventh-hour nickname in 3D for clarity in board meetings, and my legal first name is _John_… and if you must know, my real initials are… wait for it… _J.B.!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/16 "2014-08-13T12:50:59Z")
J seems to be a common initial in general, at least where the media is concerned. One reason could be that the initial stands for John, and the character wanted to differentiate themselves from all the other Johns out there, but even without that stipulation you have: Homer J. Simpson Bartholomew J. Simpson Abraham J. Simpson Sabrina J. Spellman Philip J. Fry J.R. Ewing J. Jonah Jameson Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/17 "2014-08-13T12:59:42Z")
> [@Double\_Foolscap](#): > > Homer J. Simpson > Bartholomew J. Simpson > Abraham J. Simpson > […] > Philip J. Fry These are all references to Rocky & Bullwinkle. Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose were middle-named after Jay Ward, who created them. I suspect at least a few other fictional characters got their middle names from Rocky and Bullwinkle, or from Homer and Bart. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/18 "2014-08-13T14:15:32Z")
I used to work with a clown who went by “J.B.” and was the most full-of-shit person I have ever met. Actually, everyone at work agreed on that. I called him “Jurassic Bullshit”. When I hear “J.B.”, I cringe. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/19 "2014-08-13T15:07:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > These are all references to Rocky & Bullwinkle. Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose were middle-named after Jay Ward, who created them. I suspect at least a few other fictional characters got their middle names from Rocky and Bullwinkle, or from Homer and Bart. Cool trivia, thanks. I assumed it was because it’s a letter that sounds good and distinctive. Strong consonant start, with an “ay” sound to finish it off. But maybe that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113/20 "2014-08-13T17:32:23Z")
The only J.B. I’ve ever heard of is Priestley. And he wasn’t particularly wealthy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rich-men-called-j-b-in-the-movies/695113.md?page=2)