# Throwaway Lines that became Catch Phrases **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 7, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087 "2012-04-07T15:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/61 "2012-04-09T17:42:18Z")
Indeed **raises eyebrow** ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/62 "2012-04-09T18:00:05Z")
Going back a few years: “'Tain’t funny, McGee.” “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage.” “He’s dead, Jim.” “Beam me up, Scotty” (which I believe was never actually said in that form in ST:TOS) ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/63 "2012-04-09T18:08:02Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > This one time, at band camp … They used this line in American Reunion which I saw this weekend. I think I was the only one laughing when I heard it. J. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/64 "2012-04-09T19:22:28Z")
“Beam me up Scotty”, is the name of the trope for phrases we THINK were in works, but weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/65 "2012-04-09T21:53:40Z")
“One does not simply walk into Mordor.” ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/66 "2012-04-09T22:09:45Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Here’s looking at you, kid. I was about to post that about every third line from that movie has taken on a life of its own. Play it again, Sam (yes, I know.) I’m shocked — shocked … We’ll always have Paris. I’m a drunkard. I stick my neck out for nobody. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087/67 "2012-04-09T23:10:44Z")
My understanding is that “Different Strokes” the line “What cha talkin 'bout, Willis?” was written as an ordinary piece of dialogue. But when Gary Coleman said it in a distinct style, it became a catchphrase. There have been some musicians who have written lines that they were asked about far longer than they anticipated. "“Hope I Die before I get old” by Pete Townshend of The Who and “Too old to Rock n roll,and too young to die” by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwaway-lines-that-became-catch-phrases/618087.md?page=3)