Fort Knox in Kentucky is named after Henry Knox, first U.S. Secretary of War. It is perhaps best known as the site, since 1937, of the United States Bullion Depository, a fictionalized version of which was attacked in the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger.
The theme from Octopussy, “All Time High” marked the return of regular James Bond theme composer John Barry after his absence from the For Your Eyes Only soundtrack for tax problems. He wanted to work again with Don Black, but his commitments to the musical Merlin forced Barry to seek another lyricist. Tim Rice quickly accepted the invitation.
(On a personal note, I would have loved to hear what Rice could have done writing the lyrics for a song based on the film’s title!)
John Cleese came up with the name “Tim” for the fearsome enchanter in Monty Python and the Holy Grail when he blanked on his closeup and could not remember the longer, more complicated (and serious) name the script provided for the wizard. The Python crew thought it was funnier that way and left it in.
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Tim’s first appearance in Monty Python and the Holy Grail shows him standing on an outcropping of wet rock. John Cleese later revealed that the outcropping protruded over a substantial drop and that he was was not wearing any harness or fall protection. He was genuinely afraid of losing his footing and falling during the shooting of that scene.
John Cleese reached a height of six feet by the age of twelve; he learned to use humor as a way to deflect hostility. His adult height is 6’5".
John Cleese received his law degree from Cambridge University in 1963. He opted instead for a career in comedy, and the world is a much better place because of that decision.
My personal favorite quote from Cleese:
If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?
John Cleese’s family’s name was originally “Cheese.” His father hated it, and changed it to “Cleese” when he enlisted in the British Army.
The British Navy and Air Force both enjoy the prefix “Royal,” but the British Army does not. Its flag nevertheless depicts a royal crown and lion over two crossed swords.
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Several of the most popular US brands of soft drinks were invented in the South in the 1800’s: Coca-Cola by John Pemberton in Atlanta, GA; Pepsi-Cola by Caleb Bradham in New Bern, NC; Dr. Pepper by Charles Alderton in Waco, TX; and Royal Crown Cola by Claud Hatcher in Columbus, GA.
According to The Motley Fool, the 4 best-selling soft drinks in the world in 2018 were Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Diet Coke, and Mountain Dew.
After meeting Touchstone, the Fool in As You Like It, and hearing his idiosyncratic observations on life, Jaques declares that “motley’s the only wear!”
“Vesti la giubba (On with the motley)” is the famous tenor aria from Ruggero Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera Pagliacci. “Vesti la giubba” is sung at the conclusion of the first act, when Canio discovers his wife’s infidelity, but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because “the show must go on”. The song exemplifies the fate of the tragic clown, laughing on the outside and crying on the inside.
The word “motley” originated upon the birth of Hemmers in England between the 14th and 17th centuries and referred to a woolen fabric of mixed colors. It was the characteristic dress of the professional fool. During the reign of Elizabeth I, motley served the important purpose of keeping the fool outside the social hierarchy and therefore not subject to class distinction. Since the fool was outside the dress laws, the fool was able to speak more freely.
Marion Motley, the original fullback for the Cleveland Browns in the AAFC as well as the NFL, still holds the record for most yards per attempt by a fullback, with 5.7. Motley was also one of the first two African-Americans to play professional football in the modern era, breaking the color barrier along with teammate Bill Willis in September 1946, when the two played their first game for the Browns.
The US Navy in October announced that the USS Cleveland, a littoral combat ship, will be built and commissioned in the next two years. There have been three previous Navy warships to bear the Ohio city’s name, most recently an amphibious transport dock decommissioned in 2011.
Cleveland was founded in 1796, when surveyors laid out a capital city for the Western Reserve of Connecticut. The original name was ‘Cleaveland’, named after the surveyor leader, General Moses Cleaveland. However, in 1836, the city of Cleveland was incorporated.
Cleveland currently has 17 wards, each with its own City Council member, which is more per capita than any other large Ohio city. A citizen initiative is now underway to reduce the size and pay of Cleveland City Council.
The term “ward heeler”, meaning a political operative who works a city ward on behalf of a party or mayor, originated during the period of machine politics around the turn of the 20th century, when powerful political machines in major cities run by political bosses, such as the Tammany Hall organization in New York City, used corruption, such as graft and patronage to maintain their power.
“Watch and ward” was an English expression meaning a 24 hour municipal guard system. The “watch” were the guards on duty at night, the “ward” during daylight. It now has a meaning of “constant vigilance”.
“Ward” is a word of Germanic origin, and is believed to be the origin of “guard”, as a loan-word incorporated into old French, which then entered English, even though “ward” was already in English.