Sunday, January 29

Happy Birthday


William Claude Dukenfield
January 29, 1880--December 25, 1946

My favorite Fields story is said to be apocryphal, but that doesn't stop us at BLTR. As Fields lay dying, fading in and out of consciousness, he opened his eyes and croaked to his gathered friends, "The little newsies...sole support of their mothers...working in all sorts of weather...I'd like to do something for them."

"That's very nice, Bill," replied one, and Fields closed his eyes and sank back into his pillow. All was quiet for a moment, til he opened his eyes again and said, "On second thought, fuck 'em."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was to Philadelphia once. It was closed. Hmm, your story is better.

Anonymous said...

or this story:

fields was having a libation. a woman said to him, "don't you think you've had too much to drink?"

"don't worry, my dear," he said in his drawl. "it's merely lemonade."

he took a drink and tasted no liquor.

"who put lemonade in my lemonade?
he asked.

eRobin said...

Never heard that one!

Anonymous said...

o yeah --

p.s. --

godfrey daniels!