phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

Heavens to Murgatroyd!

Posted by ESC on February 10, 2008 at 13:13:

In Reply to: Heavens to Murgatroyd! posted by Smokey Stover on February 10, 2008 at 13:12:

: : : : Does anyone think the origin of the phrase "Heavens to Murgatroyd! has has anything to do with the disaster of the avalanche of the Turtle Mountain in Frank, B.C. in 1903, which buried the town of Frank; but was narrowly avoided by an engineer by the name of Murgatroyd, who with "heaven`s help" managed to avoid certain disaster by accelerating the engine when he began to feel the "mountain move".

: : : Nothing at all to do with the case. The writer(s) of Rocky and Bullwinkle merely took the common expression Heavens to Betsy! and Other Curious Sayings and substituted the more absurd-sounding name "Murgatroyd".

: : It was Snagglepuss, the cartoon lion also famous for "exit, stage left" and, not Rocky & Bullwinkle. In fact the phrase is already covered pretty well on this very site:

: I found the explanation in the Phrase Dictionary such a choice combination of accuracy, comprehensiveness, and succinct but very readable prose that I checked to make sure of its authorship. It was Gary Martin, of course, our Master of the Magic Lantern Show here, showing us again why he's the best.

See: the meaning and origin of the phrase 'Heavens to Murgatroyd'.

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.