Success has many parents...

Posted by ESC on March 15, 2009 at 23:51

In Reply to: Success has many parents... posted by Mark Webber on March 15, 2009 at 22:41:

: Does anyone know the origin or first use of the phrase "Success has many parents but failure is an orphan"?

VICTORY HAS A HUNDRED FATHERS AND DEFEAT IS AN ORPHAN - Popularized by President John F. Kennedy , but coined by the Italian diplomat, and son-in-law of Mussolini, Count Caleazzo Ciano (1903-44). 1942. La victoria trova cento padri, e nessuno vuole riconoscere l'insuccesso. - The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943. Vol. 2. Found in varying forms including "Success has many parents." 1991 Times (Trenton) article about "The Adams Family" movie. "...And, of course, everybody is taking bow after bow because, as they say, success has many parents." From Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996). Page 352.

• Success has many parents... ESC 16/March/09