Explanation of Picture

Posted by Bruce Kahl on September 28, 2004

In Reply to: Fred Karno posted by Bruce Kahl on September 28, 2004

: : Chatting to a friend yesterday she mentioned that her husband's hospital ward was like 'Fred Karno's', and neither of us knew where the phrase came from, so I've checked it up on the internet, and though someone wrote that the British Army used the phrase, and the House of Commons, and explained who Frederick John Westcott WAS, I still can't determine any connection as to why anything in a muddle is referred to as a 'right Fred Karno's', when he seemed to be a particularly clever and successful gentleman? Please enlighten!

: Fred Karno, a comedian and producer of burlesque, ran zany shows of very outlandish sketches and comedic characterizations a la The Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges.

: Karno's golden rule of comedy was 'When in doubt, fall on your arse.'

: So his name has been associated with any chaotic organization or setup where nothing works and the staff is incompetent.

Fred Karno Comedy Company on a vaudeville tour near Butte, Montana, ca. 1911-1912. Lead comedian Charles Chaplin is seated at left. His understudy, Stan Jefferson, later known as Stan Laurel, is seated at the far right.
Courtesy Museum of Modern Art, New York

• Fred Karno's Army ESC 28/September/04