Slowly I Turn

Posted by Bruce Kahl on October 18, 2000

In Reply to: Slowly I Turn posted by Bob on October 18, 2000

: : Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch"? I been looking for almost a year, but can't find it.Thanks!

: It's from a Three Stooges movie, "Gents Without Cents" made in 1944. Curly says "Niagra Falls" and Moe (who was under some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion? I don't remember) turns on him and launches into the speech. (I dunno. Seemed funny when I was a kid.) See www.imdb.com for good sources of movie quotes, trivia, etc.

This was also from an Abbott and Costello movie entitled "Lost in A Harem".
Many of Bud and Lou's best-known routines were vaudeville and/or burlesque standards. The "Niagara Falls" bit ("Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch...I took my revenge.") was performed by many teams before becoming identified with Abbott & Costello.