Ask Mr. Know It All

By Gary Clothier

Q. My mom used to say, “Heavens to Murgatroyd!” Where did that phrase originate? Is it an American expression? I noticed there is a girl from Australia on “Dancing With the Stars” named Peta Murgatroyd.

B.D., El Segundo, Calif.

A. “Heavens to Murgatroyd!” is, indeed, an American expression and dates from the mid-1900s. The expression was popularized by the cartoon character Snagglepuss on “The Yogi Bear Show” in the 1960s. The phrase is a variant of the older phrase “Heavens to Betsy!”

Snagglepuss may have popularized the phrase, but he was not the original user — that was Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz”) in the 1944 film “Meet the People.”

Murgatroyd was a common surname of the English aristocracy, which may be where Peta Murgatroyd’s name came from. By the way, her dance partner is Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver Donald Driver.

Q. Summer is on its way, and it won’t be long before the tattooed ladies show up on our beaches — I’m not complaining, mind you. One tattoo that seems to be growing in popularity with younger females is worn on the lower back. This tattoo has a name, but I have no idea what it is.

D.N.N., Atlantic City, N.J.

A. A tattoo of any design on the lower back is called a “tramp stamp.” These tattoos became popular in the latter part of the 1990s. A few years back, even Barbie jumped on board: She was introduced with “Ken” written inside a red heart on her lower back.

Q. I grew up in a small town in Ohio in the early ’50s. My father had a small IGA grocery store. We later moved to California, but I don’t remember seeing them out West. I’m curious when they started, and if they are still in business.

B.M., Torrance, Calif.

A. IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) was founded in 1926. IGAs are in 46 states and in more than 30 countries. IGA operates as a franchise through stores that are owned separately from the main company. The alliance claims to have more than 5,000 members, and it is headquartered in Chicago.

Q. I know actors say “break a leg” instead of “good luck” because they are superstitious. How and where did that get its start? Why do superstitious people think wishing each other bodily harm is less jinxing then wishing someone good luck?

T.G., Ridley, Pa.

A. There are many explanations for the origin of this term. In my opinion, the most plausible is that there are many definitions for the word “break.” The standout is “to deviate from a straight line.” To me, this would be a bend in the knee like when one is bowing or curtsying. So those superstitious people aren’t wishing bodily harm on the actor; they’re suggesting the actor put on a performance good enough to warrant a bow or curtsy.

Q. In a catalog quite a few years ago, I saw a reproduction of a woolen cape with a hood worn by ancient Romans. I lost the catalog. It seemed like it might be a nice, warm item of clothing for Michigan’s long winter. What is the name of this garment?

J.B., Port Huron, Mich.

A. You are looking for a “birrus.” I have never seen one for sale.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you are a melcryptovestimentaphiliac, you are someone who compulsively steals women’s underwear. Melcryptovestimentaphiliac is pronounced mel-krip-to-vestmint-a-filiac.

Q. I will forever remember April 29, 1991: That was the date I saw “The Phantom of the Opera” for the 12th time, and it was Michael Crawford’s final performance. After the show, I overheard someone talking about the performance. The person said Crawford altered his act. It seemed normal to me. I’ve often wondered about this comment. Do you know about it?

E.F., Easton, Pa.

A. Michael Crawford admitted to being broken up about his departure from the show. During that Final Lair scene, he altered the Phantom’s line to “Christine ... I loved you,” to acknowledge that it was his final performance. The original line is “Christine ... I love you.”

Q. Some time ago, I heard that Michael Douglas was going to play Liberace in an upcoming movie. I have never heard anything since. Do you know if the movie is in the works? I would love to see this movie.

L.M., Norwood, Pa.

A. The movie is called “Behind the Candelabra.” It tells the story of the tempestuous relationship between famed pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) and Scott Thorson (Matt Damon), his younger lover. The movie will be filmed this year, and it will air on HBO.

Q. My grandkids love to hear stories of when I was their age. I was telling them about hide-and-seek and that when the game was over the seeker would yell “olly olly oxen free.” The kids thought this was hilarious, and they wanted to know what the phrase meant. I thought for a bit, but I have no idea. Do you?

N.A.L., Bellingham, Wash.

A. We used the phrase in baseball and a few other team games to indicate that the activity was over. I checked several sources, but there is no definite explanation as to the source or true meaning. Two possibilities that make sense to me: “All ye, all ye ‘outs’ in free,” or possibly “Calling all the ‘outs’ in free.” This way, everyone who is still out could come in without penalty.

Q. When did the term “Third World” originate?

E.N.

A. The term arose during the Cold War. Third World was used often as a pejorative way to describe extremely poor nations. Today, instead of calling a country Third World, you would probably say it is a developing country.

Q. Some time ago I read there was a name for the part of the back that one can’t reach to scratch. I thought it was a neat word, but I can’t remember it. Can you tell me what it is?

R.F., Redondo Beach, Calif.

A. The word is “acnestis,” and it is pronounced ak-NEES-tis.

Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

2012 Gary Clothier