What Robert Wagner Said To Robert Mitchum In "The Hunters"...

Kickin' Chicken

Kickin' Chicken

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Last night on TCM I was watching an old Korean War fighter pilot movie from 1958 starring Robert Mitchum (Dutch) & Robert Wagner (Lt Pell) called "The Hunters".

When wiley veteran Dutch (Mitchum) first meets the young hotshot pilot, Lt Pell (Wagner), Pell is lighting up a cigar and talking a lot of slang, Daddio this and Dig that.

Dutch begins telling him what will be expected of him on the flight team and Lt Pell says "It's George".

Dutch bristles back "What?"

Pell explains. "It's George, that means its good, it's okay".

Dutch responds, I guess I don't get out much.

They adopted the phrase and both guys used it a few more times during the movie.

this movie is from 1958 and Wagner's slang-prone character was using "It's George", so I'm wondering what is the origin of it.

Was "It's George" pool related or was it commonly used outside of pool, as well?

Any input/comments appreciated.

best,
brian kc
 

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' it's George' means good...''it's Tom' bad.
....been around a long time.....old time gangsta slang.

Six is another hep thing....means ' six to five, the joints alive'....with cops.
 
pt109 said:
' it's George' means good...''it's Tom' bad.
....been around a long time.....old time gangsta slang.

Six is another hep thing....means ' six to five, the joints alive'....with cops.
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I guess like "Everything is Jake" means all good.
"It's a George also has another meaning referring to the size of a guys Johnson, another old slang word.
If a woman said "He's a George" in 1920 it means he is a lot of man.
 
Daddio this and Dig that.
I don't think that was used in the early '50s.
More a product of the movie being made in 1958 when that slang was used.
 
measureman said:
Daddio this and Dig that.
I don't think that was used in the early '50s.
More a product of the movie being made in 1958 when that slang was used.
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I think the movie Blackboard Jungle popularized Daddio, that was 1955.
 
"It's George" I always thought of as casino slang. There is a restaurant in downtown Las Vegas called Triple George which is meant to mean it is really, really, really good. :)
 
Hey...that's "Jake" with me.....ever hear that old expression...."Hey, how are things going for you?"
A common reply was "Everything is just Jake.".......same thing I suppose as "George".

Matt B.
 
Nine ... corner said:
"It's George" I always thought of as casino slang. There is a restaurant in downtown Las Vegas called Triple George which is meant to mean it is really, really, really good. :)
Click to expand...

A "George" was a big tipper. A Blackjack dealer being relieved would tell the new dealer that the number 2 seat is a real George which meant treat him well.
 
All of these code words had their origins in the Guilds.
On the level , on the square etc came from the Masons.{That's been on television}
There are references to some of the code words prior to 1400 used by the Thieves Guild in Europe.
At one time it was a very select group, just being a criminal or in jail did not mean automatic entry.
You had to pass some tests of wits , strength , and mostly honor.
The honor was the most important {because you either have it or you don't} , it can't be taught like the others, to get honest counts of scores, and to keep the secrets.
{Honor among thieves}
There used to be severe punishments for people who gave up information to anyone that wasn't a member.
 
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According a reply I found using my Google Fu - George has been a reference to excellence in America since around 1900. (From "I Hear America" by Stuart Berg Flexner) and the term was popularized in the 50's because it was the catch word of comedian Jerry Lester on the popular TV show 'Broadway Open House'
 
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