Is it true that the term "break a leg"?

Question

was first said by Chuck Norris' co-stars on Walker Texas Ranger as a good luck charm, hoping that a broken leg would be the worst thing that happened to them, but that it never proved to be the case?

Answer 1

Break a leg was said after Cain killed his brother. Chuck Norris came and broke that **beep**'s leg for murdering his bro. Chuck Norris ain't no tolerant to murder.

Answer 2

Absolutely not. There are dozens of widely debated theories, and while I do not wish to diminish the awesome power that is Chuck Norris, the tradition is hundreds, if not thousands of years old.

There's the traditional theory:

In the U.K., the most common idea of origin for the expression comes from tradition. Historians know from the time of King James I and Shakespeare's King's Men that actors would, on occasion receive tips on top of their salaries. Rather than receiving tips directly from the company or theatre, tipping was left to the audience. During the final bows or curtain call, audiences would throw money, usually coins, onto the stage depending on how well they enjoyed the performance. In some bad performances they would throw rotten vegetables, but in the good cases, money. Actors would then 'take a knee', effectively breaking their leg line, on stage and pick up the money. As a result, when you wish someone to 'break a leg' it refers to wishing them success in their performance so in the end they would have to kneel down and collect a welcoming tip. Theatre evolved and the tradition of tipping changed. This tradition led to the tradition of throwing flowers on stage, as well as presenting flowers.

The ever-poular Antonym theory:

Breaking one's leg is not a good thing to hope for - therefore - by some superstition - if "good luck" causes bad luck, then the perceived bad luck of breaking one's leg causes good.

You can also find about a dozen other theories at wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break_a_leg

The bottom line is, no one will ever really know its orign, and while generally considered poor form, "break a leg" is not the worst thing you can say in the theatre. Truth be told, I've only really ever seen actors and technicians grow wildly superstitious over saying the "M word" in the theatre. You know, the Scottish Play. M*cb*th. Never say it inside the hallowed walls of your performance space. (You can find out about that superstition here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scottish_play)

Answer 3

Break a leg is definitely NOT from Chuck Norris.
The term does go back to vaudeville days as others have said however no one has gotten it quite right.
The curtains in a theater can be called "legs". After a performance is over, the curtains close and the "legs" come together. In vaudeville theatres especially, if the audience loved the performance they would yell "encore" and the "legs" would break and the curtain would re-open for an encore.
It was a form of well wishing from one performer to another to hope for the "legs" to break (for an encore) because that would mean you were so good the audience wanted more of you.

Answer 4

i'm sitting right here shaking my head in this one, and only thinking what different little ones of God are thinking ??? i ask your self what they do with the Scriptures that say we are to develop one yet another, save one yet another in line, beware for an added, admonish one yet another for wrongs, etc..... and by using *one yet another* I do recommend fellow believers ..... If I make the remark that a *real Christian* beleives the observe of God, that may not judgmental, that's the reality in the observe...... If I say a *real Christian* does no longer attempt to crame the observe of God down anothers throat, that may not judgmental, that's certainty in the observe...... yet, I seldom if ever use the term *real Christian*, by means of fact it skill no longer something, what does, is the physique of Christ, now that's the place we are seperated..... only the Holy Spirit can positioned every person INTO the physique of Christ, and not all who say they're a member are !!!!! And that too is in the Scriptures !!!! And particular, branch is a classic and scripturual ingredient, we can be divided into Sheep and Goat.... no longer all who say Lord, Lord, will enter the dominion of Heaven.... *shrug*...... and so it is going.......... go in peace....... God bless

Answer 5

actually i heard it comes from Shakespeare's time. In those time there were these people known as the groundlings, usually the lower class citizens. They would pay almost a days wages to sit at ground level where the stage was so that they were right up against the stage. Supposedly, shakespeares plays were written so that even the most simple minded people could watch them and find them hilarious (at least in those times). So anyways these people (the groundlings) were so dumb and found the plays so entertaining that they would watch and be so amused that they would begin to drool...The drool then leaked onto the stage causing it to become slippery. Therefore, actors would say to one another "break a leg" because it was thought that if you could do a great acting job you would amuse the groundlings so much that they would drool and you would slip and "break your leg"....i dunno if its true. but either way its a pretty good story right?

Answer 6

No way is this explanation true. "Break a leg" has at least been around since vaudeville days, and I'll bet it's been been around since Shakespeare's time. I haven't been in theater since the 60's, I'm an old fart, but we said it then, and that was a LONG time before Chuck Norris films.

Answer 7

IT is indeed. It is an ironic statement too. Much like the following:


Chuck Norris’s girlfriend once asked him how much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood. He then shouted, “HOW DARE YOU RHYME IN THE PRESENCE OF CHUCK NORRIS!" and ripped out her throat. Holding his girlfriend’s bloody throat in his hand he bellowed, “Don’t **** with Chuck!" Two years and five months later he realized the irony of this statement and laughed so hard that anyone within a hundred mile radius of the blast went deaf.

Answer 8

It comes from around the time of Shakespeare, when you had to bend knee and bow to the queen (or whoever was sponsoring your production). It was like a reminder to do so. Otherwise, bad things happened, as not doing so would be a sign of disrespect.

And disrespecting the queen or other wealthy, powerful figure is rarely a good idea.

(The jinx from saying good luck does not, to my knowledge, originate from this, however. It's common usage may come from Vaudeville.)

Answer 9

NO it is much older than Norris. it comes from the superstition that it is back luck to wish someone good luck.

Answer 10

False.. It originates from vaudeville stage performers, it is considered a jinx to say good luck.