From: bellemarecd@gmail.com   
      
   On 8/26/2021 6:18 PM, Les Albert wrote:   
   > usenet@only.tnx (Questor) wrote:   
      
   >> In the 1947 cartoon, "Popeye and the Pirates," twice a pipsqueak   
   >> pirate -- not a regular Popeye character -- inserts himself into   
   >> the scene and says the line, "good evening, friends."  The word   
   >> 'friends' is elongated.  The tone rises with the first three   
   >> syllables and falls on the last.  The delivery and placement   
   >> suggests that this is supposed to be funny, or at least humorous,   
   >> probably an imitation of some other character's or entertainer's   
   >> catch phrase.  But I don't recognize it at all.  Does anybody know   
   >> what this is a reference to?   
      
   > Al Jolson had a radio show in the 1930s that he opened with, "Good   
   > evening, friends".   
      
   It was a well-known closing line at the time.  Here's Bugs Bunny playing   
   the tune on his banjo after torturing a performer.  There may be an   
   implication of more fun to follow.   
      
   https://youtu.be/BX1ljYx3g3k?t=169   
      
   There was a popular song that included the phrase, sung on the same   
   notes and followed by the phrase "how's about some cheer before this   
   evening ends"; the song itself ends with the sung phrase.   
      
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jJCfuk2oQA   
      
   According to Wikipedia, Henry Mancini's recording of "Baby Elephant   
   Walk" ended with those same notes.   
      
   Perhaps the pipsqueak intervened to prevent Popeye and Olive from   
   kissing on camera (but knew there was to be more fun in private).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)