Here are a few more of our all-time favorite TV catchphrases.
Catchphrase: “Ayyyyy.”
From: Happy Days (1974–84)
Here’s the Story: Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler) was not originally intended to be the “cool” character; Potsie was. The Fonz was added as a “bad influence” to give the show more of an edge. But Winkler’s hip-yet-sensitive portrayal, along with his trademark leather jacket, thumbs up, and “Ayyyyy” had such screen presence that ABC started working him into more and more storylines, making sure he got at least one “Ayyyyy” in each episode. By 1977 Winkler’s billing had gone from closing credits to fifth, and finally to second. When Ron Howard left the show in 1980, Winkler was given top billing. ABC almost retitled the show Fonzie’s Happy Days.
Blast From The Past: Check out the scene in Pulp Fiction where the hit-man Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) is trying to calm down the diner robbers he’s terrorizing: “Let’s all be good little Fonzies. And what was Fonzie like?” he asks. One of them sheepishly answers, “Coo-ol.” “Correctamundo!” says Jackson.
Catchphrase: “Two thumbs up.”
From: Sneak Previews (1975–80), renamed At the Movies (1980–)
Here’s the Story: “Thumbs up” has been a symbol of approval since Roman times. But “two thumbs up” means a whole lot more to the movie industry. Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, film critics for rival Chicago newspapers, worked together for 24 years before Siskel’s death in 1999. Their opposite tastes in movies assured moviegoers that if both of these guys liked the movie, chances are you would too. Filmmakers also took note of the growing popularity of the phrase; they watched the show each week, hoping their latest project would get two thumbs up. If so, it was plastered all over movie ads. Why? Because “two thumbs up” means big box office. If not…well, have you ever seen a movie advertised that got “one thumb up”?
Of the 850 different species of bats in the world, only three drink blood.
Catchphrase: “De plane! De plane!”
From: Fantasy Island (1978–84)
Here’s the Story: At the beginning of each episode, the vertically challenged Tattoo (Herve Villechaize) shouted this phrase to alert his boss, Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban), that “de plane” was coming. The phrase did so much for Fantasy Island that in 1983 Villechaize asked for the same salary as Montalban. Instead, he was fired. Ratings dropped off dramatically and the show was cancelled after the following season. In 1992 Villechaize turned up in a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial asking for “De plain! De plain!” donuts.
Catchphrase: “Resistance is futile.”
From: Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–94)
Here’s the Story: This line actually made its television debut on the British TV serial Dr. Who. Its more recent use by the Borg, aliens out to assimilate humans, made it a household phrase. It has even become a response to the growing power of corporations and governments. A political cartoon in the late 1990s showed a Borged-out Bill Gates declaring, “We are Microsoft. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” And now a new bumper sticker is showing up that says, “Resistance is not futile.”
Catchphrase: “Book ’em, Danno!”
From: Hawaii Five-O (1968–80)
Here’s the Story: Even though Hawaii Five-O ran for 12 years, more people today remember this catchphrase than the show itself. When he caught the bad guy, detective Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) would smugly utter this line to his assistant Danny “Danno” Williams (James MacArthur). To say the phrase is a part of pop culture is an understatement: a 2002 Internet search found more than 1,000 entries for “Book ’em, Danno!”
“Your marriage is in trouble if your wife says, ‘You’re only interested in one thing,’ and you can’t remember what it is.”
—Milton Berle
The automated baggage handler at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport can sort 480 bags per minute.