Literary and cinematic references

"If he had dynamite for brains he wouldn't have enough to blow his hat off!" love this, no idea of its origin.
Something along the lines of "A nice piece of Wensleydale, Grommit?" whenever I get some cheese out of the fridge.
"I don't mind if I do," when offered a drink.

This sounds like something Katherine Hepburn might have said in The Philadelphia Story when she floated round trying to impress or make her ex husband jealous.

Earlier this year I bought a bag of calla lilly bulbs from a woman who had cleared a patch that was overgrown. I could not resist going into my Katherine Hepburn voice: "The calla lillies are in bloom again; such a strange flower. I bore them on my wedding day and now I place them here in memory of something that has died." Whatever the film was and I have no idea of the title, I probably watched it on a Sunday afternoon as a child but cannot now remember anything else about it. However, I do do a terrific Katherine Hepburn.

I quote from books, poems, plays and movies so often that, if randomly asked, I rarely remember the quotes I use as they are so much part and parcel of my responses to whatever is happening. But I know that I occasionally remark, "I would rather be a toad", a quote from Othello (I also like Goats and Monkeys as an expletive – also Othello), but I use it in all sorts of situations; Mr absent, like Desdemona, was never into adultery.

"Me, having a real birthday?"

"Bonhomie, it's a French word meaning bonhomie."

So many of these are familiar, especially the ones from old radio shows. I always say 'Home again, home again, Jigetty Jig' to DGC as we pull into my drive. I think it comes from the nursery rhyme, 'To market, to market to buy a fat pig'.

I could never work out one my mother used to use, 'She's no better than she should be!' referring to someone with 'loose morals' but I find myself thinking it sometimes!

There was also, 'If you had half a brain you'd be dangerous!' I sort of get the implication but what on earth does it actually mean?

My ex-husband used to say, "I haven't laughed so much since our Nellie caught her t*t in the mangle". I've no idea where it comes from, maybe a Black Country saying.

When I am served with Brussels sprouts (which all my family know I hate) and I look at them askance, my sister says that children are starving in Africa. I know that this is not funny at all in the present climate.
But I can't resist saying, "Post it, Mother, post it!" which was said by Ronnie Corbett in 'Sorry.'
And yes I am as I know that it's in very poor taste.

'Don't tell him your name, Pike!'

Flogger Hoskins! There was something that Sgt Major Snudge used to say that fell into common usage too but I can't remember what it was!

When we are on holiday with family members and decide to go for a walk, DH says 'come on you lot, follow Flogger'. I think this was from the Army Game - Harry Fowler I think?

Oh yes, DH says Can you hear me mother? Another old comedian I think!
Barkiss is willing. (I think)- David copperfield?
Something nasty in the Woodshed - Cold comfert farm

When my father had an embarrassing stomach rumble, he used to say "I say, Carruthers, the natives are restless tonight!"
I once brandished a banana at my unusually stroppy GS and said, "have a care, Sirrah, I am ze greatest swordsman in zer whole of France!" It made him giggle - job done!

Oh dear - I recognise most of these catchphrases and we still use most of them - all the way from "right monkey" as said by my grandparents (I was told it was Al Read but I don't actually remember him) & "it's that man again" (ITMA) - through the Goons, Hancock, Monty Python, Blackadder, Allo allo ...

I must admit none of the modern ones have really stuck with us, one or two from P&P possibly but I think they're from the book rather than the TV series where you only heard them once.

My family were always quoting "from the sublime to the ridiculous", didn't realise that wasn't an everyday one. And (in)appropriate quotations from Victorian poets, as in "the curse has come upon me!"

If I was wrong don't you think I would know it

Bazinga

Sheldon - Big Bang Theory (again!)

Lots of the above. When my brother and I answer the phone to each other "what news from Sherwood, Robin? My boys have lots of quotes from Home Alone - Yikes! and You filthy animal - which gets brought into conversation when together. My mum would always say after a break while shopping "Let us sally forth "which my girlfriends and I now use!

I'm not crazy my mother had me tested - Sheldon, Big Bang Theory

I once adopted a Neddy Seagoon voice to say 'What a swine' to a boss. Oops, they hadn't heard of the Goons. Before their time....

Oh yes - the Morecambe and Wise sketch with Mr Preview womble about the right notes but not necessarily in the right order

And one used by DH today:
'She who must be obeyed'

"Gratitood! Don't talk to me about gratitood. Why, if 'alf the folks I've 'elped in my day had done their dooty by me, I'd be rolling in me carridge." From the nightwatchman in tales by S.L.Bensusan.

"Listen carefully I shall say this only once", said in a French accent, from 'Allo 'Allo. Especially useful if you've got a family member with selective hearing.

I have laughed a lot at this wonderful thread, thank you ladies.

"Tempting, but .. no" from Notting Hill is one of my frequent sayings. Also, when a situation is rather odd or peculiar "So unlike the homelife of our own dear Queen", but I've no idea where it's from. I also use "Gone and never called me Mother", and I'm happy to know I'm not alone! Another that I use often is "Call me early mother dear, for I'm to be Queen of the May", much quoted by dear departed and much missed Terry Wogan on his breakfast programme.

DH, if I'm in a different room and he wants to tell me something; "Can you hear me, mother" Might be from ITMA?

Talking of old comedians, who used to say 'there was enough trouble at our Ethels wedding!' ?
More in jokes within the damily refer to sayings by people long gone likw DK's father who always asked for 'just 'alf a cup' when offerred a cup of tea ad my fatger who frequentlt said 'Take these biscuits away Mabel' when he thought he was eating too many. We use these frequently.

Two of my favourites are, "Right notes, not necessarily in the right order" (Morecambe and Wise on Grieg's Piano Concerto by Grieg), and "Should've gone to Specsavers", when I don't spot something, which happens quite often.