A WILD GUESS



I still have to check the U. S. NAVAL AVIATION SAFETY BULLETIN, but I

really don't think it would account for the spread of "Murphy's Law" in

1954-1956. The spread should have started about June 1954, when that

Collier's came out. But I couldn't find a good, nationally popular print

source!

If I had to guess, I would say that television did it. If I had to

guess the program, it would be WHAT'S MY LINE?.

My guess is that sometime in 1954 or 1955, Col. John Stapp was booked on

WHAT'S MY LINE?. Perhaps he stumped the panel about who he was and what he

did. At the end of the show, he explained all that. One panelist asked

about the dangers of Stapp's job and what would have happened if things went

wrong, and then, before millions of television viewers, came Murphy!

Instant, nationwide dissemination. An Americanism is born!

Back to the Museum of Television and Radio!

Where's Kitty Carlisle Hart when you need her??