Lady of Burlesque (1943)

Michael O'Shea: Biff Brannigan

Photos 

Quotes 

• Biff : What's the matter with comics?

  Dixie : I went into show business when I was seven years old. Two days later the first comic I ever met stole my piggy bank in a railroad station in Portland. When I was 11 the comics were looking at my ankles. When I was 14 they were...just looking. When I was 20 I'd been stuck with enough lunch checks to pay for a three-story house. Naw, they're shiftless, dame-chasing, ambitionless...

• Biff : Hey, lady, you left your motor runnin'.

  Dixie : Don't get excited. You didn't start it.

• Biff : Ah, I get it, you're pulling this act to make me feel protective.

  Dixie : Haven't you ever figured on anybody telling the truth?

  Biff : Not burlesque dames, they're used to wriggling out of things.

• Biff : When you dress for our date tonight, blue is my favorite color. And no big hats, either. It'll get in my way.

  Dixie : When I dress for a date with you it'll be a suit of armor and brass knuckles!

• Biff : [discover a dead burlesque dancer in the closet]  Look, around her neck.

  Dixie : It's her g-string.

  Biff : It ain't there for an ornament either.

• Biff : [on stage]  I am what is known as an archeologist. An archeologist is a guy that digs up mummies. Why the other day I dug up a mummy and he was a hepcat. How did I know he was a hepcat? Because he turned to me and said, "Do you dig me, Jack?"

• Biff : Aren't you a teeny weeny bit glad to see me back?

  Dixie : [pause]  No.

• Biff : [Explaining to Mandy, after having once again been verbally slammed by Dixie]  Sometimes these things take time.

  Mandy : They sure do!

  Biff : You gotta plan it out. Sometimes you finagle them this way, and other times you finagle them that way.

  Mandy : That's why I like sweet dumb girls like Alice: no finagling.

• Biff : How about a little supper after the show tonight?

  Dixie : The only date I make with comics is with the Sunday funnies.

  Biff : That'd be all right with me. Sunday morning breakfast!

  Dixie : Yeah, I'm sure it would be.

• Biff : You won't lose any arguments. Not lookin' like that. You won't have time. You know, if this were a real lasso, I'd drag you up here like a calf in a a Western. Only no calf had a hide as pretty as that.

  Dixie : What would you do when you got me? You've had a little trouble putting a brand on, so far.

• Biff : You got to plan it out. Sometimes you finagle 'em this way - and other times you finagle 'em that way.

  Mandy : That's why I like sweet dumb girls like Alice. No finaglin'.

• Biff : Oh well, maybe that little kiss was worth it.

  Dixie : Good thing for you. It's the last little kiss you'll get from this working girl.