Bruce Lee's salute

It's like a thing Cagney did playing a bootlegger. He tests a bottle of
hooch by clapping his palm over it, upending it, righting it and
putting it down; then he rubs his hands togther and tents them over his
nose and mouth, inhaling.
I have no doubt it's a piece of actual observation of a real
bootlegger. I know the salute you mean, and I'm sure it's the same
thing--prep school, collegiate, Irish or wharfie originally.
 >> Stay informed about: Bruce Lee's salute 

"Richard Fangnail" wrote in message

> Bruce Lee used to do this thing where he put one hand as a fist into
> his other hand's palm. Did that mean something?

Which reminds me of something I was always curious about. Lots of actors in
Thirties movies would wave or salute in a manner I never see anymore,
on-screen or off. Cagney did it a lot, but I've seen scores of other actors
do it in that period. It involved waving or casually (not at all
militarily) saluting with the palm turned toward the face. Sometimes the
gesture would be made with the fingers horizontal, but usually
near-vertical, but always palm-toward-the-face. It seems to have been the
common way of waving goodbye, yet it seems to have disappeared. (I do it,
but that's pure homage.) Anyone else ever notice this?

Jim Beaver
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In article , Richard Fangnail wrote:

: Bruce Lee used to do this thing where he put one hand as a fist into
: his other hand's palm. Did that mean something?

We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. Ever hear of the
"quivering blow"?

-----
Richard Schultz schultr RemoveThis @mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Bar-Ilan University
-----
"I've lost my harmonica, Albert."
 >> Stay informed about: Bruce Lee's salute 

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005, Richard Schultz wrote:

> In article , Richard Fangnail wrote:
>
> : Bruce Lee used to do this thing where he put one hand as a fist into
> : his other hand's palm. Did that mean something?
>
> We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. Ever hear of the
> "quivering blow"?

Yeah, but I'm on the wagon.

swac
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>Cagney did it a lot, but I've seen scores of other actors
do it in that period. It involved waving or casually (not at all
militarily) saluting with the palm turned toward the face. Sometimes
the
gesture would be made with the fingers horizontal, but usually
near-vertical, but always palm-toward-the-face. It seems to have been
the
common way of waving goodbye, yet it seems to have disappeared. (I do
it,
>but that's pure homage.) Anyone else ever notice this?

Also at the start of "Meet John Doe"--as the copy boy lets the
newshawks know they've been axed, at least one old-timer gives him that
wave. It may be a newspaperman thing, just the sort of smart-ass
gesture they used to be famous for, before they all started trying to
send their kids to Brown.
 >> Stay informed about: Bruce Lee's salute 

Gary Cooper used it a couple of times as well, notably in Morocco.

I occasional use it, in homage.

John Harkness
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jgh.DeleteThis@netcom.ca wrote:

> Gary Cooper used it a couple of times as well, notably in Morocco.

Like when his sergeant gets it. Classic!

You see it all the time in Harold Lloyd movies. (And lots of other
silents now that I think about it.) I think it was kind of a "thanks"
gesture as well as a "see ya" - like when someone lights your
cigarette or something. It was a good way to replace dialogue.

In High Sierra Bogart waves goodbye to someone by doing something like
the Tomahawk Chop, but short and jerky and with his fingers half
curled. Never seen that before.

Brian
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Richard Schultz wrote:
>In article , Richard Fangnail wrote:

>: Bruce Lee used to do this thing where he put one hand as a fist into
>: his other hand's palm. Did that mean something?
>
>We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. Ever hear of the
>"quivering blow"?

Hundred bucks, same as in town.

Pete
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Jim Beaver wrote:

<<It involved waving or casually (not at all militarily) saluting with
the palm turned toward the face. Sometimes the
gesture would be made with the fingers horizontal, but usually
near-vertical, but always palm-toward-the-face. It seems to have been
the
common way of waving goodbye, yet it seems to have disappeared. (I do
it,>>

So does Queen Elizabeth!

Ellen
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The origin of salutes was when knights opened their visors or removed their
helmets so that their faces could be seen.

This switched into a military and a civilian variation over time. The
civilian variation had Three Musketeers doffing their hats (the salute and
the bow became combined), which evolved into touching one's hat brim. This
particular style of salute was between those two.

Occasionally someone will do this today as a form of "I bow to your
expertise", maybe when someone gets the girl.
 >> Stay informed about: Bruce Lee's salute 

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 15:09:58 GMT, howard DeleteThis @brazee.net wrote:

>The origin of salutes was when knights opened their visors or removed their
>helmets so that their faces could be seen.

They called that "day for knight," I think.
 >> Stay informed about: Bruce Lee's salute 

On 17-Sep-2005, David Oberman wrote:

> >The origin of salutes was when knights opened their visors or removed
> >their
> >helmets so that their faces could be seen.
>
> They called that "day for knight," I think.

I saw that movie at a drive-in with a pretty girl.

I liked a reference a Brit once made to American football players all
armored up like their knights. He called it "Knights in white satin".
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