In 1946, Winston Churchill traveled to Fulton, Missouri, to deliver a speech and to be present at the dedication of a bust in his honor. After his speech, Churchill was approached by a rather attractive and well-endowed woman. "Mr. Churchill," she declared, "I traveled over a hundred miles this morning for the unveiling of your bust."
"Madam, I assure you," he enthusiastically replied, "in that regard I would gladly return the favor!"
[Trivia: Churchill was educated at Harrow, one of England's most prestigious schools, where he achieved some distinction - as the worst student in his class. Even so, by his 25th birthday, he had: seen action in three of England's imperial wars, been decorated for valor in battle, been taken prisoner of war and escaped from captivity, written four highly praised war histories (The Malakand Field Force, The River War, London to Ladysmith via Pretoria and Ian Hamilton's March), written a novel (Savrola) - and been elected a member of Parliament.]
Workers' of the World
One day during the production of Reds, the story of Marxist journalist John Read and Russia's Bolshevik Revolution, director Warren Beatty, seeking authenticity, lectured the film's extras on Reed's theories of capitalist exploitation of labor.
The extras listened attentively, went away to discuss what they had learned, and unanimously decided to go on strike for higher wages.
[Beatty relented and the extras got a small raise.]
Iron Will
Shortly after moving into the British prime minister's official residence (10 Downing Street, London) with his wife (and new Prime Minister) Margaret, Denis Thatcher was presented with a tricky question by a wily reporter: "Who wears the pants in this house?" "I do," Thatcher replied. "And I also wash and iron them."
Benny Burned?
Jack Benny was forever attempting to make fellow-comedian George Burns laugh. "I thought I had him once [in a hotel] in Milwaukee," Benny recalled. "George telephoned me from downstairs to say that he was coming up. I got undressed and stood naked on a table posing like a statue holding a rose in my hand. I figured when he came in the door, he'd have to laugh." What happened? "He sent the maid in first!"
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