Breaking legs, an update

After my last post was published, I heard again from David Barry, re: the theories as to where the saying, "Break a leg" comes from. His knowledge of the theatre well and truly outstrips mine, and if he says something, I listen.

Therefore, I'd like to add to my previous blog, with a quote from our latest conversation:

“I think break a leg has to be an American import. Maybe it came from the assassination attempt on Lincoln when the assassin broke his leg. I know when I was working back in the fifties, actors in Britain just wished each other luck. There was nothing about breaking a leg back then. When we did Please Sir!, likewise, wishing best of luck. I don’t even recall when the transition to break a leg happened, which is why I think it seeped in from the US.”

These days, David is a novelist as well as an actor. You can find out more here