Cary Grant And The "Judy Judy" Mystery - Who Said It?

Have you ever found yourself quoting a famous line from a movie, only to discover later that the words were never actually spoken by the actor you thought said them? It happens more often than you might guess, and there is, you know, one particular phrase that has, in a way, truly become a classic example of this very thing. We are talking, of course, about that widely recognized expression, the one that seems to echo with a certain old Hollywood charm: "Judy, Judy, Judy." For many years, this specific set of words has been, more or less, firmly attached to the image of a truly iconic screen presence, a figure whose very name brings to mind a certain elegance and a particular kind of grace.

The curious thing is that, despite how strongly this phrase is connected in our collective memory to a beloved star, the actual facts tell a somewhat different story. It’s almost as if a piece of movie history has been, shall we say, a bit creatively reinterpreted over time, becoming something that feels so real, so utterly true, yet isn't quite the way things really happened. This common belief, this strong association, has, in some respects, taken on a life of its own, traveling through conversations and across generations, solidifying its place in popular culture as something that simply must be accurate, when in fact, it turns out to be a fascinating case of mistaken identity.

So, the question that naturally comes to mind for many people who hear this phrase is, you know, who actually said "Judy, Judy, Judy"? Was it the person everyone thinks it was, or does the real origin of this catchy little line lie somewhere else entirely, perhaps in a place or a moment that is not quite as glamorous as a big screen performance? We are going to explore, just a little, the real story behind this enduring Hollywood puzzle, looking at where this famous misquote truly came from and why it has stuck around for so long in the minds of so many movie watchers and fans of classic cinema, which is, honestly, quite a tale.

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Table of Contents

• Cary Grant - A Look at the Man Behind the Legend
• Was It Really Cary Grant Who Said "Judy Judy Judy"?
• How Did the Idea of "Who Said Judy Judy Judy" Become So Popular?
• Who Else Was Thought to Have Said "Judy Judy Judy"?
• What Did Cary Grant Actually Say About "Judy Judy Judy"?
• Moments Where "Judy" Did Appear - Just Not "Who Said Judy Judy Judy"
• A Different Kind of "Judy" - Other Famous Lines From Grant
• The Lasting Impression - Why Does "Who Said Judy Judy Judy" Still Resonate?

Cary Grant - A Look at the Man Behind the Legend

When you think of a Hollywood icon, a true movie star who embodied a certain kind of polished charm and a natural grace, the name Cary Grant probably, you know, comes to mind pretty quickly for many. He was a person known for a calm, collected way of carrying himself, a manner that seemed to suggest a quiet confidence. His work as an actor was, to be honest, always seen as being of a very high standard, reflecting a genuine skill in bringing characters to life on the screen. And then there was his appeal, a kind of lasting attractiveness that seemed to just draw people in, making him a beloved figure for many, many years, and still today, actually.

He was the kind of performer who, in a way, made everything look so easy, whether he was making you laugh with his quick wit or keeping you on the edge of your seat with a more serious part. His presence on screen was always, you know, something special, a distinct quality that set him apart from others. It’s no wonder that so many people remember him so fondly, even if some of those memories, as we will find out, are perhaps a little bit mixed up with things he didn't actually do or say. He was, quite simply, a star who shone very brightly for a very long time, and his work still brings a lot of enjoyment to people who discover his films.

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Was It Really Cary Grant Who Said "Judy Judy Judy"?

It's a phrase that, honestly, just seems to fit him perfectly, doesn't it? That idea of Cary Grant, with his smooth voice and his elegant way of speaking, calling out "Judy, Judy, Judy" has become, you know, a sort of cultural shorthand for his particular style. But here’s the thing, and it might come as a bit of a surprise to many who have held onto this image for so long: he never, as a matter of fact, uttered those exact words in any of his many movies. Not once did that specific three-part repetition of the name "Judy" come from his lips during a filmed performance, which is, to be honest, a really interesting point when you think about how widely believed it is that he did.

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This common belief, this very persistent idea that he said it, is actually, you know, a really good example of what we call a misattribution. It’s a bit like a story that gets told and retold, and with each telling, a small detail gets added or changed, until the new version becomes the one that everyone remembers as the original. In this particular case, the phrase has been, more or less, incorrectly given to him, becoming a very popular but, ultimately, mistaken notion about his cinematic work. So, while it sounds like something he would have said, and it fits his persona so well, the truth is that it’s just not part of his actual filmography, which is, you know, pretty clear from the records.

How Did the Idea of "Who Said Judy Judy Judy" Become So Popular?

So, if Cary Grant didn't say it in his films, then how did this particular phrase become so strongly connected to him, and why does everyone still think he was the one who said "Judy Judy Judy"? Well, the story, as it turns out, is rather a fascinating one, and it involves another kind of performance entirely. It seems that the phrase's journey into public memory began not on a movie set, but in the lively atmosphere of a nightclub, which is, honestly, a bit of an unexpected place for such a famous line to start. The credit for this enduring misquote seems to go to someone who was, you know, very good at imitating others.

The person who is often given credit for starting this whole thing is an impressionist by the name of Larry Storch. He was, apparently, in the middle of one of his nightclub acts, doing his best impression of Cary Grant, when something quite unexpected happened. Judy Garland herself, the famous Hollywood personality, walked into the room. It was at this moment, it is said, that Storch, still in character as Grant, supposedly addressed her using those very words: "Judy, Judy, Judy." This spontaneous moment, this unscripted address to a real person while performing an imitation, is, you know, the most widely accepted origin for the phrase that has since become so famous, which is, actually, a pretty neat bit of history.

Cary Grant himself, as a matter of fact, believed that this was where the whole thing started. He said that he thought it was the actor Larry Storch who began it, through his impression. This personal account from Grant himself lends a lot of weight to the story of Storch's nightclub performance. It suggests that the actor was aware of the phrase being attributed to him, and he had his own idea about its true beginning. So, while it's a common belief that Grant said it in a movie, the man himself pointed to a different source, a moment of spontaneous performance rather than a planned line in a film, which is, you know, quite telling.

Who Else Was Thought to Have Said "Judy Judy Judy"?

It's interesting how these popular phrases can, you know, sometimes get mixed up with other famous people, even when the original story points elsewhere. While the main focus for "who said Judy Judy Judy" has always been on Cary Grant, and the origin points to Larry Storch, there are sometimes other names that pop up in conversations about this particular line. For example, some people might wonder if another classic actor, like William Holden, was the one who uttered these words in a film. However, based on what we know, William Holden did not say "Judy, Judy, Judy" in any movie, at least not to the knowledge of those who keep track of such things.

The phrase is so strongly associated with Cary Grant, even if it's a misquote, that it just tends to stick to him, making it hard for other actors to be seriously considered as the source. It’s almost as if, once a phrase becomes part of a celebrity's public image, it becomes very difficult to separate it, regardless of the actual facts. This is why, you know, when someone brings up "Judy, Judy, Judy," the immediate thought for nearly everyone is Cary Grant, even if the real story involves a different performer and a very different kind of stage. It’s a testament to the power of popular culture and how quickly a story can spread and become ingrained in our minds, which is, honestly, quite remarkable.

There are also, apparently, other moments in popular culture where the phrase or an impression of Cary Grant saying it has appeared. For instance, in the world of television, you know, Andy Griffith's character, Gomer, introduces his cousin Goober, and Goober does an impression of Cary Grant. It's not explicitly stated that Goober says "Judy, Judy, Judy" during this impression, but the fact that Grant's impression is featured in such a widely watched show suggests how deeply rooted the idea of him saying it had become, even if it was just an impression of an impression. This shows how, in a way, the misquote continued to spread and be referenced in various forms of entertainment, reinforcing its connection to Grant in the public's mind, which is, you know, pretty interesting.

What Did Cary Grant Actually Say About "Judy Judy Judy"?

So, given that he never actually said the full "Judy, Judy, Judy" in a movie, what did Cary Grant himself have to say about this enduring misquote? Well, as we mentioned earlier, he was, apparently, quite clear about his belief that Larry Storch was the one who started it. It’s fascinating to think that the person at the center of this widespread misunderstanding had his own explanation for its origin. This suggests that the misquote was something he was aware of, something that had become a part of his public identity, even if it wasn't something he had actually done himself, which is, you know, a bit of a peculiar situation for a public figure.

He even, in some respects, came close to saying something similar in one of his films, which might have contributed to the confusion. In the movie "Only Angels Have Wings," which came out in 1939, his character does say the name "Judy" a number of times. His former girlfriend in that film, played by Rita Hayworth, is called Judith, or simply Judy. So, you hear lines like "Oh Judy" and "Yes, Judy," and even "Hello, Judy," "Come on, Judy," and "Now, Judy." These are all instances where he addresses a character named Judy, but he never, you know, put the three repetitions together to form the famous "Judy, Judy, Judy" phrase. This might be why some people got the idea that he said it, because the name was, actually, present in his dialogue, just not in that specific, repeated way.

Moments Where "Judy" Did Appear - Just Not "Who Said Judy Judy Judy"

It's a common thing for people to remember snippets of dialogue, and sometimes, those snippets get, you know, slightly rearranged or exaggerated in our minds over time. With Cary Grant, while the triple "Judy" never happened on screen, the name "Judy" itself certainly did appear in his films. As we touched on, in the movie "Only Angels Have Wings," the character played by Rita Hayworth is named Judy, and Grant’s character speaks her name multiple times throughout the story. This is, you know, a very important detail, as it provides a tangible link between Grant and the name, even if it’s not the exact phrase everyone remembers.

So, you had moments where he would say, quite simply, "Oh Judy" or "Yes, Judy," in the course of a conversation with her. These were natural parts of the script, just like anyone would address another person by their name. There were also instances where he would call out, "Hello, Judy," or perhaps encourage her with a "Come on, Judy," or even direct her with a "Now, Judy." Each of these instances, you know, shows him saying the name, but always as a single utterance, or as part of a longer sentence, never in that very specific, repeated, triple form that has become so famous. It’s a subtle but very significant difference, which is, honestly, what makes this whole story so intriguing.

It's almost as if the frequent use of the name "Judy" in that particular film, combined with the power of an impressionist's performance, created a kind of perfect storm for a misquote to take hold. People heard him say "Judy" in a movie, and then they heard an impressionist say "Judy, Judy, Judy," and somehow, the two ideas, you know, merged into one in the public consciousness. This process of how a phrase becomes famous, even if it's not entirely accurate, is a really interesting aspect of how stories and popular culture evolve over time, which is, actually, something worth thinking about.

A Different Kind of "Judy" - Other Famous Lines From Grant

While the "Judy, Judy, Judy" line might be the most famous misquote associated with him, Cary Grant did, you know, have other memorable lines that he actually said in his films. It’s important to remember that his talent and his appeal were built on a lot more than just one phrase, whether real or imagined. For example, in the classic comedy "Bringing Up Baby," he actually did say a repeated name, but it wasn't Judy. In that film, he uttered the words "Susan, Susan, Susan." This is a documented line from one of his movies, showing that he was indeed capable of repeating a name for comedic or dramatic effect, just not the one everyone thinks.

This particular film, "Bringing Up Baby," also has its own interesting stories, which is, you know, a bit of a side note but still connected to Grant. It’s known that Cary Grant himself was not particularly fond of the leopard that was used during the filming. He had, apparently, some difficulties or discomfort with the animal. And there's a rather amusing anecdote that involves Katharine Hepburn, his co-star in that movie. Once, it is said, just to playfully bother him, she put a stuffed leopard through a vent in the top of his dressing room. This little prank gives us a glimpse into the human side of these stars and their experiences on set, showing that even the most polished actors had their moments of frustration or amusement, which is, honestly, quite relatable.

The Lasting Impression - Why Does "Who Said Judy Judy Judy" Still Resonate?

The fact that the phrase "Judy, Judy, Judy" continues to be so widely attributed to Cary Grant, even though he never said it in a movie, really speaks to the power of impressions and the way public memory works. It’s a testament to how a memorable performance by someone like Larry Storch, combined with Grant's own frequent use of the name "Judy" in a film, could create a kind of enduring legend. The phrase has, in a way, become so deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness that it almost feels more real than the actual truth, which is, you know, a very curious phenomenon.

It also highlights the unique appeal of Cary Grant himself. His suave demeanor, his impeccable acting skills, and his enduring charm were so strong that people wanted to believe he said something so perfectly fitting for his persona. The phrase, in some respects, captures a certain essence of what people imagined him to be like, even if it wasn't directly from his cinematic work. This connection, this feeling of authenticity, has allowed the misquote to persist through the years, becoming a beloved part of his legacy, which is, honestly, quite a remarkable thing for a line he never spoke.

So, the next time you hear someone ask "who said Judy Judy Judy," you'll know the fascinating story behind it. It’s a tale that involves a beloved Hollywood star, a talented impressionist, and the sometimes-unpredictable way that popular culture shapes our memories and our understanding of famous moments. It reminds us that what we think we remember about movies and celebrities can sometimes be a little bit different from the actual facts, and that's, you know, part of what makes these stories so interesting to uncover.