What is it?

[W. Gray]

This has been a rather boring, but warm, Colorado day, so I thought I would try to lighten things up here. It is a household item in most houses. What am I talking about?

Terry Thomas, a British comedian, once said on screen in a popular movie that "I'll wager you anything you like that if [these lost favor] your whole national economy would collapse overnight."

The first item of this type was invented in the 19th century but full scale production did not explode until the 1930s. Subsequently the name of the item was shortened. The manufacture is now a multibillion dollar industry.

Adoption first occurred in Europe, then North America, Asia, Africa(?), and Latin America. [I added the question mark]

During World War II, Howard Hughes improved on a 1930s design by literally inventing a highly superior version. He designed and had constructed one to support a particularly favorite cowboy movie he was filming. This particular western movie had a sound track variation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74.

Hughes' limited edition invention during WWII was probably his best design since 1908 when he patented a superior drill bit that was a revolution to the oil drilling industry.

His invention for the cowboy movie was cantilevered with rods of curved structural steel and is still used but in a more streamlined modification. Today, it is a best seller in the industry.

[Diane Amberg]

Hmmmm.Insteresting clues. Did Jane Russell have anything to do with it?

[W. Gray]

Howard Hughes was the head of RKO studios and made the movie "The Outlaw."

Jack Buetel, an unknown 24-year-old in his first movie, was the star of the Hughes movie. His costar was an unknown 19-year old in her first movie named Jane Russell. The movie made both Buetel and Russell instant stars and other movie producers wanted to rent them from Hughes.

Both were under exclusive contract to Hughes and Hughes made much use of Jane Russell and rented her out to other studios. But, Hughes refused to put Buetel in any more RKO movies and refused to rent him out including when he was wanted to play in Red River with John Wayne. Montgomery Cliff got the role, instead. Essentially, Hughes paid him to do nothing else for the life of his multiyear contract.

By the time Buetel's contract ran out, Jane Russell was a huge star and the other studios were no longer interested in him. He faded into obscurity after a few movies and some TV.

According to IMDB, neither man ever gave a reason for the snub. But, I have a feeling it had to do with Howard Hughes personal interest in Jane Russell, which she rejected. Buetel may have been a little more successful.

Hughes was the designer of the product rather than Jane Russell.

[Diane Amberg]

Am I in the right "support" group? 

[Jane]

Is it the Bra Howard designed for Jane Russell?

[W. Gray]

This has been a rather boring, but warm, Colorado day, so I thought I would try to lighten things up here. It is a household item in most houses. What am I talking about?

Terry Thomas, a British comedian, once said on screen in a popular movie that "I'll wager you anything you like that if [these lost favor] your whole national economy would collapse overnight."

The first item of this type was invented in the 19th century but full scale production did not explode until the 1930s. Subsequently the name of the item was shortened. The manufacture is now a multibillion dollar industry.

Adoption first occurred in Europe, then North America, Asia, Africa(?), and Latin America. [I added the question mark]

During World War II, Howard Hughes improved on a 1930s design by literally inventing a highly superior version. He designed and had constructed one to support a particularly favorite cowboy movie he was filming. This particular western movie had a sound track variation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74.

Hughes' limited edition invention during WWII was probably his best design since 1908 when he patented a superior drill bit that was a revolution to the oil drilling industry.

His invention for the cowboy movie was cantilevered with rods of curved structural steel and is still used but in a more streamlined modification. Today, it is a best seller in the industry.

The item was invented in France. It is a brassiere. I can remember as a youngster being so embarrassed when someone mentioned that word. The word was in the process of being shortened to bra around the same time.

The movie in which Terry Thomas brought on a lot of laughs with his comment was "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, World" starring virtually every comedian who was alive in 1966.

Hughes invention of the cantilevered bra was designed for Jane Russell. The movie was finished in 1941, given a copyright of 1943, but not released until 1946 because of censorship problems.

The best seller in the industry, today, is a wired bra.

[Diane Amberg]

So who gets the prize? HA!

[W. Gray]

So who gets the prize? HA!

Sorry, I cannot resist. No booby prizes were offered.

[Diane Amberg]

Good one.