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Why do People Tell Actors to Break a Leg?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

The origin of the term “break a leg” in the acting world is much disputed. What is known is that it is a wish of good luck, applied only to actors, and not to other theater workers. Stagehands are basically told, “Don’t mess up,” though the word “mess” is often replaced with a more popular four-letter word.

The superstitious interpret the phrase as a way to discourage evil spirits from deliberately causing one’s performance to suffer. Actually wishing someone good luck on the other hand, would be evoking the evil eye. Thus expressing “good luck,” may actually cause bad luck for the actor.

Ballet dancers say "merde!" to one another, which is a crasser version of "break a leg."
Ballet dancers say "merde!" to one another, which is a crasser version of "break a leg."

The term may be traced in origin to Elizabethan language. To break a leg in Shakespeare’s time literally meant to bow, while bending the knee. Since only a successful actor would bow on stage and receive applause, this phrase would have, in effect, been a wish of good luck and good performance to the actor. However, in the 16th century, the phrase also meant to give birth to an illegitimate child, which is hard to connect to the theatrical world.

It's not a good idea to wish an actor "good luck."
It's not a good idea to wish an actor "good luck."

Others trace “break a leg” to the tradition of the audiences of Classical Greece. Instead of applauding actors, audiences would stomp their feet. Stamping to the point where one would actually hurt himself is unlikely. Vigorous stomping sounds, however, expressed greater appreciation for the performance of the actor. Causing people to pound their feet so hard that they would injure themselves would indeed signify accomplishment in acting.

"Break a leg" is only said to actors.
"Break a leg" is only said to actors.

More rooted in the tradition of superstitious reasons for wishing that someone might “break a leg,” relates to John Wilkes Booth leaping to the stage at the Ford Theater after firing the shots that would assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. In the jump, he actually broke a leg. However, his performance as an assassin is clearly not enviable, unless it is later connected to the comedians’ concept of “killing” an audience, which means being successful.

The saying may also be attributed to the film and play 42nd Street. In the script, Peggy Sawyer is given the opportunity to play the lead in the production because she is the understudy of the star who actually breaks her leg and cannot go on. Peggy’s performance is hailed as a success.

Landing parts is often termed as getting a “break” in show business. Being successful is referred to as breaking into show business. The term “break a leg” may also then be connected to one making a successful entrance into the world of acting.

Another possible construction is the German phrase Hals un Beinbruch, translated to "happy landings" in English. Both German and English pilots used the term, which translates literally to breaking all one’s bones. Actors may have adopted this, as the phrase was clearly in use in the 1920s after WWI.

Ballet dancers have their own version of of the phrase, which connects to the superstitious concept of not wishing other dancers good luck. They say merde! which literally translates to a well known four letter word for excrement in English. This term seems more expressive of not evoking ill-luck but as well may imply feelings related to stage fright or anxiety about performance.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent MusicalExpert contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent MusicalExpert contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon176029

I'm afraid you've got the wrong idea. Break a leg refers to acting in Shakespeare's time. Poor people who couldn't afford seats would stand up directly in front of the stage in a pit, so they could even lean on the edge of the front of the stage. As performances were very rowdy and much more casual than today, people would often get drunk with low hygiene levels and as a result a thick layer or grease, slime, alcohol and sweat formed around the front edge of the stage.

If actors performed badly then they would get shouted off, probably with vegetables thrown at them; but if they did well then they were safe to come right up to the audience to be congratulated without being attacked. One such actor, who did very well came right up to the edge and bowed, but because of the thick layer of slime he slipped and broke his leg.

People say 'break a leg' before a performance because they want your performance to be so good that you could do what that actor did and, metaphorically, come right up to the edge safe knowing that the audience enjoyed your performance so much that they wouldn't harm you.

anon156132

I believe the term "Merde" can be traced to the times when people would attend a theatre on carriages drawn by horses. The more carriages, the more horses, the more "merde" -- making for a much successful performance. -- m.c.

extrordinary

When I was in theatre in college we would always use this phrase. We would say break a leg to each other and it was always an expression of good luck.

It is interesting that people who are not typically superstitious,will suddenly follow a tradition that comes from a superstitious belief when they are on stage.

This reminds me of when actors will wish for a terrible dress rehearsal because they believe that means they will have a great performance.

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    • Ballet dancers say "merde!" to one another, which is a crasser version of "break a leg."
      By: Aleksandr Doodko
      Ballet dancers say "merde!" to one another, which is a crasser version of "break a leg."
    • It's not a good idea to wish an actor "good luck."
      By: Haider Yousuf
      It's not a good idea to wish an actor "good luck."
    • "Break a leg" is only said to actors.
      By: peshkova
      "Break a leg" is only said to actors.