How did that originate?

[petpurry]

Where did the saying 'holy Toledo' come from>

[gazzawazza]

I always thought that these sayings "Holy smoke, holy ... (damn, can't think of any more!) etc. First came from the Batman series of the 1960s.

Whenever Batman and Robin were faced with some diabolical and highly unfeasible situation that the likes of The Riddler or The Penguin had engineered, Robin would punch his gloved right hand into his gloved left hand and say something like, "Holy smoke Batman, that crazy good for nothing Penguin has engineered another diabolical and highly unfeasible situation for us to remedy."

They would of course then proceed to remedy said situation without too much trouble at all. Aaah, childhood memories...!

[sddsddean]

My favourite was when some kid had committed a crime and Robin came out with 'Holy juvenile delinqency Batman!!'

[Ewood27]

I'm old enough to remember that a few of these phrases actually predate Batman. 'Holy cow' and 'holy smoke' (probably a few others too) are older, but Batman and Robin certainly fuelled a popular outpouring of the linguistic (or is that too strong a word?) device. There's a scene in 'The Way to the Stars', a film made during or soon after WW2, where a newly-dead air gunner is waiting at the gates of Heaven. He says 'Holy smoke' and is reproved for it. 'Smoke means fire, and we don't regard that as holy' or something similar!

[Cetti]

It goes way, way back in the mists of time - not sure whether it's film or TV......"Holy Toledo" is an exclamation often used by Skipper (Martin Huston), the son of jungle adventurer, Jungle Jim ( Johnny Weismuller ) in the action adventure "Jungle Jim" . http://www.tvacres.com/catch_h.htm

[amzleyok]

On the Batman movie, Robins getting attacked by a massive plastic shark and he says 'Holy Tunafish Batman' !!!!!!! HeHe!! But i have no idea were 'holy toledo' came from. will talk soon
Toodlepip xxxxxx