bank of monto carlo

[RAS]

Did anyone ever break a bank at monte carlo, or is just a good tune.
Regards
RAS

[zante2000]

Don't know the full facts but I saw a gambling program ones that said someone had. To break the bank ( which is the casino) you have to win more money than they have in cash in their safe. The person just had a good run and did just that.

[mata hati]

"as I walk along the prominade with an independant air,
you can hear the girls declare - there goes a millionaire!
You can hear them sigh and wish to die, and then they wink the other eye
at the Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo!"

[mike b]

Wasn't it Mick Jagger?
(Actually Joseph Hobson Jagger, 1886; song composed 1891 by Fred Gilbert & sung by Charles Coburn. See Brewer's...)

[shaneystar2]

According to Wikipedia
Charles Wells (1841-1926), gambler and confidence trickster, is one of the men that broke the bank at Monte Carlo, made famous by the song. Joseph Jagger was the first famous gambler to get publicity in 1873 but the song was not written until 1892 and so it seems that Wells is a more likely inspiration for the song.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wells_%28 gambler%29

[mike b]

Cheers, Shaney! Very interesting - Brewers is always informative, not to say addictive, but not necessarily definitive... I see that the French for 'break the bank' is 'faire sauter' - ie blow up/explode...!