“What happened when the barman died?”/“The police held an inn-quest.”

A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.

Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.

Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.

Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.

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Entry from January 30, 2017

“What happened when the barman died?”/“The police held an inn-quest.”

A barman riddle is:

Q: What happened when the barman died?
A: The police held an inn-quest.

The joke has been cited in print since at least 2002.

Google Books
Goofy Jokes & Giggles
By Charles Keller
Illustrated by Dave Garbot
New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
2002
Pg. 72:
What happened when the hotel owner died under mysterious circumstances?
The police held an inn-quest.

funnyjoke.com.au
Category:Bar jokes beer booze and fun
Date Added:11/10/2007
Joke:What happened when the barman died?The police held an inn-quest

Twitter
Bollywood Sargam
‏@bollywoodsargam
Bar jokes, beer, booze and fun! - 1274 Joke: What happened when the barman died? The police held an inn-quest .. http://tinyurl.com/l4fxkl
9:19 PM - 10 Jul 2009

Twitter
vina_vagle24
‏@vina_vagle24
What happened when the barman died? The police held an inn-quest
9:33 AM - 20 Sep 2009

17 June 2011, Evening News (Edinburgh, Scotland), “Joke of the day,” pg. 19:
What happened when the barman died?The police decided to hold an inn-quest.
Matt Jarvis, Leith

Twitter
LivingLearningLoving
‏@learning_loving
What happened when the barman died? The police held an inn-quest.
12:01 AM - 27 Jan 2017

Posted by Barry Popik
New York City • Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores • Monday, January 30, 2017 • Permalink

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