“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does Keep going!” has been printed on many posters, with credit usually given to Brooklyn-born humorist Sam Levenson (1911-1980). Levenson included the saying in his book, You Don’t Have to Be in Who’s Who to Know What’s What (1979).
Wikipedia: Sam Levenson
Sam Levenson (December 28, 1911 – August 27, 1980) was an American humorist, writer, teacher, television host, and journalist.
Hathi Trust Digital Library
OCLC WorldCat record
You don’t have to be in Who’s who to know what’s what
Author: Sam Levenson
Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster, ©1979.
Edition/Format: Print book : English
Google Books
Words of Wisdom
Edited by William Safire and Leonard Safir
New York, NY: Simon & Schuster
1989
Pg. 398:
Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. — Sam Levenson
10 January 2002, Daily Republican Register (Mt. Carmel, IL), pg. 1, col. 4:
MUSINGS ON THE WABASH
Don’t watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going. — Sam Levenson
17 April 2003, The Advocate (Stamford, CT), “Daily Bridge Club” by Frank Stewart, pg. C6, col. 1:
“Don’t watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going!”—Sam Levenson.
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Do not watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going. - Sam Levenson #quote
12:33 PM - 21 Mar 2015
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.
Recent entries:
•“Unless you’re music, I don’t want to listen to you in the morning” (5/8)
•“Took my own lunch to work and didn’t buy a coffee today so I should be able to afford to buy a house any day now” (5/8)
•“Unless you’re music, I don’t wanna listen to you in the morning” (5/8)
•“Why does inclusiveness include everything except opposing views?” (5/8)
•Entry in progress—BP23 (5/8)
More new entries...
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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