What term, a synonym for 'get on with it' is said to derive from an instruction given by early film-maker Hal Roach to his editors?
Cut to the chase Cut to the chase "Cut to the chase" is a phrase that means to get to the point without wasting time. The saying originated from early film studios' silent films. It was a favorite of, and thought to have been coined by, Hal Roach Sr. Films, particularly comedies, often climaxed in chase scenes. Some inexperienced screenwriters or directors would pad the film with unnecessary dialogue, which bored the audience and prolonged the time before the exciting chase scene. "Cut to the chase" was a phrase used by movie studio executives to mean that the audience shouldn't get bored by the
Hal Roach Hal Roach Harold Eugene Roach Sr. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, and actor from the 1910s to the 1990s, best known today for producing the Laurel and Hardy and "Our Gang" film comedy series. Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York, the grandson of Irish immigrants. A presentation by the great American humorist Mark Twain impressed Roach as a young grade school student. After an adventurous youth that took him to Alaska, Hal Roach arrived in Hollywood, California, in 1912 and began working as an extra in silent films.