Otto Titzling is a fictional character

apocrypha Apocrypha () are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture, some of which might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity. In Christianity, the word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to ...

lly described as the inventor of the

brassière A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (, ; ), is a type of form-fitting underwear that is primarily used to support and cover a woman's breast, breasts. A typical bra consists of a chest band that wraps around the torso, supporting two bre ...

in the 1971 satire ''Bust-Up: The Uplifting Tale of Otto Titzling'' by New Zealand humorist Wallace Reyburn. The character's name is a

pun A pun, also known as a paronomasia in the context of linguistics, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from t ...

on "a two-tit sling". Following the book's publication, by Macdonald in London and by

Prentice-Hall Prentice Hall was a major American educational publisher. It published print and digital content for the 6–12 and higher-education market. It was an independent company throughout the bulk of the twentieth century. In its last few years it ...

in the USA, the hoax name has appeared in the game ''

Trivial Pursuit ''Trivial Pursuit'' is a board game in which winning is determined by a player's ability to answer trivia and popular culture questions. Players move their pieces around a board, the squares they land on determining the subject of a question the ...

'' (fooled by the hoax, the gamemakers listed Otto Titzling as the "correct answer" to the question of who invented the brassière), on the TV show

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...

in the late 1980s ( John Davidson's first two mispronunciations of the name had to be bleeped for broadcast), in the 1984 pornographic film ''Intimate Couples'' (in which Joanna acqueline Loriansreads the ''Trivial Pursuit'' card shortly before the climactic orgy scene),Fox, Scotty (director), ''Intimate Couples'' (VCX, 1984), at 1:18:30. and in the comic strip '' Luann'' by Greg Evans. With songwriters Charlene Seeger and Jerry Blatt and composer Marc Shaiman,

Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...

wrote "Otto Titsling", which was first recorded on her 1985 live album ''

Mud Will Be Flung Tonight ''Mud Will Be Flung Tonight!'' is the third live and first comedy album by American singer and actress Bette Midler, released in December 1985, by Atlantic Records. Overview It is a live recording of one of Midler's stand-up comedy shows perform ...

''; a studio recording was used in the 1988 movie ''Beaches''. The song also references another Reyburn character, Philippe de Brassière, who stole Titzling's idea (which Otto had neglected to patent) and created his own undergarment. As noted by Midler, "The result of this swindle is pointedly clear: Do you buy a titsling or do you buy a brassiere?"

Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...

references Otto Titzling as the inventor of the brassiere during a

Pete and Dud Pete and Dud were characters played by the comedians and entertainers Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. The dialogue format originated in 1964 when Dudley Moore invited Peter Cook to appear in a television performance. Cook scripted a conversation be ...

skit with

Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. He first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writer-perf ...

, in their West End stage show ''Beyond the Fringe,'' first broadcast on

BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and ...

in 1974. The same network used Titzling in practice questions sent to prospective teams of ''

University Challenge ''University Challenge'' is a British television quiz programme which first aired in 1962. ''University Challenge'' aired for 913 episodes on ITV from 21 September 1962 to 31 December 1987, presented by quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne. The BBC ...

''. A similar myth persists with

Thomas Crapper Thomas Crapper (baptised 28 September 1836; died 27 January 1910) was an English plumber and businessman. He founded Thomas Crapper & Co in London, a plumbing equipment company. His notability with regard to toilets has often been overstated, ...

, a

plumber A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable (drinking) water, hot-water production, sewage and drainage in plumbing systems.

with an overstated reputation regarding the flushing lavatory, as fictionalized by Reyburn in ''Flushed With Pride: The Story of Thomas Crapper''.

Footnotes

External links

False claim: The brassiere was invented by Otto Titzling
(from

Snopes.com ''Snopes'' (), formerly known as the ''Urban Legends Reference Pages'', is a fact-checking website. It has been described as a "well-regarded reference for sorting out myths and rumors" on the Internet. The site has also been seen as a source ...

) {{DEFAULTSORT:Titzling, Otto Urban legends Fictional inventors