John Henry “Doc” Holliday (August 1851 – November 1887) was a gambler, gunfighter, and dentist in the late 19th-century American West, usually associated with Wyatt Earp and the shootout at the O.K. Corral. Despite his outlaw reputation and deadly gun handling skills, Holliday was a cultured man with a great intellect. He was known for his quick wit and often chilling one-liners. Here, we have compiled a list of 20 of his most popular quotes.
Top 20 Doc Holliday Quotes:
- “I’m your huckleberry.” – This is arguably the most famous Doc Holliday quote. Used in the 1993 movie “Tombstone,” it’s an old-fashioned way of saying “I’m the man for the job.”
- “I have not yet begun to defile myself.” – Another quote from “Tombstone,” showing Holliday’s sarcasm and self-deprecating humor.
- “My hypocrisy goes only so far.”
- “It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds.” – Here, Holliday mocks his own contradictions between his behavior and beliefs.
- “You’re a daisy if you do.” – A thinly veiled threat, this phrase implies that the other person will be pushing up daisies, i.e., be dead, if they continue on their current path.
- “I was just fooling about.”
- “I wasn’t.” – This combination of phrases epitomizes Holliday’s menacing reputation.
- “Ain’t it a small world?”
- “Ten dollars to the man who kills the fool with the shotgun.” – This was Holliday’s retort when Johnny Ringo offered a reward for his death.
- “Why Ed does this mean we’re not friends anymore?”
- “Forgive me if I don’t shake hands.” – A witticism referring to the spread of Holliday’s tuberculosis.
- “There, now we can be friends again.”
- “And you must be Ringo. Look, darling, Johnny Ringo. The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say.”
- “Isn’t that a daisy?” – Another popular phrase from “Tombstone,” often used to express surprise.
- “Nonsense. I’ve not yet begun to defile myself.”
- “Why, Ike, whatever do you mean?”
- “Say when.” – A confrontational saying, essentially daring the other person to start a fight.
- “In vino veritas.” – A Latin phrase meaning “In wine, truth.”
- “You couldn’t hit a drunken elephant from this distance.” – A playful dig at someone’s aim.
- “You’re no daisy at all.” – A way of saying someone is not as tough or dangerous as they think they are.
These quotes from Doc Holliday combine wit, wisdom, and a fair amount of menace, perfectly illustrating the complex character of this folklore figure. Many of them were popularized by Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Doc Holliday in the movie “Tombstone,” and they continue to be emblematic of the Wild West’s dangerous charm.