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It was a catchphrase made famous in the heyday of cinema and was the inspiration for countless punchlines in The Simpsons.
Now the Scots actor James Finlayson, who inspired Homer Simpsons' famous 'D'oh!' exclamation, has been memorialised at the theatre where he first tread the boards.
Dobbie Hall, in Mr Finlayson’s hometown of Larbert, Stirling, commissioned an oil painting to celebrate his career and prominence in the early days of cinema.
He has a long list of film credits to his name, but was best known for being the third man to Laurel and Hardy.
With his distinctive fake moustache and trademark comic mannerisms he starred in dozens of their films.
Often his parts would see him perform a drawn-out ‘D’ooooooh’ in exasperation at a particular mishap.
Dan Castellaneta, the voice actor for Homer Simpson, said he was inspired by Finlayson's phrase when he was asked to utter what was written a script as an ‘annoyed grunt’.
Simpson’s creator Matt Groening felt it would better suit the timing of animation if it was faster - leading to the creation of Homer's faster 'D'oh!'.
But Hollywood would beckon, and eight years after he travelled across the Atlantic he signed a contract with so-called King of Comedy Mack Sennett.
Mr Finlayson was born in August 1887 and worked as a tinsmith before deciding to make acting his career.
After the death of his parents he, along with brother Robert, emigrated to the United States in 1911.
The talented actor quickly found work and within a year landed a role on New York’s Broadway.
He was eventually hired by Sennett’s rival Hal Roach, and would go onto feature in 33 Laurel and Hardy films - usually as a villain or an antagonist.
He had more than 100 film credits to his name by the time he died in 1953 aged just 66 after suffering from a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles.
Mr Finlayson, who had a career spanning both silent and sound comedies, gained international recognition for his distinctive on-screen behaviors such as his squinting and exaggerated shocked looks.
However, the elongated 'D'ooooooh,' featured in the comics, has turned into his signature expression. This led to Dan Castellanetta, who voices Homer Simpson, adopting this sound as an 'annoyed grunt' when instructed by the script.
Similar to how Mr. Finlayson did it with an extended 'D'ooooooh,' Simpson’s creator, Matt Groening, believed that for the sake of fitting well within the pace of animated sequences, it should be quicker.
And so, the Homer Simpson’s famous ‘D’oh’ was born.
It has become such a well-known phrase it now appears in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Connor Draycott, who is studying fine art at Glasgow School of Art, was commissioned to produce the artwork by the Dobbie Hall Trust.
The 20-year-old said it was an honour to be asked to create the work for the theatre, who wanted to commemorate Mr Finlayson’s global success and inspire young performers who appear in shows there.
Mr Draycott said: ‘James is such a well-known face among fans of black and white movies and I wanted to capture the distinctive look that made him a real superstar of his day.
‘There was initially some debate as to whether I should include his moustache in the portrait, as it was actually a false moustache that he worse specially for filming, but we decided that his moustache was such an integral part of his unique look that it should feature in the painting.
‘I like the fact that despite his face being so well-known during the 1940s and 50’s he could apparently remove the moustache and walk around Hollywood without being recognised by members of the public.’
The portrait was officially unveiled this month at The Dobbie Hall - and the artwork was shown in front of members of his family alongside fans of the actor from across the UK.
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