Masonic references in common speech

References to Freemasonry in popular culture range from the vitriolic to the innocuous. Far more often they are merely misinformed allusions from which Freemasonry faces a far more insidious threat; that of being marginalized, trivialized, and fictionalized. Most of the references noted on this site are harmless, simply pointing out that Freemasonry has played a role in our society; some are humorous, yet some are disturbing in their associations.

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Masonic expressions in pop culture

Detail: "The Yellow Kid and His New Phonograph", Richard Felton Outcault (1863-1928), New York Journal October 25, 1896.

MANY TERMS used by freemasons have entered common speech without even being noticed as such. When such expressions as "on the square," "square deal," "on the level," "black ball", "third degree" or "three degrees" are made use of in fiction, they are rarely of masonic significance.

Some usages of the term "square" may derive from a common expression in accounting where, to square accounts, the debits column equal the credits column.

The use of black and white pebbles for balloting is mentioned by the Roman poet, Ovid (43/03/20 BCE - 17 CE in Metamorphoses (xv, 41). The use of the terms "square" or "level" as metaphors for honesty and trustworthiness also can be found in the annals of Rome, Greece, Egypt and China. They were not invented by the freemasons.

Other phrases from masonic ritual will appear in works of fiction, sometimes to imply a masonic connexion but far more often because the framers of early masonic ritual took their language from literary conventions of the period.

References in film, television, lyrics, and fiction

Square (deal)

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Ballot Box Bunny (1950)

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

Cheers (1982)

Detour (1945)

Gasoline Alley (1924)

Goldfinger (1964)

In Old Chicago (1937)

King Kong (1933)

Krazy Kat (1940)