I've always wondered why it is that McHale and his crew often refer to him as "Old Lead Bottom". I always thought Binghamton was too trim-looking to deserve that name.

It wasn't meant to mean that he was heavy.

Since this is a pg-13 site, let me rephrase it with a hint

Lead is HARD. Add that in front of another word for a donkey..... ;)

hard arse, LOL.

yea, I remember once years ago; when I used to watch the reruns on a local station and I was seeing the show for the first time; I jokingly called my sister "old leadbottom" once thinking it was just a mean name, and my mother heard me and yelled at me.:lol: :lol:

It wasn't meant to mean that he was heavy.

Since this is a pg-13 site, let me rephrase it with a hint

Lead is HARD. Add that in front of another word for a donkey..... ;)

Actually lead is a soft metal that is easy to form into shape. So although compared to other materials it's pretty hard, it's always been used more for heavy weights and coatings than for its hardness or strength. Most old double-hung windows contained lead weights.

When lead was referred to, it usually meant heavyness -- like "leadfoot," meaning a driver who is heavy on the gas pedal.

By "lead bottom," I took the phrase to be like "stick in the mud," implying weighted, dragged down, and not moving as far as being willing to compromise.

I had always thought that it was a pun on Army Air Force General Curtiss LeMay, who was known as "Old Ironpants."

I remember "Leadbottom" being a name applied to Captain Binghamton because he was wounded in the butt while retreating, but I can't remember any episode in which he is shot or where the incident is mentioned.

I remember "Leadbottom" being a name applied to Captain Binghamton because he was wounded in the butt while retreating, but I can't remember any episode in which he is shot or where the incident is mentioned.
I remember the incident being mentioned, but after wracking my brain, I cannot recall any leading indicators to suggest an episode. However, I believe a few episodes may have opened the door.

Too bad none of the Script sites have McHale's Navy scripts. A quick search may find the quote.