The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (532 page)

This saying has been attributed to various people, including E. F. Albee and W. C. Fields. It was popularized by Fields, who is said to have used it in the musical comedy
Poppy
(1923), though it does not occur in the libretto.
Poppy
was made into a silent film in 1925 and called
Sally of the Sawdust
. This was in turn remade as a ‘talkie’ in 1936 (see quot. 1936). The proverb means that one should not allow a fair chance to a fool, or one who may be easily deceived.
1925
Collier's
28 Nov. 26
‘That line of mine that brings down the house always was true, wasn't it?’ ‘Which line?’ I asked. ‘Never give a sucker an even break’ he [W. C. Fields] answered.
1936
N. Y. Herald Tribune
15 Mar. v. 1
Wasn't it ‘Poppy’ that provided him with his immortal motto, ‘Never give a sucker an even break’?
1940
Eggs, Beans & Crumpets
158
Never give a sucker an even break … But your sermon has made me see that there is something higher and nobler than a code of business ethics.
1979
Daily Telegraph
3 Nov. 24
The basic American business philosophy of ‘never give a sucker an even break’ runs rampant in those [money] markets.
fair dealing
;
fools

 
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see
out of the MOUTHS of babes—
.

 
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see
hasty CLIMBERS have sudden falls
.

 
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1639
Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina
72
Sue a begger and get a louse.
1659
Proverbs
(English) 2
Goe to Law with a beggar, thou shalt gett a lowse.
1732
Gnomologia
no. 4285
Sue a Beggar, and catch a Louse.
1819
Bride of Lammermoor
iii.
I guess it is some law phrase—but sue a beggar, and—your honour knows what follows.
1937
It's a Far Cry
xi.
Such suit would have been useless as he was insolvent. The case indeed would have been the old one of suing a beggar and catching a louse!
futility
;
law and lawyers

 
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