Tom, Dick and Harry

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“Tom, Dick and Harry” is a placeholder phrase referring to several randomly-selected people, not necessarily three and not necessarily all men. “Every Tom, Dick and Harry” can refer to the general public. "Tom, Dick or Harry" is a song from the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me Kate.

Tom, Dick and Harry were three brothers. They lived in Oxfordshire, in Burford. They were typical traitors to the town. They stole and murdered, but one day they got caught and were hung from a famous tree in Burford. It's famous because of them, Tom, Dick and Harry.

Tom, Dick, and Harry were also the names given to three Galapagos Island tortoises brought back to England aboard the Beagle by Charles Darwin prior to his publication of The Origin of Species.

See also

• Tom, Dick and Sally — British comic strip
• 3rd Rock from the Sun- the three main male characters were named Tom, Dick and Harry Solomon. (The female was named Sally, perhaps in reference to the comic strip.)
• The Great Escape - The three tunnels were named Tom, Dick, and Harry.

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