The original quote came from Jean-Jacques Rousseau: "Finally, I remembered the way out suggested by a great princess when told the peasants had no bread: 'Well, let them eat cake'." He was not speaking of Antoinette.
"I cannot tell a lie. It was I who chopped down the cherry tree."---George Washington [A]
This is a minor misstatement of the actual communication between the Apollo 13 astronauts and Mission Control in Houston immediately after the explosion that aborted the intended mission. The actual quote was "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here," uttered by Jack Swigert, soon followed by "Houston, we've had a problem" by Jim Lovell.
"Football isn't a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that"---Bill Shankly [C]
The real quote, which isn't nearly as succinct as the alleged quote, was said by Liverpool FC manager Bill Shankly in 1981 on a Granada Television chat-show called 'Live from Two' hosted by Shelley Rohde was "Someone said 'football is more important than life and death to you' and I said 'Listen, it's more important than that'."
Distortion of Gore's claims to have been a significant political promoter of the development of the internet. The attribution was perpetuated and altered by the media echo chamber effect.
"Anything that can go wrong, will" (and variations on this theme) – Edward A. Murphy, Jr. [C]
Actual quote uncertain. Variously, "If that guy has any way of making a mistake, he will" and "If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then somebody will do it that way."
Murphy's law has been misinterpreted to mean "nothing will ever work". Its intended meaning, however, probably was more like "try to prepare for every possible way for something not to work".
"The only two certainties in life are death and taxes"---Mark Twain [C]
Twain used the quote, but it is now generally believed (though not with absolute certainty) to have originated with Benjamin Disraeli.
"Religion is the opiate of the masses."---Karl Marx [C]
Actual quote: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." Marx's intended meaning is subtler and less condemning than the misquote would suggest.
"The only good Indian is a dead Indian."---Philip Sheridan [M]
Actual quote is said to be "The only good Indians I ever saw were dead," though Sheridan denied ever saying it.
"Money is the root of all evil."---1 Timothy 6:10, the Bible [C]
Actual quote: Ingrid Bergman's character Ilsa Lund said "Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By" first; later, Rick says "You played it for her, you can play it for me!"
Actual quote: "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!" (The quote above does however appear in Blazing Saddles.)
Actual quote in context: "Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this son of York." The meaning differs significantly when taken out of context.
