Coming to this thread late (just back from a 2 week vacation in Ireland), but the "nosepicker" reference may come from a Fields story about his reply to a bunch of autograph hounds who approached him at John Barrymore's funeral: "Back to reform school you little nosepickers!"
Mike O'Connor
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The Cubs made me a criminal, sent me down a wayward path, they stole my youth from me
-Steve Goodman