[Vermont Lt]

He could deliver a line. But he hardly wrote any of them.

[sodpoodle]

*****He could deliver a line. But he hardly wrote any of them.**** Does this help? quote [kwōt] VERB repeat or copy out (a group of words from a text or speech), typically with an indication that one is not the original author or speaker.

[Yaelle]

He did so great with it. A lot of famous singers didn’t write their songs. Hope was so funny, in character, or breaking it.

[pt17]

He could deliver a line. But he hardly wrote any of them.

As best I understand it, you are quite correct. He was the product of his writers and not inherently funny or witty. My father had the great displeasure of driving him around on one of his WWII island visits and thought he was an arrogant, unfunny SOB. Kudos to his writers!