“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down”

“A real friend never gets in your way—unless you happen to be on the way down” (or “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down”) is a friendship saying that has been printed on many images. “A real friend never gets in your way—unless you happen to be on the way down” was printed in the Scott County Times (Forest, MS) on June 12, 1963. The quotation has been credited to Arnold H. Glasow (1905-1998), whose short sayings frequently appeared in newspapers.
 
“A true friend never gets in your way, unless you happen to be going down” was printed in The Daily Spectrum (Saint George, UT) on May 18, 1986. “True friend” replaces “real friend,” and “happen to be going down” replaces “happen to be on the way down.” This version’s popularity has entirely replaced the original version.
 
   
Answers.com
Q: Who is Arnold Glasgow?
A: He was my father-in-law. Arnold Henry Glasow (notice no second g in last name) was born in Fond-du-lac, Wisconsin in 1905, and died in Freeport, IL in 1998 at age 93. He graduated from Ripon College, and started his own business when he moved to Freeport just after the depression. His business was a humor magazine that he marketed to firms nationally, which firms would turn it into their “house organ” to send to their customers. He carried on this business for over 60 years, publishing his first book at age 92. The book is titled, “Glasow’s Gloombusters,” one of the many titles he put on his work during his career. He was cited frequently in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Chicago Tribune and many other major organs. He was a regular contributor to the humor sections of Reader’s Digest. Sixty years of productive work. Many attributions. A real American thinker, self-effacing and generous of spirit, he shunned the national spotlight.
     
Newspapers.com
12 June 1963, Scott County Times (Forest, MS), pg. 4, col. 8: 
A real friend never gets in your way—unless you happen to be on the way down.
   
Newspapers.com
13 June 1963, The West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald (Tremont, PA), pg. 2, col. 3:
A real friend never gets in your way—unless you happen to be on the way down.
 
Google Books
VFW
Volume 52
1964
Pg. 182:
A real friend never gets in your way — unless you happen to be on the way down. — Wailuku, Hawaii, Maui News.
 
Google Books
The Successful Toastmaster:
A Treasure Chest of Introductions, Epigrams, Humor, and Quotations
By Herbert Victor Prochnow
New York, NY: Harper & Row
1966
Pg. 389:
1433 Friend
A real friend never gets in your way — unless you happen to be on the way down. — Wailuku {Hawaii) Maui News

Google Books
The Complete Art of Public Speaking
By Jacob Morton Braude
New York, NY: Bantam Books
1970
Pg. 118:
932/ A real friend never gets in your way — unless you happen to be on the way down
 
Google Books
14,000 Quips and Quotes:
For Speakers, Writers, Editors, Preachers and Teachers
By E. C. McKenzie
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House
1990, ©1980
Pg. 191:
A real friend never gets in your way — unless you happen to be on the way down.
 
Newspapers.com
18 May 1986, The Daily Spectrum (Saint George, UT), “It Makes Cents” by VI Judge Blake, pg. B4, col. 1:
“A true friend never gets in your way, unless you happen to be going down.”
         
Newspapers.com
7 April 1991, The Daily Spectrum (Saint George, UT), “It Makes Cents: Use tape for too-low neckline” by VI Judge Blake, pg. 9A, col. 6:
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down”—Arnold H. Glasow
 
Google Books
How to Succeed in Life:
Ideas and Principles They Don’t Teach in School
By Ned Grossman
Shaker Heights, OH: Diamond Publishing Company
1996
Pg. 149:
A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.
ARNOLD GLASGOW
         
Bustle
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(...)
8. “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” — Arnold Glasgow
 
International Business Times
These 10 quotes will make your Friendship Day 2016 really awesome
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4. A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down. – Arnold H. Glasgow
 
Parade
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6. “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” – Arnold H. Glasgow