You'll never work . . .

Where does the phrase "You'll never work in this town again" come from?

It's a cliché about actors and actresses in Hollywood, meaning "You'll never get another part in a film." Did it come from real life, movies, or print fiction? Don't know.

I am guessing real life. Someone used a variation in a book title: "You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again" by Julia Phillips