Antedating of "good time Charlie" 1925/1926

Sam Clements SClements at NEO.RR.COM
Fri Mar 19 20:06:13 UTC 2004


OED has 1928(although for good-time girl).
For some reason, I though M-W had 1927, but I can't find it.

There are hits in Newspapaperarchive in 1921 for "jazz time girl" and 1924
for "rag time girl."  I assume these could have been the inspiration
for------

---The first Newspaperarchive hit  from 2 Feb. 1925 _Bridgeport(CT)
Telegram_ 13/6
(Advertisement for a vaudeville act)

<<A brand new act/Eddie Buzzell/assisted by/Margaret Irving & Co/in/"Good
Time Charlie"/written by/Eddie Cantor/Kalmer & Ruby/and Eddie Buzzell.>>

If you don't count that cite, the first cite for the use of the term in no
uncertain terms is--

25 Aug. 1926  _Appleton(WI) Post Crescent_ 14/4

<<The first good man Gene Tunney met as a professional beat him.  That man
was Harry Greb, the ring's most celebrated "Good Time Charlie.">>\

But I assume that the Vaudeville act written by Cantor truly started and
popularized the phrase.

Of course, someone will come along and predate Cantor with the term, and I'm
left holding bubkes.

Sam Clements



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