Antedating of "sheesh" [1955]

[Ben Zimmer]

On Thu, Jun 12, 2014 at 10:00 AM, Bonnie Taylor-Blake wrote:
>
> The OED gives as its earliest example of "sheesh" usage one from
> October, 1959.  Here are a couple earlier ones, both with links to
> Jackie Gleason and Art Carney.  (It occurs to me that those of you
> with access to Variety's digital archives and similar may well do
> better on this.)
>
> For instance, the line I say so often -- "Sheesh, what a grouch!" --
> is one that Jackie [Gleason] gave me.  Some others -- like
> "Va-va-va-voom" -- I made up myself, and he told me to keep it in.
> [From Art Carney (as told to Dick Kleiner), "Here's How Jackie Looks
> to Art Carney," The Rhinelander (WI) Daily News, 31 May 1955, p. 4.]
>
> [Art] Carney's "Sheesh, what a grouch!" and "Va va va voom!"
> accompanied by his inimitable facial expressions and comical hand
> motions are similarly a nationwide vogue.  [From Gordon Kotecki,
> "Studio Briefs: Foster Takes You to the Ball Game," The Oakland
> Tribune, 28 August 1955, p. B-3.]

Variety has a slightly earlier example...

"Top 30 Songs on TV ... Sheesh, What a Grouch. Jaglea."
Variety, 23 Feb 1955, p. 42

The same listing appears in the 26 Feb 1955 issue of Billboard:
http://books.google.com/books?id=QxkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46

JaGlea was Jackie Gleason's music publishing company. The song was
sung by Art Carney -- you can hear it here:

https://archive.org/details/ArtCarney-01-06

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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