Al Capp

[Mullins, Bill]

Mammy did have a "Good Night Irene" punch, I don't know how effective it was
against Evil Eye.

All these questions and more are answered at
http://www.dogpatchusa.com/

1st OED cite for Whammy is 1940, from a book J. R. TUNIS Kid from
Tomkinsville.  2nd cite is 1951, from Lil Abner. "An evil influence or
 hex . From the 1950s, often with reference to the comic strip Li'l Abner
(see quot. 1951), esp. in phr. a double whammy and varr. Hence, an intense
or powerful look, etc.; something effective, upsetting, problematic, etc. "

Fantasy artist Frank Frazetta did Sunday strip artwork throughout the 1950s
on Lil Abner.  These have been collected into three books: Al Capp's Li'l
Abner: The Frazetta Sundays, 1954-55; vol. 2 1956-57; vol 3 1958 - 59.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wilson Gray [mailto:wilson.gray at RCN.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 2:48 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Al Capp
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <wilson.gray at RCN.COM>
> Subject:      Al  Capp
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------
>
> Thanks, guys! Anybody recall the name of the punch, based on
> her innate goodness, that allowed Mammy Yokum to defeat
> Evil-Eye's "Double Whammy"? Was it the "Good Night, Irene!"?
>
> A little more on topic, was it Capp who invented or
> popularized the word "whammy" or does it predate him?
>
> -Wilson
>