meet cute

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 12/31/05, Arnold M. Zwicky <zwicky at csli.stanford.edu> wrote:
>
> back in april 2001, barry popik had gotten this expression back to a
> passage in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1955).  at the time,
> barry thought he could take it back earlier, maybe to the 30s.  but
> as far as i can see, we've had no reports on "meet cute" since then.
>
> barry?  ben?  anybody?

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http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?RQT=309&VName=HNP&did=413486531
Los Angeles Times, Dec 16, 1945, p. F12
"They Met Cute" by Jerrold Beim.
Bill was trying to think of a new way for boy and girl to meet. Then
it happened.
A Short Short Story.
[...]
"You're a genius, H.T. No denying that. The way you just described for
Joe and Hortense to meet would be wonderful -- in one of your novels.
But this is a motion picture. They can't meet in such a grim fashion.
They've got to meet -- cute."
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--Ben Zimmer