antedating (?) "chew scenery" (1891)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 10/3/07, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
>
> HDAS and ads-l archive have 1895 "chewin' the scenery"
>
> 1891 Rocky Mountain News, (Denver, CO) Sunday, March 01, 1891; pg. 19; col E
>      Sarah?s Cleopatra Bernhardt Scored a Decided Failure on the Opening Night
> of the Play Agreeable Rattle. Category: News [19th C US N]
> The Antony...was devoid of dignity and real force. He was inclined to "chew
> scenery."

Chicago Tribune, Feb. 27, 1883, p. 6, col. 4
Wanted -- to hire -- 50 goats at Haverly's Theatre. Bring them to
stage door Monday morning.
The above curious "ad" appeared in Sunday's Tribune, and to those who
saw it and were not on the inside it was a mystery. Some thought that
the irrepressible Haverly had a new scheme and intended to put on the
road a company of goats -- "fifty, count 'em, fifty" -- as tragedians,
the aforesaid animals understanding perfectly the art of chewing
scenery.


--Ben Zimmer

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