[C18-L] Invention of the "cliff-hanger"?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 1/20/2014 09:12 PM, Lynne Connolly wrote:
>The phrase "cliff hanger" dates from the old silent movies and the serial
>"Perils of Pauline," when she ended many an episode literally hanging over a
>cliff.
>What was it called before that?
>
>Lynne Connolly

The Perils of Pauline (silent) dates from 1914; a second incarnation
from 1933.  The OED dates "cliff-hanger" from 1937, although in a
secondary source:  "1937   Amer. Speech 12 318/1   Cliff-hangers,
type of serial melodrama."  I can certainly imagine Pauline being the source.

I don't know what it may have been called before that, though if
someone has a suggestion we can search.

Joel

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