[Ads-l] "prostitute/whore with a heart of gold"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Come to think of it, an early example of the type (not the phrase) was
Sofia in _Crime and Punishment_ (1866).

JL



On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 7:43 PM, Joel Berson <berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Joel Berson <berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: "prostitute/whore with a heart of gold"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Perhaps "Mae West" was understood to be a euphemism for "prostitute."Joel
>       From: Bill Mullins <amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM>
>  To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU=20
>  Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 12:59 AM
>  Subject: [ADS-L] "prostitute/whore with a heart of gold"
>   =20
> _Picture-Play Magazine_=C2=A0 July 1925 p. 105"However, Hope unties her
> bli=
> ndfold and twangs her little lyre, for I understand her next picture will
> a=
> llow her to play a =E2=80=93 it must be said =E2=80=93 vamp with a heart
> of=
>  gold."
> _Variety_ 1/12/1932 p 50 col 5"Mary Nolan is more restrained as a
> racketeer=
> ing lady with a heart of gold."
> _Modern Screen_ June 1933 p 87"Sizzling story of the good old days of New
> Y=
> ork with Mae West as the wicked woman a heart of gold."
> _Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin_ 3/13/1937 p 10"It deals in a dull
> an=
> d ponderous manner with one of those "ladies of the evening" with a heart
> o=
> f gold, who allows herself to be talked into posting for a famous artist,
> a=
> nd under his guidance learns to loathe the life she has been
> living."=C2=A0=
>  [quoted from NY World Telegram]
>
> "Chorus girl with a heart of gold" shows up regularly starting in the late
> =
> 1920s.=C2=A0 Was "chorus girl" understood to be a euphemism for
> prostitute?=
>  =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=
> =A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=20
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