[Ads-l] "mug shot" (1935)

Wed Apr 5 04:56:46 UTC 2023

Yes, the photographic sense of the verb "mug" can be found in the OED from
1899, defined as "to photograph the face of (a person), esp. for police or
other official records" (v.4 def 4).

On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 11:51 PM Peter Reitan <pjreitan at hotmail.com> wrote:

> If you search for mug and mugging between 1900 and 1930s, in conjunction w
> "Rogue's gallery," you find many examples of the verb "to mug" used to
> refer to the act of taking a rogue's photo.
> ________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Ben
> Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 8:45:31 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Subject: Re: "mug shot" (1935)
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "mug shot" (1935)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Thanks for these great finds, Garson! I'm writing about the history of "mug
> shot" for my Wall Street Journal column this week, and these examples help
> fill out the picture.
>
> --bgz
>
> On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:46=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole@
> =
> gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Here is =E2=80=9Cmug shot=E2=80=9D with the pertinent sense in 1899, I
> th=
> ink. Please
> > double check the scan and metadate before using this citation.
> >
> > Date: March 01, 1899
> > Newspaper: The Chicago Daily News
> > Newspaper Location: Chicago, Illinois
> > Article: War Rages With Urchins
> > Quote Page 3, Column 2
> > Database: GenealogyBank
> >
> > [Begin excerpt - double check because text is degraded and difficult to
> > read]
> > They are afraid of nothing except the "copper." And even when he gets
> > through with them they mock him behind his back.
> > "Hully gee! mister, are you going to put my mug shot in de paper?"
> > said one of them to an artist who was sketching him. "Well, I'll be
> > blowed. When does it come out?"
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:23=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole
> > <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Here is another interesting instance in 1873 showing the evolution of
> > =E2=80=9Cmug=E2=80=9D.
> > >
> > > Newspaper: Chicago Daily Tribune
> > > Newspaper: Location: Chicago, Illinois
> > > Date: August 22, 1873
> > > Article: "Stop Thief"
> > > Quote Page 7, Column 2
> > > https://www.newspapers.com/image/349288037/
> > >
> > > [Begin excerpt - check for typos]
> > > His preliminary examination resulted in his being held for trial.
> > > Yesterday morning he was taken, with three other prisoners, to the,
> > > photograph, or, as it is sometimes called, the "mug," gallery, that
> > > his prepossessing countenance might be forever preserved in the album
> > > at Police Headquarters. The operator, having succeeded in securing his
> > > negative, Keenan was given to Detective Lacky, with orders to take him
> > > to jail.
> > > [End excerpt]
> > >
> > > Garson
> > >
> > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 10:11=E2=80=AFPM ADSGarson O'Toole
> > > <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Here is a citation in 1867 that I think is interesting because it
> > > > illustrates how the term evolved.
> > > >
> > > > =E2=80=9Cmugs=E2=80=9D refers to the face of a criminal suspect
> photo=
> graphed by police
> > > > for a rogues gallery.
> > > >
> > > > Date: June 21, 1867
> > > > Newspaper: The National Republican
> > > > Newspaper Location: Washington, District of Columbia
> > > > Article; Attempt at Burglary and Arrest
> > > > Quote Page 3, Column 5
> > > >
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/81173989/
> > > >
> > > > [Begin excerpt]
> > > > Justice Harper, before whom they were taken, sent them to jail to
> > > > await the action of the grand jury. Their "mugs" were photographed
> an=
> d
> > > > placed in the rogues' gallery among others of their prototypes.
> > > > [End excerpt]
> > > >
> > > > Garson
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 9:20=E2=80=AFPM Ben Zimmer <
> bgzimmer at gmail.com=
> > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > The OED3 entry for "mug" dates the meaning "a photograph or other
> > likeness
> > > > > of a person's face, esp. in police or other official records" (def
> > 1c) to
> > > > > 1887. The phrase "mug shot" with the same meaning is dated to 1950,
> > but
> > > > > here are a couple of antedatings from 1935.
> > > > >
> > > > > ---
> > > > >
> >
> https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122288305/city-now-has-its-own-plant-for-=
> mug/
> <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122288305/city-now-has-its-own-plant-for-=mug/>
> > > > > Waco (Tex.) News-Tribune, Oct. 3, 1935, p. 10, col. 2
> > > > > "City Now Has Its Own Plant for 'Mug' Shots"
> > > > > The Waco police department now has its own film developing plant,
> f=
> or
> > > > > finishing pictures of prisoners who are "mugged" by Lieut. Sam
> > Fuller of
> > > > > the police identification bureau.
> > > > > ---
> > > > > San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 12, 1935, p. 17, col. 2
> [Genealogyban=
> k]
> > > > > Henry Sutherland, "Previewed During the Week by Hollywood
> Appraiser=
> "
> > > > > [Description of the film "The Case of the Missing Man"]
> > > > > Yearning to become an arty photographer, Roger gives up working for
> > the
> > > > > gazettes and sets up a fancy shop. He's reduced at length to
> > snapping "mug
> > > > > shots" of passers-by at two bits a copy, the payoff coming when his
> > > > > abandoned news nose quivers accurately and one of his pictures
> trap=
> s
> > a
> > > > > dangerous criminal.
> > > > > ---
> > > > >
> > > > > There are numerous examples of "mug shot" from 1936 and later, but
> > in the
> > > > > pre-1935 results that I've seen, "shot" can be interpreted as a
> pas=
> t
> > > > > participle, as in "get/have your mug shot" (with "mug" construed as
> > OED3
> > > > > def 1c).
> >
>
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>
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