[Ads-l] "Soap Opera" 1871; "the soap drama" 1903; soap workers...

[Stephen Goranson]

"The Sea of Suds, every Monday morning. Cold Water Soap Opera is the rage, and those who play it wear white linens."
Daily Albany [NY] Argus, May 10, 1871, 1/7 [AmHisN]

"...Spotless Town, called here "the soap drama" on account of its being based on the advertisements  of Sapolio...."
Oregonian [Portland], April 12, 1903, 27/2. {AmHisN]

On the same page of Bill Mullins' great 1903 "soap opera," just above is mention of a "Soap Worker" and an auction. In the next column is a soap company seeking salesmen. Though soap worker obviously can mean a soap maker,  some poking around suggests it can also mean a pitchman, street worker, concession=man, (cf, later, Avon calling).

Stephen Goranson

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