[Ads-l] Antedating of "Bobby-Soxer"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Excellent citation, Fred. Here is a slightly earlier match. It appears
to be the same article which was written by gossip columnist Sidney
Skolsky. I do not know the name of his home newspaper. The publication
date is September 16, 1943 and the dateline is September 15, 1943.

Here is a longer excerpt that explicates the connection to Frank Sinatra.

Date: September 16, 1943
Newspaper: The Chicago Sun
Newspaper Location: Chicago, Illinois
Article: Astaire, Judy Garland in 'Belle of N.Y.'
Author: Sidney Skolsky
Dateline: Hollywood, September 15
Quote Page 20, Column 7
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
At the preview of "Top Man," Donald O'Connor was escorted to a seat in
the loges of the Pantages Theater by an usherette of the bobby-soxer
type. "I've got a special seat reserved for you."
. . . "You know who sat in this very seat" . . . "It was Frank Sinatra!"
[End excerpt]

I saw some variant spellings, but I did not see any earlier matches
bobby-sockser(s)
bobby-socks-er(s)
bobbysockser(s)

Garson

On Sun, Feb 25, 2024 at 7:52 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> bobby-soxer (OED 1944)
>
> 1943 _St. Louis Post-Dispatch_ 22 Sept. 1D/1 (Newspapers.com)
>
> Donald O'Connor was escorted to a seat in the loges of the Pantages Theater by an usherette of the bobby-soxer type.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org