[Ads-l] Cattle call (show business)

[Steven Losie]

The show business term "cattle call", referring to an open audition for
actors/performers, has no entry in the OED. Here is the earliest instance I
was able to find where "cattle call" was used in this sense:

[begin quote]
Frank considers his "open auditions" of tremendous importance both to
actors and performers of all kinds[...]

[..]

For these reasons, he insists on handling them carefully and without the
often distressing and embarrassing lineups, referred to by actors as
"cattle calls," which they are, in a sense.
[end quote]

Source: The Gazette and Daily (York, Penn.), 29 Mar 1954, p.18, col.2 (
newspapers.com)
Article title: Radio and Television
Author: John Lester

https://www.newspapers.com/image/65863674/?match=1&terms=%22cattle%20call%22%20audition

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