[Ads-l] Antedating of "Emcee" (Noun and Verb)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Following Fred's lead with the variant spelling "emsee":
In October 1929 a humor column in an Australian newspaper reprinted a
job seekers advertisement. The job seeker bragged of his
qualifications and used the name "Emsee." I suspect that the job
seeker viewed himself as a master of ceremonies.
Follow the link to see a clipping.

Date: Oct 19, 1929
Newspaper: Smith's Weekly
Newspaper Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Article: Snapshots (Reprint of job advertisement in humor column)
Quote Page 12, Column 7
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/smiths-weekly-emsee/177032238/

[Begin excerpt]
The Violet
EXTRACT from advertising pages of
"Sydney Morning Herald" on the 2nd Instant:-
AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST PUBLICITY MAN and ORGANISER.
THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED and ADVERTISED BUSINESS MAN
in the Australian and American Newspapers.
WANTS A BIGGER JOB AT A BIGGER SALARY.
-"Emsee."
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sat, Jul 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> emcee, n. (OED 1933), v. (OED 1937)
>
> 1930 Pittsburgh Press 10 Aug. World of Today section 6/3 (Newspapers.com)
>
> The need at the present time ... is a department store male employe to handle the master of ceremonies assignment.  Davis wants a man from one of the stores for the emsee [sic] job and wants him quick! ... Any talented young woman, however, who feels that she can emsee [sic] is also asked to write.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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