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

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Interesting citation, Peter.
The article was published in 1985. It is possible that the author John
L. Marsh was repeating the word "emcee" from a 1929 document; however,
it is also possible that Marsh was using a term from 1985 to describe
a job category in 1929.

Date: December 1985
Periodical: Indiana Magazine of History
Volume 81, Number 4
Article: Dick Powell: The Indianapolis Years, 1926-1929
Author: John L Marsh (Professor of English at Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania)
Start Page 351, Quote Page 371
Publisher: Department of History, Indiana University in cooperation
with the Indiana Historical Society

[Begin excerpt
Though his presence was described as "permanent," Dick appears to have
been marking time, that is until late January or February, 1929, when
he received an offer from Ace Berry, formerly the manager of the
Circle and Indiana theaters, who had been transferred to the
Warner-Skouras zone offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Berry wanted
Powell to emcee the stage shows at the newly opened Enright Theatre in
the East Liberty section of that city.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 8:12 AM mr_peter_morris at outlook.com
<mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:
>
> I'm not sure if this is useful.  It's a statement that someone was
> offered
> the position of emcee in Jan or Feb 1929, which indicates the word was
> in use by then.
>
> Not sure what date the actual article is.
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Indiana_Magazine_of_History/jpI1AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=emcee&dq=emcee&printsec=frontcover
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "ADSGarson O'Toole"
> <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Date 20/07/2025 01:52:01
> Subject Re: Antedating of "Emcee" (Noun and Verb)
>
> >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
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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