[Ads-l] catnip for the ladies

[Jonathan Lighter]

Earlier (all Newspapers.com):

1926 H. L. Mencken, in _Evening Sun_ (Baltimore) (Aug. 30) II 15:
Valentino...was catnip to women.

1927 _Evening Sun_ (Baltimore) A (Oct. 25) 30:  William was the club's
golf champion, tall and sleek and a combination of sinew and catnip
for the ladies.

1928 _Evening Sun_ (Baltimore) (Apr. 24) 24: He is a gay and handsome
dog,...catnip for the ladies.

1928 _Richmond Times-Dispatch_ (Jul. 2) 4: BYRON...was catnip to the women.

1933 _Commercial Appeal_ (Memphis)  (Feb. 12) III 6: Rudy Valle,
catnip to [sic] the ladies.

1940 _Daily News_ (NYC) (Oct. 4) 60: Dennis O'Keefe shows to advantage
in a role that makes him "catnip" for the ladies.

It would seem for now that Mencken created the concept, if not the exact phrase.

JL
-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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