It’s precious. Variety “slanguage” uses the expression legit — in reference to legitimate (live) theater. The term seeks to differentiate serious theater (think Shakespeare, O’Neill) from vaudeville or burlesque, viz, “Choreographer Michael Kidd distinguished himself in legit before working in pictures.”
In this news item dated May 25, 1938, we learn that 14 Broadway houses are being equipped with air-conditioning, thus, in the hedder (er headline), these newly “iced” “legit” houses will experience an uptick (“heat”) of ticket sales at their box office (“b.o.”)
So good! Who wrote that headline?
