It’s one of the oldest of knock-knock jokes, popular every Valentine’s Day:
“Knock-knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Olive.”
“Olive who?”
“Olive you!”
The “Olive me, why not take olive me?” punchline was cited in 1936 and the “Olive you!” punchline in 1969.
Wikipedia: Knock-knock joke
The knock-knock joke is a type of joke, in the format of “call and response”, where the response contains a pun.
5 August 1936, Tyrone (PA) Daily Herald, “Theatre News” by Harold E. Finley, pg. 2, col. 1:
KNOCK-KNOCK’S:
Knock-knock!
“Who’s there?”
“Olive.”
“Olive who?”
“Olive me, why not take olive me?” (“All of me.”—ed.)
9 August 1936, Southtown Economist (Chicago, IL), “How to Go Nuts in Twenty-four Laughable Hours,” pg. 12CW, col. 4:
Olive who?
Olive down by the winegar woiks. (“I live down by the vinegar works.”—ed.)
16 September 1936, Mansfield (OH) News-journal, “Knock Knock Again—Here Are 12 Winners of Contest,” pg. 2, cols. 4-5:
Ellen Hudson, Lakeville, O. ... Olive Who? Olive down by the gashouse.
17 October 1965, Boston (MA) Sunday Herald, “Joke Box,” Young Folks Club, pg. ?, col. 10:
Knock knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive who? Olive me.
2 January 1969, The Daily Star (Hammond, LA), “‘Tween Us Teens” by Cindy Fagan and Vicki Lauderdale, pg. 10, col. 2:
KNOCK-KNOCK—Knock-Knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive Who? Olive You!
16 October 1969, Omaha (NE) World-Herald, “Checking Up” by L. M. Boyd, pg. 30, col. 1:
q. “When did the knock-knock jokes first come out?” A. That was in 1937. And as is widely known, the first knock-knock joke ever told went: “Knock-knock.” “Who’s there.” “Olive.” “Olive who?” “Olive you.” Why that particular specimen brought on more knock-knock jokes is not known.
Google Books
Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids
By Rob Elliott
Grand Rapids, MI: Revell
2010
Pg. 110:
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Olive.
Olive who?
Olive these knock knock jokes are making me sick.
Twitter
Lionel Gilmore
@lg16spear
@SophiaMyles here’s valentine’s day joke 4 u: Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Olive
Olive who?
Olive you!
10:44 AM - 13 Feb 2015
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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