Judge — July 24, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Two Henrys" - Judge Magazine, July 24, 1886 This cartoon satirizes two famous Henrys competing for American audiences. The caption references **Henry Ward Beecher**, a prominent preacher drawing large crowds, and **Henry Irving**, a renowned British actor. The joke plays on Irving's comment (shown in dialogue): he claims to have "took the Boodle in America, but you take the cash in England"—suggesting Irving earned money in America while Beecher profited in England. The cartoon depicts them as rival performers vying for public attention and financial success. This reflects 1880s transatlantic cultural competition, when celebrity lectures and theatrical tours were lucrative enterprises. The "Boodle" reference may allude to financial gain or corruption-tinged profit-making.