Judge, 1907-08-03 · page 5 of 16
Judge — August 3, 1907 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip features "Nervy Nat," a character who impersonates various theatrical professionals to gain access to summer resorts and entertainment venues. The six-panel narrative shows Nat: 1. Posing as a foreign nobleman at a resort 2. Attempting to substitute for a stage manager 3. Offering vaudeville impersonations to an audience 4. Pretending to be a performer named "John Drew" 5. Imitating a diver at Coney Island 6. Being exposed as a fraud The satire mocks both Nat's brazen deception and the gullibility of institutions that fail to verify credentials. The comic relies on physical comedy and slapstick as Nat's schemes unravel. The title promises he'll encounter "the real Lord Sileuth" and escape in good order—suggesting this is part of an ongoing series about this con-artist character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—"This nature-faking, or doing these summer resorts as a foreign nobleman, is not a sinecure. If anybody thinks so | am open to prop- ositions. My natural impulse would be to side-step yon pavilion of foam and song, but | can see written all over it ‘something doing’ for yours truly. The fact is, even a far, dim glimpse of a real doliar-bill would cheer me.” 3. NeRvy Nat (on the stage)—* Ladies, gentlemen, chalr-pushers and seat- polishers, with your kind permission | will give 3 few impersonations. That's my specialty. I'am also prepared to hand a punch In the nose to the first man who calls * Get the hook’ or ‘Rouse mit him.’ If the gentleman at the harpsichord will hit her up, | will now proceed to open a crate of lemons on tre house.”* This is an imitation of a man diving through the breakers at Coney Island. As it is a trifle warm, | thought it would be better to do a cooler stunt—and besides, it would be the cooler for me to-night if I didn’t. This will conclude my performance, ladies and gentlemen. Good-bye! So long, O'Toole and Sir Reggie.” give you a ten-spot to fill in his place. Nervy Nat—"' Great Long Island potatoes! that's the limit. I've been ina great many degrading positions, but never have | been asked to be an actor and a vaudevillian, But what's the use? Something within me says connect up, get in touch, with that tenner. You're on, fair Thespian!"’ 4. Nervy Nat—'I thank you for your kind approval of that last. I really expected a carrot or two, with possibly a Jejune egg. | will next give you an imitation of a Gibson girl (Under his breath.) Jumping tarpon! there's O'Toole and—and the real Lord Reginald! Here's where I lose my lines— and maybe these British duds.”* 6. Driver—*‘ | wuz ordered ter have dis machine at de stage-door fer Mr. John Drew, de actor. Are youse him Nervy Nat—‘* You win, Gus! Sure, I'm John Drew, de actor, and you can't put on too much steam, eyether. Those muts tearing up the atmosphere back there are after my testimonial for a tollet-soap ad. You can't get me to the nearest freight-car too quick. | must piay in another place. Hit her up and there’s a bucket of suds in It for y NO. 9—NERVY NAT, ALIAS REGINALD, LORD SOMERVILLE, RUNS INTO THE REAL LORD AND HIS SLEUTH, O'TOOLE. BUT ESCAPES IN GOOD ORDER. COPYRIGHT 1907 BY IUDGE COMPANY, FUBLISMERS, 225 FOURTH AVE, NEW YORK. comicbooks.com