Judge, 1918-02-23 · page 25 of 36
Judge — February 23, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects humorous excerpts from Broadway productions of the era, featuring popular theatrical stars. The humor relies on theatrical absurdity and character pretense: **"The Midnight Frolic"** excerpt mocks nouveau-riche pretension: a woman claims Russian nobility and outrageous luxury (sleeping in orchids, bathing in wine, employing Mrs. Vernon Castle as a personal singer). **"Why Marry"** presents a romantic comedy exchange where a conceited man boasts of being admired. **"Polly with a Past"** satirizes a minister's daughter posing as a French courtesan—the joke being her pragmatic response when asked if sins crossed her mind while drowning. Her dismissive French accent reply ("how many hours do you think I was down there?") suggests moral flexibility. The lower left shows Fred Stone (a popular comedian) threatening to move his donkey co-star from musical comedy to "legitimate" theater if he makes enough money—absurdist humor about theatrical ambition. These are light theatrical gossip items showcasing Broadway's popular entertainments and stars.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BRicHy Bans from Gane Pays A Couple of Dreamers, from THE MIDNIGHT FROLIC He—Good evening, Princess. How's your father, the Czar?” Sue—I’ve just arrived from Russia in a Seventh Avenue car. leep in a bed of orchids; I always bathe in wine; I’ve engaged Mrs. Vernon Castle to sing for me when I dine. Frances White and William Rock Frep Stoxe (impersonated ), to his faithful thoughlong-eared steed: I'm go- ing into. the moving pic- tures, and if I get half the money I say I'm going to get, [ll take you out of musical — com- edy and put you in the legit- imate. Photo by Abbe Arthur Hill ‘and Hans Wilson. From “WHY MARRY” Heten: You are about the most conceited man I ever knew, and that’s saying a good deal. Ernest: How can | help it when you admire me so?—Estelle Winwood and Shelley Hull. From “POLLY WITH A PAST” Polly, a minister's daughter from the West, is posing as a notorious French actress in order to make Rex's fiancée jealous. She is here telling vividly how Rex saved her from drowning. Rex’s mother asks whether all her sins did not rush through her mind when she was under water. Po My sins? Mon Dieu!—'ou many hours do you seenk I am down zere? Ina Claire, Winifred Fraser and Herbert Yost.