Judge, 1919-10-18 · page 27 of 36
Judge — October 18, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents a Broadway play called *Clarence* (starring Glenn Hunter as Bobby and Alfred Lunt as Clarence), presenting scenes where the character Clarence—described as "incomprehensible"—confuses the Wheeler Flood family with his nonsensical statements and absurd explanations. The satire mocks the play itself: the title suggests the producers are "throwing out" the laugh-lines, implying the comedy isn't actually working. The dialogue examples show Clarence's character type—a bumbling, illogical figure who gives ridiculous answers (driving a mule in wartime, learning saxophone from a "beetle-testing accident") that are supposed to be humorous but apparently aren't landing with audiences or critics. Judge magazine is essentially panning the play as unfunny, using these awkward dialogue excerpts as evidence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Throwing Out the Laugh- Lines in “Clarence” Glenn Hunter as Bobby The Wheeler Flood family in a characteristic squabble; this time over the meaning of a big word sprung on them by Clarence, the incom- brehensible, Borsy—I "t think it «as a word myself. Look, I think it was somep'm he made up, because, listen, if it was a word, why father’d have known it. “T don’t want mv father to know I'm here. We haven't got along too well lately and beside: Lunt as Clarence He explains that his learning to play the saxophone was an “accident”—he once had occasion to use the instrument to test whether certain spe- cies of beetles found in Montana were deaf. r?” Crarence: “I drove a mule.” Coa: “What on e: “I didn't select that branch of the service myself.” dy told you to?” Crarence: “Yes; I thought it was better Cora: “What did you do in the w earth did you do that for?” Crarr. Cora: “You mean somebo: to do what they said.” 27