Judge — April 10, 1920 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes famous actors and public figures attempting to portray Abraham Lincoln on stage. The page depicts: - **Charlie Chaplin** as "The Emancipator" (referencing his "Tramp" character with cane and bowler hat) - **Eugene O'Brien** in "The Call to Arms" - **Wallace Reid** in "A Journey to the Capitol" (shown in a racing car) - **W.S. Hart** "Meeting with Grant" (a Western actor, shown with gun) - **Douglas Fairbanks** performing "The Gettysburg Speech" (doing an acrobatic handstand) The satire mocks these entertainers for attempting serious historical drama about Lincoln—suggesting their natural personas (comedian, action hero, acrobat) make them unsuitable for such dignified roles. The joke targets both the absurdity of miscasting and possibly Hollywood's commercialization of American history.