Judge, 1921-11-05 · page 14 of 36
Judge — November 5, 1921 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a portrait sketch of playwright Owen Davis. The accompanying text uses social satire to celebrate his career trajectory. "Third Avenue" and "Fifth Avenue" are metaphorical references to theater venues—Third Avenue theaters represented lower-class, melodramatic entertainment, while Fifth Avenue (Broadway) represented elite, respectable theater. The satire's point: Davis spent years writing popular melodramas for working-class audiences on Third Avenue. As he matured (gaining "gray hairs and wisdom"), he refined his craft and gained acceptance into prestigious Broadway circles. The tongue-in-cheek tone suggests that respectability and artistic legitimacy come with age and a shift toward more sophisticated work. The piece celebrates his upward social and professional mobility through the theater world.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AMONG THOSE PLEASANT—OWEN DAVIS “For many years Third Avenue was his aim; but with the advent of gray hairs and the wisdom they bring he has tempered his melodrama until he has not only been admitted to Broadway—the Fifth Avenue of the Theater—but gladly welcomed to it.”