Judge — February 2, 1924 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon about Hollywood film stunt doubles. The illustration shows a glamorous woman in an elegant dress observing two men on a film set—one operating a movie camera on a tripod, and another (the stunt double) performing a dangerous action near a cliff edge. The joke critiques the disparity between movie stars and their replacements: the star (represented by the fashionable woman) avoids physical risks while the stunt double performs dangerous scenes. Her relief—"Thank goodness I don't have to take all his chances"—mocks the star's cushy position, highlighting the stark contrast between a performer's glamorous public image and the hidden labor and danger performed by anonymous doubles. This reflects early 20th-century Hollywood's exploitation of stunt workers.