Judge, 1925-02-21 · page 4 of 36
Judge — February 21, 1925 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"Desire under the elms"** (top cartoon): A man with a cow beneath an elm tree, likely a visual pun on the Eugene O'Neill play "Desire Under the Elms" (1924), suggesting rural/pastoral absurdity. 2. **"To the Theater"** (middle poem): A cynical verse by A.L.L. mocking theater conventions—same plots, actors, and audience tricks repeated endlessly. The satire critiques theatrical repetitiveness and predictability. 3. **Bottom cartoon**: A "timid gentleman" arriving late to a theater after the curtain rises, confronted by an annoyed audience. This illustrates the social awkwardness and theater etiquette violations common to urban audiences. The page satirizes both theatrical mediocrity and audience behavior during the Jazz Age era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Desire under the elms.” To the Theater Se old hokum, spiced with sex; Same old buying seats from “specs”; Same old actors; same old plots; Same old dames disguised as tots; Same composers; same old tunes; Same old heroes; same buffoon: Same old tights and same old kicks Thrilling all the same old hicks, Same old stuff—of course, I’m right— But... let’s take in a show to- night! A. LL. Funnybones The only thing Scotch about the stuff you buy is that it will make you “tight.” Cadige wil poy 85 for cach one printed An Open Letter from Eddie Cantor Dear Eprtor: I think you have got a “crust” to ask me to give up of my brain comical utterances that increase your circulatic Why should I help your “weakl. What have you done for me besides paying me for past contributions? It is true your critic, George J. Nathan, thinks I am a tremendous factor in the theater and the only person in this country who could offset the hokum of the Moscow Art Players. Since I receive a royalty from my phonograph records, which Tam making for the Columbia (if you don’t use this name in your publica- tion, don't print this sentence) why should I not receive a royalty on your increased circulation which these brilliant remarks surely will bring? There have been so many girls’ pictures on magazine covers that perhaps it would be a novel thing to have some good-looking man on the front cover of your next issue of Jupce. If you want my _ photo- graph, I will be able to send it to you almost immediately. I have some recent ones with my hair all in place. Well, it’s best I close now, with love and kisses, and hoping you succeed in exchanging the Christ- mas presents you do not want, I am, Eddie Cantor comicbooks.com