Judge, 1925-10-24 · page 11 of 36
Judge — October 24, 1925 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Dramatist at Home" - Page Analysis This page satirizes melodramatic playwrights of the early 20th century. The main piece, "The Dramatist at Home," mocks writers who construct overwrought theatrical scenarios. A dramatist returns home expecting to discover his wife dead—anticipating he can craft an emotional death scene. Instead, he finds nothing, reads a mundane note, and spends the night in his own paranoid terror (imagining bony fingers at his throat—his own hand). The satire targets the gap between theatrical artifice and reality: playwrights obsessed with manufactured drama miss actual life's simplicity. His elaborate emotional preparation becomes absurd when confronted with domesticity (rug, cigar ashes, a note about goldfish). The "Our Own News Reel" section appears to be brief satirical vignettes. The page also includes a sidebar advertisement warning of "Dangerous Curves Ahead" near Hollywood, California—a playful reference to both dangerous driving and attractive women in the film industry. The crude racist joke at bottom reflects period attitudes but represents the magazine's offensive content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Dramatist at Home RrIvEs home and finds door locked. Rings bell but receives no answer, Thumps on door with fist and yells hoarsely: “Open that door!” Puts shoulder to door and breaks it open. Thinks up good line to exclaim over dead body of wife, which he expects to find on the floor of the living-room. Dashes in with clenched fists, all ready to raise them above his head and swear vengeance over corpse. Finds nothing on the floor but the rug and some cigar ashes, Bends over and examines ashes through magnifying giass. Finds they are from his own brand of cigars. Paces up and down room, Sud- dandy Cenclaiee 5 alice wees OUR OWN NEWS REEL this?” and picks up note from table. Eskimo children starting in on their siz-months-old-all-day-suckers, mystery play entitled: “The Cat, the Canary and the Bat,” retires to bedroom. Closes door, but draught blows it open again. In a high pitch he demands: “Who's there?” Cat in yard screeches: ‘Me—ow— oww!’” Turns out all lights in room except three or four green ones and jumps into bed. Starts. as window shade flaps. Gets up and adjusts shade. Taps walls on way back to bed. Lapses into semi-stupor. Becomes terrified as he feels a hand with long bony fingers clutching at his throat. Grabs wrist to which hand is attached and finds out it is his own, Feeling rather foolish, he finally falls asleep. R. C. O'Brien “Tady, could you-all give me a bite?” “Go way, niggah, you're too dirty to bite.” Reads aloud: “Gus, dear: Have went to mother’s over week-end. SEEING Back Tuesday, or maybe later. Sandwiches in ice box. Don't for- AMERICA WORST get to feed the goldfish, Clean collars in upper drawer. Love, lulu. XX XXX.” Clutches at shirt front in vicinity } of heart, shrieks: “Omigod!” and Mou are now DANGEROUS falls, unconscious, to the floor. In —enterin Y r falling hits head on leg of table. 7 C CURVES Paradoxically, this restores him to HOLLYWOOD, AHEAD! consciousness. CAL. Wanders over to window and peers out. Mutters: “What a terrible night to-night is. Anything’s liable to happen on a night like this.” After writing a couple of acts of a comicbooks.c