Life, 1919-05-15 · page 29 of 50
Life — May 15, 1919 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts theatrical censorship during the World War I era. The image shows a puppet show or stage performance where children watch actors performing above while adult censors sit in the audience below, presumably approving the content. The accompanying text lists Broadway theaters and their current productions, with the caption's ironic title suggesting that these plays have been officially approved despite often featuring scandalous content: bedroom farces, divorce comedies, and tales of infidelity ("Up in Mabel's Room," "Please Get Married," "Lightnin'" about Reno divorces). The satire mocks the Board of Censors' apparent ineffectiveness—they supposedly "passed" these morally questionable entertainments, implying the censorship process was either toothless or absurdly permissive. The juxtaposition of innocent children watching with official approval jokes about institutional hypocrisy regarding public morality standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“PASSED BY THE BOARD OF CENSORS” c vy" Toby's Bow,” by Mr. J. 'T, Foote. bere delightfully reproduced in’ well acted comedy. Cort." The Better ‘Ole. by Messrs. Bairnsfather and Three British Tommies and the fun they got out of trench lif Criterion. —" Three Wise Fools," by Mr. Austin Strong. Inter- & incidents of bachelor life in w York. Fltinge.—“ Up in Mabel’s Room,” by Messrs, Collison and Har ». Adventures of a bit of feminine underwear the motive of innocuous bedroom farce. ire.—" Dear Brutus.” by Sir J. M. Rarrie. with Mr. Willian Fantastic but clever study of character possibilities in dy form. Forty-eighth Street,‘ Come-On Charlie.” by Mr. George V. jobart. Dream farce with many laughs, Forty-fourth Strect.—* Take It From Me.” by Messrs, Johnstone nnd pnderson, Girl-and-music show a little sillier than usual, but so funny. Fulton.—" Please Get Married,” by Messrs, Cullen a Quite the cleverest of the bedroom farces. Gaicty.—"* Lightnin’,” by Messrs, Winchell Smith and Frank Racon. Reno and its divorce industry the background for a laugh: Je character comedy. Garrick — John Ferguson."” Notice later. sai lode" She's a Good Fellow,” by Kern and Caldwell ater. Creenwich Village,—* Shakuntala. Oriental love drama. Harris.—" Fires of Faith. ation Army movie. Henry Miller's" Mis' Nelly of N'Orleans,” by Laurence Eyre, with Mrs, Fiske. Exquisite comedy reproduction of Creole life. Hirpodrome—" Everything.” Big-scale ballet, spectacle and vaude- ville acts. Hudson.—" Friendly Enemies,” by Messrs. Shipman and Hof: man, with Messrs. Mann and Bernard. Fun and pathos drawn from the predicaments in war time of the American born in Germany. Browne. Notice Phe Virginia at- Longacre.—" Three Faces East,” by Mr. A. P. Kelly and well acted spy drama. Lyceum,—"* Daddies.” by Mr. J C. hased on the influence of the bachelor heart. Lyric" The La later. Marine Elliott'’s.—“ Tea for Three.” by Mr. R. C. Kruc. and very well played American polite co Morosco.—' Cappy Ricks,” by Mr. E. E. Rose. Messrs, To Wise and William Courtenay exploiting the humorous aspects the shipping b in Francisco, Nora Bayes.—" Come Along.” by Messrs, Dudley and Nelso Tuneful girl-and-music show with the lighter side of war supplying the background. Playhouse.—* Forever After,” Brady. Old-fashioned sentime touch. Plymouth" The Jest,” by Benelli, with Messrs. John and Lionel Barrymore. Picturesque, strong and admirably acted cost a. Princess.—" Toot Sweet” with Elizabeth Brice. Notice later. The Woman in Room 13,” by Messrs. Shipman and Well acted melodrama of crime and divorce, —"Tumble In,” by Rinehart and Hopwood. still funny in girland-music form Shubert —" Good Morning,” Judge.” Pinero’s “ The Magistrate ” transmogrified into a laughable’ girl-and-music show Thirty-ninth Street.—* Oh, My Dear.” by Messrs. Bol house ard Hirsch. Diverting girl-and-music show Vanderbilt—" A Little Journey,” by Rachel Croth ing-car with its humorous and sentimental possibilities. Winter Garden fonte Cristo, Jr." A large helping of gor- keous girl-and-music entertaininent for the t, b. m Zicgfeld's Frotic.—Cabaret argument against going to bed before the wee sma’ hours. Ingenious Hobble. Pleasing comedy b war orphans on the American Winterberg and Caldwell. Notice Witty Owen Davis, with Alice a modernized with a war “ Seven Wode- a small scale. The sleep- comicbooks.com