Life, 1920-02-05 · page 29 of 52
Life — February 5, 1920 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes aggressive sales tactics in early 20th-century America. The central figure—a well-dressed man in a top hat—represents an overbearing salesman who has surrounded himself with potential customers (depicted as smaller figures holding various goods and containers). The joke appears to be about relentless, invasive selling methods: the salesman literally corners his prospects, leaving them no escape. His exaggerated gesture and confident posture contrast with the trapped or overwhelmed expressions of those around him. The caption "SALESMANSHIP" identifies this as commentary on contemporary business culture. Given the page's theatrical review context, this likely critiques not just commercial sales but also the aggressive marketing of entertainment and consumer goods that characterized the era—when promoters pushed new shows and products with similar persistence. The satire mocks both the pushy salesman's shamelessness and perhaps American consumer culture's willing susceptibility to such tactics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SALES MANSIEEE before that organization will be able to fill out a complete season with weekly changes of bill, Then, with its material assured, it can devote its entire attention every year to polish- ng its productions and performances, and the public will be sure of one theatre where it can go to hear good light operas well rendered. the interest in the hitherto unfamiliar “ Ruddigor which possesses quite as much fun and music as some other of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, should be an incentive to other similar revivals of works forgotten by the present generation. There seem to be possibilities in“ Fatinitza,” “Olivette.” “ Mascotte” and hosts of others of their period. They certainly ought to compete successfully with a large per- centuce of the present girl-and-music output. Metcalfe. 2) Gnfidenf2al Guide itor —" East Is Wests” by Messrs. $ Fay Bainter as the star, Well acted and interesting play of Chinese American life in San Francisco, Kelasco.—~" The Son-Daughter,” by Messrs, Scarborough and Relasco, with Leonore Ulric. Melodrama of Chinese political plot in New York's Chinatown, brilliantly staged. Hijow.—" His Honor Abe Potash,” by Messrs. Glass and Good. man, with Barney Bernard in the title role. An additional amusing chapter in the history of the Potash and Perlmutter firm, th—" The Purple Mask,” by Mr, Matheson Lang, with Mr Ditrichstein. Good old costume melodrama of the period of rst. Napoleon. hipman and Hymer, with adhurst,—" Smilin’. Through,” by Mr. A. L. Martin, with Jane Cowl, Sweetly picturesque, sentimental and spiritualistic play. well done, Casimo.—* The Little Whopper," by Messrs. Harbach and Frimt Girls’ boarding-school adventures, amusing and punctuated with music. Century.—" Aphrodite.” The sin and splendor of ancient Alex andria set forth in gorgeous spectacle. Century Grove.—" Midnight’ Whirl.” awake when you ought to be asleep. Central— As You Were,” with Mr. Sam Bordoni, "Notice later. One Night in Rome.” by Mr, Hartley Manners, with tte Taylor. “The star in an interesting play makes fortune: "x attractive and almost reputable, Cohan and Harris,—" The Acquittal graphic and well played crime melodrama, c My Lady Friends, Messrs. Nvitray and Mandel, . Clifton Crawford, Farcical comedy completely saturated aughter. t—" Abraham Lincoln,” by Mr. Tohn Drinkwater. Pressive and poetical lesson in true Americanism Criterion.—"* Pietro,” by Maud Skinner and Mr. J. E. Goodman, vith Mr. Otis Skinner. See above Empire, —“ Declassée.” by Zoe Akins, with Ethel Barrymore. Acglo. American society drama with the star in a most congenial part. Cabaret excuse for being Bernard and Irene by Rita Weiman. Highly An im- Eltinge.—" ‘The Girl in the Limousine,” by Messrs, Collison an Hopwood. Diverting bedroom farce. Forty-eighth Street." The Storm.” by Mr Langdon MeCor: A forestire the most interesting incident in a melodrama of the Northwest. Forty-fourth Strect.—" Frivolities of 1920," Girland-music show, gorgeous, stupid and vulgar Gaiety, —* Lightnin’.” by Messrs, Winchell Smith and Frank Bacon. “Character comedy Reno and divorce, Laughable and well done. Gerrick.—Tolstoy’s “ The Mower of Darkness.” See above Globe.—" Apple Blossoms." by Messrs, Kreisler. Jacobi and L Raron. An unusually dainty and musical example of what the girl and-music show should bh Harris.—" Wedding Mell Mr. Salisbury Field ingenious, laughable and admirably played. Henry Miller's.—" The Famous Mrs, Fair,” by Mr. James Forbes with Blanche Bates and Henry Miller. Very clever and excellently staged satirical comedy with its wrget the woman who deserts her real duties for a public career, Hippodrome.—* Happy Days.” on a big scale, Hudson.—* Clarence,” by Mr, Booth Tarkington. Youthful exist ence in the Middle West amusingly displayed in slender comedy. Little—" Mamma's Affair." by Rachel B. Butler. Delightful comedy study in feminine foibles, very well interpreted Longacre.—" Adam and Eva,” by Messrs, Bolton and Middleton Light comedy, Speciacle, ballet and vaudeville Comedy demonstration ne way to deal with an extravagant family Lycenm—" The Gold Diggers.” by Mr. Avery Hopwood, with Ina’ Claire. The New York chorusgirl in amusing microscopic analysis, _Lyric.—" As You Were,” by. Messrs, Hammerstein and Stothart. Gitl-and-music show with ‘pleasing qualities Manhattan Opera Honse.—“ The Light of the World.” Pic turesque evasion fo f the American preju ance of the Passion Play. Marine Elliott’s—* Trimmed in Scarlet.” by Mr but. with Miss Maxine Elliott, Notice later. Morosco.—" For the Defence.” by Mr. Elmer Rice. with Mr Richard Bennett, Absorbing and well staged sex melodrama with its crime very perplexin ce against the stage per William Hurt Nora Bayes.—" My Golden Girl.” by Messrs, Herbert and Kum. mer. ice later. Park.—Repertory of light operas, pleasingly done, Playhouse.—" The Ruined Lady,” by Frances Nordstrom, with Grace George. Notice later. Plymouth.— by Mr. Sem Benelli, with Mr. John Rarryne ntine melodrama, well done, Punch and Judy P —"The Sign on the Do by Mr. Channing Pollock Wonderful criminality and sexuality in ingenious melodramatic por: trayal. Selwyn.—" Hud es." by Messrs, Hobart and Hilliam: features agreeably introduced in a romance of the A. E. F. in France. Shubert.—" The Magic Melody,” by Messrs, Kummer and Rom: berg. Musical play of unusual musical and dramatic elaboration, Thirty-ninth Street—* Scandal.” hy Mr. Cosmo Hamilton. Wit- tily written and well played sex comedy. Vanderbilt-—“ Irene.” by Messrs. Montgomery and Tierney, with Edith Day. Girland-music show, much better than usual in ma- terial and performance. Winter Garden.—" The Passing Show of 1919." A gorgeous alle- viation, in the way of girl-and-music entertainment, for the sad lot of the t. b, m. Musical comicbooks.com