Life, 1920-12-23 · page 36 of 44
Life — December 23, 1920 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features several short humorous pieces mocking dramatic criticism and everyday absurdities: **"A Competition Among Critics"** satirizes the brevity of theatrical reviews, presenting increasingly terse (and dismissive) critiques of a play called "Pure As Snow." The joke is that critics are trying to out-do each other with ever-shorter, snarkier notices—culminating in an American critic's brutal one-liner: "A play by Ulysses S— was played last night. Heaven will judge him." **"Chicago Justice"** and **"Local Fame"** are brief comedy bits about a murderer receiving a light sentence and a man returning home unremembered—standard vaudeville humor of the era. **"Long Odds"** appears to reference a motor-car accident, likely mocking the prevalence of automobile incidents. The page also contains a *Homestead Hotel* advertisement and a subscription offer for *Life* itself as a Christmas gift—emphasizing that laughter provides health benefits ("Nature's panacea for many ills"). The overall tone is light, satirical commentary on contemporary life rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Competition Among Critics Mr. H. J. Jennings, once editor of the Birmingham Mail, claims to have writes the shortest dramatic criticism ever penned “ Last night a play called ‘ Pure As Snow’ The Beautiful Irish was produced at the Blank Theatre. I is “Myself, I love the Irish folk,” says a not as pure as snow, | writer in London Opinion. “If I were to be His assertion has been disputed, and 3 robbed of my pocketbook, I would wish for correspondent attributes the followin very ] an Irishman to be the thief—he would at brief notice to an American critic ast tickle my ribs while fumbling in my “A play by Ulysses S— was breast pocket; and if I caught him in the night. Heaven will judge him act I am convinced he would succeed in per Equally pointes we a sriticien whieh once suading me that his attempt was merely a appeared in a Manchester journal: fh “Last night Mr. W's play was pro bute to my f aff ' p | oe ee duced. Quite a number of people stayed to | Chicago Justice the end.”"—Answers (London). Cutcaco Juvce: So you murdered your whole family, eh? Thirty days. ' Long Odds Prisoner: Don't be so hard on me, your Cassy (to motor-car driver who has honor. It was just a small family. bumped into his horse): Ab, yer blanky —Nashville Tennessean. coward! Forty against one! —Sidney & was played last | Local Fame j After an absence of four years a certain * Maybe He Was Right an went back to visit his old home town. ANOTHER H. C. OF L. The other day we saw the driver of a The first four people he met didn't remem- oiay OBL biNGe ine Ud roRSikie TO RRAE small mail truck cussing Burleson on ac- ber him and the next three didn’t know he MY! DOLLS DECENTLY, 1) NEVER TAKE THEM count of a flat tire—Charles A. Leedy, in had been away.—Polo (Mo.) News-Herald. ovt."—Le Journal Amusant (Paris). Youngstown Telegram. nited States, Great Britain, The fore Canada aod British Posscesions,. Title registered in U, S. Patent Office. $5.00 a year ings, London, E. in advance. Additional postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.60 a year; Montreal, Canada. to Canada, 80 cents. Single current copies, 15 cents. Back numbers, after three months No contributions will be re from date of publication, 25 cents, Issues prior to 1910 out of print. ‘ peiape. in does not hold The text and illustrations in Live are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain Nenad contribations, | apply to Lire, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, E. C., England, ie pes of address should reach this office two weeks prior to th Lire is published every Th Lire’s London Office, Rolls Ho use, Hreas an distributor, J. R. Tanguay, 386 8 d unless accompanied by stamped and a elf responsible for the loss or non-return To Ensure “A Merry Christmas to All” send them a subscription to if | as that means pleasure all the year. Each week they will rush for Lire to see it first, but as ‘the who laughs last laughs best’’ it also allows for a Hot Springs” leave booby prize. A laugh is Nature’s panacea for New York Booking Office-The Ritz’ many ills. 2 Try it and see for yourself. A Christmas Card announcing the gift sent upon request. Christmas Offer: Enclosed find Five Dollars (Canadian $5. Send Lire for one year t With a Christmas Card from Lire, 17 West 31st Street, New York. comicbooks.com