Life — October 13, 1921 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Our Mister Joyce" - A Satirical Story This page contains a humorous short story accompanied by a cartoon illustration. The story mocks a floor-walker named Mister Joyce who loses his voice while trying to make a sale. When a movie director overhears him attempting to speak, he mistakes Joyce's condition for a theatrical talent and hires him as a film actor. The cartoon shows two men in period dress (one appearing to be a child or young person) interacting near a doorway. The accompanying dialogue jokes about getting "a new bag an' a whisk broom" as compensation for "dropping me sugar." The satire targets early silent film casting, suggesting that incompetence or mere luck could launch someone to stardom in the nascent movie industry—a common theme in 1910s-era satirical magazines.