Life, 1922-01-19 · page 7 of 34
Life — January 19, 1922 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine presents four cartoon panels spoofing classic theatrical "happy endings" by reimagining famous plays with absurd or darkly comedic twists. The cartoons reference: - **Hamlet**: A woman declares "Say Ah!" while examining the protagonist, treating the tragedy comedically - **The Smith Brothers**: A reference to a popular cough drop brand, joking about commercial tie-ins - **Screenland death scenes**: Mocking how cinema romanticizes death, contrasting artifice with reality - **The Goldwyn Twins**: An apparent reference to film producer Samuel Goldwyn, satirizing Hollywood's saccharine storytelling The satire targets both high theatrical tragedy and commercial popular entertainment, suggesting that "happy endings" are artificial constructs imposed on naturally darker narratives. The crude ink drawings emphasize the humor through exaggeration and visual incongruity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
EVIE ES = HAPPY ENDINGS + A Life Production Ink by Ulman Ink Co. Paper by N. Y. Paper Co. Spelling by Standard Dictionary Punctuation by Century Pictures by Oliver Herford Captions by Oliver Herford Original Plays by W. Shakespeare and A. Dumas NS XN oH Vl a WH A?’ THE PUISSANT URGE OF THE PULMOTOR, T![E TRUANT BREATH RETURNED TO THE FAIR NGS OF OPHELIA. “SHE'S NUTTY, BUT SHE’S CE,” SOLILOQUIZED HAMLET AS HE CHANGED IE RECORD FROM “DOWN WENT MAGINTY” ) THE MENDELSSOHN “WEDDING MARCH” 1 N Ti 1% iN SCREENLAND DEATH ONLY COMES TO THE AGED. THAT NIGHT THERE WAS A STRIKE IN THE APOTHECARY’S SHOP. THE POISON RE- FUSED TO WORK, AND ROMEO AND JULIET AWOKE FROM THEIR DEADLY SLEEP TO THE DAWN OF A NUPTIAL TO-MORROW “MEET THE SMITH BROTHERS, CHER ARMAN SAID CAMILLE. “THEY CAME ALL THE WAY FROM AMERICA TO CURE MY COUGH!” “WE WOULD WALK MANY A MILE FOR A CAMILLE!” SMILED THE SMITH BROTHERS AS THEY POCK- ETED THE CHECK OF THE GRATEFUL GAUL “PAPA LOVE MAMA?’—AS THE CHILDISH PRAT- TLE OF THE GOLDWYN TWINS PIERCED THE IVORY CANOPY OF HIS CEREBELLUM, OTHELLO DROPPED THE DEATH-DEALING PILLOW. “THE MOOR THE MERRIER!” CHIMED DESDEMONA AS HE SMOTHERED HER WITH KISSES comicbooks.com