Life, 1927-01-06 · page 16 of 39
Life — January 6, 1927 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page announces "The Great Alibi Contest," Life magazine's fourth weekly creative competition. The contest challenges readers to write captions (maximum 25 words) for an illustration labeled "Alibi Number Four." The illustration depicts a social scene: a well-dressed man and woman encounter each other, with the man appearing to offer an excuse. The caption reads: "The Boy Who Came Around Anyhow: so you were too sick to see any one to-night! / The Girl, with His Hated Rival: well, you see, it's this way..." The humor relies on the obvious contradiction—he claimed illness but appeared elsewhere with a rival. The "alibi" being tested is his flimsy excuse. Contestants would create humorous explanations for this awkward predicament. Winners received $50-$100 in prizes. This reflects 1920s courtship social dynamics and period-appropriate romantic drama.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Astcat fl i Contest Conditions of the Contest Read these carefully: BACH week we will publish a different picture in the ALIBI CONTEST — the picture this week being marked “ALIBI NUMBER FOUR.” The first prize of $50.00 will be awarded cach w to the contestant who, in the opinion of the judges, furnishes the cleverest and most con- vincing conclusion to the sentence which starts, “Well, you see, it’s $10.00 cach will be awarded to the runners-up. Answers must not exceed twenty- five words in length; this word limit, however, is not intended to include the captions under the Contest pic- tu originally published in Lire. There is no limit to the number of answers to cach Contest picture that any one contestant may submit. Nor is it necessary for a contestant to submit answers to more than one of the Contest pictures to be eligible for a prize. The judges will be three of the Editors of Lire. In the event of a tie, the full amount of the prize will be awarded to cach of the tying contestants. Answers should be typewritten or clearly written on one side of the paper, The judges cannot under- take to return any of the manu- scripts that are submitted in this Contest. Answers to ALIBI NUMBER FOUR should be so marked, and sent to ALIBI CONTEST EDI- TOR, Lire, 598 Madison Avenue, New York City. All answers to ALIBI NUMBER FOUR must reach Lire’s office before 12 noon on January 20, 1927. Announce- ment of the winners will be made in the issue of February 10, 1927. The Contest is open to all and is not limited to subscribers to Lire. Members of Lire’s staff, and their families, are barred from competi- tion. HIS is the fourth week of the Great Alibi Contest. Even though you may have missed the pre- ceding Alibi Pictures, you can enter the Contest now and be eligible for this week's prize. Study carefully the situation de- picted by Leonard Holton below. Try to evolve an Alibi for the girl involved in this predicament. Express this Alibi in twenty-five words (or less) and send it in to the Alibi Contest Editor. Remember— the twenty-five-word limit applies only to your Alibi, and does not in- clude the printed caption beneath the picture. Each contestant may send in as many answers to this Contest as he or she desires. But all answers to ALIBI NUMBER FOUR must reach Lirr’s office not later than twelve noon on January 20, 1927 The prizes are as follows: First Prize, $50.00 Five Second Prizes of $10.00 each These prizes will be awarded to those who, in the opinion of the judges, submit the cleverest and most convincing Alibis to fit the situation in the accompanying picture. ALIBI NUMBER FIVE will be published in Lire next week, with a new set of prizes offered. Read the conditions carefully— and go to it! [ ALIBI NUMBER FOUR The Boy Who Came Around Anyhow: so you WERE TOO SICK TO SEE ANY ONE TO-NIGHT! The Girl, with His Hated Rival: wext, you sre, 17's THIS WAY... comicbooks.com es te Oe ere Oe ee OS ee wemmeewrn a wntenta