Life, 1927-09-15 · page 27 of 40
Life — September 15, 1927 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Hollywood's new film censorship codes (the Motion Picture Association's ban on profanity, religious mockery, and Prohibition criticism). **The Main Cartoon:** Two actors discuss narrowly avoiding censorship violations. One confesses to nearly cursing at a traffic cop; the other admits to burning a copy of "Elmer Gantry" (a novel famous for attacking organized religion) before authorities could find it. When the second actor suggests the censorship rules go "too far," the first actor dramatically denounces him as a "traitor" and "un-American"—mocking how absurdly the industry polices speech and how quickly colleagues turn on each other over perceived political disloyalty. **The Joke:** The satire exposes the hypocrisy: actors themselves violated the rules and feared consequences, yet enforced them zealously on others. The overreaction to mild dissent about censorship itself demonstrates the rules' oppressive nature. **Context:** This reflects actual 1920s-30s Hollywood censorship and the broader cultural anxiety about Prohibition, religious criticism, and perceived un-American sentiment during this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pease. Doctor: “Het, pocToR, HE PHARDLY THINK THAT Is CAUSE FOR SERIOUS ALARM. TRYS TO SIGN Ws NAME ON Tites.” When Good Actors Get Together “Profanity, ridicule of the clergy and all sneers at the Federal Ce particularly the Prohibition Amendment, have tution, been banned f fils produced nbers of the Association of Mo- Producers, Inc dispatch from Hollywood. ACTOR: Merey, but 1 A Harrow escape last night! argument with a traffic Fors had Had an and came close to telling him te “go to the bad place.” I wonder if that " s under The Ban You bet your life Ban! Hol ’ old man, that bet isn’t for keeps, you know. Td hate to have you think I meant it and turn me suthorities Perfectly all rig fellow Vin a friend vours through thick and thin and beside I'm not in any toe 1 my self. Know what hap pened? Some dog left, a copy of “Elmer Gantry” —all unwrapped and every thing—right in the middle of my library table. Acror: mean Srconp Actor it comes under The over to the proper rst Actor my fine Srcoxn Great Scott! 1 You don't sa gracious! First Actor: 1 certainly do say! A dastardly plot, contrived by some of my jealous rivals. Suppose it had been found there Vd probably have gone to At lanta or Leavenworth life. Luckily, Toma to get it down to the and burn it in the furnace before the officers They smelled the ind investigated, but by then wasn't came ther part of one pa ny evide left. Just and that especially incriminating reoxnp Actor: You ean't be too careful the they're you nowadays. 1 respect: the law ind all that sort of thin but once in wasn't way watching of course, awhile (schisper, whis pér) I think they're going a little bit too far. First crickets, Now, by Friend or Actor jiminy that’s too much! “GIVE THIS LITTLE GIRL A LAND.” no friend, I'm off you for life! Nulli ficationist! Un-American! Next thing casting sions upon the dignity of the Eight venth Ame nent to the Consti of the United States of America Farewell! Farewell forever! wherever that is.) Traitor! you'll be sper Tip Bliss Boob'’s Dictionary I OAD MAP the best) route touring by ay bile Chart indicating to follow when Sereens ection against mos quitoes, Tip—Small sum given the waiter by a diner in appre Hent servicer One ginal humorous clation of exer Man thinks up o Gag who situations for a show Label—A printed sticker pasted on bottles states the contents Picnic — An which one which outing on or more famili enjoy a meal and frolic in the country Detailed the life of the Easy Payments—EF.as y payments WG. WM, “CAN Sylvia beep as eret? Yes, told her. she never tells who comicbooks.com