Life, 1927-10-13 · page 36 of 44
Life — October 13, 1927 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a DuPont Pyralin toilet ware advertisement and two satirical pieces typical of 1920s Life magazine humor. **The Main Cartoon** depicts a movie usher who, given a day off from his usual job of deferentially managing patrons, becomes a belligerent New York City street character—aggressively confronting pedestrians, taxi drivers, and fellow commuters with crude insults and threats. The satire mocks the performative politeness required in service jobs: the usher's "real" personality, once freed from workplace constraints, reveals itself as aggressive and hostile. This reflects 1920s class anxieties about urban workers and the artificial civility demanded by the emerging service economy. **"Pens You Dislike to Use"** is a humor list playing on pretentious or uncomfortable situations (your own bank, hotel, post office, Leavenworth—a federal penitentiary, the joke being imprisonment). The Roosevelt Hotel advertisement promotes its Manhattan location and service quality. The page primarily targets affluent urban readers with disposable income for both leisure and luxury accommodations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW SMART AND PRICED SURPRISINGLY LOW! —for your fated bag, too LOOK FOR THE NAME-—THE SAFEGUARD OF QUALITY Mrs. Pep’s Diary (Continued from page 9) impromptu) party at our favor- ite rendezvous, but I would not go with them, having learned that it is unwise, if not fatal, to mistake three o'clock in the afternoon for the tea hour. So home, and reading in a pleasant book by Susan Ertz called “Now East, Now West,” I did come upon the characterization of a man which I do think applies to me, namely, “a sophisticated idealist that who dislikes and de- plores the present state of things but knows too much of human na- ture to expect it to be changed very materially.” But when I did say the same to Sam, he quoth, “Are you potted knowledge of is, one not passing yourself a few geraniums on human nature?” for that he consider me like a drunken sailor when it to the benetits of doubts. your does comes ‘ome by the first post book Your ups of ques : c September ay engrossing 22nd called “I've Got Number,” containin tions for men and women to which their answers of “Yes" or “No” will give a lead on their characters, so, after working out my own key, I did The Movie Usher, Trained by the Management to Remember That the Patron Is Always Right, Takes a Day Off Whose feet ya walkin’ Yeah? Ya_ will? You and who else? For two cents I'll wrap ya around that lamp post. Yeah? Yeah? You hoid me.” Whassa matta with ya anyhow, ya blankety-blank *!!——! ! them traffie lights? Diya - —— taxi think va own the city? down off'n that seat 4 ‘} “LT said spinach, not spaghetti! Can'tcha hear nothin’? G'wan now and take it back before I report ya. Im sicka these fresh waitresses. G'wan and make it fast! Ya think T got all day to sit in this hole?” “Lookouta the LookOUT! Fer Gawd’s sake, man, ya blind? Aw, g’wan back to the sticks where ya came from, ya big hick, before ya get run over! sixteen-story “HE™! on, huh? Can'teha see drivers Come on way! Ain'tcha never seen a building before, ya Say, whassa idea shovin’ me? Wanta get in, hey? Why don’tcha wait for the next train? Plenty more on the I, R. T. Ya wanna poke in the chin? Yeah? ¥ ? right, thougl Snappy boy, ain’tehs “Lousy! Lousy! ‘That's what it is! What? Ain’t I gotta right ta talk in this the-ayter? Yeah, try and stop me, ya stiff! Think you're Lasky? Well, y'don't s: ain’t that too bad, buddy “Whatcha tryin’ to do, Ritz me, huh? He docs he? Well, you're with me now, ya get that? Zatso? Yeah? All right home and have a good cry while I jump offa the Bridge. Yeah —? Try and do it, ya stuck-up Swede, yal T get me? “HEY! na push in the face 2” Parke Cummings. Is that comeback Jesse Now does, giwan ‘s final, y Yaw Pens You Dislike to Use Them.) yo R own —— Bank - Hotel Post Office — Leavenworth. (In the Order Iris undoubtedly true that its in- gratiating service and superlative cuisine are responsible in large measure for the popularity of THE ROOSEVELT among discerning folk. Ie is equally true that THE ROOSEVELT dispenses such hos- pitality without the penalty of excessive cost. 1100 Rooms = Single or En Suites BEN BERNIE and his Roosevelt Orchestra Write for a copy of Rooseveitian, interest ing anecdotes ry and picture, from the life of the great American. % ROOSEVELT Madison Avenue at 45th Street NEW YORK EpwarD CunToNn Foca Managing Director comicbooks.com