Life, 1927-10-20 · page 9 of 48
Life — October 20, 1927 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising for Filmo movie cameras** by Bell & Howell, disguised as editorial content. The left column contains a dialogue poem titled "Much in Little: The Owner and the Agent," satirizing real estate agents who oversell cramped apartments as spacious living quarters. The joke: an agent dismisses a tiny "living-room" but proposes advertising a "living-nook" instead—rebranding the problem rather than solving it. This reflects 1920s urban housing complaints. The right side advertises Filmo cameras for amateur filmmaking, claiming they enable "better movies of your own." The ad lists famous actors and directors who used Bell & Howell equipment, positioning amateur cinematography as achievable for ordinary people. The satire's point: just as real estate agents use language tricks to sell inadequate spaces, advertisers use celebrity endorsements to sell expensive equipment to amateurs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Much in Little HE Owner and the Agent Were thinking of the fall. “Your living-room,” the Agent said, “Is really much too small. “Your diningette is not so bad; Your sleeping-slot will do. But who would rent a livin, That's scarcely five by two The Owner and the Agent Each shook a gloomy head Until (1 break a confidence) The Agent whooped and said: “Forget about the living-room. I know the song we'll sing: "Il advertise a living-NOOK The newest, swankest thing Wi The Owner and the Agent Were merry in the fall. “The largest living-nook in town” Delighted one and all. Arthur H, Folwell. “He’s Always Saying the Funniest Things!” SHE: You write funny things for ‘the magazines and things, don't you? He (modestly): Occasionally. Sue: I'm mad about people who are humorous—absolutely. He (embarrassed): Er—really? Sue: Yes; you know I know the funniest boy—he’s simply screaming because he’s always saying the fun- niest things. I re really heaps funnier than the things you read, do you know what I me He (generously): Well, that’s often the way. Sue: Isn't it the truth? I mean I keep telling this boy he ought to write down these things he says all the time because they ctually frightfully amusing. He (slightly annoyed): Um—m, yes; they must be. Sue: My dear, they actually are because they're so sort of spontane- ous and everything. I mean I think these people who write funny things for the magazines make them sound so sort of forced and everything, do you know what I mean? He (really sulky): Some of ‘em aren't so good. Sue: Absolutely. I mean they simply bore me to tears, but this simply killing boy I know say things that are honestly too amusing for words. I mean if some one would just write them down they would be heaps funnier than the awful tripe these humorists keep writing for the magazines. L. M. are [er MADE BY ‘THE MOVIE PEOPLE’ making better movies of your owrn into action at this signal for over t Your favorite movie risen to ascendancy of theatre quality. Second: extre Both ideals have been e than the movies anyone can the first try How easy Taking Filmo movies is ¢ snapshots. Just think tions. No foc time, no ¢« turning fil look through ¢ et and pr ‘What you see, you ge of theatre quality. Filmo doe Nothing can be simpler become more famil the possibilities of p taking, your movies will sonal BELL & HOWELL CO., 1825 Larchmont Ave., Chicago, IIL New York, Hollywood, London |B & H Co., Ltd.) Established 1907 { rumo comicbooks.com