Life, 1928-02-16 · page 15 of 38
Life — February 16, 1928 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a theatrical sketch titled "The Heart of a Clown" / "The Show Must Go On," depicting three circus clowns (Tiro, Ziro, and Diro) receiving bad news backstage—apparently about a family member or romantic partner—yet choosing to perform anyway. The satire critiques the "show must go on" mentality: despite personal heartbreak, these performers prioritize entertaining audiences ("bring joy into their lives") over their own suffering. The accompanying cartoons mock class pretension and materialism: one depicts someone who married for money; another shows two figures labeled "Napoleon," joking about bootleggers and O.K. gin during Prohibition. The overall theme reflects early 1920s attitudes toward entertainment, sacrifice, and social hypocrisy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“The Heart of a Clown” . or “The Show Must Go On” Scene: Back-stage at the circus, Three clowns—Tito, Zito, and Dito—are sitting on trunks. All three are weeping silently. A mes- senger rushes in and hands a tele- gram to Tito. T!T0 (reading): God! My old mother! Ailing for years— only the money I’ve sent her from my scant earnings has kept her out in the green fields and golden sun- shine...and now...(He breaks down.)...But hark—there goes the music! It's my cue! The crowd is calling for me out there. They count on me to make them laugh— to bring joy into their lives. So I must go on, rain or shine, twice daily, big free concert and Wild West show...and my old mother is But never mind that....The show must go on! Zito and Dito (together): A grand old trouper, Tito! A grand old trouper! (Another messenger rushes in and hands a telegram to Zito.) Zito (reading): God! My wife! “I hear you married a gold-digger. Did she take you for better or worse?” “She took me for everything I've got.” “Harry’s quite a sheik, isn’t he?” When better girls are made—Harry will make them.” “Yes, She has eloped to Spokane with the Human Pincushion and the family bankroll. (He swoons, but revives quickly.) But what is that? It is the strains of the band. It is my cue! Although my heart is break- ing, I must go on. That's the way it is with all of us—troupers first, and husbands, fathers, mothers and sons afterwards. For the show must go on—twice daily—general admis- sion seventy-five — cents—reserved seats fifty cents extra. Tito and Dito (together): What a trouper! What a trouper! (Another messenger enters and hands a telegram to Dito.) Dito (reading): God! My little girl! (de falls flat on his face, but bounces back.) But there they go —the music—the gaiety—the cheers. It's my cue, boys. I must go out there and bring laughter into a world of sadness and misery. Eyen though my own life is empty, I must go— the show must go on—twice daily— special excursions on all railroads— children under twelve half-price— children! My little girl!... But the show must go on.... Tito and Zito (together): Once a trouper, always a trouper! (All three of them rush out into the ring, shouting hysterically, “The Show Must Go On!” They discover that all the seats under the big top are unoccupied....The Ring - Master steps up.) Rino-Master: Take off the make- up, boys, because they ain’t gonna be no show, because they ain't no customers, because all the hicks in this dog town has gone to the movies to see Greta Garbo. (The three clowns drop dead.) Curtain. John Forbes. No More Theories HE I: Why hasn't Ella been at- tending our Better Housekeeping League meetings recently? Sue Il: Oh, Ella got married. “How do you know that gin you bought is O. K.P” “Because my bootlegger pay him later.” id that I could comicbooks.com