Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, March 1921 · page 16 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #18 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the exploitative practices of early film industry men using their authority to solicit sexual favors from aspiring actresses. A woman seeking a movie part is approached by four different men—each claiming superior authority (leading man, director, assistant director, manager)—all inviting her to private dinners or outings under the pretense of "discussing" her role. The joke's point: the woman's exasperated question ("Does one always have to eat dinner before getting into pictures?") exposes the transparent con. Each man outranks the previous one to maintain plausibility, yet all use identical manipulative tactics. The satire mocks both the sleazy gatekeepers and their absurdly repetitive schemes. This reflects genuine Hollywood practices of the era where powerful men exploited actresses' desperation for work.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
14 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang little dinner perhaps tomorrow night in my apartment we—” “But, my dear sir, what is there to be talked of?” The Leading man seems to think the lady dull and drifts away. Then the second. “Who— that fellow told you he could get you a part? Why he’s only the leading man. I am a director. Leave it to me. Just you and I will go out for a little dinner tomorrow night and talk things over—” “But, my dear sir, the leading man also asked me to go out with him to dinner, or come to his apartment so the business could be settled—” Still a third man. “Did he say he was the director? I am the director. He is only the assistant director. He has no say. I will fix you up, you black eyed beauty. Tomorrow night if you meet me, I’ll have a fine big car, so warm inside. We will take a little trip, you and I, oh, just to talk over some details, I—” Madam speaks again. “But, my dear sir, three times now tonight have I been asked out to dinner to see what shall be done for me to get a part. Does one always have to eat dinner before getting into pictures?” A fourth man. “Piffle, I am manager of the entire company. Those fellows haven’t a word to say about it; just bunking you. Come with me to my little cabin up in laurel