Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, April 1922 · page 16 of 67
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #32 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a gossip column from *Captain Billy's Whiz Bang*, a satirical magazine, featuring Hollywood celebrity rumors circa the 1920s. The page contains four items mocking entertainment industry scandals: 1. **Bebe Daniels/Jack Dempsey**: Denies an engagement rumor between actress Bebe Daniels and heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey. The satire lies in the absurdity of asking even "the family cat" about gossip. 2. **Charlie Chaplin/Edna Purviance**: Reports his leading lady is engaged to a wealthy businessman, humorously noting Purviance was "one of Charlie's early loves." 3. **Lucille Carlisle/Larry Semon**: Notes an actress reconnecting professionally with comedian Semon after a broken engagement. 4. **Laguna Beach gossip**: The column threatens to expose scandals from artist colonies in Laguna Beach and La Jolla, sarcastically suggesting these areas escape scrutiny due to distance from Hollywood. The humor targets celebrity gossip culture itself—the desperation of reporting unconfirmed rumors and the cyclical nature of Hollywood relationships.
📄 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 B EBE DANIELS' grandmother, her mother and Jack Dempsey all deny that Bebe and Jack are to wed. Reporters have even in- terviewed the family cat on the subject, but the news tip has fallen flat all around! * * * A ND, speaking of Charlie Chaplin, his leading lady, Edna Purviance (who was one of Charlie's early loves as well) is reported engaged to Paul Hunter, wealthy business man and polo player of Pasadena. * * * L UCILLE CARLISLE again will be lead- ing lady for Larry Semon. She formerly was engaged to marry Semon, but sud- denly the engagement was declared off; she left