Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, April 1923 · page 21 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #44 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical gossip column about early 1920s Hollywood scandals. The page reports on several entertainment-industry figures' romantic troubles: **Billy and Helene**: An unnamed couple (likely actors) whose relationship fractured due to pay disparity—he earned $40, she $450 as assistant director. She returned his ring and they've since separated. **Juanita Hansen and Ruth Palmer**: Hansen generously guaranteed a fur coat purchase for Palmer at a New York shop, even signing a promissory note. Palmer has now defaulted, leaving Hansen responsible. **Pola Negri and Charlie Chaplin**: The column warns Negri ("Pola") to marry Chaplin quickly before Marie Jeritza, a Metropolitan Opera star arriving from Europe, tempts him. Jeritza, who "knocked" rival Geraldine Farrar (both famous opera singers), apparently has a husband but that's "northwest of Los Angeles"—implying distance makes infidelity easier. The satire mocks Hollywood's transient relationships and suggests moral looseness among entertainment elites.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang 21 Company paid him only $40 per for his services as assis- tant director. Helene was getting $450, so that in itself was cause for friction in the lives of any two perfect mates. When the George Melford Company was at Catalina about three years ago, Helene gave her ring back to Billy and told him she never wanted to see him again. These scenes have been repeated too oft for harmony and late reports have it that their ship of state is now splintered on a high rock. Helene is also suing the Goldwyn Company for alleged breach of contract. * * * JUANITA HANSEN got awfully generous when she assured Russek's famous fur shop in New York that her chum, Ruth Palmer, would pay for the fur coat she wanted. And when the shopkeeper was dubious, Juanita went so far as to dart fire from her nostrils and write her own promise to pay on a nice little pad. Now Ruth has defaulted on her payments and the honor is up to Juanita. * * * Sid Franklin, director, takes Rosemary Theby around to lots of theatres and jazz emporiums. * * * POLA better get Charlie up to the altar soon now that that other howling beauty “from furrin parts” is coming out to Hollywood to go in “pichers.” He's been quite a butter- flusie the last two years. She is Marie Jeritza, Metropolitan Opera star who knocked Gerald- ine Farrar for a goal. Marie has a husband but what's that northwest of Los Angeles?