Life, 1929-03-29 · page 4 of 36
Life — March 29, 1929 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Houdaille shock absorber advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The ad occupies most of the space with technical details about hydraulic suspension systems used in 47 American and European car models. The right side contains "**It's the Nuts**" — a brief **burlesque sketch** (comedic play) by Marian Deitrick. The comedy centers on a character named Filbert from Kentucky and his relatives (Kernel Nut, Hazel), playing on nut-related puns and family shame. The "nuts" are literal surnames used for wordplay humor. The sketch has no political content—it's simply absurdist comedy exploiting family shame, regional stereotypes, and puns. The page blends serious automotive advertising with lightweight theatrical entertainment typical of Life magazine's mixed content format.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE acid test of 14 years’ "Toperformance on hundreds of thousands of cars is out- standing proof of Houdaille hydraulic double-acting shock absorbers. With the world to choose from, 47 American and European car and truck manu- facturers have adopted Hou- daille shock absorbers as standard equip- ment on Merit. Douste-ActINnG, Houdailles ab- sorb those Standard Equipment on Lincoln Pierce-Arrow Jordan Stearns -Knight Cunningham For Nash Advanced Six Chrysler Imperial Graham-Paige (6-21,8-27,8-37) Studebaker President and 33 European Cars shocks that make springs “‘strike bottom."’ They kill recoil before it starts. Hyprautic, they automatic- ally and instantly adjust their resistance to the size of bumps and force of spring action. Houdaille shock absorbers sell themselves. Our Dis- tributor will gladly equip your car on trial. You'll wonder how you ever drove with- out them. HOUDAILLE Hydraulic Double-Actin; SHOCK ABSORBERS. HOUDE ENGINEERING CORPORATION, 537 E. DELAVAN AVE., BUFFALO, N.Y. In Camada—222 SIMCOE STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO Please send me the booklet, “A Smooth Ride Over the Roughest Roads to Anywhere” “It's the Nuts!” (A Burrlesque) Fivsert, @ wayward son, who has brought disgrace upon the family name by contracting hay fever while sowing his wild oats. Act One (Enter Kernel Nut and Hazel.) Kerner Net: I was nut-bread in old Kentucky to have no family pride! Hazer (weeping): Oh, father, do nut-cake him out thus! Kernet Net (to Filbert): Go! And you butternut come back! Fitsert: Pine-nut for me, dear sis. ter! Farewell! Act Two (Fifteen years later. Hazel is prun- ing family tree. Enter Kernel Net.) Kerxet Nut (eearily): My rheu matism is acorn me bad today, Hazel gal. Hazet (spiritedly): 1 bet them var- mints has been pecan on you again! Kerner Nut: You are right, and alas! I can nut-meat the mortgage! Hazer (pleadingly): Do nutshell the old homestead, father! Act Three (Same afternoon. Enter three strangers with large, bristling, black pistachios.) Strancers (fo Kernel Nut): Wal nut, be ye ready to hand over the property? Kerner Nut: lads—have p Voice in distance, offstage: Cashew" Hazer: Ah me, such shame will shuck our beloved ancestors in. their graves! Strancers (impatiently): Come on, we can’t nut-loaf around here all day! Voice in distance, growing nearer Casnew! Haze (imploringly): Look! On my knees, I husk you—have mercy! Strancers: All right, boys, bump the old guy on the cocoa-nut too hard! Voice in distance, rushing «por scene: CASHEW! Kerner Nut ano Haze: Son! Brother! Fitsert: Pardon the repetition, but I have brought the cashew need. (Pays strangers.) Now, do nut-pick on my family again, see? (Exeunt strangers, with money.) Hazet ano Kerner Not (incredu- lously): The hull truth, and nothing but the truth! Fivsert: I have had honest work (every day, but nut-sundaes) in a res- taurant—sneezing to blow flies off pics. Am I forgiven? Kerner Nur (fondly): Yes, my boy, if you do nutcracker nother one like that. Almond old = man. (Curtain) Marian Deitrick. comicbooks.com