Jon Whitcomb – A New Yorker State of Mind

Better Living Through Fiction

Above: Introduced by the American Tobacco Company in 1917, the iconic slogan "It's Toasted" became the cornerstone of Lucky Strike marketing in the 1930s. The company claimed their heat-curing method (as opposed to sun-drying) removed tobacco's "corrosive acids." This 1933 Lucky Strike advertisement was illustrated by Hayden Hayden. (wash.edu)

In May 1936 the Advertising Federation of America (AFA) celebrated the 25th anniversary of its “truth in advertising” movement, highlighting the work of vigilance committees that encouraged advertisers to avoid government intervention through self-regulation. As one can imagine, such voluntary efforts were largely ignored.

July 11, 1936 cover by **William Steig.**

The celebration was short-lived, for later that year the Food and Drug Administration’s Ruth Lamb, published American Chamber of Horrors: The Truth About Food and Drugs. Lamb, who was head of public relations for the FDA, based her publication on a FDA traveling exhibit that exposed dangerous, poisonous, and deceptively marketed cosmetics, foods, medicine, and medical treatments. Lamb played an important role in advising Congress on new regulations that culminated in the Wheeler-Lea Act of 1938, which expanded the Federal Trade Commission’s unfair competition mandate to include consumer protections from “unfair or deceptive acts or practice.” That same year, Congress also passed the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, requiring pre-market safety testing and prohibiting false therapeutic claims.

BLISTERS INSTEAD OF BEAUTY…In 1933 the makers of Lash Lure mascara promised women a permanently made-up look using aniline dye on eyelashes. Tragically, Lash Lure contained p-phenylenediamine, which caused horrific blisters, abscesses and ulcers on the face, eyelids and eyes of Lash Lure users. It even led to blindness in some women. *(livingnewdeal.org)*

Apparently Lamb hadn’t yet published her American Chamber of Horrors when E.B. White filed his July 11 “Notes and Comment.” He did, however, pen this satirical take on the AFA’s sanctimonious commitment to the “truth.”

…Otto Soglow provided this apt illustration along the bottom of White’s “Notes” column…

HORROR SHOW…The FDA’s Ruth Lamb displays some of the worthless and harmful products in her “Chamber of Horrors.” Lamb was instrumental in advising Congress on new drug and food legislation. *(Wikipedia)*

BUYER BEWARE…Clockwise, from top left: In the 1930s Othine promised to remove brown spots and lighten skin; the active ingredient was mercury; Bred-Spred was a line of beautifully colored “jellies” that did not contain the industry standard of 50 percent fruit/juice to qualify as jelly. Indeed, they had no fruit or juice at all—just artificial colors and flavors, and in the case of the “strawberry flavor” pictured above, a few hayseeds were added to simulate strawberry seeds; a circa 1930 ad claiming substantial weight loss simply by listening to a record. (fda.gov/brandingstrategyinsider.com)

Quackery was not confined to the smaller companies. Big Tobacco made outlandish claims regarding the health benefits of smoking…

BIG MONEY from tobacco companies financed these splashy ads from the 1930s, including, from left, Lucky Strike’s weight-loss claims; Philip Morris asserted they used a different type of moistening agent that also prevented throat irritation—these ads were aimed at easing smoker anxiety about deep inhaling; R.J. Reynolds claimed their Camels did everything from aiding digestion to easing one’s nerves. Many of the ads featured famous athletes claiming they could smoke all they wanted and still perform at their peak. (Stanford.edu)

* * *

A Quiet Place

E.B. White (in “Notes and Comment”) revealed a hallowed spot in the city where he could gather his thoughts on hot summer mornings…

REFUGE FROM THE HEAT AND DIN…This apartment building’s courtyard at 277 Park Avenue offered E.B. White a place to ponder on a summer day. Built in 1905 and designed by McKim, Mead and White, the apartments were demolished in 1964 and replaced with a glass tower. (mcny.org)

* * *

On Your Mark

“The Talk of the Town” visited the new Randalls Island Stadium (later renamed Downing Stadium). Built with WPA funding, the stadium hosted the Men’s Olympic Track and Field Trials where Jesse Owens qualified for the Berlin Summer Games.

READY TO RUN…Aerial photo of the new Randalls Island Stadium taken on July 10, 1936, the day before the Olympic trials; at right, **Jesse Owens** at the stadium’s Olympic tryouts—Owens dominated the competition by winning the 100-yard dash, the 220-yard run, and the broad jump. He would go on to win four gold medals at the Berlin Games. (Associated Press/randallsisland.org)

* * *

Ach Du Lieber

In his column “Of All Things,” Howard Brubaker offered his thoughts on the state of higher education in Nazi Germany:

* * *

Haggard and Debonair

Margaret Case Harriman profiled talent agent and theatrical producer Leland Hayward (1902–1971), a kid from Nebraska City, Nebraska who would become a renowned playboy (married five times) and agent to scores of Hollywood actors. He would also produce the original Broadway stage productions of South Pacific and The Sound of Music. Excerpts:

ALL SMILES…at left, **Katharine Hepburn** with agent/boyfriend **Leland Hayward** arriving at director **George Cukor’s** home, circa 1936; Hayward with wife number three Margaret Sullivan⁣, circa 1940. *(instagram.com/alchetron)*

* * *

Juvie Justice

For the column⁣ “A Reporter at Large” (titled “Gamins”), Morris Markey looked in on the workings of the Children’s Court on East Twenty-second Street. Beginning with the sixth paragraph is an example of how teen pregnancies were addressed in New York ninety years ago. Excerpts:

Markey examined the possible outcomes of unwed mothers and fathers, and concluded that the Children’s Court was a realistic and kindly way to deal with these issues as well as a range of juvenile offenses. History seems to be on Markey’s side; for its time, the Children’s Court offered a progressive approach that kept minors from the horrors of the prison system.

STILL STANDING…The Children’s Court building on East Twenty-second Street was visited by **Morris Markey** for his column. Today it serves as Newman Hall for CUNY’s Baruch College. *(J.C. Rice via nypost.com)*

JUST SOME KIDS HANGING OUT…**Arnold Eagle’s** Federal Art Project photo, “Boys Climbing the Fire Escape of a Deserted Building,” 1935. *(mcny.org)*

* * *

Some Lawn Tennis

American journalist and sports radio personality Cedric E. Adams (known as “Ced,” hence the initials below) occasionally provided tennis commentary for The New Yorker. Here he takes in Wimbledon, where he found the men’s matches dull and the women’s memorable.

THREE’S A CHARM…In 1936 Fred Perry won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon for the third year in a row, while Helen Jacobs’ “cool tactics” helped her capture the women’s title. (facebook.com/findagrave.com)

* * *

At the Movies

Laurence Olivier (1907–1989) was a rising star of the London stage when he moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s. Not making the breakthrough he had hoped for, he returned to London for stage and film work, including the 1935 film Moscow Nights, which was released in the U.S. in 1936 as I Stand Condemned. Critic John Mosher still wasn’t wowed by Olivier, but found the film better than average.

SPIES LIKE US…**Laurence Olivier** and **Penelope Dudley-Ward** in I Stand Condemned. Directed by Anthony Asquith, the film concerned a wounded officer who falls in love with his nurse. *(rotten tomatoes.com)*

Mosher also reviewed a “minor melodrama,” Forgotten Faces.

A GAMBLER AND A STRIPPER were portrayed by **Herbert Marshall** and **Gertrude Michael** in *Forgotten Faces*. (*mubi.com*)

* * *

From Our Advertisers

Illustrator Jon Whitcomb sketched up this happy scene to promote this “Smart French Drink”…

…as noted in our lead story, cigarette manufacturers made all sorts of health claims connected to heavy smoking…

…now this was the way to travel…sadly the U.S. has largely abandoned reliable rail service…

…from the back of the book, enticements to escape the city into the countryside…

…another Dr. Seuss Flit ad, anticipating his 1954 bestseller Horton Hears a Who…

…on to our spots, we start with a summer stock-themed woodcut by Susan Willard Flint…

…escaping the heat with Christina Malman…

…on to our cartoonists, we begin with caption-less entries by Constantin Alajalov…

…Daniel ‘Alain’ Brustlein…

…George Price…

…and Otto Soglow…

…Alan Dunn gave us a man seeking order in chaos…

…and Helen Hokinson gave us a woman turning chaos into order…

…another from Hokinson, anticipating a scene from The Music Man…

…and we close with Peter Arno, and a surprise announcement…

Next Time: Platoon Platitudes…

Age of the Clipper

Above: Detail from illustration depicting the Philippine Clipper arriving in Hong Kong to establish the first commercial air service between North America and the continent of Asia on October 23, 1936. (Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami)

We take to the air with the April 18, 1936 edition of The New Yorker, namely via the China Clipper, a Pan American flying boat that was preparing to begin regular passenger service from San Francisco to the Philippines and Hong Kong along with its two sister ships.

Writing for “A Reporter at Large” under the title “See You in Shanghai,” Morris Markey offered an enthusiastic preview of the China Clipper, a Martin M-130 flying boat that was initially tested on a Trans-Pacific mail route laid out by famed navigator Fred Noonan (who would disappear the following year in a fateful flight with Amelia Earhart). Although Markey anticipated a summer launch, the first commercial trans-Pacific airmail and passenger service from San Francisco to Manila actually took place in October 1936, when the Hawaii Clipper made the first scheduled transoceanic passenger flight to the Philippines. The Philippine Clipper inaugurated the first passenger service into Hong Kong that same month, but it was a public relations VIP flight rather than a revenue generating one.

Here are excerpts from Markey’s report:

TAKING WING…Clockwise, from top left, carrying nearly 111,000 letters, the *China Clipper* passes over the San Francisco waterfront on its first airmail flight to Manila in November 1935; trading card from a pack of Player’s cigarettes; cutaway view of the Martin M-130 flying boat dubbed the *China Clipper.* *(Wikipedia/frommers.com/Smithsonian)*

Here is the flight schedule for the China Clipper’s first airmail flight to Manila in November 1935:

Today’s commercial aircraft squeeze passengers into about six square feet. Compare that to a Pan Am Clipper, which allotted twenty-two square feet per each passenger. They lounged on easy chairs and couches, enjoyed six-course meals served on fine china, and could even take a hot shower if so desired. Markey again:

THE ONLY WAY TO FLY if you had the means. The Clippers were divided into spacious cabins, with couches rather than airplane seats. The passenger compartments would transform at night into deluxe sleeper cabins. There was a dining salon, dressing rooms, and separate bathrooms for men and women. *(messynessychic.com/Wikipedia/clipperflyingboats.com)*

Talk about legroom…

Writing for Messy Nessy, Luke Spencer notes this experience was only available to a select few: “…a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong would set you back $760 in 1939 (more than $13,000 today). But despite being largely reserved for the rich and famous, the seaplanes are so evocative of the bygone era, that today, it’s hard to imagine a vintage travel poster without a Flying Clipper in it, soaring above a distant island.” Indeed, the long-gone Clipper ships live on in popular vintage travel posters such as the one below depicting Pan Am’s most advanced, largest and last flying boat, the Boeing 314. The circa 1939 illustration is by George Lawler:

* * *

Don’t Step On Them

Suede shoes (aka Bucks, Reverse Calfskin) caught the attention of E.B. White, who thought this “new kind of men’s shoe” resembled a wire-haired dachshund. Suede shoes (blue ones would come later) were introduced as a preppy alternative to heavy lace-up shoes in the 1930s. They were favored (and made popular) by fashion trendsetter Edward, Duke of Windsor, who briefly reigned as British king in 1936 before abdicating the throne.

GOING CASUAL…Suede shoes offered a less formal option to men who still wanted to look stylish about town or at the club. At left is an ad from the 1940s, and at right is a one-column ad from the April 18, 1936 issue of *The New Yorker.* One wonders if **E.B. White** noticed it. *(chronicallyvintage.com)*

* * *

Cowboys and Elephants

The “Talk of the Town” noted the latest attractions the Ringling Brothers were bringing to Madison Square Garden, including B-grade Western film actor Colonel Tim McCoy and a trio of elephants who played a rudimentary form of baseball.

NICE DUDS…American actor and military officer **Colonel Tim McCoy** (1891–1978) was a popular cowboy film star; he was even honored with his picture on a *Wheaties* box. (Wikipedia/nypl.org)

The tallest person ever recorded, Robert Wadlow (1918–1940), became a celebrity after his 1936 U.S. tour with the Ringling Brothers Circus, appearing at Madison Square Garden in the center ring, and never in the sideshow.

ON DISPLAY…The 8 foot, 11.1 inch **Robert Wadlow** shares a moment with Harry Earles (aka Harry Doll) behind the scenes at the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1936. During his appearance, Wadlow dressed in his everyday clothes and refused the circus’s request that he wear a top hat and tails. (reddit.com)

In addition to Col. McCoy, the circus also featured the daring high wire act of the famous Wallenda family:

IT’S A LIVING…The Wallendas performing at Madison Square Garden in 1934. (facebook.com)

* * *

Sage Advice

Dorothea Brande (1892–1948) was the author of two popular advice books: Becoming a Writer (1934) remains in print today, and her motivational Wake Up and Live (1936) sold more than a million copies and inspired an eponymous 1937 Hollywood movie.

As we’ve seen before, James Thurber relished the opportunity to satirize the writers of motivational books, and Brande’s Wake Up and Live proved to be irresistible. Here are some choice excerpts:

IDEAL FOR AN AIRPORT READ if such a thing would have existed in 1936. Above, **Dorothea Brande** circa 1937 and her 1936 bestseller, *Wake Up and Live,* which sold more than a million copies and inspired a Hollywood movie. (Wikipedia/matthewsbookshop.com)

* * *

Legacy Lines

In 1936 Stephen Vincent Benét (1898–1943) was more widely read than any American poet, but his popularity didn’t diminish the respect he received from literary critics. So no wonder The New Yorker gave him a two-page spread to publish his “Notes To Be Left In A Cornerstone.” It’s too large to reproduce here, but this is how it looked in the magazine (with great spot art by Hugo Gellert)…

A closer look at Gellert’s illustration…

…and here are the last two stanzas of the poem:

* * *

Ray Gets Rough

Ray Bolger’s long career included everything from dancing in vaudeville shows and acting on Broadway to appearing in his own television sitcom and in a 1981 Dr. Pepper commercial (dancing, of course). He is best remembered as the lovable, loose-limbed Scarecrow in 1939’s Wizard of Oz. So it was a surprise to learn that the Tony-winning actor could also play a tough guy, a turn that delighted critic Wolcott Gibbs, who penned this review of the Rodgers and Hart comedy musical On Your Toes:

I CAN SCARE MORE THAN CROWS…**Ray Bolger** (left) gets rough with a thug as **Tamara Geva** looks on in the musical comedy On Your Toes. (rodgersandhammerstein.com)

* * *

Bio Myopic

Biopics reached a height of popularity in the Thirties, with dozens of these pictures featuring major stars including Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and Rembrandt (1936), Barbara Stanwyck in Annie Oakley (1935), Greta Garbo in Queen Christina (1933), and Claudette Colbert in Cleopatra (1934). Paul Muni, the king of biopics, appeared in at least a half-dozen including The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936). The year 1936 also brought us The Great Ziegfeld, starring William Powell as Flo Ziegfeld, Myrna Loy as his wife, Billie Burke, and Luise Rainer as Ziegfeld’s first wife, Anna Held. Critic John Mosher takes it from here:

DOUBLE TAKE..Ziegfeld Follies star **Will Rogers** was originally intended to appear in the 1936 film *The Great Ziegfeld,* but died in a plane crash in August 1935 before filming began. A.A. Trimble (pictured at left), was a map salesman by trade, but was also known to perform impersonations of Rogers at events like Rotarian lunches. Critic John Mosher was shocked by Trimble’s uncanny impersonation of Rogers in the film, which also featured Ziegfeld headliner Fanny Brice (right), the real one. (facebook.com/amazon.com)

OSCAR-WORTHY…**William Powell** and Luise Rainer in *The Great Ziegfeld.* The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Dance Direction, and Best Actress, which went to Rainer. (tcm.com)

A note on Luise Rainer (1910–2014): The Austrian-American Rainer was the first person to win two Academy Awards in a row. The first was for her role as Anna Held in The Great Ziegfeld, and the second was for her role as a Chinese farm wife in 1937’s The Good Earth.

TIME WAS ON HER SIDE…**Luise Rainer** in 1936. (Wikipedia)

At the time of her death in 2014, thirteen days shy of her 105th birthday, Rainer was the longest-lived Oscar recipient, and the longest-lived female star from Classic Hollywood.

Mosher also reviewed Desire, a romantic crime drama that reunited the stars of the 1930 pre-code film Morocco, Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper.

REKINDLING THOSE SPARKS…**Marlene Dietrich** and Gary Cooper reunite in Desire. (video librarian.com)

HMMM…*Desire* also featured character actor **William Frawley** (seen here with Cooper), who would go on to greater fame in television, playing Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy. (facebook.com)

* * *

From Our Advertisers

We begin with the inside front cover, where the makers of leaded gasoline appealed to homespun sensibilities with an odd juxtaposition…

…oil companies and other auto-related industries were big advertisers in The New Yorker, including the United States Rubber Company…

…which ran this back cover ad in the very first issue of the magazine, Feb. 21, 1925…

…another advertiser with deep pockets was big tobacco…R.J. Reynolds continued to make the ridiculous claim that their Camel cigarettes aided digestion…

…the makers of Old Gold stuck with sex to sell their smokes, featuring illustrations by pin-up artist George Petty…

…Hiram Walker boasted the availability of their Canadian Club whiskey in “87 lands”…

…at first glance I thought this was a soap advertisement…one doubts this analogy prompted more people to pick up a case of Bud…

…the makers of College Inn Tomato Juice Cocktail continued to employ the social faux pas to sell their product…note the outraged duchess making an appearance on the right…