Page:The Leather Pushers (1921).pdf/270

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him!" shrieks Van Dyke, reachin' for his back pocket—and Knockout Burns breezed.

Bright and early the next mornin'—that is, the mornin' was bright and we was early—we start shootin' "Kid Roberts, Undisputed Champion Heavyweight Boxer of the World, supported by a Super-Cast in the Super-Production, The Knockout. The Greatest Moving Picture Since Mona Lisa Disappeared!"

Both me and the fascinatin' Knockout Burns was drafted for this frolic, prob'ly to keep us quiet. I took off the exactin' role of a spectator in the big fight scene. They hired a regular actor to play the Kid's manager, on account of 'em havin' several important scenes together. Can you imagine that, with me right there in person? Knockout Burns was one of the supers of the Super-Production. That day we also had the pleasure of meetin' the assistant villain, to the viz., the guy which the Kid was scheduled to knock for a row of ash cans in the film brawl. Accordin' to the recipe for the movie, this bimbo was merely a slight ingredient, but before we got through he promoted himself to actin' chief scoundrel and ruffian plenipotentiary.

Van Dyke comes over to us, plastered with grins.

"Well, we're certain lucky!" he says. "I got Young Hamilton to play that fight scene with you, Kid. I wanted a man who looks like a fighter—in fact, who is a fighter—and yet has sortie intelligence—no offense, Kid, no offense—and I got him!"

"If you wanted a guy which looks like a fighter and is a fighter, what's the matter with me, hey?" says Knockout Burns.