Oh, I enjoy some of Cerf's collections. he was a publishing executive, btw.

e.g.
He tells the story about the great pre-war actor Paul Muni.

Muni was playing a trade union official in a play..

At the end of the first act, when he was pleading with the boss to give the staff a raise, the boss was supposed to turn him down - curtain.

Muni had heard his father was in the audience, so Muni did such a wonderful job of pleading that the boss agreed to the increase - curtain.

before the next act, the theatre manager had to come before the curtain to help the audience understand the next act, and to say that, berween acts, the boss had had a change of heart and refused the increase.


Ivor