Thursday, March 01, 2007

Everybody wants to be a clown, or, lick my reactograph

Things I've Found In Books:

Just now, on page 221 of the Seattle Public Library's copy of The World of Entertainment, by Hugh Fordin.

This is a book about MGM, and includes a reproduction of a chart labeled
Portions of an audience reactograph chart during a preview of Good News


Some thoughtful person has circled the word "reactograph" in pencil; drawn a line to a question mark and asked "What is being measured?"

Now, that would seem obvious, even if "reactograph" isn't a real word (which it isn't), from the context. What was being measured was the audiences response to the preview of the 1947 film, their reaction, you might say.

But, when you first look at it...

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