AtD (37) p, 1047, Little Rascals, casting, method acting and selling

[Mark Kohut]

some words well-defined on the p-wiki if needed.

L'il Jailbirds. I think that this is more an allusion to Our Gang, known as The Little Rascals in a Hollywood allusion---orig. in 1922---but with an internal allusion to the Chums??
I.E. going around doing good deeds, although they are not reform-school escapees---although we might call them immature juveniles when they start in AtD. Dunno, maybe too too kutely korresponding (on my part) but ???[Nah]....maybe an amalgam of The Little Rascals and the others mentioned on the p-wiki, but none of them seems to have this plot framework.

Hollywood ignores real identity to cast by 'looks' and reflected light.
More 'daylit' fiction? Continuing metaphor for America fictionalizing 
history, life? 

Cici practioing jabbering "Chinese style" for a silent movie. Getting "in character". Hilarious method acting, overacting joke [imho]. Hollywood's irreality continued.  

Merle, photographer and traveling salesman, here is what Time Magazine in 1930 wrote about his work as a lightning rod salesman:"About the turn of the century, "lightning rod salesman" became synonymous in New England with "horse thief" in Kansas. 
Most industries in such a situation would form an association, hire a good publicity man, set things right. But the lightning-rod-makers, while they published sales booklets filled with startling pictures of lightning and burnt houses, did not have to do this. In 1915 the National Board of Fire Underwriters set standards for equipment and ever since has urged the use of lightning-rods." 

Merle is not a citizen of any state but all of America is home. Merle, deracinated American who 'missed' home and family.