Caught Short!; A Saga of Wailing Wall Street

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1929. Fifth Printing [stating]/. Hardcover. Fair. Sid L. Hydeman. 45, [3] pages. Cover has some wear and soiling. Eddie Cantor (born Edward Israel Itzkowitz, January 31, 1892 - October 10, 1964) was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor, and songwriter. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences, this "Apostle of Pep" was regarded almost as a family member by millions because his top-rated radio shows revealed intimate stories and amusing anecdotes about his wife Ida and five daughters. Some of his hits include "Makin' Whoopee", "Ida", "If You Knew Susie", "Ma! He's Makin' Eyes at Me", "Baby", "Margie", and "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?" He also wrote a few songs, including "Merrily We Roll Along", the Merrie Melodies Warner Bros. cartoon theme. His eye-rolling song-and-dance routines eventually led to his nickname, "Banjo Eyes". Cantor's eyes became his trademark, leading to his appearance on Broadway in the musical Banjo Eyes (1941). This book is a humorous rendering of being caught short and losing everything on Wall Street, except your sense of humor. Written by Eddie Cantor, the comedian, author, statistician and victim, in a delightful style that will keep you giggling at his failure at investing. In addition to Caught Short!, Cantor wrote or co-wrote at least seven other books, including book released by the then-fledgling firm of Simon & Schuster, with Cantor's name on the cover. (Some were "as told to" or written with David Freedman.) Customers paid a dollar and received the booklet with a penny embedded in the hardcover. They sold well, and H. L. Mencken asserted that these books did more to pull America out of the Great Depression than all government measures combined.