And a Whip Cracker is ... ???

 SCREEN STAR AND NOTED SPORTSMAN ARRIVE FOR POLO ---- LOS ANGELES, CALIF ...... Robert Montgomery, popular film star, and Snowy Baker, well known Australian whip cracker and all-round sportsman, as they arrived at the Riviera Polo Grounds for the match in which Hollywood notables recently participated.  3-23-1933.  

Mr. Montgomery attired in all white ... the impeccable polo player.  Looking good, young man.  But there is something different here.  

Oh, I finally see it.  Bob is au naturel, in this case meaning he has not slicked (oiled) down his hair.  Rather like it this way.  

Whipcracking was actually a sport in Australia.   Wiki has all the information you could ever want to know about it.  I'll stick with baseball.  

M.G.M.'S ... fastest wisecracker, indeed.

"M.G.M.'s leading light comedian and fastest wisecracker has his serious moments.  He brought one with him for this picture.  Bob has been making big pictures since 1930, when he appeared in "Inspiration" with Garbo.  This year (1934) you saw him with Joan in "Forsaking All Others" and '"No More Ladies."

I collect magazine prints of Mr. Montgomery because they are a lot less expensive than actual photographs.  I could not afford an original of this Hurrell photograph.  In fact, this is the only copy of either version I've seen.  Yeah, an 11x14 photograph of a nonchalant Mr. Montgomery to hang above my desk.  Almost perfect.  

Be Still, My Beating Heart!

  Can you guess what I can't stop thinking about these past few days?  It is a range of emotions from sheer ecstasy (hopefully seeing a clear print of a Beautiful Bob movie for the first time!), to having a nightmare about the Paramount+/Warner Bros. Discovery merger killing any plans to release Letty on DVD!  Aaarrggh!  

Favor to ask, if any of you or anyone you know are fortunate enough to attend the screening, please, please, Please drop us a line or two or as many as you want!  The word for the day, good people, is Share!  

Bob in his prime.  Wearing that gorgeous white suit.  Nirvana.  

                   Bob and Joan Crawford in Letty Lynton (1932)

"... with all legal impediments extinguished ..."

 YAHOO!!!!!!!!!  

Great news shared by Ms. Carrie today ... a 4G restoration of Letty Lynton (1932) is being featured at the TCM Classical Film Festival.  On May 1st Letty will be shown in all its glorious B&W at the Egyptian Theatre in L.A.  Just fantastic.  Unfortunately, there is no mention of the movie being released to DVD, but surely TCM/Warner Archive will do the honors, particularly since Warner Bros. Discovery did the restoration.  

Anyway, it is going to happen, period.  I'm thinking about the scene wherein Mr. Montgomery makes his first appearance on the boat.  Ahhh...  

And in his spare time ...

 "Robert Montgomery is the host-narrator and occasional star of his popular dramatic series, "Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theatre" and "Robert Montgomery Presents The Johnson's Wax Program," each seen on NBC-TV alternate Monday nights.  Montgomery is also executive producer of the program."  (12/18/53)

In case you are wondering about Bob's odd stance, it's a balancing trick.  The lifted leg with his foot on the bench helps keep him stationary.  If he were to stand straight up with both feet on the floor, he'll easily enough start to sway, a problem since the camera is focused on him probably shoulder high and any small movement would be noticeable.  Hey, it's 1953 live television, you do what you can!