Night Flight (1933)

Bob's lady is listed in the credits as a "Nightclub Vamp."  How quaint.

Happy Birthday, Ingrid!

A young, career-minded Ingrid Bergman did not enjoy her experience working with Bob in "Rage In Heaven."  In her 1980 autobiography, My Story, she relates Bob told her and co-star George Sanders that he would not be acting during the movie as a form of protest because MGM had not allowed him to take a month's vacation before starting another movie.   "The first director lasted two weeks.  Then the second one came in and Robert Montgomery went on the same way, his face just an impassive mask.  So the second director quit...  The picture was put together, released and Bob Montgomery got the most glorious reviews because he gave such an original performance.  You see, he was a light comedian, the rage of Hollywood, everybody adored him, and here was Bob being out of character, this absolutely flat performance as a psychopath, and people thought it was great.  They didn't think he had it in him.  So it turned out very well.  For him."

Bob (The Charmer) and Mamie in 1954

Bob's "status in the White House was drawn around a growing comradeship with the president...  Montgomery also helped his position by charming Mamie Eisenhower, whose happiness was often sacrificed by events in her husband's career; sensitive to this problem, the president seized every opportunity to please her."  Eisenhower and the Mass Media by Craig Allen.

It's the Hat, II

How the Heck did I Miss This?

Love this video...


Bob's Big 108 from jackie on Vimeo - and at Orsons.Tumblr.com

Liz and Actress Tania Fedor

Before it is gone again...someone uploaded the "Elizabeth Montgomery A&E Biography" on YouTube a couple weeks ago.  For Robert Montgomery watching, check out Part 1 and the first minute or so of Part 5.  The color portrait of Bob they show while talking about his death is a wanna have.  Being nearly computer illiterate, I don't know how to set up a direct link to the site...sorry.

Have also run across a photo of Bob on the net worth going the long way around to find.  Do a google search for "Tania Fedor" and check out her images.  The photo with Bob is in the second row.  It's a copyrighted site so I can't just show you the photo.  Fedor was a French actress who came stateside in 1930 to make a film at Paramount.  Would love to have seen them together in a movie. 

Update: Here's the link to part 1 on the Tube.

Betty and Bob at Marion's

Agreed, there is a likeness to June Walker.  I think Mrs. Montgomery has the edge on cuteness in this photo.  Almost as cute as Mr. Montgomery.

War Nurse (1930)

June Walker always make me think of Mrs. Montgomery

At Least the Photos are Good

This photo of a very young Bob is a new addition to my collection.  I have had a reprint of it for some time, but I do so enjoy vintage prints.  Maybe it's the feel of the double-weight paper, as much as the clarity, that does it for me.  

I know from copies I have seen on the web that this photo is identified as "Robert Montgomery Metro-Goldway-Mayer RM -  1."  The following photo has the  "RM" identifying line used for Robert Montgomery portraits.

Which brings me to the point of this entry...I need help with understanding the MGM portrait numbering system.  So far, I know that the "RM" series goes through at least RM - 51.  I thought originally that each number stood for a different photo shoot; however, I have since discovered that two or more photos from the same shoot can have a unique RM number.  And to further confuse things, many portraits are identified with a five-digit number prefixed by the letters MG.  The following photo is even identified by both the RM and the MG series.

Would love to know more about all this.  Is there a list somewhere of all the portraits?  I have identified only 26 of the RM series.  Could I offer a bribe to anyone who can help expand my knowledge in this area?  Maybe a full-sized copy of a photo (or photos)  I have used on the blog?  Or of a photo I may have that you are hunting for?   If you could just point me to a source, anything.  (My!  How needy can you get!)     And, oh, yes, Universal started the RM numbering again when Bob did "Ride the Pink Horse" for them.  At least the RM -2 is on the left side of this photo.  Of course, one might guess the photo was not taken in 1929 (not a criticism - he's past his beautiful young man stage,  now he's "just" one handsome dude)!
 

Mr. Cool By The Pool, II

I'm glad you guys in the Midwest have finally gotten a break in the weather.  You can appreciate how I feel right now in California, not being one of the privileged few who can afford to live on the coast.  It has been as high as 108, cooling off this coming week to as low as 104.  My pool is hot.  Will just have to keep my "cool" with another Bob at the pool.  It's the monogrammed pool towel...soooo Montgomery. 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, No Matter the Language!

"Rus" or "Riptide" in Danish.  The herald is small, only 4-1/2" x 6", but there are 8 pages and 6 of them have photos.  Norma is featured on the cover, of course. 

Will try to translate captions with help from Google.  I think I'm close.

"Mary, wouldn't it be wonderful to live life fully?"

   

Mary, what are you trying to hide?  (Hey, Herbert, take a look to your right!)

 And, my favorite.  There is a whole fantastic series of photos like this, I hadn't seen this one before.   Just love the look Bob is giving Norma. 

Night Must Fall

 

Mmm, chocolates.

That Smile Is Just Too Much, II

The smile just makes the man. 

Bob in Venice feeding birds in the city's St. Mark's Square.  Photo stamped May 5, 1958. 

That Smile Is Just Too Much

The availability of new Bob photos for sale in July was quite amazing.  My, but did I ever exceed my budget.  But, it was worth every last penny.  This one alone...that smile...it just makes my day.

Photo taken Dec. 12, 1951.  Bob spoke at a Lighthouse for the Blind function in New York.  The young tot is Chip Curry, 5.