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)!