Eight Years Can Take Their Toll

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 8:  Ingrid Bergman was born on August 29th and died 67 years later on the same day.  That's a rather odd distinction.  In December of 1940, she began filming Rage in Heaven with Bob as her co-star.  Eight years later, on December 13, 1948, she appeared with Bob in Lux Mystery Radio Theater's presentation of The Seventh Veil.  It's a fun listen, the mature Bob with his deeper and more resonant voice invoking Crazy Danny from Night Must Fall. 
 

                                   Rage in Heaven (1941)

 Bob and Ingrid taking a coffee break while preparing for their performance on Lux Mystery Radio Theater on December 13, 1948. 

Bob scores points for keeping his pinkie off the cup!  The photo is from a magazine so the resolution is not the greatest ... wish I could read the printing on the cup.  

Seven to One, Rather Like the Odds

Wow ... a roomful of biggies.  Wouldn't a producer have sold his soul for this cast.  Photo came with no ID, of course.  I did discover that Charles Laughton directed the 1954 Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial which starred Henry Fonda, John Hodiak and Lloyd Nolan.  But Ty, Ray, Anne and Dick ... they just happened to stop by for a visit?!  Nah.  Anyone have any ideas? 

Back Row: Lloyd Nolan, Tyrone Power, Raymond Massey and John Hodiak   Front Row:  Charles Laughton, Anne Baxter, Dick Powell and Henry Fonda

You Wonder When He Had Time to Make Movies

                And, if you believe that one, there's this bridge ...

Bob on Fire?

                          Robert Montgomery, October, 1950

Wow ... what could cause such a volcanic eruption of smoke from Bob?  Let's see, I'm thinkin', it's Oct., 1950.  As in the midst of his divorce from Betty.  Maybe his lawyer has just told him how much the divorce is going to cost him.  Yeah, that could've done it! 

Quick John Hodiak Plug

This Sunday (8/17) is John Hodiak day on TCM, so I'm firin' up my DVR to catch up on his films I haven't seen before.

Check out the day-long schedule over on the Summer Under the Stars website.

I now return you to regular, Montgomery programming...

It's Time for Killer!!!

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 7

Ann Blyth was born August 16, 1928 in Cisco, New York.  Her first critical success as an actress was at the age of 17, as the "malicious, spiteful" daughter Veda to Joan Crawford's long-suffering Mildred Pierce in 1945, for which she earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  Making mostly musicals in the 1950s, she ended her movie career earning critical acclaim in The Helen Morgan Story (1957), in which she played the title role of the liquor-swilling torch singer.  After movies, she devoted her time to the musical stage and her family.  Ann was married to Dr. James McNulty from 1953 until his death in 2007, and somehow managed to give birth to and raise five children during her busy career.  Rather impressive all in all, Ms. Blyth.  Hoping your 86th!! Birthday finds you in good health and surrounded by your family and loved ones.  And thank you for one of my favorite movie roles ... Killer!!

                                Once More, My Darling (1949)

Couple Challenges For Ya'

Quick, who is the very, young man with Constance Bennett? 

And, I'm guessing, a more difficult challenge, so a hint is due.  This young man is in costume for an opera, not a movie, although he will star in movies.  Who is he? 

The winner(s) receive my total admiration for your classic movies expertise. 

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 6

I have always felt grateful to Norma Shearer for wanting Bob for her pictures, that was certainly a big boost to his early career.  It always helps to have the boss's wife on your side.

The picture below, besides being a good photo of the young 'Beautiful Bob,' is one of those that would have been just great in color ... the deep tan highlighting those blue, blue eyes.  Rrrff!

                                         Divorcee (1930)

And to have all the photos taken by Hurrell for Riptide in the 11x14 format ... an entire wall full of Bob, Norma and Herbert Marshall ... that would be just fantastic.  [I've always liked Herbert, and his presence does not distract one's attention from Bob!]  I'm not sure I could talk my husband into wall-to-wall Bob ...that's not any more likely than being able to afford all those photos!  Postcards are more my speed ... sigh. 

                                            Riptide (1934)

5' 2", But Were Her Eyes Blue?

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 5: 

                        Dorothy Jordan born August 9th, 1906

                  Dorothy and Don Dillaway in Min and Bill (1930)

Dorothy and Bob co-starred in two films, Love in the Rough (1930) and Shipmates (1931).  The two were a good pairing, so young and adorable.  So, why am I using a picture of Dorothy in Min and Bill?  Does anyone else see Dillaway's likeness to our Bob?  Just sayin'.

And don't forget, it is 24 hours of William Powell on TCM today.  Sounds like a great way to spend the day. 

Bob Learns From His Older Women

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, Nos. 3 and 4.  August 7th is the birth date of both Irene Purcell (1896) and Ann Harding (1902).  Irene is excellent in Man in Possession, a delightful pre-code movie.  The scene with Bob and Charlotte Greenwood mugging it up in the kitchen after Bob and Irene's tryst ... too funny.

                                  Man in Possession (1931)

Ann co-stars with Bob in Biography of a Bachelor Girl, a post-code movie based on a play written in  pre-code days.  Needless to say, the changes necessary to get the project past the censors mucked up the plot line.  It's still okay ... Bob's in it right?!  A character in the movie refers to Kurt (Bob) of "talking like a communist."  At the time, Bob was a New Deal Democrat so it was not particularly funny then.  I'm sure it caused a few giggles when watched in the 1950s, as Bob was by then enconsed in the Eisenhower White House. 

                           Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935)

So, Happy Birthday, Irene and Ann! 

Happy Birthday, Robert Taylor

Naval Aviator (oh, and actor...)

Anita Page and Robert Montgomery find Romance at the Movies

Their seats for Anna Christie aren't in the back row, unfortunately.

He nearly tears his hat when Greta Garbo first appears, and speaks!

The candy vanishes during a tense scene.

There is a desperate fight, and they are on edge.

There is a love scene, much to their mutual satisfaction.

Then she spoils it all by getting excited about Charles Bickford, while Greta is nowhere in sight.

They are visibly affected when Anna tells her sad story.

 

The fade-out...

Pictures and text from a magazine article using photos by C. S. Bull for the movie Free and Easy (1930).


Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 2.  Anita is the day's birthday lady.  Born August 4, 1910, she was only 19 when the movie was filmed and had already appeared in nine features for MGM.  She was retired for 60 years when she developed a cult following after giving some great interviews about her movie career.  She and Bob define the concept of "a cute couple."

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, No. 1 Myrna Loy

Cuddling up on a cold winter's night quite often has its consequences.  My brother and I are consequences of this particular activity, August being my birth month and September my brother's.
This time-honored tradition was around well before our time.  For example, eight of Bob's ladies were born in August.  Thought a month long salute would be appropriate. 

Myrna Loy was born on August 2nd in Radersburg, Montana.  Lot of cold nights in Montana.  She and Bob made two movies together, When Ladies Meet (1933) and Petticoat Fever (1936).  (They were both in Night Flight (1933), but not together!)  They were a great couple on screen and close friends off screen ... until politics got in the way in the late 1940s.  (Is there really anything good about politics?!)  I need to watch Petticoat again to find out just what Bob and the Eskimo girl are up to in the still below. 

                                     Petticoat Fever (1936)

                                   Loy portrait made in 1935. 

                                     Broadway Bill (1934)

Broadway Bill was released as Strictly Confidential in England.  I don't see Myrna and Warner Baxter as a couple, just no way.  Would like to see the movie some day, just a great supporting cast.  Check out the movie on IMDB, in particular the list of uncredited performers.  I mean, Bess Flowers AND Ward Bond ... too much!