Pidgeon Day Minus One

What is not to like about Walter Pidgeon.  Born in Canada on September 23, 1897, Walter had a very successful career in movies, beginning in 1926 and lasting into the mid 1970s.  The movie that solidified his role as a leading actor was Mrs. Miniver (1942), for which he received an academy Best Actor nomination. 

                  With co-star Greer Garson in Mrs. Miniver (1942)

In 1948 he co-starred with Clark Gable, another movie which is a favorite of mine.  Walter gave another excellent performance, as did the entire amazing cast of Van Johnson, Charles Bickford, John Hodiak, Brian Donlevy, Edward Arnold, Marshall Thompson, Cameron Mitchell, Clinton Sundberg, Ray Collins, Warner Anderson and John McIntire.  Guess one has to give credit when it's due to the director, Sam Wood.  (And, in my opinion, it has one of the best performances of Mr. Gable's career, up there with Rhett in GWTW and Gay in The Misfits.)  Gosh, if you have not seen this before, do give it a try ... and the same for Mrs. Miniver.
 
             Walter as Clark Gable's boss in Command Decision (1948)

By the way, Walter began his theatrical career as a singer!  So, of course, he begins his movie career in the silents.  His earliest talkies were musicals, for one of which this photo was taken.  The magazine article that featured it was titled, "He has the Girls Gasping!"  Love it.