My Favorite Kind of Mystery Solving

I enjoy Bob photos.  (Really, you ask?!)  Besides just admiring Bob, it is a great pleasure to identify a photo as being one of a particular sitting.  The photo below always seemed to be one of a kind, knew nothing about it, didn't know who took the photo or when it was taken.  Initially I thought it was taken on a set for Fast and Loose since there is a rounded bookcase used in the movie.  However, the next time I saw part of the movie, I realized the bookcase is different from this one.  Ah, shucks.  Back to square one.

Then I obtained this photo.  Hey, it's the same tie, always a good way to identify a photo.  And the books in the background are the same as in the photo above.  Gotta be from the same photo shoot. 

And taking it one step further, the use of shadow on Bob's face reminded me of this gorgeous photo by M. B. Paul, who worked for Columbia pictures.  It was taken in 1941 for use in the publicity campaign for Mr. & Mrs. Smith.  Yup, same tie and jacket.  The use of shadowing prevalent in all three photos.  Same sitting, three great photos. (For the record, I've seen an original of the middle photo.  My copy is a bit washed-out, the jacket is way too light.  I'm sure Mr. Paul's photos were a challenge to print.) 

Paul's photos are very flattering of the 36-year-old Montgomery.  Wish he had worked for MGM, really nice work.