More Treasures From the Vault ...

I bought a lot of movies titled "Unknown Movies/Actors."  This is the kind of stuff I really enjoy messing with.  For me, seeing the word "Unknown" is like waving a red flag at a bull, I love the challenge.  Now, I'm quite often as clueless as the vendor, but on occasion I can troll out a good find or two. 

The quality of this photo is not the greatest, but finding an original photo from Inspiration (1931), I consider to be a rarity.  The dress Garbo is wearing is what caught my eye, rather unique, isn't it.  I would have preferred finding a photo with Bob in it instead of Lewis Stone, but ...

And this photo was easy to identify because I remembered having seen it before.  There is something about seeing Joan Crawford in prison garbs that kind of sticks in your mind.  The photo number in the lower right-hand corner confirms the movie title, Paid (1930).  It is 520, the Inspiration photo has the number 521.  MGM had a simple and consistent numbering system for its movies, it has been a great help for me in identifying stills from Bob's movies.  Considering he wore a tuxedo so often in his movies, it can be confusing! 

                              

What! You Dare To Laugh At Me? You Will Pay!

The image of the tie Bob wears in The Saxon Charm was seared into my memory cells long before I actually saw the movie.  Which is unfortunate, because when I did finally see the movie, all I could see was the tie!!  Well, perhaps I exaggerate a tad, but I did have to laugh when I first saw the nasty Matt Saxon and his incredible tie on the screen.  I do not think Bob would have appreciated my reaction to his character.  Looks like he just heard my comment in the photo below.  Easy Bob, the suit is great, as always.  And the shoe tassels are over-the-top!

                               Bob in The Saxon Charm (1948)

Attaching a colorized version of the tie, as displayed in one of the film's lobby cards.  Now, just try to wipe the image from your memory. 

And another tie from the movie ...

The costume designer must have loved having the elegant Mr. Montgomery wear those ties. 

Robert Montgomery ... A Man of Rapier Wit

It is a 5x7 fan card.  The 88-year-old photograph has begun to show its age.  But little distracts from the image of the beautiful, curly-haired Mr. Montgomery.  I do not know if it is from the first sitting with George Hurrell, but definitely from that period.  Of course the camera loved Bob, but throw in Hurrell and you have a real romance going on.  As I have said a few times before ... rrrff!!

                                     Bob in 1929, age 25

Not Bob Taylor, Nor Ben Hogan

Few things give me more pleasure than discovering a new and nifty Montgomery photo ... particularly one that was identified incorrectly as "Bob Taylor" and cost me all of $2.  Yes, that just made my day.  The correct Bob is wearing the outfit he wore for the golfing scene with Ann Harding in When Ladies Meet (1933).  I'm assuming no golf ball was used in the making of this photo, or the photographer was a lot braver than me! 

Happy Birthday, Mr. Benchley!

Robert Benchley was born September 15, 1989 and died a mere 56 years later.  He was a very, very funny man who appeared in two movies with our Bob, Piccadilly Jim (1936) and Live, Love and Learn (1937).  My brother, David, was born on September 15 in a later year, is still alive (although living in Florida he recently gave his sister a bit of a scare), and has never appeared in any movie at all.  Yet, he makes his sister laugh.  My love goes out to them both.

This is a photo of Mr. Benchley.  The following quotes are his, not my brother's.  Don't want to confuse anybody! 

Sand is also a good place on which to write, "I love you," as it would be difficult to get into court after several years have passed.

 Anything can happen, but it usually doesn’t.

 When I was a child I was of an affectionate disposition, but not enough to get arrested.

Bob ... And the Ever Present Ladies

Love my clippings ... cheap!!  And they are just so seldom available in the original photo form.  I mean how else are you going to find a photo of Preston Foster, Eddie Adams, Bob, Una Merkel and James Gleason!  The photo was taken at the 1937 Screen Actors Guild Ball.  (Does anyone know who Eddie Adams was?  Did she perhaps have a position in the union?  Can't find anything on her on IMDB.  Bugs me when I can't identify someone!) 

And a photo of Robert Young, Gertrude Niesen, Frank Morgan, Rita Johnson and Bob ... well, maybe not priceless.  The cheery group is singing in celebration of Frank Morgan's 25th Wedding Anniversary.  Now this is obviously an MGM public relations photo.  Young, Morgan, Johnson and Bob are all MGM contract players.  They would know each other and were probably at the studio working that day.  But...Gertrude Niesen?  She was a singer that made a few movie appearances at other studios, never worked for MGM.  Did they hire a singer so some one in the group could carry a tune?  (Sorry, Bob, an unkind remark in deed.)

And, lastly, a still from Night Must Fall (1937) with Dame May Whitty.  Just look at that face, that smile.  Want to share some chocolates, my dear, dear Danny?  

What Beautiful Hair (Bob's, Of Course)

My, what a gorgeous, sexy couple!  Have to admit it threw me when I first saw the photo, could not place it at all.  I was quite sure I knew all of Bob's leading ladies, but here he was in the arms of another woman!  How could this happen?!

Turns out it is a promotional shot for Untamed (1929) and Bob is shown with Gwen Lee, who played one of Joan Crawford's competitors for Bob's affection.  I think Joan had real cause for concern ...

Bob, Having Nothing Better To Do ...

One of the many duties of contract performers at the studios was to meet with visiting VIP's.  Young Bob shows up occasionally with French visitors, the assumption being that he actually spoke French.  Although Bob did not even finish high school, the schooling he did receive was obviously quite good.  Here he is in 1930 with Maurice Dekobra, a french novelist and screenwriter, and Mona Goya, a french actress under contract to MGM. 

                                Bob at MGM studios in 1930

I would imagine it was MGM's intent to convince Mr. Dekobra to write for them, a failed attempt if so.  He did sign with RKO to have one of his novels made into a movie, but returned to France afterwards.  Mona Goya made two movies for MGM, back when a french-language film was made parallel to its english-version, because good subtitles weren't yet in use.  One of those was Revolte dans la prison or The Big House, in which she played the sister of Bob's character in the movie.  Yeah, I can kinda see the similarity!