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!