William Powell, His Career & His Mustache

Just feeling in the mood for a little William Powell ... he had an interesting career line.  Started as the bad guy with a villain's mustache.

                  Hal Skelly and Bill in Behind the Make-Up (1930)

Hits it big at MGM with The Thin Man (1934) and becomes the debonair Mr. Powell who could play it straight or for laughs.  The mustache becomes oh so elegant.

                        Bill at his debonair and elegant best

Then he is in the position to play most any role he wants, bushy white mustache included.

     Senator Melvin G. Ashton in The Senator was Indiscreet (1947)

Yes siree, Bob!***

Yes siree!  This ad would sure have caught my attention in 1937.  I mean, my sweet Bob wanted for murder?!  Shocking.  Would definitely have to see the movie to find out what this is about. 

'Tis a good night for watching TCM ... TWO Bob movies in a row, at decent show times.  The Divorcee (1930) is showing at 7:00 p.m. CST, followed by Night Must Fall (1937) at 8:30 p.m. CST.  And then a third Bob, They Were Expendable (1945), gets another showing at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.  Not bad. 

***Did you know:  During the mid-19th century, "Bob" was used as a euphemism for "God," as in "So help me, Bob!"  I'll pass at making any comparisons between the two.

Sightseeing, Montgomery Style

"Mr. Robert Montgomery, noted actor, is shown on the roof of Central Control during his visit to Cape Canaveral, Florida, 24 January 1963.  During his visit, Mr. Montgomery received a general orientation briefing on the organization and mission of the Air Force Missile Test Center and the Atlantic Missile Range, and a conducted tour of Cape Canaveral.  Shown with Mr. Montgomery (left) is Lt. Colonel H. E. Cannon, Air Force briefing and escort officer." 

In other words, Bob got a tour not offered to your average tourist.  Always nice to have friends in high places, even after you have retired.  And Bob is the snazzy dresser, as always. 

Will Success Spoil Bob Montgomery?

Way, way back on November 1st, 2016, I posted a copy of an article titled "The Strange Case of Bob Montgomery", written by a Romney Scott in the May, 1933 issue of Picture Play.  Mr. Scott was unusually critical of our Bob, writing he had become almost unbearable since reaching star status.  Browsing a later issue of the magazine, I ran across two fan letters commenting on the article.  In the first letter, the fan is talking about Alfred Lunt in MGM's The Guardsman. 

In the first paragraph of this second letter, the author refers to a publicity stunt involving Bob's polo ponies.  In Scott's article, he writes the word got around that Bob "thought it wrong for a man to own a string of polo ponies when there was so much distress in the world and that he was selling his ponies and donating the proceeds to the poor." Scott then points out that Bob never sold his ponies. 

Had to look up Phillips Holmes to see what happened to him.  IMDB's bio of Mr. Holmes is worth a read, interesting and sad.  And something not sad, When Ladies Meet (1933) is available on demand on TCM through March 5th. 

Uh, Mr. Montgomery, er, Would You Please?

A different autograph from Mr. Montgomery, one referencing his movie.  Of course, being your basic Type A personality (perfectionist, competitive, highly organized, ambitious, somewhat neurotic), he is all wrapped up in his current project.  On June 6, 1947, Bob is in the midst of directing and starring in Ride the Pink Horse.  Surprised he had the time to stop and sign a fan's autograph book. 

Letty Lynton, Everywhere But on DVD

How about this for one classy notebook cover.  Much too good to be trashed at school.  I would've kept mine at home, maybe propped up on my desk or a bookshelf.  The original owner of this notebook had the same thoughts ... not one page missing or scribbled on at all.  Now, if I could just locate a copy of the original photo ...

Powder-Keg Pet of Society!

I just don't think of Mighty Joe Young (1949) as being a John Ford movie.  It's not that it's a bad movie, but ... well, a giant ape movie?  I'm a Ben Johnson fan myself, so that alone would have gotten me to the theater.  The studio felt that a good ad program was needed to get a few more viewers.  They did great with this two-page ad, but I need to split the image to make it readable.

"Read the newspapers ... Watch the billboards ... Listen to the radio for opening date!"  Are we getting excited?!!

Mr. Montgomery and his Dark Side

One gorgeous print ... double-weight and not one mark on it.  Well, except for the autograph.  Bob was quite good at how he signed photos, signing in a background area if possible.  As in no scribbling across that handsome face.