The Supreme Thrill, A Cast of 3,000!!!

 Hell below has been one-upped.  It had a cast of a mere 1,000, but The Big House (1930) claims 3,000!!  Just love the 1930s publicity departments.  

When the picture was filmed, they had Bob's character married to Leila Hyams who is romanced by escapee and Bob's roomie, Chester Morris.  Thankfully, it was decided to change Leila's role to being his sister.  After all, Chester was portraying a good guy, not a creep wooing the wife of poor Bob back in The Big House.  Good move.  

TCM is streaming The Big House until April 27th and The Secret Land (1948) until April 20th.  

An Appropriate Christmas Gift for Young Bob

 Back a few years, a couple dozen books of Bob's, via Bob Jr., became available on eBay.  I bought a few, although I wanted them all.  Drats ... I really do need to win the lottery.  

How fitting for this book to be part of Bob's library.  

Young Bob has autographed all the books I have from the period 1930 to 1933.  He will later on design and use a bookplate, instead of signing the flyleaf.  (Sorry, don't have a copy of the bookplate ... one of the many auctions I have lost!)  

The book was a gift to Bob from Del, a 1930 Christmas gift.  It appears Del is a close friend of Bob's, and has a great sense of humor.  That is, unfortunately, all I know about her.  

The Thrill Picture of All Time!

A love story without equal!  Months in secret production with a cast of thousands!  Mightiest picture of all time!  

Well, there is perhaps a tad bit of exaggeration involved in this Hell Below (1933) ad.  I'm not sure why "months in secret production" would make a movie better.  Seems like that would be difficult to accomplish having to deal with a cast of thousands...  I rather like the movie.  The adventure scenes are quite good for 1933.  Bob does a fine job of his strictly dramatic/romance role.  It's the humor element that is the weak part.  I mean, Jimmy Durante fighting a kangaroo.  Really?  

Pearls and Long White Gloves, Classy!

 INSIDE HOLLYWOOD by Nat Dallinger, week ending June 8, 1956:  Ray Milland and his wife, Mal (Muriel) attend a cocktail party at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  One of the screen's most popular stars and more recently a top favorite with television fans, Ray made his Hollywood film debut in 1931.  In that same year he and Mal were married, making this year (1956) their 25th wedding anniversary.

Mal was definitely a classic beauty who stayed married to Ray for 54 years, until he passed in 1986.  Hats off to her for achieving that, particularly in Hollywood.  And hats off to Ray for appearing in public sans toupee.  He's still the handsome gent.  A really classy 1950s couple, for sure!

As Cute as Snoopy fighting the Red Baron!

 "Robert Montgomery, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer featured player and his new Travel air plane."

Bob the pilot in his brief time as a flyer.  It was certainly an expensive lark if he did actually buy a plane.  Other than a couple photos of him in his all-white flying outfit, there is very little information about his flying activities.  He apparently went with Chester Morris to Georgia where the two of them obtained licenses and then flew back to Los Angeles.  That is all I've come up with.  It would be great to know why he quit flying.  I'm going to guess that Betty put her foot down when she was pregnant with their first child, telling Bob he needed to grow up and think of his family first.   Could be.  I do know he was unbearably cute in his pilot hat with the goggles!  

Betty and Bob Montgomery ... Just Folks

 The article is a bit on the long side, but an enjoyable read.  Notable because Betty is a significant part of the article.  A true rarity.  It appeared in the June 8th, 1934, issue of The Family Circle.  

2 Guys Plus 2 Girls ='s 4 Times the Fun!!

 MGM had an impressive number of handsome and successful stars on their books in the 1930s.  It was easy for them to come up with a variety of trios or foursomes, which really helped with the draw of the films.  The storylines may not have been the best, but the fans could be happy with just seeing one of their favorites up on the screen.  If I'm not mistaken, the plot for Man-Proof was something like ... Myrna is in love with Walter but he marries Roz who turns to Franchot for comfort.  

            Myrna, Franchot, Roz and Walter in Man-Proof (1938)

I like the photo for the way it handled the height problem, like when the guy is barely taller than the woman.  Franchot has to be sanding on a box.  

Mr. Cagney Politely Listens to his Director, Mr. Montgomery

 "Robert Montgomery (right) does his first acting in 11 years, a bit in The Gallant Hours, Admiral Halsey's story, which he is producing and directing.  Here, it's direction that demands his time, setting up a scene with James Cagney, as Halsey, and Dennis Weaver (center)."

Gee, but I wish Bob had done 'a bit' in The Gallant Hours (1960).  He was in the line of ship officers shaking hands with the retiring Halsey (Cagney) as he exits the ship.  They even cut that out, can only see him from behind briefly as Cagney shakes his hand.  (See the May 20, 2014 post for shot of Bob/Cagney.)

I like how the photo captures Bob using his hands to help with his direction.  I am glad they finally got the chance to make a movie together.   

I don't know, but is that the Montgomery smirk?

Betty and Bob Actually Leave the House

 What I know about these clippings is that the first one comes from a July, 1946 issue of Screen Romances.  The middle one was probably taken at the same event at an art gallery.  The third, who knows.  Anyway, it's the brooch Buffy is wearing that caught my eye.  Then I realized she's wearing the same dress in all three photos.  

Bob looks bored.  Perhaps someone is trying to sell him a painting.  

The photo caption is for Nov. 6, when Betty announced from Las Vegas that she was divorcing Bob.   That was in 1950.  Their separation hit the gossip columns in August of that year.  The photo was taken some time before that.  Maybe even back in 1946.  Bob looking bemused.  Definitely not the look of a man in the midst of a divorce.  

1929 Was a Very Good Year for Bob

 Another version of our extremely photogenic 1929 Bob Montgomery.  Do not know anything about it.  This is a small photo, slightly smaller than a standard postcard.  Purchased it from a vendor in France.  Of course Bob was pretty much locked up in the studio at this time, so he didn't trek off to Paris to have it taken.  I'm thinking it was reprinted in France at a later time, which might explain the unusual size.  

Whatever, he is just gorgeous.  I like the emphasis on Bob's long delicate hand.  Nifty.