A Bunch of Old Pros - On TCM thru March 17th

I have always enjoyed watching well-seasoned professionals doing their thing.  Watching The Last Hurrah (1958) one gets to enjoy a rather large gathering of them, five of them are pictured below.  Clockwise from upper left, we have James Gleason, most famous for the role of Max Corkle in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), and as Sylvester the cab driver in The Bishop's Wife (1947).  On his left is Ricardo Cortez born Jacob Krantz, son of Jewish Austrian immigrants, who was anointed by Hollywood as one of the second comings of Valentino.  Well, he wasn't but he did a good job as Sam Spade in the original The Maltese Falcon (1931) and would keep his acting career alive through the 1940s.  

Next, seated, is Pat O'Brien.  I did not know before this that O'Brien was a classmate of Tracy, and both were born in Milwaukee!  The other three gents were all born in New York City, a much more commonplace hometown for performers.  Anyway, the two friends even joined the Navy together to fight in WWI, but the war was over before they completed training.  They probably had a beer or two to celebrate that blessing.  

                                       The Last Hurrah (1958)

I'll skip Spencer Tracy.  Nothing to add to the above trivia.  The last person is Edward Brophy, who portrays "Ditto" in the film.  The small chubby faced gent played a number of similar characters throughout his career.  As an MGM contract player, he appeared in three of Mr. Montgomery's movies:  Free and Easy (1930) (an uncredited role as Benny the Stage Manager - look fast!); Our Blushing Brides (1930); and Hide-Out (1934) (as Detective Britt who arrests "Lucky").  

The rest of the cast isn't shabby.  Pros to include Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp, John Carradine, Frank McHugh, and Wallace Ford.  It would take John Ford as director to keep this crowd under control!   

TCM! - I've got this film you need to show.

 When I first ran across this photograph, it caught my eye because two of my favorite people, Reginald Owen and Frank Morgan, were in it.  And there is Virginia Bruce, as well, all decked out in a gorgeous gown and fancy hairdo.  I thought it was a publicity shot for The Great Ziegfeld (1936), since Owens, Morgan and Bruce were all in it, but it is named on the back as being Escapade (1935).  Then, looking up the movie, I found that William Powell and Luise Rainer star in both movies as well!  What?  

It did take a long time to film Ziegfeld, from April 8th to December 1935.  Escapade filming began at the same time, April 3rd, but was wrapped up in May.  Did the studio make Escapade to build up fan interest in Ziegfeld, a much larger production?  Use the core cast for both movies while having to wait out the year to film all the other performers?  Sounds 'bout right.  It is interesting that Escapade has a 7.3 rating on IMDB, while Ziegfeld has the lower score of 6.6. 

I would love to see the movie but, of course, it is not available anywhere.  Shuckie-darns!  

Okay, enlarging the good folks so you can see them ... Reginald Owen.

Mady Christians ... wonder how early she had to be at the studio for that hairdo!

Frank Morgan ... with a full beard and dark hair for a change.

Virginia Bruce ... knitting away.  The lady has been on a sound stage many a time.

I do not know who this gent is.  Evidently a fan of Ms. Bruce.  Herringbone jacket, striped shirt and checkered tie - my.  Would love to see the outfit in color.  Anyone know who he is?  

Not the Best Sea Duty

Ah, those lucky young men that ended up in Antarctica for their tour of duty... poor, poor souls.  

TCM is showing The Secret Land (1948) until March 31st, if you are so inclined to watch military exercises in Antarctica.  This documentary is well done, and it is always great to listen to then Commander Robert Montgomery.  It's just not everyone's cup of tea.  

I just noticed something checking out IMDB --- the director's name is Orville O. Dull!  Too much.  

Sorry, don't handle colds very well!

 Back in the day, a cold was almost nothing to handle.  Now I'm just happy to survive another day.

Meanwhile ... Mister Roberts (1955) has always been a favorite of mine.  Starring four excellent actors, I'm most appreciative of Mr. Cagney's effort as the dictatorial Captain.  And I'll always love just anything Mr. Powell contributes on the big screen.

Jack Lemmon, James Cagney, Henry Fonda and William Powell in Mister Roberts

Meanwhile ... that's all I can handle for now.  Hoping life returns next week!

Article written by Mr. Montgomery and published in the July 27, 1940 issue of Collier's.

 

Born in Pittsburgh ... Who'da Thunk it?

Adolphe Menjou, suave, debonair and a tailor-made scene-stealer, was born February 18, 1890.  When changing studios during his career, it required trucks to take his wardrobe with him.    

Dapper, well-dressed, no matter his age.  

... And hamming it up as Nicolai Nicoleff in Gold Diggers of 1935.

Happy Valentine's Day!

An absolutely beautiful card received by my maternal grandmother in 1911.  And, no, it was not sent by my grandfather to be.  Grandpa was a good farmer but did not have the feminine touch to choose this.  

25 cents for an 8 x 10 star portrait ... I'll take 5 of Robert Montgomery, 4 of William Powell ...

 Helen Rydell of Los Angeles, Cal. was a clever fan.  She figured out that she could buy a 1 cent stamp for a postcard that she would send to MGM asking for a photograph of a favorite star and then receive in return a picture postcard of her star asking for either 10 cents for a 5 x 7 photo or 25 cents for an 8 x 10.  1 cent vs. 10 or 25 cents.  Good one, Helen.  This ad campaign was short-lived, just briefly in 1937 to 1938.  It's no wonder.  

She also asked for a Frank Morgan photo and receives one which includes Clark Gable as well.  

Helen's request was for Maureen O'Sullivan ... not Beery.  

So, the three photos cost Helen a total of 3 cents.  They cost me a tad bit more.  

Well, except for the rosy-red lips ...

 Allas, a Swedish magazine did a good job on Bob's eyes, they are blue instead of the most-often colorized brown.  The red lips, a tad over-the-top.  

...And who would play Nora in her movie?

 Nora Gregor was born February 3, 1901, in Austria-Hungary.  The lady led an interesting life.  May I heartedly suggest reading the biography included on IMDB (mostly under Trivia), as well as Wikipedia's entry on her second Husband Prince Ernst Starhemberg.  Way too complex a life to condense to fit in this post!  It would make for a great movie, if they would only make those kinds of movie anymore.

But the Flesh is Evil (1932) was a failed attempt by Ms. Gregor to establish a movie career in Hollywood.  Her thick Austrian accent and age (31, after all!) did not appeal to the American movie audience.  

... and Bob does an Excellent Turn as a Heel

"WEDDED BLISS . . . Helen Hayes and Robert Montgomery are the fight-and-make up newlyweds in "Another Language" in which they are starred by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer under direction of  E.H. Griffith."  

        Bob and Helen Hayes in Another Language (1933)

The studio certainly did not waste production money on using publicity stills to advertise Another Language.  I have run across all of two publicity stills for the movie, this and another photo of Bob and Helen.  There are a few on set candid's and that's it.  IMDB notes the movie was originally intended to star Norma Shearer who backed out shortly before the movie was underway to take care of her ailing husband, Mr. Thalberg.  That might explain the lack of planned publicity for the movie.  I have never been a big Hayes fan, but I'm sure her performance was better than anything a miscast Shearer would have given.  

"Hello, Dahlings!"

                      Tallulah Bankhead, b. January 31, 1902

Small and Classy

 Trading cards are just nifty.  Most are 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" but can be both smaller and larger.  Small is the key thought.  Many are colored, like Bob the sailor with the great coat and scarf.  

The German company "Ross" cards, both postcard and trading cards, are all in the elite category.  

Have always admired the photographs of Bob and Ann Harding taken for The Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935) using a clear white backdrop.  The trading cards are much more affordable to collect than the 8"x10" format!

Another nice colored card of Bob in But the Flesh is Weak (1932).  

Most cards are solo shots of stars and film couples.  Have not run across many scenes from movies.  The production needs to be good enough for the scenes to be legible.  Keeping in mind trading cards are give-a-ways, the print company had to keep costs down as much as possible.  This scene from Night Must Fall (1937) is definitely one of the better cards.  

Yes, small and classy.

What an Odd Occupation Movie Acting Is

So, you're doing a scene along with five other performers and six crew members all crowded together with sound booms, camera and lights ... and you're supposed to deliver some inane lines while wearing a towel wrapped around your head.  And somehow, it all looks so real on the big screen.  Rather amazing when you think about it.  

,

A slightly larger look at Bob and Marion Davies so you can see them "in action" on the set of Ever Since Eve (1937).

  

Ever Since Eve is available for streaming on TCM until February 13th.  Also showing is No More Ladies (1935) until February 1st.  

Alfred Jones or Reginald Truscott-Jones or ... Ta-Ta, it's Ray Milland!

 Wow ... I really am late remembering Mr. Milland.  Forgive me, please, kind sir.  Anyway, such a stern look from the young man.  I'm guessing the photo was taken in 1934 when Ray signed up with Paramount.  That would make him 27 at the time.  Such a handsome dude.  

                             Ray Milland, born January 3, 1907

My, but those eyes ...

Ran across this photograph on eBay just this past year.  There is no identifying studio or photographer's stamp, so I am guessing Ruth Harriet Louise took it.  Looks like her work and she was in charge of MGM's photography unit (1925 to 1930) when young Mr. Montgomery first entered the movies.  It was in a small group of Bob's more recent portraits, and I can only assume it was overlooked since no one else bid on them.  Definitely my "find" for the year.  It is my wallpaper at present.  Yes, it is great to get lost in those blue eyes.  

Hoping 2026 will be Mucho better than 2025!

                            Sydney, Australia, January 1, 2026
 

Embarrassingly enough, the City of Bakersfield CA, sponsors a Polar Bear event on News Years Day.  Yes, ever so brave hungover citizens of this desert community line up for the opportunity to jump or slide into a city pool.  Brace yourselves denizens of the Mid-West, for the mid-day temperature this year was 67 degrees!  Oh, my, brrrrrr...  Granted the low temp for the day was 44 degrees so I can imagine the water was refreshing, but ...  Let's see, it got up to 35 in Indianapolis, IN ... above freezing at least.  And in Milwaukee, poor Milwaukee, it topped out at 16 degrees!!!  Ouch.  

The Aussies know how to throw a party.  Another spectacular fireworks display presented in Sydney.  Nifty.  

My computer problem(s) has finally been resolved, and I will return to my regularly scheduled programming next Tuesday ... or I certainly hope so!