James Francis Cagney, born this day July 17th on the lower east side of Manhattan in 1899. A compelling performer. For sure.
Just love the print below. All that energy bundled up and ready to explode. Dig the eyelashes. I'm envious.
A mustache worked okay for young Mr. Cagney, in his tough guy roles in particular. Much better than Bob. For sure.
Jim and best friend Frank McHugh practicing being tough with one another. I wonder how many movies they made together.
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.
Meanwhile ... that's all I can handle for now. Hoping life returns next week!
James Francis Cagney was born this day in 1899 ... Now that's a long time ago. 19th century. Anyway, this photo was used by NBC in advertising the Robert Montgomery Presents episode of September 10, 1956, titled "Soldier from the Wars Returning". This was Cagney's first and last live television show, it had to be scary for a life-long movie star to deal with live television. It was a big favor for old friend Bob, the show led off what was to be the last season of RMP. A good show/performance, but not good enough to save the series.
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Boy, 1899 ... that's a long time ago! And Cagney is still remembered. Now that's a successful movie career.
Of course, Mr. Cagney and Mr. Montgomery were close friends, a friendship lasting for almost 50 years. The following photos, taken during filming of The Gallant Hours (1960), so beautifully show the sincere feelings they had for each other. It appears it is Cagney's turn to tell the joke ...
... and Bob's turn to laugh at the punchline.
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Yeah, I know the photos have been used a time or two on the blog. It's just that I enjoy them so much it's always nice to have an excuse to use them.
112 degrees predicted for the 4th, here in Beautiful Bakersfield, CA. My husband will not be cooking on the outside grill. Bummer. I'll just have to console myself watching three favorite musicals on TCM: 1776 (1972), an absolute delight; Music Man (1962), an all-time favorite of mine; and, of course, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Cagney is just great.
Hoping you have a fun holiday.
This is one of the very few examples of Bob's handwriting that I have come across. The letters I have are all typed, and his early letters are probably both written and signed by his secretary! I even have a letter from him to Mr. James Cagney ... and it's typed even. At least he signed it, as Bob, not Mr. Montgomery!
Nice photo of Bob and Helen Hayes from Another Language (1933) on the cover of the January, 1934 issue of Film Pictorial. You'd think there would be something inside about Bob, and/or the movie, but there isn't a darn thing! (I was a tad disappointed when I received it...)
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Anyway, it does have this nifty photo of Mr. Cagney ... a real dude.
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I just discovered I failed to publish my post for the 4th .... aaargh!!! A million apologies. Hopefully TCM will keep the great musicals around for streaming. Geesch.
Great schedule of musicals on TCM for today, highlighted by Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) at 2:30 p.m. PT, The Music Man (1962) at 5:00 p.m. PT, and 1776 (1972) at 7:45 p.m. PT. Three all-time favorites of mine, just impossible to say one is better than the other. I need to check the popcorn supply, and then settle in for a day at the movies. Sounds like it's going to be too hot and/or wet to enjoy the outside anyway!
Bob looks a tad awkward holding a baby in this scene from War Nurse with co-star June Walker. Of course, Betty was just pregnant with their first child during the filming, so Bob would be rather unexperienced dealing with babies. The baby looks so large compared to the very diminutive Ms. Walker.
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Three decades later Bob looks and is an old hand at being around babies. Here he is holding the real Robert Montgomery III, who is helping his grandfather celebrate his 55th birthday on the set of The Gallant Hours along with cast members Dennis Weaver and Mr. James Cagney. One can only imagine the pieces of studio cake Bob and Jim had at on-the-set parties over the years.
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They were both born in the state of New York, but were worlds apart. The young Cagney grew up in the lower east side of Manhattan, Montgomery in an upper middle class home in upstate New York. Bob attended a private prep school, but left before he could graduate when his father died. Cagney, somewhat surprisingly, completed high school and attended a semester of college before dropping out when his father died. Cagney started in show business as a dancer, Bob went straight to acting and began his movie career in 1929, followed the next year by Jimmy. They were both successful, rising to the top rapidly.
Anyway, they seemed more different than they actually were. Both became involved in the Screen Actors Guild when it started. I've always assumed that's how they met, not really sure. Bob was very busy at MGM, and the same for Jimmy at Warner Bros. And they did not hang about in the same social circles, for sure.
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James Francis Cagney was born on July 17, 1899, in New York City, New York. Died in 1986 at the age of 86. In between, he made a few movies and became a real star. It's extremely difficult to dislike Mr. Cagney on the screen.
Cagney was a redhead with extremely fair-haired facial hair. They had to darken his eyebrows and lashes for his screen roles. Note in the photo below that his right eyebrow is highlighted only with a slim dark line. Somewhat feminine, but a great accent. Definitely catches your attention, in a good way.
James Cagney, c. 1931
"'Gunsmoke' was never like this," says Dennis Weaver (left). Between scenes for The Gallant Hours, Weaver is getting hoofing lessons from an experienced pro, James Cagney. Cagney, who plays Adm. William F. Halsey in the movie, finds dancing between sequences helps him to relax and unwind.
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And a blow-up of Bob's face, big enough so you know who it is! Bob is showing his gentleman farmer girth above ... and, whereas he's wearing white slacks, his shoes are not white but black! Eek.
So, I'm guessing Jimmy stops by the set of Unfinished Business (1941) to see Bob, and fellow Irish Mafia member Ralph has tagged along. Preston looks like he fits right in with the boys, Bob a little reserved. Or maybe he has just heard Jimmy's joke before. Wouldn't you love to hear what Jimmy said to make everyone laugh.
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"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?
Yes, that's Mrs. Murphy with a good grip on Mr. Montgomery's arm. Mrs. Montgomery is between Mr. Murphy and Mrs. Cagney. Late 1930's version of wife swapping.
The above two photos show that Bob, although a heavy smoker, was seldom caught by the photographer with a cigarette in hand or mouth. Nor was he photographed wearing his glasses. Both he and Irene, below, have eyeglasses in hand.
Another photo of 'the boys' on the set of The Gallant Hours (1960) that I recently managed to add to my collection. Besides being a fan of both, I simply admire their long friendship. Fifty years. Impressive for movie folks. I guess the key was simply not talking 'shop' and having other interests in common, like poetry and duck hunting. A rather unusual combination come to think of it. Of course, one would say that Cagney and Montgomery were not average men. For sure.
"Reginald Denny and Robert Montgomery have decided that a rolling stone may gather some tan if it rolls far enough away to do it, so acquire the "alura" skin while chopping wood away off at the Denny mountain cabin, attired only in those dainty, masculine unmentionables referred to in in polite society, if at all, as shorts."
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"Bob Montgomery is all in favor of European, especially Italian, speed laws. They not only let you go as fast as you want, but in Italy they actually encourage you to see how fast you can make it. They checked Bob out in his Bentley on a run to Milan (in 1935). He did it averaging 70 miles per hour. The cops were the first to congratulate Bob. What a country!"
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"If you have learned by mail or somehow or other just exactly how to make an avocado tree grow in New England, it will be worth exactly one thousand dollars to you if you'll prove it to Bob Montgomery. Bob wants to grow his favorite fruit on his New York farm, but doesn't know how. He offers one grand for such horticultural success. Don't push all you farmers and farmerettes."
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"Yep---they've really gone horse crazy in Hollywood. When Fred Astaire's wife had their baby the other day, Bob Montgomery, who is expecting one in the family any time now, sent a telegram to Fred: Congratulations, it read. Yours to win and mine to show." (Slight problem in this story. Astaire's son was born Jan. 21, 1936 and Bob Jr. was born Jan. 6th. Perhaps it was Astaire who sent the telegram. Whatever, it's just Hollywood!)
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"Wonder if you knew that Bob Montgomery has a brother? Maybe you'll see him---if his test turns out all right. Donald is his name. He visited Bob the other day, and just a trip around the lot won him a break before the testing lens. Handsome lad, he is, too. Very much of the he-man type." (This is from a 1936 magazine.)
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