Three Live Ghosts and a Bookseller

 Three Live Ghosts (1929) was released September 15th, 1929 ... a mere 94 years ago, the beginning of Bob's movie career approaching its centennial.  Wow.  That's a long time ago.  

                                            Bob in color!  

I Spend Way Too Much Time on my Computer!

I have a rather large file of photos I use as wallpapers, but I often go to a select few over and over again.  Pulled out ten of those for your perusal, in no particular order.  They all look better full screen, of course.  

Bob headed for Panama during his PT stage of his military career.  Bob is second from the left.  I particularly like this photo because this is real Bob, actually doing tour duty, not assigned to LA to make training films.  It was just so admirable of him to give up all the money he was making in 1940-1941 in order to do his civic duty, even though he was past draft age.  My hero.

A publicity photo taken for Three Live Ghosts (1929), his first movie, of course.  I have a photo of Bob's house in the early 1930s with this photograph displayed on a wall.  

Cagney and Bob on the set of The Gallant Hours (1960).  Great photo of two old friends finally getting the chance to work together.  Bob actually laughing, a full face smile.  Love it.

Bob directing on the set of The Gallant Hours.  Love the bullhorn.  He's having fun.

It's 1943, Bob has returned from his Pacific tour of duty and they have him doing some PR work.  Here we find him in Chicago being a master of ceremonies for some naval program.  A few fans have cornered him for autographs.  

Blondie of the follies (1932) with Marion Davies.  Great set, needs to be seen on a full screen.  The best hat ever!

The Shipmates (1931) publicity shots are all great.  It didn't hurt to have two good-looking stars as subjects.  

One of my newer wallpapers and currently my favorite.  Such a gorgeous young mam.  Rrfff.

An ALL-TALKING comedy-drama ... Wow!

 "When the last scene in Three Live Ghosts was shot, the three title characters were snapped with the director.  Left to right:  Claud Allister, Thornton Freeland, who directed this all talking comedy-drama for United Artists, Charles McNaughton and Robert Montgomery."

Hey, a 1929 publicity shot ... not bad. 

And who said Bob always wore tuxedos in his early movies.   Really.  (Although, the movie does end with him wearing a tux.)

 Just look at young Mr. Montgomery.  All that hair.  And that hanky came in handy to cover up his long neck.  Personally, I don't spend much time looking at Bob's neck. 

Three Live Ghosts, And One in Particular

 Another still from Three Live Ghosts (1929), Bob's missing movie.  Well, the film print may be lost, but there are plenty of stills and lobby cards.    Thank Goodness.  

Joan Bennett looks completely won over by our poor, down-on-his-luck Bob.  'Boy Gets Girl' is a rather common theme in most of Bob's movies.  Fortunately, the tattered clothes bit does not stay with him after this movie. 

And what the photo really does show is how much the camera adores the young Mr. Montgomery.  As I've said a few times before .... Rrrff!!

 

An Ambitious Youth Was He

A 1929 interview with the very young Mr. Montgomery follows.  It may well be the first time his path to the movies has been told, which would explain the different twists of the tale.  There is a buddy who travels with him on the oil tanker in this one and they actually travel all the way to Los Angeles to try to break into the movies, before Bob goes to NYC to begin his theater career.   Oh, well, it is a fun read. 

Check Out the Kerchief Hiding that Long Neck!

Three Live Ghosts (1929) is Bob's first film.  Yes, of course he had an uncredited role as a party attendee in The Single Standard, but dancing wildly in the background behind Garbo does not a movie actor make.  (Although he was quite the dancer!)  For a film that has been lost all these years, I am continuously amazed at the memorabilia available.  Photos, lobby cards and this movie summary from the British magazine "Picture Show" of April, 1930. 

Come to think of it, I really don't know when the movie disappeared.  It was remade in 1936, and I always assumed it was gone before then, perhaps after the first initial release.  It was an independent production, so who knows what kind of records were kept by the company.  What really causes me to wonder is the existence on IMDB of both a user review and five ratings.  I mean, how old are these people that they have seen this movie?  Just wondering....  Anyone know more than me, about this movie I mean ...

... It's That Glorious Head of Curly Hair!

It's another treasure find.  Not recognized in a lot of photos up for auction, was this worn, but in excellent shape for its age, still from Three Live Ghosts (1929).  Gosh, but it's fun coming across a photo of young Mr. Montgomery, not easily recognizable because he is not wearing his usual tuxedo!  And it is one I haven't seen before, so doubly nice. 

Actually, it is never the clothing that helps me recognize young Bob ... it's that glorious head of curly hair!

It still amazes me that there are stills and lobby cards existing for this long-lost movie.  I have more Three Live Ghosts stills in my collection than a number of his other movies.  Night Flight items are rare, no promotional photos that I know of, just a few terrific posters, none of which I can afford!  And I have few items from any of Bob's Norma Shearer movies.  Part of my problem there is all those gorgeous photos taken by Hurrell for Norma's movies.  The photos for Riptide alone ... need to get back to buying Lotto tickets.

As for this expenditure, that lot I bought ... anybody interested in some Joe E. Brown stills?  Have I got a deal for you! 

All Is Now Right With The World!

Ran across a photoplay book of Three Live Ghosts (1929), which was Bob's first movie.  While MGM had him under contract, they had not yet assigned him a picture.  So Bob sought one on his own and came up with a role in this film produced by a small production company.  It is the only film of Bob's that has been lost**, only a few lobby cards and stills have survived.  And this book!

I am including all the photos, along with their captions.  The first picture is of Bob and Joan Bennett, the young lovers.  Joan, with already six movie credits at 19, got fourth billing.  The totally unknown Bob was given seventh.  And, yes, So This Is College is usually listed as Bob's first movie, but it is the second one he made.  College was simply released before Ghosts. 

                   The "Three Live Ghosts" ask for their back pay.

                       "I've been looking a long time for you."

              "They were given to me by a very kind gentleman."

                   "Jolly little chick -- Took to me right away."

               Scotland Yard quizzes everyone suspected of the
                          jewelry robbery and kidnapping.
 

                Spoofy displays the treasures he has annexed
                                        at Lord Leicester's.

And --- saving the best for last --- this final photo is a real treasure find for me.  I have always thought of this movie as being a non-tuxedo film of Bob, since all the stills I had seen before show him in a tattered suit and scarf.   But NO! it actually is both the first appearance of Bob and the first time we see Bob in his trademark tux!  All is now right with the world. 

                                               Nifty!!

                                            
 ** Letty Lynton (1934) is only lost legally.  Some day a miracle could happen and we will be able to see a clear print ... some day.            
            

I'll See You and Raise You Two

Constance Bennett, the lady with the large eyes, was born October 22, 1904.  Born into an acting family, she was the older sister of Joan Bennett who appeared with Bob in Three Live Ghosts (1929).  Constance was the highest-paid actress in the movies in 1931 when she made The Easiest Way.  A strong-willed independent lady who would later establish successful clothing and cosmetics businesses, Constance was an accomplished poker player ... kinda fitting.  

           Bob and Constance Bennett ... one good-looking couple!
 

                            Bob, Constance and Adolphe Menjou

 Love the caption for the above photo, used in a vintage movie magazine:  It took all three stars to save the old worn-out plot of  "The Easiest Way."   Ouch!

Such a Handsome Young Man

An original 8x10 photo of Bob taken in 1930, a Louise photograph (pre-Hurrell!) with his autograph...what's not to like!  You can even tell he has blue eyes, the iris in the right eye is definitely on the light side, something not caught by most of his photos.

What made this photo even more of a treasure for me is what I discovered on the back, a list of Bob's movies starting with Three Live Ghosts (1929) through Ever Since Eve (1937).  The consistency of the handwriting indicates it was written in 1937 or after (my handwriting certainly changed over any 17-year period).  The earlier movies are slightly out of order, but close.  Interestingly, three of his movies are listed using the working titles:  The Richest Man in the World for Sins of the Children (1930), The Girl I Made for Made on Broadway (1933) and The Suicide Club for Trouble for Two (1936).  And two movies have been combined as Free and Easy Divorce ...makes a great title!

Wonder why the list was made after all those years.  Did the photo change hands and the new owner made the list?  Or was the original owner testing her/his memory?  And why the use of working titles?  I am puzzled.  As I usually am about so much of Mr. Montgomery.  What's the saying; "The more I know, the more I realize how little I know."  Yep, that's me. 

Three Live Ghosts ... No Longer Alive?

Bob was signed by MGM in January, 1929, one of many Broadway actors signed in a rush by the studios to appear in the new "talkies."  They had him, but apparently were not sure what to do with him, letting him sit idle.  Having been advised that he needed to get himself in a better position to get the attention of the MGM brass, Bob went looking for and found a role in a Joseph M. Schenck production which was distributed by United Artists.  It worked.  MGM immediately cast him in  So This is College and it would be some years before he was allowed any more idle moments by the studio.  Three Live Ghosts was released in September 15, 1929.  Bob would be co-starred in four films by MGM that were filmed before the end of the year.

Three Live Ghosts has become a ghost itself, no prints of the movie having survived the years.  We are left with a couple dozen stills, a herald and a lobby card (that I know of!).  Wouldn't it be fascinating to see Bob appear on screen for the first time?!  (And, yes, I know.  He was an extra in The Single Standard.  Whereas it is enjoyable to watch the young Bob dancing across the screen, it is his voice that makes the man for me.)

I've blown up Bob from the photo so you can see him without a magnifying glass.  Note how they have a scarf around that rather long neck.   And, whereas the hat is rather nifty, the rest of his attire is old and scruffy.  The first and last time you will see a scruffy Bob! 

Three Live Ghosts, Lost Again

When I first saw this photo, it seemed familiar but I just could not place it.    It was on sale on eBay for some time, listed a tad on the high side.  And, then, when the price was lowered, I paused rather than buying it right away and managed to lose it to some lucky Bob fan. 

                                 Three Live Ghosts (1929)

At least I finally realized why it was familiar.   The photo on the wall of Bob's home is from the same photo shoot, Bob is looking away in this one.  So, that lucky fan not only has a great photo of the very young Bob, but has basically the same photo Bob had in his home.  That's just nifty. 

More Fan Favs

Thanks to Desiree for providing a few of her favorite photos. Desiree also runs the Rosalind Russell blog - go check it out!

Fast and Loose: One of my fav's too

Behind the scenes on Night Must Fall

Three Live Ghosts: The one Bob flick we may never get to see

Boo! Three Live Ghosts (1929)

Being Halloween, I thought it would be perfect to bring up Bob's first "starring" role in Three Ghosts. I'd love to tell you more, but it is the only Bob movie I have never seen - it's lost. For a quick plot overview, I'll run you over to IMDB. In the meantime, there is the 1936 version with Richard Arlen and Beryl Mercer, who was also in the 1929 version. Wonder if that's on DVD...