15 Days to Christmas - Hoping I Make it!

 I had intended on doing my usual Tuesday post on Ms. Merkel, a day early for her December 10th birthdate.  As I was working on it, I hit print and my room exploded into an horrific array of flashing lights and electronic sounds.  Anyway, as I guessed it to be, my computer was kaput.  Thanks to my unbelievably patient spouse, a replacement has been ordered and will be here, oh, they said mid-December, but it is the Holiday season after all.  Sigh.  Ah, the nightmares about losing my Montgomery archive ... 

Meanwhile, a nice photo of Una. 

                                       Una Merkel, early 1930s

Bob,Joan,Frank,Una,Clark,Bill,Robert or Roz?

 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer did not pass up many opportunities to make a little extra money off their stars fame.  Besides the picture frame photos, there were photos used on notebooks (or writing tablets, as I knew them).  I wasn't around for these notebooks, but I would have dreaded having to select just one for the upcoming school year.  In all honesty, as an elementary school student I probably would have chosen .... Clark Gable!  And Robert Taylor would have been my second choice.  Hey, Gable and Taylor were still making movies in the 1950s.  While Robert Montgomery was a TV producer and advisor to President Eisenhower.  Who would you have chosen? 

Just a Small Summer Affair at Mayfair (Oops...well it is close to Pickfair!)

I just love photos like this, full of interesting people.  And why are they gathered for this photo?  Seemingly to honor the seated elderly gent, a Mr. Daniel Frohman.  It appears Frohman was one of the theatrical Frohman brothers who were immensely powerful in the theater world in the late 1800s to early 1900s.   Charles, who was the brother in charge, died in 1915 in the sinking of the Lusitania and his syndicate was broken by the Shubert brothers within a year.  Brother Daniel was not left destitute. The Frohmans had set up a new company in 1912, along with Adolph Zukor, they named Famous Players Co., which would later become Paramount.  Daniel became managing director and Mary Pickford starred in their first production.  Twenty-four years later, Pickford invites a few of her closer friends over to Pickfair to honor her former boss.  And they're all so happy to be there...

 Well, I don't think Errol Flynn (27) is enjoying himself.  Evidently, he wasn't told it was a formal event, probably the only gent in the mansion not wearing a tuxedo.  The little lady on the far left is newly wed Mrs. D. W. Griffith.  Only 26, her 61-year-old husband is probably recuperating at home.  Next to her is actress Irene Hervey (27) who is at this time married to singer Allan Jones (28), the gent behind her.  Mary Pickford (44) is to the right of Mr. Frohman, while Una Merkel (32) stands next to her.  Of course, the gent in the center wearing a white tux with boutonniere is our 32-year-old Mr. Montgomery.  Would you call his smile smug? 

Marathon Discussion Part 1 (2 Days To Go!)

Nine movies being shown on Bob's birthday ... of course they are not all great movies, but they do have Bob in them.  That's reason enough to watch each at least once, perhaps a second time to follow the plot rather than just appreciating Mr. Montgomery. 

I would place four in the category of "must-see" Bobs, and you probably have seen them all.  Night Must Fall was Bob's favorite movie.  He put a lot of effort in the role and his performance is just wonderful.  The final scenes are just superb.  He deserved the Best Actor nomination ... at least.  

                   Rosalind Russell and Danny in Night Must Fall

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a delight.  Carole Lombard and Bob enjoyed working together and it shows through in their performances. There are a number of classic scenes that do not fail to make you laugh, no matter how many times you have seen them.  The IMDB rating is only 6.5.  I disagree wholeheartedly ... too many Hitchcock fanatics dissing the movie because it is a comedy and not your typical Hitchcock.  That's their loss.

Private Lives was first a play written by Noel Coward, and this is a faithful adaptation.  I'm sure it would have been just fantastic to see Coward and Gertrude Lawrence perform it on the stage, but Bob and Norma Shearer acquit themselves quite well.  An enjoyable movie, the leads ably supported by Una Merkel and Reginald Denny, the discarded spouses.  Did you know Laurence Olivier played Denny's role on the stage?  My fun newly acquired factoid for the day ...

                     Norma Shearer and Elyot in Privates Lives

And Hide-Out is purely a joy to watch.  Such a sweet romantic comedy, with one of the screen's best matches.  Yes, Maureen O'Sullivan was actually as good-looking as Bob.  If they had only made the sequel ...

Let's see, that leaves five movies to discuss.  I watched two of them earlier this evening, which is why I'm approaching my total collapse time already.  And three more to catch up on tomorrow.  Watching five Bob movies ... ah, the hard work I do for the blog!  Until tomorrow ...

Bob ... And the Ever Present Ladies

Love my clippings ... cheap!!  And they are just so seldom available in the original photo form.  I mean how else are you going to find a photo of Preston Foster, Eddie Adams, Bob, Una Merkel and James Gleason!  The photo was taken at the 1937 Screen Actors Guild Ball.  (Does anyone know who Eddie Adams was?  Did she perhaps have a position in the union?  Can't find anything on her on IMDB.  Bugs me when I can't identify someone!) 

And a photo of Robert Young, Gertrude Niesen, Frank Morgan, Rita Johnson and Bob ... well, maybe not priceless.  The cheery group is singing in celebration of Frank Morgan's 25th Wedding Anniversary.  Now this is obviously an MGM public relations photo.  Young, Morgan, Johnson and Bob are all MGM contract players.  They would know each other and were probably at the studio working that day.  But...Gertrude Niesen?  She was a singer that made a few movie appearances at other studios, never worked for MGM.  Did they hire a singer so some one in the group could carry a tune?  (Sorry, Bob, an unkind remark in deed.)

And, lastly, a still from Night Must Fall (1937) with Dame May Whitty.  Just look at that face, that smile.  Want to share some chocolates, my dear, dear Danny?  

Poor Una, the Worst Honeymoon Ever

Lets see, you actually marry your handsome Prince Charming, head off for a honeymoon in France,  and drats if Prince Charming (now Rat fink) doesn't run off with his ex-wife to Switzerland.  On YOUR honeymoon!  Poor Una. 

                      Private Lives (1931) Bob & Una Merkel

At least you have your wedding picture taken by George Hurrell wearing an absolutely scrumptious wedding gown.  (It's a 10x13 photo slightly trimmed because of my scanner.  Sorry, George!)