Mystery photo

Posted on July 1, 2008 by lmharnisch
2008_0630_mystery_photo

Los Angeles Times file photo

  • William Desmond Taylor? Alas, no.
  • Harry Houdini? I’m afraid not.
  • George Raft? Sadly, no.
  • Tod Browning? Alas, no.
  • Bud Abbott? Sorry, no.
  • Jose Ferrer? Alas, no.
  • Charles Butterworth? Sorry, no
  • Erich von Stroheim? I’m afraid not.
  • George Burns? Say goodnight, Gracie.
  • Danny Kaye? Sorry no.
  • Irving Berlin? Alas, no.
  • Kirk Douglas? I’m afraid not.
  • Irving Thalberg? Alas, no.
  • Walter Winchell? Sorry, no.
  • Valentino? I’m afraid not.
Steven Bibb guessed the answer yesterday, but I’m having so much fun that I think I’ll post another photo as a clue.

2008_0701_mystery_photo

And just to make it a little more challenging, who is the actress doing the Batusi?

Yes, this is Franklin Pangborn, above, with Caryl Lincoln and Ethel Wales in "Cradle Snatchers," directed by Howard Hawks.

He’s better recognized here with the funny glasses:

Franklin_pangborn_1929_crop

And here’s one final picture…. any guesses on Mr. Pangborn’s companion?

2008_0702_mystery_pix

  • Zazu Pitts? Sorry, no.

Hint: She was a WAMPAS baby. (Now I’ve given it away).

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Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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10 Responses to Mystery photo

  1. Sandra Ponce's avatar Sandra Ponce says:
    June 30, 2008 at 10:57 am

    George Raft?

    Like

  2. MichaelRyerson's avatar MichaelRyerson says:
    June 30, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    Tod Browning?

    Like

  3. Carl Baskin's avatar Carl Baskin says:
    June 30, 2008 at 1:59 pm

    Erich von Stroheim?

    Like

  4. Yvonne's avatar Yvonne says:
    June 30, 2008 at 3:18 pm

    Danny Kaye?

    Like

  5. Rob Case's avatar Rob Case says:
    June 30, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    WITH THAT CHIN… KIRK DOUGLAS?

    Like

  6. Arye Michael Bender's avatar Arye Michael Bender says:
    June 30, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    My first guess too was William D. Taylor. That ruled out, how about Israel Isidore Beilin (AKA Irving Berlin)?

    Like

  7. Joe Gannon's avatar Joe Gannon says:
    July 1, 2008 at 9:20 am

    Valentino?

    Like

  8. Carol Gwenn's avatar Carol Gwenn says:
    July 1, 2008 at 9:27 am

    William Haines?

    Like

  9. Arye Michael Bender's avatar Arye Michael Bender says:
    July 1, 2008 at 9:44 am

    Now I know where John Travolta got ‘it’. Is that the ever insouciant Mabel Normand?

    Like

  10. tubbfan's avatar tubbfan says:
    July 3, 2008 at 10:04 am

    Didn’t he appear in a Little Rascals short as a photographer? Spanky refused to get his picture took???

    Like

Comments are closed.