Movie star mystery photos |

Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

Update: The woman below is indeed Veda Ann Borg. The above photo was put in her folder by mistake and I didn’t notice when I was scanning the pictures! She’s not Veda Ann Borg. Any guesses as to whom she might be?

Los Angeles Times file photo

Veda Ann Borg in a 1941 photograph taken while she was making "Two Yanks in Trinidad."

OK, who is she?

Is it Veda Ann Borg? (L.C.) Absolutely! Congrats!

Can you guess the identities of our mystery Hollywood movie stars

We have a correct answer! Betty Healy? (D. Webb).

Yes, this is Betty Braun (or Betty Healy) with Ted Healy of Ted Healy and His Stooges. She was sometimes known as the "girl stooge."

She came out of retirement to play Stan Laurel’s wife, Bubbles, in "Our Relations."

To recap: Our mystery guest was brought to Hollywood to appear in "Murder at the Vanities." However he is NOT listed the imdb entry for the movie. To make it even more difficult, his name is misspelled in the listing of the Broadway production of "Murder" so he’s even harder to find.

Wait! Wait! This just in: Paul Gerrits? (Alexa Foreman). Yes, this is skater Paul Gerrits (or Gerrish in ibdb), who was a sensation in the Broadway version of "Murder at the Vanities." He appeared in several movies and worked in Los Angeles as a master of ceremonies, often for Earl Carroll.

Nice work, Alexa!

The identity of our mystery artist was guessed by Nathan Marsak: Actress Gail Russell, star of "The Angel and the Badman." Congratulations, Nathan!

Below left, the signature of Gail Russell. The Daily Mirror thanks Jackie Lugo of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for the picture of Russell’s painting. After Russell died, her brother gave the painting to Johnny Grant. Upon Grant’s death, the picture passed to Lugo.

I have no idea how many other Gail Russell paintings there are. I suspect not too many.

And who is the Reagans’ mystery dinner companion?

Hint: Hoosier hoopster. NBA. Now ask yourself, does this gent look like an athlete? Someone said something about the Pacers…. You’re red hot!

11 Responses to Movie star mystery photos

Joe Gannon says:

August 25, 2008 at 8:39 am

If she wasn’t Mrs. Lottie Chase Hardy, then she was Mrs. Betty Laurel, played by Dorothy Christy. Is that right?

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Arye Michael Bender says:

August 25, 2008 at 8:57 am

A Saint named Eva Marie?

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David Andrews says:

August 25, 2008 at 9:22 am

Mystery star: Alida Valli

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tom murphy says:

August 25, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Madeline Carroll? – the 30’s and 40’s and 50’s version, not the ‘tween star of today.

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Arye Michael Bender says:

August 25, 2008 at 3:33 pm

Ted Healy always looked like the kinda guy who would keep Stooges around. Don’t think he could of handled the Marx boys though.

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David Andrews says:

August 26, 2008 at 4:43 am

Moira Shearer.

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rechercher says:

August 26, 2008 at 12:11 pm

With the Reagans–Herb or Mel Simon, Indiana Pacers owners of the 1960s?

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L.C says:

August 27, 2008 at 2:08 pm

Is dance hall girl Veda Ann Borg?

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L.C says:

August 27, 2008 at 9:45 pm

Someone suggested to me (since I know nothing about basketball) that the Reagan’s dinnermate might be Dick Tinkham.

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rechercher says:

August 28, 2008 at 8:35 am

With the Reagans–Larry Staverman, the original Pacers coach of the ABA years?

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R Greene says:

August 28, 2008 at 10:03 am

With the Reagans: a young Donnie Walsh.

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