Movie Star Mystery Photo




2009_0316_mystery_photo

Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: As three people guessed, this is Pauline Garon. Please congratulate Tom Ratliff, Annie Frye and R. Ahuna. Above, a still from "Man From Glengarry," 1922.

1923_0220_adams_rib

Feb, 20, 1923: An ad for "Adam’s Rib," with Pauline Garon.

Just a reminder on how this works: I post the mystery photo on Monday and reveal the answer on Friday. To keep the mystery photo from getting lost in the other entries, I move it from Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday, etc., adding a photo every day.

I have to approve all comments, so if your guess is posted immediately, that means you’re wrong. (And if a wrong guess has already been submitted by someone else, there’s no point in submitting it again). If you’re right, you will have to wait until Friday. There’s no need to submit your guess five times. Once is enough. The only prize is bragging rights. 

The answer to last week’s photo: Phyllis Kirk.

Check back next week for another mystery photo!

2009_0317_mystery_photo
Los Angeles Times file photo

Our mystery woman is a little tougher than usual, but not impossible. Please congratulate Tom Ratliff, who correctly identified her. He says: I wish I had a more romantic reason for "knowing", like "I’m a big silent film fan", but I’m just a resourceful internet user that gets a buzz out of solving puzzles like Mystery Photo."

Update: Pauline Garon in a photo from "Satan in Sables," 1925.

2009_0318_mystery_photo

Los Angeles Times file photo
Here’s another clue. Who is our mystery woman?

This is Pauline Garon in the play "Bad Babies," by George Scarborough, 1929.

2009_0320_mystery_woman

Los Angeles Times file photo
Here’s still another clue. Who is our mystery woman? And what about her mysterious companion?

Update: Pauline Garon and actor Ward Crane in an undated photo.

2009_0320_02_mystery_photo

Los Angeles Times file photo
Pauline Garon in 1942, when she sought a divorce from her second husband, Clyde Harland Alban.
Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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64 Responses to Movie Star Mystery Photo

  1. Edward Cradduck's avatar Edward Cradduck says:

    Jeez, You really pulled this one out of nowhere. I have no idea; but it looks like Blanche Sweet?

    Like

  2. Meredith Wright's avatar Meredith Wright says:

    Mary Miles Minter

    Like

  3. Gregory Moore's avatar Gregory Moore says:

    Joan Bennett?

    Like

  4. Mary Mallory's avatar Mary Mallory says:

    Dorothy Dwan.

    Like

  5. Kathy's avatar Kathy says:

    Gretta Garbo

    Like

  6. Anna's avatar Anna says:

    Marion Davies

    Like

  7. Nathan's avatar Nathan says:

    Olive Thomas?

    Like

  8. Amy's avatar Amy says:

    Mary Pickford

    Like

  9. Paul Cardinal's avatar Paul Cardinal says:

    Claire Trevor

    Like

  10. Eve's avatar Eve says:

    I’m going out on a limb here, but it looks like a really young Clara Bow, ca. 1923.

    Like

  11. Scott Burkett's avatar Scott Burkett says:

    She resembles Esther Ralston

    Like

  12. Victor H. Brown.....over the pond in England.'s avatar Victor H. Brown.....over the pond in England. says:

    It seems very unlikely but could this very young lady be Iris Adrian.

    Like

  13. Nick Santa Maria's avatar Nick Santa Maria says:

    Mary Miles Minter?

    Like

  14. Claire Lockhart's avatar Claire Lockhart says:

    Justine Johnstone

    Like

  15. Betsy Palmer's avatar Betsy Palmer says:

    Betty Compson!

    Like

  16. Eve's avatar Eve says:

    Ohhh, I might know . . . But I am keeping my yap shut till I see the next photo (am thinking stage star) . . .

    Like

  17. Anne Papineau's avatar Anne Papineau says:

    Ann Harding!

    Like

  18. lilybee's avatar lilybee says:

    norma shearer? (the right side of the photo doesn’t seem to match up with the left- the lipline, & especially the pupil of her right eye)

    Like

  19. Dennis Aimino's avatar Dennis Aimino says:

    Marie Prevost?

    Like

  20. Tom in ATL's avatar Tom in ATL says:

    I don’t know — at least based on this first photo — but I’d like Pauline Garon ruled out.

    Like

  21. Anne Papineau's avatar Anne Papineau says:

    I’m humbled.
    Anita Page?

    Like

  22. Anne Papineau's avatar Anne Papineau says:

    Madeleine Carroll

    Like

  23. Anne Papineau's avatar Anne Papineau says:

    Marjorie White

    Like

  24. Joan's avatar Joan says:

    Is it May McAvoy?

    Like

  25. Mary's avatar Mary says:

    Jessica Tandy?

    Like

  26. Rosalyn's avatar Rosalyn says:

    Spring Byington?

    Like

  27. Cynthia Keillor's avatar Cynthia Keillor says:

    Clara Bow?

    Like

  28. jany's avatar jany says:

    MARY ASTOR

    Like

  29. Anna's avatar Anna says:

    Mary Allison

    Like

  30. jackie b's avatar jackie b says:

    claire windsor?

    Like

  31. rdare's avatar rdare says:

    Phyllis Haver?

    Like

  32. Nancy Price's avatar Nancy Price says:

    Madge Bellamy

    Like

  33. Joan Y. Compagno's avatar Joan Y. Compagno says:

    Eleanor Broadman?

    Like

  34. Joan Compagno-Wright's avatar Joan Compagno-Wright says:

    Mary Philbin?
    Thanks for posting this game. My 86 year old mother can’t wait to play each Monday. It’s a great way to help keep her mind sharp.

    Like

  35. Stacia's avatar Stacia says:

    She’s a chameleon, whoever she is – in the first photo she looks like a very young Clara Bow, right down to the hairstyle. In the second photo she looks like Mary Pickford after she cut her hair. Either way, I have a feeling I’m going to kick myself for not figuring it out.

    Like

  36. Gary Martin's avatar Gary Martin says:

    I have a gut feeling this is Jean Arthur. Best regards.

    Like

  37. Anna Harmon's avatar Anna Harmon says:

    Edna Purviance

    Like

  38. herb nichols's avatar herb nichols says:

    lillian gish

    Like

  39. Bob Duvall's avatar Bob Duvall says:

    Betty Compson

    Like

  40. jany's avatar jany says:

    VIRGINIA BRUCE

    Like

  41. Claire Lockhart's avatar Claire Lockhart says:

    Madge Bellamy

    Like

  42. Edward Cradduck's avatar Edward Cradduck says:

    Okey, with the new pictures, I’ll try one more time. Alice White?

    Like

  43. Les Tuttle's avatar Les Tuttle says:

    Mary Astor?

    Like

  44. Sam O'Neal's avatar Sam O'Neal says:

    Alice White?

    Like

  45. January_Gal's avatar January_Gal says:

    Olivia de Havilland

    Like

  46. A Star yet to be born, Janet Gaynor?

    Like

  47. Tony Lucia's avatar Tony Lucia says:

    Mary Astor?

    Like

  48. Sam's avatar Sam says:

    Claire Windsor

    Like

  49. Nancy Saul-Larson's avatar Nancy Saul-Larson says:

    I think it’s Madge Bellamy.

    Like

  50. TonyC's avatar TonyC says:

    Mildred Davis?
    This is really hard because my eyes just don’t see anything but Mary Pickford when I look at these beauties from that past era.

    Like

  51. annie frye's avatar annie frye says:

    Is it Alice White?

    Like

  52. Eve's avatar Eve says:

    You got me. I’m stumped. I’m going out into the garden to eat worms, if the worms will even have me.

    Like

  53. lana's avatar lana says:

    Helen Hayes

    Like

  54. annie frye's avatar annie frye says:

    Is it Pauline Garon?

    Like

  55. william's avatar william says:

    Janet Gaynor and Darryl F. Zanuck

    Like

  56. Cynthia Keillor's avatar Cynthia Keillor says:

    Dolores Costello and John Barrymore.

    Like

  57. Brenda's avatar Brenda says:

    Ruby Keeler. That was the first name that popped in my head when I saw the second picture.

    Like

  58. Rahuna's avatar Rahuna says:

    Pauline Garon. I believe the last pic is her with her husband, Lowell Sherman.

    Like

  59. Karen Tracy's avatar Karen Tracy says:

    Laura La Plante?

    Like

  60. Tossing a guess. Buster’s sister-in-law, Constance Talmadge? Would also venture that the street that meets the studio where ‘Intolerance’ was made, is named for her.

    Like

  61. Edward Cradduck's avatar Edward Cradduck says:

    I’ve got to try one more time. Hellene Costello?

    Like

  62. Rosalyn's avatar Rosalyn says:

    Norma Talmadge and Gilbert Roland

    Like

  63. Rahuna's avatar Rahuna says:

    Hello again, Larry.
    Wasn’t sure you got my submission this morning so I’m resending it.
    Pauline Garon (and her husband, Lowell Sherman.)

    Like

Comments are closed.