Movie Star Mystery Photo

Posted on November 20, 2009 by lmharnisch

Nov. 16, 2009, Mystery Photo
Los Angeles Times file photo
 

Update: As many readers realized, this is Milton Sills. Although there’s no caption information on the back, the photo is evidently from “The Sea Hawk.”

Sept. 16, 1930, Milton Sills 

Sept. 16, 1930: The Times reports the death of Milton Sills.

Sept. 16, 1930, Milton Sills

Just a reminder on how this works: I post the mystery photo on Monday and reveal the answer on Friday … or on Saturday if I have a hard time picking only five pictures; sometimes it's difficult to choose. 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 reward is bragging rights. 

The answer to last week's mystery star: Jane Frazee!

Nov. 17, 2009, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: Milton Sills and Gertrude Olmstead in “Puppets,” Aug. 22, 1926.

Here’s another photo of our mystery star with a mystery companion. Please congratulate Eve Golden, Joan Myers, Mary Mallory, Mike Hawks (who says "this one is too easy") and Donna Hill for identifying him.

Nov. 18, 2009, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo
Update: Milton Sills and Mary Astor in “The Runaway Enchantress” or “The Sea Tiger,” April 3, 1927.

Here’s our mystery guest with a mystery companion. Please congratulate Don Danard, Rick Scott, Carmen and Suzy Q for identifying him. 

Nov. 19, 2009, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: Milton Sills and Corinne Griffith in “Single Wives.”

Here’s our mystery fellow with another mystery companion. Please congratulate Stacia, Laura Aikens and Christa for identifying him and Jeff Hanna, Michael Ryerson, Mike Hawks, Carmen and Don Danard for identifying yesterday's mystery companion.

Nov. 20, 1959, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo
Update: Milton Sills and Dorothy Mackaill in “The Barker,” Jan. 6, 1929.

Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

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

  1. Carmen's avatar Carmen says:
    November 16, 2009 at 9:10 am

    Wallace Reid

    Like

  2. Barry O'Brien's avatar Barry O'Brien says:
    November 16, 2009 at 9:18 am

    Francis X. Bushman?

    Like

  3. william's avatar william says:
    November 16, 2009 at 9:24 am

    Brandon Hurst

    Like

  4. Victor H Brown, across the pond in England.'s avatar Victor H Brown, across the pond in England. says:
    November 16, 2009 at 11:07 am

    Looks very much like Cecil Parker to me.

    Like

  5. Claire Lockhart's avatar Claire Lockhart says:
    November 16, 2009 at 11:48 am

    Noble Johnson

    Like

  6. Victor H Brown, across the pond in England.'s avatar Victor H Brown, across the pond in England. says:
    November 16, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    After one rash guess I’ll try Vincent Price.

    Like

  7. Donna Hill's avatar Donna Hill says:
    November 16, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    Oooh! Milton Sills from one of my favorite silent films, The Sea Hawk!

    Like

  8. rick's avatar rick says:
    November 16, 2009 at 2:50 pm

    Mitchell Lewis?

    Like

  9. Karen's avatar Karen says:
    November 16, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    Paul Henreid.

    Like

  10. Arye Michael Bender's avatar Arye Michael Bender says:
    November 16, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Despite the period look of the pic, I’m going much more contemporary: Gary Oldman?

    Like

  11. gerald mccann's avatar gerald mccann says:
    November 17, 2009 at 7:50 am

    Conrad Veidt?

    Like

  12. Cynthia K.'s avatar Cynthia K. says:
    November 17, 2009 at 9:42 am

    Edward Everett Horton

    Like

  13. Rogét-L.A.'s avatar Rogét-L.A. says:
    November 17, 2009 at 9:48 am

    I know it can’t be, but he looks like Bill Engvall. A relative, perhaps?

    Like

  14. Lana's avatar Lana says:
    November 17, 2009 at 9:57 am

    John Barrymore

    Like

  15. Megan's avatar Megan says:
    November 17, 2009 at 10:31 am

    Monte Blue.

    Like

  16. Joan Compagno-Wright's avatar Joan Compagno-Wright says:
    November 17, 2009 at 10:48 am

    William S. Hart

    Like

  17. JOHN C MARSHALL's avatar JOHN C MARSHALL says:
    November 17, 2009 at 10:49 am

    William Boyd

    Like

  18. Greg Clancey's avatar Greg Clancey says:
    November 17, 2009 at 10:54 am

    Dustin Farnum

    Like

  19. juile's avatar juile says:
    November 17, 2009 at 11:02 am

    Guessing at Milton Sills

    Like

  20. Sharon's avatar Sharon says:
    November 17, 2009 at 11:49 am

    Dick Powell?

    Like

  21. Rosalyn's avatar Rosalyn says:
    November 17, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    Edgar Everett Horton?

    Like

  22. Suzy Q's avatar Suzy Q says:
    November 17, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    Milton Sills

    Like

  23. Suzy Q's avatar Suzy Q says:
    November 17, 2009 at 3:40 pm

    I would have gotten this yesterday, first thing, but I only just had the time to look at it.

    Like

  24. CARMEN's avatar CARMEN says:
    November 17, 2009 at 3:59 pm

    Milton Sills

    Like

  25. Rick Scott's avatar Rick Scott says:
    November 17, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    How about Milton Sills?

    Like

  26. Gregory Moore's avatar Gregory Moore says:
    November 17, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    Maurice Costello?

    Like

  27. Carmen's avatar Carmen says:
    November 18, 2009 at 9:38 am

    His companion is a young beautiful Mary Astor.

    Like

  28. Mike Hawks's avatar Mike Hawks says:
    November 18, 2009 at 9:42 am

    The lady with Milton in today’s photo is Mary Astor.

    Like

  29. Christa's avatar Christa says:
    November 18, 2009 at 11:18 am

    milton sills?
    wow, i have been impressed at how well you guys know your actors/actresses. gratz to all!
    ty,
    Christa ❤

    Like

  30. Laura Aikens's avatar Laura Aikens says:
    November 18, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    Milton Stills

    Like

  31. MichaelRyerson's avatar MichaelRyerson says:
    November 18, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    Gee, I have no idea who the big lug is, but is that Mary Astor giving him the gimlet eye?

    Like

  32. Jeff Hanna's avatar Jeff Hanna says:
    November 18, 2009 at 8:52 pm

    The mystery woman companion is Mary Astor.

    Like

  33. Aurelia Huerta's avatar Aurelia Huerta says:
    November 18, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    Lon Chaney,Sr. Finally one I recognized!

    Like

  34. Stacia's avatar Stacia says:
    November 19, 2009 at 2:10 am

    Is it Milton Sills?

    Like

  35. Dru Duniway's avatar Dru Duniway says:
    November 19, 2009 at 9:02 am

    Milton Sills

    Like

  36. Lee Rivas's avatar Lee Rivas says:
    November 19, 2009 at 10:15 am

    Buster Keaton?

    Like

  37. Jenny M's avatar Jenny M says:
    November 19, 2009 at 10:16 am

    Robert Warwick

    Like

  38. Carmen's avatar Carmen says:
    November 19, 2009 at 11:10 am

    Latest companion, Maria Corda

    Like

  39. gerald mccann's avatar gerald mccann says:
    November 19, 2009 at 11:14 am

    Elmo Lincoln and companion Mary Astor?

    Like

  40. Deb's avatar Deb says:
    November 19, 2009 at 11:37 am

    Walter Houston?

    Like

  41. Arye Michael Bender's avatar Arye Michael Bender says:
    November 19, 2009 at 11:54 am

    Don’t know his work, and he has a funny name, but am following my hunch that he was in the original ‘Thief of Baghdad’. Snitz Edwards?

    Like

  42. Mary Mallory's avatar Mary Mallory says:
    November 19, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    Monday’s photo is from THE SEA HAWK. Tuesday’s photo is from PUPPETS, starring Gertrude Olmstead. Yesterday’s photo was from THE SEA TIGER, with Mary Astor. I’m still working on today’s photo.

    Like

  43. JM GREEN's avatar JM GREEN says:
    November 19, 2009 at 2:37 pm

    thomas meighan

    Like

  44. Joan Y. Compagno's avatar Joan Y. Compagno says:
    November 19, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    Lionel Atwill

    Like

  45. Mary mallory's avatar Mary mallory says:
    November 19, 2009 at 9:48 pm

    Is this Corinne Griffith with him? It could be MAN TROUBLE.

    Like

  46. Mary Mallory's avatar Mary Mallory says:
    November 20, 2009 at 9:49 am

    The costumes that Sills and Astor are wearing match their costumes for “The Sea Tiger”, especially with his earring.

    Like

Comments are closed.