Movie Star Mystery Photo

Jan. 25, 2010, Mystery Photo

Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: This is Eleanore Whitney! Information on the back of the photo, published May 16, 1937, says: “Fanchon, Hollywood’s only woman producer, says that Eleanore Whitney has the loveliest ‘pout’ on the screen. But pouting or smiling, most persons agree that Eleanore is attractive. She is shown here as she appears with Johnny Downs and Charlie Ruggles in Paramount’s ‘Turn Off the Moon.’ ”

This week’s mystery star is Eleanore Whitney, who retired from the screen when she married on Feb. 23, 1939. According to imdb, she died in November 1983.

A photograph showing everything that was banned in Hollywood photos.

Oct. 28, 1979: I’ve heard about this photo but never seen it until now. Unfortunately, the reproduction is fairly murky. Note the mention of our mystery lady, Eleanore Whitney. A better copy is here, misattributed to Life magazine.

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: Sally Eilers!

Jan. 26, 2010, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo

Update – Nov. 22, 1936: Eleanore Whitney in “Rose Bowl.”

Here’s another picture of our mystery woman. Please congratulate Mike Hawks for identifying her!

Jan. 27, 2010, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: Eleanore Whitney in a photo dated Jan. 25, 1939.

Here's another photo of our mystery woman.

Jan. 28, 2010, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo
Update: Eleanore Whitney and Tom Keene in “Timothy’s Quest,” Feb. 23, 1936.

Here’s our mystery lady with a mystery companion glued to her face in a stock pose that simply does not work. Please congratulate Mary Mallory for identifying her!

Jan. 29, 2010, Mystery Photo Los Angeles Times file photo
Eleanore Whitney in a photo dated Jan. 31, 1936.

Please congratulate Mary Mallory, Mike Hawks, Steven Bibb and Grant Lockhart for identifying our mystery fellow as Tom Keene/George Duryea/Richard Powers.

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

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27 Responses to Movie Star Mystery Photo

Mary Castillo says:

January 25, 2010 at 9:30 am

Lucille Ball. I think.

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Gabe Vincent says:

January 25, 2010 at 9:58 am

Betty White.

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Julie Merholz says:

January 25, 2010 at 10:46 am

Lucille Bremer

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Mike Hawks says:

January 25, 2010 at 10:58 am

I have two actresses in mind, first of all Diana Lewis.

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Dewey Webb says:

January 25, 2010 at 11:02 am

Constance Moore

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Barbara Klein says:

January 25, 2010 at 11:53 am

Jeanne Cagney

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Gerald McCann says:

January 25, 2010 at 12:41 pm

Joan Fontaine?

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Mary Mallory says:

January 25, 2010 at 12:46 pm

Marilyn Miller.

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Mike Hawks says:

January 25, 2010 at 12:50 pm

How about Danielle Darrieux.

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Mike Hawks says:

January 25, 2010 at 4:01 pm

My final choice for the day is Eleanore Whitney.

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Mary Mallory says:

January 25, 2010 at 4:22 pm

Virginia Field.

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Dennis Gilliam says:

January 25, 2010 at 7:59 pm

Is it Alexis Smith ?

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Carmen says:

January 26, 2010 at 9:07 am

Cara Williams from today’s picture? Was Mike Hawks ever a studio chief? He sure knows them!

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Dewey Webb says:

January 26, 2010 at 9:16 am

Cara Williams

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Laura Aikens says:

January 26, 2010 at 9:46 am

ann Dvorak

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Mary Mallory says:

January 26, 2010 at 10:52 am

Heather Angel.

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Mary Mallory says:

January 27, 2010 at 12:46 pm

Eleanore Whitney.

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Gerald McCann says:

January 27, 2010 at 2:11 pm

Louise Rainer?

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Dewey Webb says:

January 28, 2010 at 9:12 am

Margaret Lockwood

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Arye Michael Bender says:

January 28, 2010 at 9:21 am

Okay, I’ll take a stab at Iago… Benita Hume, Mrs. Ronald Coleman.

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Steven Bibb says:

January 28, 2010 at 9:23 am

Had to let it digest a few days, but it looks like Olympe Bradna, and in the newest photo she is with Tom Keene.

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Grant Lockhart says:

January 28, 2010 at 9:30 am

The guy glued to her cheek is Tom Keene (aka George Duryea, aka Richard Powers).

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Mike Hawks says:

January 28, 2010 at 10:07 am

The mystery man companion is Tom Keene the actor with three names during his career. George Duryea and Richard Powers were the other names.

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Mary Mallory says:

January 28, 2010 at 10:50 am

Monday’s photo is from TURN OFF THE MOON. Today’s photo is form TIMOTHY’S QUEST and that’s Tom Keene.

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Joan Y. Compagno says:

January 28, 2010 at 7:05 pm

Adrienne Ames

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Mary Mallory says:

January 29, 2010 at 9:24 am

What that REALLY the guy’s first name? How appropriate for dealing with the Production Code people regarding cleavage? And it wasn’t just cleavage that was a problem, sometimes nipples too.

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Stacia says:

January 31, 2010 at 2:31 am

Oof. Not recognizing Tom Keene is right up there (for me) on the embarrassment scale with not recognizing Jobyna Ralston. I am so BAD at this.

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