Movieland Mystery Photo

      2010_0726_mystery_photo

Los Angeles Times file photo 

Update:  "Marjorie Bennett playing the movie struck maid in 'M'Lord, the Duke' at the Hollywood Playhouse," according to caption information on  a photo marked  March 4, 1934.
Please welcome Carmen as this week’s guest host for the mystery photos.  

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. 

Last week’s mystery guest was Helen Parrish! The weekend mystery guests were Mark Damon and “Diane” Cannon!

There’s a new photo on the jump!


   July 27, 2010, Mystery Photo

  
Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: "Marjorie Bennett plays Sister Bessie with John Carradine in ‘Tobacco Road’ at the Civic Playhouse," according to caption information on a photo marked April 9, 1954.

July 28, 2010, Mystery Photo
Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: "Marjorie Bennett is featured in the new Harold Sherman stage comedy 'Hocus-Pocus,' which opens at Las Palmas Theatre on Wednesday night, June 6, with Walter Kingsford starred," according to caption information on an undated photo.

Here’s Wednesday’s photo of our mystery woman. Please congratulate Dewey Webb, Art Hockstader, Lee Ann, Thom and Megan, Nick Santa Maria, Julie Merholz, Don Danard and Pamela Porter for identifying her.
 

July 29, 2010, Mystery Photo
Photograph by Marianna Diamos / Los Angeles Times

Update: Marjorie Bennett with her cat Bobbe in a photo published Aug. 12, 1977.

Here's Thursday's photo of our mystery woman with a mystery pet! Please congratulate Mike Hawks and Mary Mallory for identifying her!

July 30, 2010, Mystery Photo
Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: Marjorie Bennett with Charlie Chaplin in a publicity still from “Limelight,” published Aug. 12, 1977.

Limelight
Charlie Chaplin and Marjorie Bennett in “Limelight.”

Limelight
Charlie Chaplin in “Limelight.”
There was some question among readers as to whether the mystery photo is from “Limelight” or “Monsieur Verdoux.” It’s marked “Limelight.” But for fun, here are screen grabs from “Limelight” showing Chaplin with Bennett, and Chaplin in the same costume that he’s wearing in the publicity still, although he has a cane in the movie and an umbrella in the still.   I went through the film, but couldn’t locate the scene shown in the publicity shot.

For Friday, here’s our mystery woman with two companions, one who may be a mystery and the other who is not.  Please congratulate Anne Papineau and Barbara Klein for identifying her.

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
This entry was posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography. Bookmark the permalink.

48 Responses to Movieland Mystery Photo

  1. Jenny M says:

    Ruth Chatterton

    Like

  2. Arye (Leslie) Michael Bender says:

    Ruth Buzzi’s grandmother?

    Like

  3. Marley says:

    Gracie Allen?

    Like

  4. Karen says:

    Vilma Banky.

    Like

  5. Gregory Moore says:

    Ruth Roland?

    Like

  6. Dewey Webb says:

    Joy Leno?

    Like

  7. Gerald McCann says:

    Joan Crawford?

    Like

  8. Mary Mallory says:

    Greta Nissen?

    Like

  9. Anne Papineau says:

    Everybody’s favorite auntie!

    Like

  10. Dewey Webb says:

    Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  11. Lee Ann, Thom, and Megan says:

    Is it Marjorie Bennett?

    Like

  12. Juile says:

    Mrs Doubtfire?

    Like

  13. Mary Mallory says:

    Emma Dunn?

    Like

  14. Nick Santa Maria says:

    It’s Marjorie Bennett.

    Like

  15. Julie Merholz says:

    Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  16. Diane Ely says:

    Gertrude Berg?

    Like

  17. Pamela Porter says:

    Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  18. Rogét-L.A. says:

    Ruth Thom?

    Like

  19. Rogét-L.A. says:

    Maxine Semon?

    Like

  20. Mike Hawks says:

    The lady is Marjorie Bennett.

    Like

  21. la peregrina says:

    Well, it sure isn’t Jean Arthur….is it Tessie O’Shea?

    Like

  22. Cold in PHX says:

    This couldn’t be right, but is it Spring Byington?

    Like

  23. Mary Mallory says:

    Marjorie Bennett. Let’s get back to the teens and twenties, a much more fun period.

    Like

  24. Carol Gwenn says:

    Lucille Benson…and if not, whoever she is she was really lovely when young.

    Like

  25. Anne Papineau says:

    Marjorie Bennett?

    Like

  26. Steve Stoliar says:

    Pert Kelton?

    Like

  27. Barbara Klein says:

    Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  28. hockeykevin says:

    Probably way off here, but is it Clara Peller?

    Like

  29. Barbara Klein says:

    Charlie Chaplin and Mollie Glessing with Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  30. Carmen says:

    The great Charlie Chaplin with Mollie Gessing and you know who!

    Like

  31. rick says:

    Marjorie Bennett

    Like

  32. Dewey Webb says:

    Mollie Glessing & Chaplin

    Like

  33. Barb says:

    Marjorie Bennett. I’ve always liked her.

    Like

  34. Allison Francis says:

    Marjorie Bennett?

    Like

  35. Rogét-L.A. says:

    It’s Marjorie Bennett!

    Like

  36. Arye (Leslie) Michael Bender says:

    Very frustrating! I know her elder face, but was unable to deduce her name — even though her company in ‘Monsieur Verdoux’ is Margaret Hamilton & Charles Chaplin.

    Like

  37. Patricia van Hartesveldt says:

    Marjorie Bennett?

    Like

  38. Randy Skretvedt says:

    Marjorie Bennett! I finally got it when you ran the photo from Chaplin’s “Limelight.” I think it may be Molly Glessing as the lady on the left.

    Like

  39. Mary Mallory says:

    The film is MONSIEUR VERDOUX with Charlie Chaplin and I believe Ada May with Miss Bennett. I found stills of her in Thomas Ince’ MIDNIGHT PATROL (1918) and NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY! (Paramount, 1918).

    Like

  40. Mike Hawks says:

    The movie is Limelight and Marjorie is shown with Charles Chaplin and I believe Mollie Glessing.

    Like

  41. Steve Stoliar says:

    Marjorie Bennett.

    Like

  42. la pergrina says:

    Marjorie Bennett?

    Like

  43. Don Young says:

    Larry –
    Not commenting on the mystery star – but wondering when you’ll be at Phillipe’s again for a Saturday lunch.

    Like

  44. Periwinkle says:

    Of course, it’s Marjorie Bennett, but I vote with Mary Mallory that the movie is “Monsieur Verdoux” and not “Limelight” which makes the other maid Ada May and not Mollie Glessing.

    Like

  45. Barry O'Brien says:

    I KNEW that face (pix w/cat) from “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” as she was Victor Buono’s ghastly mother.

    Like

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