Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 18, 2010, Mystery Photo  
  Los Angeles Times file photo  

I suppose you thought we would never finish with Thelma Todd! Yesterday’s mystery photo was taken in 1964 and shows Harold Lloyd with his famous “permanent” Christmas tree. His mystery dog was named Pepe.

 

  2010_1219_mystery_photo  
  Los Angeles Times file photo  

Our mystery guest has some (not) mysterious companions. Please congratulate Mike Hawks and  Mary Mallory for identifying him and yesterday’s mystery companion.
  Dec. 20, 2010, Mystery Photo  
  Los Angeles Times file photo  

[Update: This is identified on the back of the print as a 1912 Keystone comedy. From left, Carmen Phillips, Sidney Franklin, Hale Studebaker, Helen Holmes,  Arthur Traveras, Bert Hahn, Ford Sterling, Nick Cogley and Dot Farley, published May 31, 1936. The film appears to be “On His Wedding Day,” although imdb gives different spellings (Bert Hunn, Arthur Tavares)) and  identifies Chester Franklin rather than Sidney.

[No luck in finding the original story, alas. The photo looks like it was published in a rotogravure section that perhaps wasn’t microfilmed. What was a rotogravure section? From much of the 20th century, newspapers published Sunday supplements, called “rotogravure sections,”  on better paper with higher quality photo reproduction.]

I couldn’t resist running one more photo of our mystery guest – he has so many mystery companions! All told, Mike Hawks, Mary Mallory, Joan, Sarah and Arye Michael Bender have identified him – and sundry companions who may or may not be mysterious.

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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17 Responses to Movieland Mystery Photo

  1. Mike Hawks's avatar Mike Hawks says:
    December 18, 2010 at 8:53 am

    This is Milton Sills and Ford Sterling from the 1923 version of THE SPOILERS.

    Like

  2. Mary mallory's avatar Mary mallory says:
    December 18, 2010 at 9:13 am

    Milton Sills and is that Ford Sterling taking his photograph?

    Like

  3. Mary mallory's avatar Mary mallory says:
    December 18, 2010 at 9:26 am

    Is this from THE CRASH with Thelma? And if so, is that Wade Boteler taking Milton’s photo? I love the still camera.

    Like

  5. Anne Papineau's avatar Anne Papineau says:
    December 18, 2010 at 10:58 pm

    Jean Hersholt?

    Like

  6. Joan's avatar Joan says:
    December 19, 2010 at 8:34 am

    Fat chance I could beat Mary and the Hawkman, but the top photo is Milton Sills and Ford Sterling.

    Like

  8. Native Angeleno's avatar Native Angeleno says:
    December 19, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Oooo, ooo, lemme get one:
    Ben Turpin.

    Like

  9. Sarah's avatar Sarah says:
    December 19, 2010 at 10:18 am

    It’s Ralph Staub. The second picture is from “Keystone Hotel” (1935), and shows Hank Mann, Chester Conklin, Marie Prevost, Ralph Staub, Ford Sterling, and Ben Turpin.

    Like

  10. Arye Michael Bender's avatar Arye Michael Bender says:
    December 19, 2010 at 10:21 am

    The first still looks to be from ‘Greed’. Can easily ID Andy Clyde, Ben Turpin, and Ford Sterling in the second still. Others haven’t left the tip of my tongue yet. They may remain there for all of eternity.

    Like

  11. Mary Mallory's avatar Mary Mallory says:
    December 20, 2010 at 9:22 am

    Is that Harry Gribbon between Ford and the woman in the veil? Leo White with the mustache? The minister looks familiar, but no name is coming.

    Like

  12. Mark Heimback-Nielsen's avatar Mark Heimback-Nielsen says:
    December 20, 2010 at 9:44 am

    Is it Ford Sterling?

    Like

  13. Gerald McCann's avatar Gerald McCann says:
    December 20, 2010 at 10:27 am

    Max Sennet?

    Like

  14. Stacia's avatar Stacia says:
    December 21, 2010 at 2:56 am

    The 2nd picture:
    1. I know someone said this was Hank Mann, but I think it’s Bert Roach, based entirely on the nose. I could be wrong. Those fabulous moustaches often throw me off.
    2. Chester Conklin
    3. Marie! After all the times people guessed Marie Prevost as the mystery guest, she finally makes an appearance.
    4. Ralph Staub
    5. Ford Sterling
    6. Ben Turpin
    This is a publicity shot from “Keystone Hotel” from 1935. Since you already posted the answer to this photo, though, I don’t really know who you’re looking for as far as the mystery guest goes.

    Like

  15. Barry O'Brien's avatar Barry O'Brien says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:28 am

    One of them looks like Snub Pollard…

    Like

  16. Brent Walker's avatar Brent Walker says:
    December 22, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    Re: ON HIS WEDDING DAY, all the imdb credits come from my book Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory, and are correct. The 1936 Times photo caption (thanks to Sam Gill for bringing it to my attention years ago–he had a copy) mistakes Sidney for his older brother Chester Franklin, who it really is. (Chester then left Keystone as an assistant director and went to Universal-Sterling Comedies with Ford, where he brought his brother Sidney into movies as his assistant–both became famous directors.) “Hunn” and “Tavares” are the correct real spellings. (Arthur Tavares became and editor and one of his credits as editor was the Spanish-language version of DRACULA–he was bilingual.)

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  17. Brent Walker's avatar Brent Walker says:
    December 22, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    Re the other photos:
    Milton Sills and Ford Sterling in THE SPOILERS as Mike says….
    KEYSTONE HOTEL (L-R): Hank Mann, Chester Conklin, Marie Prevost, Ralph Staub, Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin

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