This is “Madam Satan,” directed by Cecil B. DeMille and written by three women: longtime DeMille collaborator Jeanie MacPherson (d. 1946), Gladys Unger (d. 1940) and Elsie Janis (d. 1956). It starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth and Roland Young. Mitchell Leisen was assistant director and got credit as art director, along with Cedric Gibbons
For those who are still trying to decide on a Halloween costume (not the Black Dahlia, please), Monday’s mystery gent offers one possibility. If you start now, you might get it done just in time. Electro is Theodore Kosloff.
Tuesday’s mystery photo offers another suggestion for a Halloween costume.
Please congratulate Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, mystery director and mystery guest), Don Danard (mystery movie, mystery director), Barbara Klein (mystery movie and guest) and Bob Hansen (mystery movie, mystery guest).
Wednesday’s mystery woman offers still another suggestion for a Halloween costume. Fish Girl is Martha Sleeper.
Please congratulate Patrick (mystery film/mystery director), Dan Nather (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent) and E. Yarber (mystery movie).
Yarber says: What was HAPPENING to movies in 1930?
And can it happen again, please?
Our not so mysterious gent on the left seems to have forgotten his costume. The semi-mysterious woman on the right models another possible Halloween costume.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery woman), William (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Patrick (Monday’s mystery gent), Barbara Klein (Wednesday’s mystery woman) and Benito (mystery movie and mystery director).
And for Friday, our mystery guest models what would surely be a stunning Halloween costume. Of course, not everyone can wear a costume like this (nor should everyone). But it suits our mystery guest perfectly.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guests), Julie Merholz (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman, Thursday’s mystery guests), Sarah (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery gent), dlhartzog (mystery movie, mystery director, Thursday’s mystery gent), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery guests), Dewey Webb (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guests), Barbara Klein (Thursday’s mystery guests), Chrisbo (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guests), LC (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery gent) and Dan Nather (Thursday’s mystery guests).
And for Saturday, as a bonus, here is our mystery couple.
And here they are, sans costumes.
Madam S. has been identified by Mary Mallory, Julie Merholz, Don Danard, Herb Nicols and Barbara Klein.
MADAM SATAN dancer from costume ball sequence.
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Theodore Kosloff from DeMille’s MADAM SATAN, a great film for over the top costumes.
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This is from DeMille’s “Madam Satan”.
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some Fox musical
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I’m sure everyone’s got this by now. It’s Theodore Kosloff in “Madame Satan.”
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Well, if it isn’t from “Aelita, Queen of Mars,” it should be.
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I don’t know who this is, but it’s awesome!
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This kind of reminds me of Metropolis.
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Looks like the guy from Madam Satan, starring Reginald Denny and Kay Johnson. He was a dancer named Theodore something?
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Aelita, Queen of Mars (1924/1929) this is a silent film from post-revolution era Russia.
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Wow. Interesting guess, but alas, no.
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I don’t have a guess for Monday’s electrified space cowboy, but I would like
to add my 2 cents about identifying the mystery folks. I’m all for waiting until
Saturday for the big reveal. Mary Mallory is right; we shouldn’t expect to be
spoon-fed. That would kill the fun. I just wonder if there could be some tweaking
when there is no consensus on a specific actor.
Case in point: last Monday’s (9/30/14) mystery actress. I originally guessed
Mary Howard, but changed my mind and opted for Florence Rice. To me
they look somewhat alike when Rice is a brunette. I didn’t see the movie,
so I could only compare photos. On Thursday, Mary Mallory’s guess was
Florence Rice, while Patrick said Claire Dodd. Many of the incorrect guesses
are identified as such, but not all.
Perhaps Larry could enlighten us on Saturday when identities are in dispute ?
This assumes he has seen each movie.
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I will try to do that. Most of the Daily Mirror posts are written in advance. I work three weeks ahead except for the Georgette Bauerdorf posts, which are only a few days ahead. The mystery photos must be done in real time, however, and they are affected by what other time conflicts I have in my day. Sometimes my Saturday mornings are quite busy and sometimes not.
I generally assume that people check imdb once they identify the film, although there are a few hard-core fans who don’t use imdb and rely on their knowledge. Most impressive!
People sometimes identify a photo as someone else in the film and that leaves me in a quandary. It’s a wrong answer, but the person is in the cast. And by the third or fourth day, it can be difficult to parse out who has identified what. For example, someone may get the movie, someone else who got Thursday’s mystery guest now has Tuesday’s mystery guest. Someone else gets one of Monday’s three mystery guests. The bookkeeping can get tricky, especially when some answers come as comments but others are via email that gets lost in my inbox.
I did try offering hints for a while, but almost no one asked for help, so I stopped.
Always understand this: The Daily Mirror is strictly a labor of love that I conduct in my spare time. Just like everyone else, I have other demands that have to be met. Next year will mark my 10th anniversary of daily blogging about Los Angeles history in which I have written something on the order of 10,000 posts, starting with the 1947project, then The Times and now as a personal project. In many ways it is like a second job. I get great personal satisfaction from the blog, but it can also be wearing.
As always, I’m most appreciative of the Daily Mirror readers, whether they are first-time visitors or have been with it for a long time.
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What is imdb?
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Internet Movie Database…. 🙂
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Looks like Cecil B. DeMille was dabbling in a bit of German Expressionism in “Madam Satan” from 1930.
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Oh shoot, that’s Theodore Kosloff in MADAM SATAN. Serves me right for trying to get all my shopping on Monday . . .
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Is it Madam Satan with Theodore Kosloff as the electric gentleman?
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Can I be the first to say happy 10th anniversary? What a wonderful feature this has been (and as a former lat employee let me add what a shortsighted decision by the paper to no longer publish the blog).
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The 10th anniversary is next year…. But thanks!
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I noticed that but couldn’t resist. Always liked to beat deadline 🙂
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Happy New Year from Smolensk
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Forbidden Zone
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Alas, no.
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My first thought was “Just Imagine,” but the clock girls definitely peg this as “Madam Satan.”
What was HAPPENING to movies in 1930?
And can it happen again, please?
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Martha Sleeper today. I was the first to get the director on Monday.
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“Madam Satan” 1930. Monday Mr Electricity is Theodore Kosloff?
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Wednesday actress…..Martha Sleeper
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Monday = Theodore Kosloff, Wednesday = Lillian Roth. Don’t know who the clock girls are.
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Wednesday – Martha Sleeper
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Just Imagine
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Interesting guess, but alas, no.
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Guessing it’s MADAM SATAN directed by Cecil B. DeMille. PS LOVE those alarm clock girls.
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Lillian Roth and Roland Young. Hope we get Madam Satan tomorrow.
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Roland Young and Lillian Roth in Madam Satan
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Roland Young
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Thanks for posting Roland Young on Thursday. This must be Madam Satan, 1930. Strange plot.
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Madam Satan
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Lillian Roth
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Thursday, Roland Young, Cecil B. DeMille’s Madame Satan.
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Martha Sleeper
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Today, it’s Roland Young and – I’m guessing – Lillian Roth.
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Lillian Roth and Roland Young for Thursday, so that makes this “Madam Satan.”
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Thursday’s couple is Roland Young and Lillian Roth.
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Roland Young, Lillian Roth, MADAME SATAN
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Thursday – Roland Young and Lillian Roth
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Is that Roland Young and Lillian Roth in Madam Satan?
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Okay it’s Madam Satan (1930) w/Roland Young.
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Not sure about Wednesday’s girl, but on Thursday it’s definitely Roland Young and Lillian Roth.
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I’ve gotta figure out how to make some of these costumes. They are awesome!
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I think it would be hard to sit down in an alarm clock costume, personally.
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Kay Johnson as Madam Satan.
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I believe the mystery gent in tux is an early Charlie Ruggles.
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Alas, no.
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Kay Johnson today and Reginald Denny tomorrow…
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Today, it’s Madam Satan herself, Kay Johnson.
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madam satan
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Madam Satan herself, Kay Johnson
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Good old Reginald Denny, Kay Johnson, and Roland Young, just before she gets the idea to become MS.
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Reginald Denny and Kay Johnson in the first pic, the same two along with Roland Young in the other pic.
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Madam Satan. I think I recognize the costumes.
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