This week’s mystery movie was the 1936 MGM picture “Small Town Girl,” starring Janet Gaynor and Robert Taylor. It featured Binnie Barnes, Andy Devine, Lewis Stone, Elizabeth Patterson, Frank Craven and James Stewart. It was directed by William A. Wellman, with a script by John Lee Mahin, Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett and Edith Fitzgerald from the book by Ben Ames Williams.
I chose it because I wanted to do a film edited by Blanche Sewell and most of her films are too well known to be a mystery movie.
Portions of the film were shot on the Monterey Peninsula and the crew set up its headquarters at Carmel, according to the Los Angeles Times. It opened in Los Angeles at Loew’s State and Grauman’s Chinese theaters on April 24, 1936, on a bill with “Charlie Chan at the Circus.” Edwin Schallert of The Timesc alled it one of Gaynor’s best pictures.
MGM’s 1953 remake with Farley Granger and Jane Powell is available on DVD. The 1936 version is not, as far as I can tell.
For Monday, we have a mystery gentleman.
Update: This is Willie Fung.
And for Tuesday, we have a mystery guest making a phone call.
Update: This is George Meeker.
Please congratulate Patrice Roe (mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery guest/wrong movie), Suzanne Annette Stone (mystery guest), Tim Doherty (mystery guest), Eve Golden (mystery guest), Don Danard (mystery guest) Anne Papineau (mystery guest), Jenny M (mystery guest), Earl Boebert (mystery guest/wrong movie), Bob Hansen (mystery guest), Sheila (mystery guest), Mary Mallory (mystery guest) and Mike Hawks (mystery guest).
Benito, my friend, your answer is a bit too vague, alas.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery child.
Update: This is Joan Russell.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Jenny M (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest, wrong movie), David Inman (Monday’s mystery guest), Lee Ann Thom and Megan (Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
And for Thursday, we have a mystery gent in a sweater.
Update: This is Frank Craven.
Please congratulate Mike Hawks (mystery movie, mystery child), Mary Mallory (mystery child), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery child) and Sheila (mystery movie and mystery child).
Let’s do something different: Who should be our Friday mystery guest?
Should it be J.G.? R.T.? A.D.? L.S.? or J.S.? Or all of them?
And for Friday – as requested – we have our mystery leading lady with a non-mystery guest.
Update: Janet Gaynor and Andy Devine.
Please congratulate Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guest), Julie Merholz (mystery movie and mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guest), Chrisbo (mystery movie and mystery guests), Valley Dave (mystery movie and guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery guest), Lee Ann, Thom and Megan (mystery movie and mystery guests) and Bob Hansen (Thursday’s mystery guest).
And here’s our mystery leading lady with another non-mystery guest.
Update: James Stewart towers over Janet Gaynor in this scene.
And finally — as requested — here’s our non-mystery leading lady with our non-mystery leading man.
Update: Janet Gaynor and Robert Taylor.
Happy Friday!
ladailymirror.com 
Willie Fung
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Willy Fung.
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We’ll learn later in the week if the uniform’s nautical insignia points to “China Seas.”
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Willie Fung! He always laughed in his many movie roles.
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Willie Fung?
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Is that the wonderful Willie Fung? If so, I love him! he could give terrific performances on the few occasions he was given the opportunity.
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Otto Yamaoko?
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Today it’s Willie Fung.
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Willie Fung
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Willie Fung
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Don’t know his name, but this gent often works in the kitchen, shouts in Chinese and wields a cleaver
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Willie Fung in “The Stowaway?”
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I’m strictly doing these from memory, so bear with me if I’m way off. Is this man’s name Willie Fong?
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Willie Fung.
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Willie Fung?
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Just got back from Cinecon 2015. Our man is Willie Fung.
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George Meeker and OIL FOR THE LAMPS OF CHINA?
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George Meeker in Small Town Girl.
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George Meeker in “Small Town Girl.”
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Lee Tung Foo Monday, and a youngish Jerome Cowan on Tuesday?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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George Meeker in OIL FOR THE LAMPS OF CHINA.
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Today it looks like a young James Craven.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Willie Fung on Monday.
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Tues looks like Doug Fairbanks Jr – but that would be too easy for a Tues.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Erik Rhodes?
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Alas, no.
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Tuesday’s gent is George Meeker.
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George Meeker.
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Monday is Lee Tung Foo
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Alas, no.
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Joan Russell in SMALL TOWN GIRL.
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Joan Russell today?
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Joan Russell.
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Joan Russell, ‘Small Town Girl’?
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Frank Craven.
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Frank Craven today (didn’t we have him just a couple of months age?). I’d say Janet and Robert.
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Frank Craven
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Small Town Girl 1936, with Willie Fung, Janet Gaynor, Robert Taylor, Binnie Barnes, Andy Devine, Lewis Stone, James Stewart, etc.
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Frank Craven looking a bit smug.
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Frank Craven Thursday.
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All has become clear: “Small Town Girl” Willie Fung Monday.
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Your clue with the initials was invaluable. For a while I thought J. G. was a male.
Monday: Willie Fung, Wednesday: Probably Joan Russell, Thursday: Frank
Craven. Movie is “Small Town Girl.” For Friday, I vote for Andy Devine.
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Frank Craven.
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The smug looking chap wearing the sweater is Frank Craven
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Small Town Girl with Willie Fung for Monday, and Frank Craven for Thursday.
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Thursday’s gentleman is Frank Craven.
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My movie sense told me “Warner Brothers” from the start. Monday’s photo told me at least part of the film took place on a ship (the anchors on the ship steward’s lapels), even though I didn’t recognize the actor. Didn’t recognize the actor in Tuesday’s photo, but it indicated a hospital/doctor’s office setting. Wednesday, I thought I recognized Cora Sue Collins, and mused “I’ve seen this movie, but . . . ” Thursday, I definitely recognized Hobart Cavanaugh (whom I often confuse with Hobart Bosworth), so now I have to guess . . . MARY STEPHENS, M.D.?
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An interesting line of reasoning. I applaud your diligence in ferreting out clues. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Oh well . . . when I wander off, I REALLY wander off . . .
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Mystery sweater-wearer, Frank Craven in “Small Town Girl?”
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Janet Gaynor with Andy Devine, Jimmy Stewart, and Robert Taylor.
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I don’t think I would have recognized Robert Taylor from the picture you have of him.
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Monday’s guest is Willie Fung
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Friday’s guests are Janet Gaynor and Andy Devine. And then it’s Jimmy Stewart and Janet Gaynor – next up is Janet Gaynor with Robert Taylor – the film is Small Town Girl
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Thur gent in the sweater is Frank Craven
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Tues. doctor is Lewis Stone.
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Janet Gaynor, Andy Devine, James Stewart, Beulah Bondi and Robert Taylor round out the cast.
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Janet Gaynor in SMALL TOWN GIRL [1936]. More importantly, Monday’s gent is comic relief expert Willie Fung, who unfortunately left us at age 49.
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Oh my gosh! It’s SMALL TOWN GIRL (1936), a film I’ve never seen in its entirety. Robert Taylor, Janet Gaynor, Jimmy Stewart, Frank Craven (how did I miss him?), Andy Devine, et al — and an MGM film to boot! Man, this was a toughie . . .
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By the process of elimination, L. S. must be Lewis Stone.
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