This week’s mystery movie was the 1948 Warner Bros. film “April Showers,” directed by James V. Kern, with Jack Carson, Ann Sothern, Robert Alda, S.Z. Sakall, Robert Ellis, Richard Rober, Joseph Crehan, Billy Curtis, John Gallaudet and Philip Van Zandt. The screenplay was by Peter Milne, from a story by Joe Laurie Jr. The movie was photographed by Carl Guthrie, with art direction by Hugh Reticker and montages by James Leicester. The period wardrobe was by Travilla and makeup by Perc Westmore. The musical numbers were created and staged by LeRoy Prinz.
I rarely use musicals as mystery movies because they are usually much too familiar to the Brain Trust. “April Showers” was a bit of an exception because it’s more obscure and because it has a certain similarity to the life of Buster Keaton. (I will leave it to the Keaton experts to state exactly what those similarities are and possible legal ramifications arising from them.)
“April Showers” is not currently available on DVD.
For Monday, we have three mystery guests.
Update: This is Harry Shannon, left, Grayce Hampton and Roy Gordon. They are representing the Gary Society, regarding New York’s child labor laws.
NOTE: Several people have complained that their comments appeared to have vanished. It seems to have been a WordPress issue, but I received the comments just fine.
For Tuesday, we have two mystery gents.
Update: This is Robert Ellis and Jack Carson.
Brain Trust roll call: Julie Merholz (mystery police officer), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guests), Don Danard (mystery police officer, mystery gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery police officer) and Dan (mystery police officer).
And for Wednesday, our mystery guest pours a cool one.
”April Showers” deals with the alcoholism of Joe Tyme (Jack Carson), and there are six bartenders listed in the cast on IMDB: They are Ralph Dunn, William Haade, Charles Marsh, Thomas Martin, Frank McClure and Pat McKee.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery guests), Julie Merholz (mystery movie, mystery hobos), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery hobos), Mike Hawks (mystery hobos), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, mystery hobos), Patrick (mystery movie and mystery guests), Barbara Klein (mystery movie and mystery guests), David Hartzog (mystery hobo no. 2), Benito (mystery movie and mystery hobos), Dan Nather (mystery movie and mystery hobos), Lee Ann, Thom and Megan (mystery movie and guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery hobo No. 2), Pat van Hartesveldt (mystery hobo No. 2), LC (mystery movie and guests) and Michael Ryerson (mystery hobo No. 2).
And for Thursday, a dapper gent in a vest.
Update: This is Robert Alda.
Note: This week’s mystery movie deals with alcoholism and so there are, according to IMDB, six bartenders in the cast. Only one of them can be Wednesday’s mystery guest, but it’s difficult to determine which one – and so I am giving credit for any one of the six pending precise identification.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (bartender No. 5), Barbara Klein (right movie, wrong character), William (mystery hobo No. 2, wrong movie), Howard Mandelbaum (bartender No. 6), Pat in Michigan (mystery movie, mystery stars) and Anne Papineau (bartender No. 5).
And for Friday, no wait a minute….
This is S.Z. Sakall.
And for Friday…. No, no, no.
Update: This is John Gallaudet, left, and an unidentified gent in blackface.
I suppose you think this is very funny.
Update: This is Vivian Vance in “The Great Race.”
OK, not really. It’s Tura Satana in “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!”
And for Friday, our mystery star.
And this is Ann Sothern.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guest), Julie Merholz (Thursday’s mystery guest), Michael Ryerson (Thursday’s mystery guest), Barbara Klein (Thursday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guest), Patrick (Thursday’s mystery guest and back of the head guy), Dan Nather (Thursday’s mystery guest, bartender No. 3) and Jenny M. (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery guest).
A tip of the hat to Mary Mallory for going to the Margaret Herrick Library to check the photos on our mystery movie. She says that 95% of them were donated by Friday’s mystery guest, who is featured in most of the images. Other images show Bette Davis with our mystery guests, Tuesday’s mystery guest with lots of kids dressed as hobos and Michael Curtiz with our mystery star. There was nothing to identify our mystery bartender, however. Thanks, Mary!
ladailymirror.com 
Richard Shannon
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OOPS Harry Shannon the cop.
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Harry Shannon, Grayce Hampton, Roy Gordon in “April Showers.”
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Well, that looks like Anne Revere, but without cheating I don’t know who the two gents are nor the film. Obviously a ’40s re-creation of the Gay ’90s, though.
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The Police Officer is Harry Shannon, the man on the right is Roy Gordon but I don’t know the name for the Lady.
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Harry Shannon, Grayce Hampton and Roy Gordon in APRIL SHOWERS.
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Looks like Harry Shannon as the cop.
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Ray Teal
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Harry Shannon on left, I’m pretty sure. Don’t know others.
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“Park Row”? Just spitballing.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Harry Shannon, Grayce Hampton and Roy Gordon in “April Showers.”
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Jack Carson today.
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Jack Carson today and HIS GIRL FRIDAY.
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Jack Carson
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It keeps eating my responses. SHINE ON HARVEST MOON and Jack Carson.
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April Showers 1948, Robert Ellis
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Robert Ellis and Jack Carson.
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Dare I say that Robert Ellis and Jack Carson are clowning around.
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Tuesday: Robert Ellis and Jack Carson in “April Showers.”
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Monday = Harry Shannon, Grayce Hampton and Roy Gordon. Tuesday = Robert Ellis and Jack Carson. April Showers from 1948
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“April Showers”
Monday – Harry Shannon, Grayce Hampton, Roy Gordon
Tuesday – Jack Carson and Robert Ellis
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Today, Jsck Carson?
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Today, Jack Carson?
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Tuesday’s gent is reliable hambone Jack Carson. Guessing the kid is Robert Ellis in APRIL SHOWERS (1948).
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Didn’t recognize anybody in Monday’s photo, but Tuesday’s photo gave it to me: Jack Carson and Robert Ellis in APRIL SHOWERS (1948).
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For Tuesday, it’s Jack Carson and Robert Ellis in April Showers. For Monday, we believe it’s Harry Shannon as the policeman and Grayce Hampton as the disapproving lady.
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Is that Jack Carson under the hobo/clown makeup?
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Hopefully third time’s the charm. APRIL SHOWERS with Harry Shannon and Grayce Hamilton on Monday and Robert Ellis with Jack today. Tricky! Putting the star on Tuesday!
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Are they supposed to be Emmett Kelly lookalikes!
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Tuesday: clown on the right looks like Jack Carson.
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April Showers (1948) w/Jack Carson, Ann Sothern, Robert Ellis, S.Z Sakall, Robert Alda
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Well for Tuesday, the clown on the right (I don’t mean that pejoratively) looks like Jack Carson.
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Looks like my first post disappeared. I don’t recognize anybody in Monday’s photo, but Tuesday’s photo gave it to me: Jack Carson and Robert Ellis in APRIL SHOWERS (1948).
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Pat McKee today.
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John Hoyt today?
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Alas, no.
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Not positive about this, but I think Wednesday’s gent is Leo White
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“Gentleman Jim”, 1942, hobo scene Jack carson and Johnny Calkins
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Frank McClure
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“April Showers” with Jack Carson and Ann Sothern
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On Wednesday, Pat McKee? I’m spitballing, too.
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Frank Albertson on the far right for Monday???
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Robert Alda. I’m going to the Herrick this afternoon, I’ll pull the photo file and see if he is identified.
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Robert Alda today.
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the beautiful Dorian Gray err Robert Alda
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Robert Alda for Thursday.
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Robert Alda for today. Hope this one goes thru.
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Thursday – Alan Alda’s daddy, Robert.
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Today, it’s Robert Alda.
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Robert Alada.
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Thursday = Robert Alda with Jack Carson as back of the head guy on the right.
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I’m going to use the hatpin method and guess that Wednesday’s bartender is Charles Marsh. But that’s definitely Robert Alda today.
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Robert Alda in April Showers.
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Ann Sothern
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Yay, Cuddles S. Z. Sakall and Ann Sothern today.
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Tura Satana just made my day, thanks!!! This one was hard! Ann Sothern and Robert Alda were all I could get.
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I thought Tuesday’s mystery man was Jack Carson. But then I thought…
“naw, that’s too easy.”
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Ann Sothern says she is happy that Mike Hawks answer went thru on thursday.
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Friday = a pre-Private Secretary Ann Sothern.
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Well, in the “no no no” photo, the man on the right is John Gallaudet …. altho’ you didn’t ask for him to identified.
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I spy S.Z. “Bubbles” Sakall, maybe Tura Satana and definitely Ann Sothern.
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Friday’s elegant audience member is “Cuddles” Sakall.
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Ann Sothern
(Also, “Cuddles” Sakall)
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The late great Tura Satana today!
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Tura Sothern
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“April Showers”….1948
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bartender….Wm. Haade??
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