This week’s mystery movie has been RKO’s first singing, talking and dancing picture, the 1929 film “Street Girl,” directed by Wesley Ruggles, with Betty Compson, John Harron, Jack Oakie, Ned Sparks, Guy Buccola, Joseph Cawthorn, Ivan Lebedeff, Doris Eaton, and Gus Arnheim and His Ambassadors.
The screenplay was by Jane Murfin based on the story “Scandals of Broadway: The Viennese Charmer” by W. Carey Wonderly, published in the March 1928 issue of Young’s Realistic Stories magazine. Art direction was by Max Ree, photography by Leo Tover, musical numbers by Oscar Levant and Sidney Clare and editing by Ann McKnight and William Hamilton. RKO also adapted the story for the the 1936 film “That Girl From Paris,” starring Lily Pons with a return by Jack Oakie, and the 1942 film “Four Jacks and a Jill.”
The film has never been released commercially on DVD (or VHS as far as I can determine).
“Street Girl” opened in Los Angeles on Sept. 11, 1929, at the RKO Theatre (formerly the Hill Street), with Jack Benny as master of ceremonies. Adjusted for inflation, the top opening night ticket ($5) was $70 USD 2016. Celebrities scheduled to attend included the stars of the picture, and Richard Dix, Bebe Daniels, Olive Borden, Ann Pennington, Kathryn Crawford, Marie Prevost, Mary Eaton, Carmelita Geraghty, Colleen Moore, Thelma Todd, Leatrice Joy, Sally Blane, Frank Faye, Rita LaRoy, Robert Z. Leonard, Gertrude Olmstead, Leonore Ulric, Norma Shearer, J. Grubb Alexander, Cecil B. De Mille and Joseph M. Schenck.
Although the stereotype of the early talking pictures is that they ended the careers of silent star, Compson expressed a different view in an interview with the Los Angeles Times (Sept. 22, 1929):
For Monday, we have a happy mystery guest.
Update: This is June Clyde.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is John Harron.
Wednesday’s gent is on the ’phone. (“Hello? Weren’t you a mystery guest last year?” “Why whatever do you mean?”)
Update: This is Joseph Cawthorn.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests) and Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
For Thursday, we have a mystery violinist.
Update: This is Betty Compson.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Dan Nather (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guest) and Bob Hansen (Wednesday’s mystery guest).
Note to Dan Nather: Fear not; all will become clear by tomorrow.
These mystery gents come as a pair.
Mystery gent No. 1
Update: This is Jack Oakie.
And mystery gent No. 2
Update: This is Ned Sparks.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery guests), Dan Nather (mystery movie and mystery guests), Bob Hansen (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman) and Sheila (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman).
ladailymirror.com 
THE WILD PARTY?
LikeLike
Interesting guess. But alas, no.
LikeLike
She should have a dentist look into that upper right bicuspid.
LikeLike
Ha!!!!
LikeLike
Glenda Farrell?
LikeLike
Interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Peg Entwistle in “Thirteen Women”
LikeLike
Very intriguing guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Alice Faye?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
John Harron today.
LikeLike
Dorothy Lee yesterday so LAUGH AND GET RICH.
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
John Harron for today and very likely June Clyde for monday should make this STREET GIRL 1929.
LikeLike
Claire Dodd and CROONER?
LikeLike
Alas, I don’t have that Ann Dvorak film in the DM archives….
LikeLike
Monday, Una Merkel?
LikeLike
Alas, Una is way too easy for a Monday. Might be a Thursday or Friday. 🙂
LikeLike
John Harron for Tuesday.
LikeLike
WHITE ZOMBIE. Joseph Cawthorn today. Annette Stone, because it sure isn’t Madge on Monday.
LikeLike
The gentleman on the ‘phone is Joseph Cawthorn.
LikeLike
Who is Joseph Cawthorn talking to.
LikeLike
Okay, that’s Joseph Cawthorn(e) today, but Monday and Tuesday’s mystery people are driving me crazy. I KNOW these people, but I can’t come up with the names . . .
LikeLike
Joseph Cawthorn for Wednesday?
LikeLike
Joseph Cawthorn.
LikeLike
Wednesday’s guy is Joseph Cawthorn, I believe.
LikeLike
Betty Compson playing her violin today, the real star of the film.
LikeLike
Why does Betty Compson look sad.
LikeLike
Betty Compson in STREET GIRL.
Monday: June Clyde
Tuesday: John Harron
LikeLike
Ah! Betty Compson at the violin means this has to be STREET GIRL (1929), the first RKO production. That would mean that Monday’s gal is June Clyde and Tuesday’s gent is John Harron. No wonder this was bugging me so much — this was one of the first films I ever saw on VHS more than 30 years ago!
LikeLike
Today (Thursday) is Betty Compson. I think this is Street Girl from 1929.
LikeLike
Betty Compson for Thursday–‘Street Girl’?
LikeLike
June Clyde Monday and Jack Oakie and Ned Sparks today. Who’d believe Ned as a singing/dancing type?
LikeLike
Ned Sparks, never handsomer.
LikeLike
With Ned Sparks, Jack Oakie, and Lilian Tashman I will have to guess that this is Too Much Harmony.
LikeLike
Jack Oakie and Ned Sparks appear before us.
LikeLike
Hopefully, I will have better luck this week. Street Girl 1929 w/Betty Compson. John Harron, Jack Oakie & Ned Sparks.
LikeLike
It’s gotta be Jack Oakie and Ned Sparks today.
LikeLike