This week’s mystery movie has been the 1963 Allied Artists release “Soldier in the Rain,” with Jackie Gleason, Steve McQueen, Tuesday Weld, Tony Bill, Tom Poston, Ed Nelson, Lew Gallo, Rockne Tarkington, Paul Hartman, John Hubbard, Chris Noel, Sam Flint, Lewis Charles and Adam West. It was photographed by Philip Lathrop, with music by Henry Mancini, art direction by Phil Barber and set decorations by James W. Payne. The screenplay was by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards, from the novel by William Goldman, directed by Ralph Nelson.
The movie is available on DVD from Warner Archive for $16.69.
“Soldier in the Rain” opened April 15, 1964, in Los Angeles in a double bill with “Cry of Battle.”
The New York Times’ review (July 4, 1960) of Goldman’s novel said it might have been called “Nothing but Time for Sergeants.”
Bosley Crowther said (Nov. 28, 1963) of the film:
There’s nothing very funny about a halfwit, no matter how hard he may try to project himself as a comedian and others may condescend to him. And that’s why there’s nothing very funny about “Soldier in the Rain,” an odd sort of comedy-cum-pathos that came to the Palace and the Paris yesterday….
[Steve McQueen and Jackie Gleason] are really quite unpleasant in this broad and insensitive display of human stupidity and duplicity at an Army training base, and the picture itself flops uncertainly between two unreconcilable intents. It is neither good knockabout comedy, which it struggles most frantically to be, nor is it trustworthy sentimental drama along the lines of “Of Mice and Men.”
Los Angeles Times movie critic John L. Scott said (April 17, 1964):
It stars Steve McQueen, whose mugging and outraged innocence make him the comedian; and Jackie Gleason, who winds up as more or less the “straight man.” This practically turns the movie into a fantasy….
Laughs come spasmodically, however, and are diluted by serious overtones that somehow seem completely out of place in the film. These shifting moods turn “Soldier in the Rain” into a disjointed production that must be classed generally as a novelty.
For Monday, we have a mystery MP who is curious about an electric fan. I have cropped out our non-mystery leading man, who will make his appearance later.
Update: This is Ed Nelson.
A tip of the hat to B.J. Merholz for suggesting this mystery movie.
Note: I don’t recall ever having so many complaints that a mystery guest was too easy as I did with Monday’s mystery MP. So for you folks, we have the mystery couple above.
Update: Our arm wrestling couple have yet to be identified.
For everyone else, we have the rustic codger.
Update: This is Sam Flint.
Brain Trust roll call: Candy Cassell (mystery movie and mystery MP), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery MP), Tim Doherty (mystery MP), Bob Hansen (mystery MP), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mystery MP), Jenny M (mystery movie and mystery MP), Barbara Klein (mystery movie and mystery MP), Sarah (mystery movie and mystery MP), Benito (mystery MP), Dewey Webb (mystery MP, wrong movie), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie and mystery MP), Sylvia E. (mystery MP, wrong movie), Patrick (mystery movie and mystery MP), McDee (mystery MP), l. pots (mystery movie, wrong actor) and LC (mystery movie and mystery MP and mystery cast).
For Wednesday, we have this mystery guest.
Update: This is Tony Bill.
Brain Trust roll call: Charles Kjelland (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery MP), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery old coot), Dewey Webb (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (mystery old coot), Tucson Barbara (mystery old coot) and Benito (mystery movie and mystery old coot).
And for Thursday, we have two mystery officers. They do not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is John Hubbard, left, and Adam West before “Batman.”
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery MP and Tuesday’s mystery old coot), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Dewey Webb (Wednesday’s mystery guest) and Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guest).
For Friday…..
Jackie Gleason.
… we have two mystery guests.
Steve McQueen.
Brain Trust roll call: David Inman (mystery movie, mystery pinup and mystery Army officer No. 2), Mary Mallory (mystery Army officers), Mike Hawks (mystery Army officers), Jenny M (mystery Army officers), Pat in Michigan (mystery movie), Beach Gal (mystery movie, mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery Army officers), Candy Cassell (mystery Army officers) and Bob Hansen (mystery Army officer No. 2).
And to everybody going to Cinecon: Have fun!
ladailymirror.com 
Monday’s mystery man looks like Ed Nelson.in “Soldier in the Rain” from the early 1960s. I loved him, and loved Steve McQueen.
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Ed Nelson in SOLDIER IN THE RAIN.
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Ed Nelson?
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Is it Ed Nelson on Monday?
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Ed Nelson in SOLDIER IN THE RAIN 1963.
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Ed Nelson
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Soldier in the Rain
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Ed Nelson in “Soldier in the Rain” (I think).
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It’s Ed Nelson in “Soldier in the Rain”. Are you sure he’s a “Monday person” since last week you did use Franklin Pangborn as a “Friday person”.
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Ed Nelson? Naw,too easy
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Ed Nelson in The Strange One (strange car too)
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This is Ed Nelson in “Soldier In The Rain” made just before Hollywood shot everything in color.
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It looks like Ed Nelson to me. Is the image from Silent Service?
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Ed Nelson in Soldier in the Rain from 1963.
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Ed Nelson for Monday?
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Richard Jaeckel, Soldier in the Rain
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Soldier in the Rain (1963) w/Ed Nelson, Steve McQueen, Jackie Gleason, Tuesday Weld…
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JAN MERLIN
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Ed Nelson in “Soldier in the Rain”?
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Grizzled Sam Flint.
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Soldier In the Rain
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Sam Flint entertains us today. The young couple arm wrestling is another story.
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This is probably Sam Flint.
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Is that codger Sam Flint? If so, the movie is SOLDIER IN THE RAIN (1963)
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A moment that Tony Bill would like to forget.
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Tony, not Toni, Bill.
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Toni Bill
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Tony Bill
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John Hubbard and Adam West
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If it’s Tony Bill on Wednesday and Adam West as one of the guys today, this must be “Soldier in the Rain.”
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Adam West on the right.
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John Hubbard to the left and Chris Noel Wednesday.
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John Hubbard and Adam West. Off to Cinecon today so we will probably see Tuesday Weld, Jackie Gleason and or Steve McQueen tomorrow. Whoa!
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A Hail Mary: Walter Coy and Martin Milner on Thursday, making it On the Threshold of Space???
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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John Hubbard and Adam West
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Soldier in the Rain
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Monday is Ed Nelson – the movie is Soldier In The Rain
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Thurs. army guy on the right is Adam West
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Wen guy in drag is Tony Bill
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Thurs arm ‘brass’ on the left of ‘Batman’ is John Hubbard
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Tues old codger must be Sam Flint
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John Hubbard and Adam West.
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Since I was first to guess the Mystery Movie and Monday’s mystery MP — beating out the rest of the fabulous Brain Trust, a feat I will probably never repeat — I thought I’d rest on my laurels. But I have to acknowledge Adam West (and John Hubbard?) among the soldiers in the rain today.
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I think on Thursday I’m seeing Adam West on the right.
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Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen enjoying the fun today.
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What! It’s Friday already?
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And Friday’s photos are our stars, Steve McQueen and Jackie Gleason
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Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen for Friday.
Soldier in the Rain.
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