This week’s mystery movie has been the 1933 Warner Bros. film “The Silk Express,” with Neil Hamilton, Sheila Terry, Arthur Byron, Guy Kibbee, Dudley Digges, Arthur Hohl, Allen Jenkins, Harold Huber, George Pat Collins, Robert Barrat, Vernon Steele and Ivan Simpson. The screenplay was by Houston Branch and Ben Markson, based on a story by Houston Branch, with art direction by Esdras Hartley, photography by Tony Gaudio, gowns by Orry-Kelly and dialogue direction by Stanley Logan. The film was directed by Ray Enright.
The DVD is available from Warner Archive for $12.59.
“The Silk Express” opened July 6, 1933, in Los Angeles at the Warner Bros. Hollywood and Downtown theaters, replacing “The Mayor of Hell,” which also featured many of the Warner Bros. players, including Allen Jenkins, Dudley Digges, Sheila Terry, Harold Huber, George Pat Collins and Fred “Snowflake” Toones.
“Silk Express” was billed with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle’s last film, the Vitaphone short “How’ve You Bean.”
Writing in the New York Times (June 28, 1933), Mordaunt Hall said:
Having the action of a pictorial melodrama occur on board a railway train affords a certain fascination. The first of such stories was the Soviet film, “The China Express,” which was followed by the Hollywood offering “Shanghai Express,” and then recently there was the British production, “Rome Express.” The latest contribution of this type is the Warner Brothers picture, “The Silk Express,” which is now at the Mayfair.
Although some of the scenes of the current work are not laid in train coaches, most of them are. It is a good robust thriller, with two murders, well-sustained suspense, a vein of amusement and a dash of romance. Among the efficient performers are Guy Kibbee, Arthur Byron, Dudley Digges, Arthur Hohl, Ivan Simpson, Alien Jenkins, Neil Hamilton and Sheila Terry.
The film was apparently not reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Fred “Snowflake” Toones.
And for Tuesday, we have this mystery official. I have cropped out our leading man, who will make his appearance later in the week.
Update: This is Guy Usher.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Monday’s mystery chef), Dan Nather (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery chef), Robert Morrissey (Monday’s mystery chef), Sheila (Monday’s mystery chef), Don Danard (Monday’s mystery chef), Chrisbo (Monday’s mystery chef), Howard Mandelbaum (Monday’s mystery chef) and Tucson Barbara (Monday’s mystery chef, wrong movie).
For Wednesday, we have a mystery woman and her mystery companion.
Update: This is Sheila Terry and Dudley Digges.
Brain Trust roll call: Dan Nather (Tuesday’s mystery official).
For Thursday, we have this mystery gent….
Update: This is Robert Barrat.
… Monday’s mystery guest with a familiar companion…
Update: This is Allen Jenkins and Fred “Snowflake” Toones.
… and this familiar fellow.
Update: This is Harold Huber.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery guests/wrong movie), Chrisbo (Wednesday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and mystery guests) and Dan Nather (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have our no-nonsense leading man.
Update: This is Neil Hamilton, who played Commissioner Gordon in the “Batman” TV series.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery woman, Thursday’s mystery gents/wrong movie), Sheila (Thursday’s mystery gents), Laura C. (Thursday’s familiar fellow), Chrisbo (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery gents), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery gents), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery gents), Dewey Webb (Thursday’s bespectacled mystery gent), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Dan Nather (Thursday’s mystery gents) and Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery gents)
ladailymirror.com 
Fred “Snowflake” Toones.
LikeLike
That’s Fred “Snowflake” Toones in an excellent Warner pre-code thriller, THE SILK EXPRESS (1933)!
LikeLike
Finally, one that I actually can NAME!! 🙂 That is Fred Toones, also known as “Snowflake.” I first became aware of him from one of my favorite Christmas films, and also one of my favorite Barbara Stanwyck performances: Remember the Night (1940). He appeared in HUNDREDS of full-length films and shorts.
Come to think of it, it’s almost time to schedule my annual viewing of Remember the Night. Toones’ character here is a complete anachronism by today’s standards, and to some probably an offensive one. He is an utterly devoted manservant to a rather lower-middle-class DA’s assistant attorney, played by Fred MacMurray. But he makes an indelible impression, even though he is doing his own sweet version of the “slow-witted Negro” stereotype.
LikeLike
That looks like a Sam McDaniel smile to me.
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
A wild guess, and long shot – Clarence Muse in “After the Dance.”
LikeLike
Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Fred ‘Snowflake’ Toones?
LikeLike
Billy Mitchell?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Fred Toones today
LikeLike
Fred “Snowflake” Toones?
LikeLike
Fred ‘Snowflake’ Toones
LikeLike
Mantan Moreland? Willie Best?
LikeLike
Another guess and long shot – Fred Toones in “Out of Singapore.”
LikeLike
HERE COMES THE NAVY?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Looks like William B. Davidson today.
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
I wrote my reply first thing yesterday morning, but evidently it did not go through. That is Fred Toones, alias “Snowflake,” who appeared in hundreds of 30s and 40s films. He’s in one of my favorite holiday movies, Remember the Night, in a role that today’s audiences will have a difficult time dealing with. Still indelibly memorable, though!
LikeLike
Is Monday, Everett Brown?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Guy Usher today.
LikeLike
A younger and thinner John Banner on Tuesday?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
“Hell-Ship Morgan”
Tuesday – Howard Hickman
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Sheila Terry and Dudley Digges for Wednesday, ‘The Mayor of Hell’.
LikeLike
Is Wednesday’s mystery companion Dudley Digges?
LikeLike
Hmmm. Maybe Tuesday’s gent is Harry Woods.
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Guy Usher, Sheila Terry and Dudley Digges in SILK EXPRESS.
LikeLike
Oops! almost forgot Fred “Snowflake” Toones from monday.
LikeLike
BIGBROWN EYES. Isabel Jewell today, George Macquarrie yesterday.
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Is Wednesday’s Mystery man David Landau?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Our mystery movie is The Silk Express, with Guy Usher on Tuesday, Fred Toones (Snowflake) on Monday, and Dudley Digges and Sheila Terry on Wednesday.
LikeLike
Sheila Terry and Dudley Digges today.
LikeLike
THE MAYOR OF HELL. Sheila Terry yesterday, Robert Barrat, Allen Jenkins, and Harold Huber today.
LikeLike
Robert Barrat, Allen Jenkins and Harold Huber.
LikeLike
Thursday’s familiar fellow is Harold Huber!
LikeLike
Thursday’s familiar fellow is Harold Huber, and is that an uncharacteristically bespectacled Allen Jenkins? I’ll say The Silk Express.
LikeLike
Robert Barratt, Allen Jenkins, Snowflake and Harold Huber.
LikeLike
Oliver Blake and Richard Whorf are two from Thursday. I think the female is Gladys George on Wednesday. I don’t remember the name of the picture, but I’m pretty sure I know who’s going to show up on Friday. (GK?)
LikeLike
Interesting guesses. But alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
For Thursday’s Casting Call – Robert H. Barrat, Allen Jenkins, Fred Toones and Harold Huber.
LikeLike
Allen Jenkins
LikeLike
Robert Barrett, Allen Jenkins, Harold Huber.
LikeLike
Three Warner Brothers stalwarts — the versatile Robert Barrat, Allen Jenkins (well-cast against type), and Harold Huber.
LikeLike
Robert Barrat, Allen Jenkins, and Harold Huber for today.
LikeLike
Didn’t I get Sheila Terry yesterday? THE SILK EXPRESS with Neil Hamilton. G. Pat Collins on tuesday.
LikeLike
Neil Hamilton in “The Silk Express”?
LikeLike
Neil Hamilton gets heroic in this movie.
LikeLike
Neil Hamilton.
LikeLike
Neil (The Commissioner) Hamilton today. PS. Our chef looks like Richard Pryor!
LikeLike
Neil Hamilton
LikeLike
Friday’s no-nonsense leading man looks like Neil Hamilton, a.k.a. Commissioner Gordon on the 1960s Batman series, but I still don’t know the title of the mystery movie.
LikeLike
And there’s Neil Hamilton!
LikeLike
The Silk Express (1933) w/Neil Hamilton, Guy Kibbee, Allen Jenkins, Sheila Terry, Snowflake Toones
LikeLike
Only just look at this weeks offerings and I can’t believe I spotted Alan Jenkins in Tuesday picture.
LikeLike
Sorry got the right name on the wrong day ..Alan Jenkins = Thursday.
LikeLike
Warners spelled Hamilton’s first name wrong in the ad, no one caught it.
LikeLike
Pingback: Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +) |