This week’s mystery movie has been the 1952 RKO film “Blackbeard, the Pirate,” with Robert “Yarr” Newton, Linda Darnell, William Bendix, Keith Andes, Torin Thatcher, Irene Ryan, Alan Mowbray, Richard Egan, Skelton Knaggs, Dick Wessel, Anthony Caruso, Jack Lambert, Noel Drayton and Pat Flaherty.
The screenplay was by Alan LeMay from a story by DeVallon Scott, with music by Victor Young, photography by William E. Snyder, art direction by Albert S. D’Agostino and Jack Okey, set decorations by Darrell Silvera and John Sturtevant, costumes by Michael Woulfe, musical direction by C. Bakaleinikoff and makeup by Mel Berns. Dialogue direction was by Hal A. “Yarr” Long. The movie was produced by Edmund Grainger and directed by Raoul Walsh.
It is available on DVD from multiple sources.
Dec. 24, 1952: “Blackbeard, the Pirate” opens in Los Angeles. Christmas moviegoers could chose between this or “Bwana Devil,” “Million Dollar Mermaid,” “Hans Christian Andersen,” “Pony Soldier” and “My Cousin Rachel.”
Film critic John L. Scott, writing in the Los Angeles Times (Dec. 25, 1952) said:
Robert Newton, the talented Englishman, gets his teeth into the role of Blackbeard and shakes it like a puppy worrying a rag doll. With evident delish, Newton growls and grimaces, hollers and hams it up mightily and, I might add, in the best old-time tradition of pirate acting.
An “old-time tradition of pirate acting?” No that’s what he said. Really. Yarrrrr.
Writing in the New York Times (Dec. 26, 1952), HHT said:
Old Saint Nick got a ferocious but unmemorable nudging from “Blackbeard the Pirate” yesterday at Loew’s State. This R. K. O. swashbuckler offers a lusty rogues gallery in opulent Technicolor, with little occasion for rejoicing, however. For while this piracy package streamlines history with salty good-naturedness, the material afforded Robert Newton, Linda Darnell, William Bendix and Keith Andes holds few pattern deviations.
For Monday, we have this coy mystery guest.
Update: This is Irene Ryan.
Update: A pre-“Beverly Hillbillies” Irene Ryan and Robert “Yarr” Newton.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Skelton Knaggs.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery coy lady), Timothy (mystery movie and mystery coy lady), Markhn (mystery coy lady) and The Starlight Studio (mystery coy lady).
For Wednesday, we have two mystery chaps who look much alike.
Update: This is Robert “Yarr” Newton, left, and an unidentified character who calls himself “the King of Spain.” His resemblance to Blackbeard does not end well.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and mystery guests).
And for Thursday, a mystery gent.
Update: This is Keith Andes.
Brain Trust roll call: Timothy (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery pirate), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery coquette), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and mystery guests), Jenny M (mystery movie and mystery pirate) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery pirate and possibly mystery lookalike).
For Friday, we have our mystery leading lady and her mysterious rapscallion father.
Update: This is Torin Thather and Linda Darnell. And yes, she is utterly wasted in this movie.
Brain Trust roll call: Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s pirate and Thursday’s mystery gent), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery gent), Jenny M. (Thursday’s mystery gent), Lee Ann Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery pirate, Thursday’s mystery gent) and Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery gent).
ladailymirror.com 
Irene Ryan in BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE
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Irene Ryan? Blackbeard the Pirate?
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Could it be Irene Ryan?
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Lurene Tuttle?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mary Boland
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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She looks like someone Tom Jones might have romped with.
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Gloria Grahame?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Irene Ryan
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Irene Dunne? (I know. Not on a Monday).
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A fascinating guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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I thought so too
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Brenda de Banzie
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Interesting guess, but alas I’m afraid not.
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Skelton Knaggs for Tuesday.
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Maybe . . . Laura Hope Crews?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tuesday’s was Skelton Knaggs.
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The unique Skelton Knaggs.
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Skelton Knaggs is our man for tuesday.
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Today it’s Skelton Knaggs if memory serves me.
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On Tuesday … Ellen Corby?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Skelton Knaggs in Blackbeard the Pirate for Tuesday, and (surprisingly) Irene Ryan for Monday.
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Robert Newton today along with ???
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Is it Tom Ewell on Tuesday?
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Wow. Interesting guess! But alas I’m afraid not.
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BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE.
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Part Two: Robert Newton along with “Slowly I Turn” Murray Leonard.
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Blackbeard, the Pirate
Irene Ryan, Skelton Knaggs, Robert Newton
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a long john silver movie ,I think
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‘Tis a pirate movie you be watchin’ yaarrrrr.
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Monday: Agnes Moorehead in The Adventures of Captain Fabien?
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An interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Robert Newton in Blackbeard the Pirate.
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Robert Newton and Noel Drayton.
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Monday is Irene Ryan.
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Keith Andes
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Yesterdays main pirate was Robert Newton while our thursday man is Keith Andes.
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Keith Andes today.
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Keith Andes
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Robert Newton for Wednesday, and Keith Andes for today.
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Keith Andes.
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Today it’s Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
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Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
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BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE. Monday is Irene Ryan, Tuesday is Skelton Knaggs, Wednesday is Robert Newton and William Bendix, Thursday is Keith Andes, and today is Linda Darnell and Tobin Thatcher.
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Linda Darnell in Blackbeard the Pirate. She was a really beautiful woman and a far better actress than she was given credit for. I think the big studios during their time wasted more talent than they nurtured.
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Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
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It’s unlikely that potato head Torin Thatcher begat lovely Linda Darnell, but so be it. Must be Blackbeard 1952.
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Wednesday: I think the mystery chap on the left is Robert Newton.
Friday: Mystery woman is Linda Darnell.
Blackbeard the Pirate (1952)?
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Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) w/ Linda Darnell, Robert Newton, Torin Thatcher, Irene Ryan, Keith Andes, William Bendix & Skelton Knaggs.
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Linda Darnell and Torin Thatcher
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Friday is Linda Darnell
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Want to say the film is Blackbeard, but not sure.
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