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).
Irene Ryan in BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE
LikeLike
Irene Ryan? Blackbeard the Pirate?
LikeLike
Could it be Irene Ryan?
LikeLike
Lurene Tuttle?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Mary Boland
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
She looks like someone Tom Jones might have romped with.
LikeLike
Gloria Grahame?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Irene Ryan
LikeLike
Irene Dunne? (I know. Not on a Monday).
LikeLike
A fascinating guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
I thought so too
LikeLike
Brenda de Banzie
LikeLike
Interesting guess, but alas I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Skelton Knaggs for Tuesday.
LikeLike
Maybe . . . Laura Hope Crews?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Tuesday’s was Skelton Knaggs.
LikeLike
The unique Skelton Knaggs.
LikeLike
Skelton Knaggs is our man for tuesday.
LikeLike
Today it’s Skelton Knaggs if memory serves me.
LikeLike
On Tuesday … Ellen Corby?
LikeLike
Alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Skelton Knaggs in Blackbeard the Pirate for Tuesday, and (surprisingly) Irene Ryan for Monday.
LikeLike
Robert Newton today along with ???
LikeLike
Is it Tom Ewell on Tuesday?
LikeLike
Wow. Interesting guess! But alas I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE.
LikeLike
Part Two: Robert Newton along with “Slowly I Turn” Murray Leonard.
LikeLike
Blackbeard, the Pirate
Irene Ryan, Skelton Knaggs, Robert Newton
LikeLike
a long john silver movie ,I think
LikeLike
‘Tis a pirate movie you be watchin’ yaarrrrr.
LikeLike
Monday: Agnes Moorehead in The Adventures of Captain Fabien?
LikeLike
An interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
LikeLike
Robert Newton in Blackbeard the Pirate.
LikeLike
Robert Newton and Noel Drayton.
LikeLike
Monday is Irene Ryan.
LikeLike
Keith Andes
LikeLike
Yesterdays main pirate was Robert Newton while our thursday man is Keith Andes.
LikeLike
Keith Andes today.
LikeLike
Keith Andes
LikeLike
Robert Newton for Wednesday, and Keith Andes for today.
LikeLike
Keith Andes.
LikeLike
Today it’s Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
LikeLike
Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
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.
LikeLike
Torin Thatcher and Linda Darnell.
LikeLike
It’s unlikely that potato head Torin Thatcher begat lovely Linda Darnell, but so be it. Must be Blackbeard 1952.
LikeLike
Wednesday: I think the mystery chap on the left is Robert Newton.
Friday: Mystery woman is Linda Darnell.
Blackbeard the Pirate (1952)?
LikeLike
Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) w/ Linda Darnell, Robert Newton, Torin Thatcher, Irene Ryan, Keith Andes, William Bendix & Skelton Knaggs.
LikeLike
Linda Darnell and Torin Thatcher
LikeLike
Friday is Linda Darnell
LikeLike
Want to say the film is Blackbeard, but not sure.
LikeLike