This week’s mystery movie has been the 1937 Paramount film “True Confession,” with Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, John Barrymore, Una Merkel, Porter Hall, Edgar Kennedy and Lynne Overman. It was produced by Albert Lewin, from a screenplay by Claude Binyon based on a play by Louis Verneuil and Georges Berr. Musical direction was by Boris Morros from a score by Frederick Hollander. Photography was by Ted Tetzlaff, art direction by Hans Dreier and Robert Usher, costumes by Travis Banton and interior decorations by A.E Freudeman. The film was directed by Wesley Ruggles.
It is available on DVD from Amazon.
Dec. 16, 1937: “True Confession” opens in Los Angeles at the Paramount.
Writing in the Los Angeles Times (Dec. 17, 1937), Edwin Schallert said:
It’s one of the craziest of crazy pictures, with John Barrymore outdoing even the feminine star in his parade of utter insanity and madness. Audiences will find plenty of scope for laughs. There is much that is genuinely funny in this harum-scarum comedy “epic.” Occasionally it may be a bit strained, but everybody has worked to the utmost, it is evidence, to provide a highly amusing dish for audiences.
Writing in the New York Times (Dec. 19, 1937), Frank S. Nugent uses the film as the occasion for a long essay on Lombard’s comedic gifts, saying: “There may be no critics’ award for Miss Lombard and no golden statuette from the Academy, but my favorite carol this Christmas is Lombard.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent
Update: This is Garry Owen.
For Tuesday, we have another mystery gent.
Update: This is Tom Dugan.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Monday’s mystery gent), Don Danard (Monday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery gent) and Mark Vieira, who identified the mystery movie, mystery guest and the director of photography’s lighting style. Most impressive.
For Wednesday, we have this mystery gent. He is talking to our leading lady, who will appear Friday.
Update: This is John T. Murray.
Brain Trust roll call: Patrick (Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery guest), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest), Anne Papineau (Monday’s mystery guest), Sheila (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Gary Martin (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests), David Inman (Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Bob Hansen (Tuesday’s mystery guest).
For Thursday, we have mystery balloon guy ….
Update: This is John Barrymore.
… and an unamused mystery bartender.
Update: This is Lynne Overman.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery gent), Dan Nather (Tuesday’s mystery gent) and Patrick (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery gent).
For Friday, we have two unamused mystery ladies.
Update: This is Una Merkel and Carole Lombard.
And also our mystery leading man.
Update: This is Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray.
Brain Trust roll call: Don Danard (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Patrick (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery unamused bartender).
ladailymirror.com 
Osgood Perkins.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Arthur Hohl?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Gary Owen.
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Monday’s Mystery Man is Gary Owen.
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Sorry. Garry Owen.
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Garry Owen.
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Looks like John McCallum, who was in MIRANDA 1948. He may have impregnated a lovely mermaid!
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Garry Owen in Flying Devils
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I think it’s Garry Owen from True Confession. The edge lighting looks like Ted Tetzlaff’s work. Now mind you, I haven’t seen the film since 1981, and that was in a 16mm print from Universal 16. But I know Tetzlaff’s lighting style very well: heavy diffusion and strong kickers.
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Monday = Garry Owen, Tuesday = Tom Dugan.
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Tuesday’s Mystery Man is Tom Dugan.
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Tuesday’s gent looks like Ted Healy.
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Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tom Dugan
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Tom Dugan in TRUE CONFESSION (1937).
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On Monday, Garry Owen?
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Tom Dugan for Tuesday.
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Tuesday is Tom Dugan
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Monday is Garry Owen, and today is Tom Dugan. Not sure which movie yet.
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Tom Dugan today.
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I think Tuesday’s guy is Tom Dugan.
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Today’s Mystery Man resembles a young Richard Lane.
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Interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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John T. Murray.
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Well, I know Tuesday’s gent is Tom Dugan, but beyond that, I’m stumped . . .
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Paul Douglas on Wednesday?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Ralf Harolde today?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Wednesday = John T. Murray in True Confession from 1937.
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The unamused Bartender is Lynne Overman.
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Thursday = John Barrymore and Lynne Overman.
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John Barrymore, Lynne Overman.
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I think this might be Big City with Spencer Tracey, William Demarest, and the previously mentioned Tom Dugan. Monday is driving me crazy. I know him but …
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Got it now! John Barrymore and Lynne Overman from TRUE CONFESSION (1937).
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Today’s mystery is Lynne Overman in True Confession.
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I meant to type bartender.
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Una Merkle, Carol Lombard and Fred Mac Murray and my all time favorite Toby Wing True Confession?
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TRUE CONFESSION. Tom Dugan Tuesday, John T. Murray Wednesday, Lynne Overman bartender Thursday, Una Merkel with Carole Lombard, and then Lombard with MacMurray.
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Una Merkel, Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray.
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True Confession (’37) – one of Lombard’s worst films.
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Friday is Una Merke and Carole Lombard with Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray on the last photo
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Thurs barkeep is Lynne Overman
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Thurs balloon guy must be John Barrymore
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I finally got around to this week’s mystery movie: Monday: Garry Owen, Tuesday: Tom Dugan, Wednesday: John T. Murray, Thursday: John Barrymore with balloon, Lynne Overman, Friday: Una Merkel, Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray. The movie is “True Confession” from 1937. Side note: Former child star Baby Peggy had an uncredited role as an extra.
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Back from having no site access. Tom Dugan, John T. Murray, John Barrymore, Lynne Overman, Una Merkel, Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray in TRUE CONFESSION.
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Tues is Tom Dugan
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Monday is Garry Owen
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Wed is John T. Murray
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Oh, Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray on Friday. Love them!
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Since Fred has a ‘stache, the film has to be True Confession
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