This week’s mystery movie has been the 1948 Warner Bros. picture “Romance on the High Seas,” with Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don De Fore, Doris Day, Oscar Levant, S.Z. Sakall, Fortunio Bonanova, Eric Blore, William Bakewell, Franklin Pangborn, Avon Long and the Samba Kings. The screenplay was by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein with additional dialogue by I.A.L. Diamond, from a story by S. Pondal Rios and Carlos A. Olivari. Photography was by Elwood Bredell, art direction by Anton Grot, special effects by David Curtiz, special effects photography by Wilfred M. Cline and Robert Burks, set decorations by Howard Winterbottom, wardrobe by Milo Anderson, makeup by Perc Westmore, musical direction by Leo F. Forbstein, musical numbers orchestrated and conducted by Ray Heindorf, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn, musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley, produced by Alex Gottlieb and directed by Michael Curtiz.
I don’t usually do mystery films with a time peg, but on a recent trip to the Monterey area, I was reminded of Doris Day’s birthday (April 3), which is being celebrated this weekend in Carmel.
“Romance on the High Seas” is available on DVD from Warner Archive.
Writing in the New York Times (June 26, 1948), Bosley Crowther said:
As much as we all like to welcome new faces and talents to the screen, it is hard to work up enthusiasm for the Warners’ new starlet, Doris Day. Maybe this bouncy young lady, who came directly from singing with bands to a leading role in that studio’s color musical, “Romance on the High Seas,” has ability and personality. But as shown in this picture at the Strand, she has no more than a vigorous disposition which hits the screen with a thud.”
The fault is not hers entirely. If the Warners had tried to pick a show in which a new and untested personality was least likely to succeed, they couldn’t have done much better than this woeful banality. It’s a scatterbrained comedy of errors in which the identities of several people are confused, for completely preposterous reasons, in the course of a South American cruise. And as a brash little night-club singer who is supposed to act like a swell, Miss Day is most plainly the victim of the writers’ unutterable ennui.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent. His companion has been cropped out due to a total lack of mysteriousness and will appear later.
Update: This is William Bakewell.
For Tuesday, we have a formally dressed mystery gent who appears many years later in one of our favorite films. The (Update: second) leading man, alas, has been cropped out due to his utter lack of mysteriousness. He will appear Friday.
Update: This is John Holland, whom you may recall from “Chinatown.”
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent), David Inman (mystery movie), Gary (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent, plus actress cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent, plus actress cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness), Don Danard (Monday’s mystery gent), Floyd Thursby (Monday’s mystery gent) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery gent).
For Wednesday, we have a mysterious “funny” drunk, a character that only exists in movies and not in real life.
Update: This is Johnny Berkes.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery gent), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery gent), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery gent) and Lee Ann, Thom and Megan (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery gent — have to ask: Did Megan get a demotion to third place or did Thom get a promotion to second place?).
For Thursday we have a quartet of guests…. First, a mystery desk clerk …
Update: This is Franklin “J. Pinkerton Snoopington” Pangborn.
… then, a mystery doctor …
Update: This is Eric Blore.
…. and finally these two mystery musical gents.
Update: This is Fortunio Bonanova and Oscar Levant.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery sot), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery sot), Don Danard (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery sot) and L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast).
For Friday, we have Mystery Couple No. 1 ….
Update: This is Jack Carson and Doris Day.
And Mystery Couple No. 2.
Update: This is Janis Paige and Don De Fore.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (mystery movie and mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Chrisbo (Thursday’s mystery guests), Benito (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Rick (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sarah (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E (mystery movie and mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
William Bakewell in ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS.
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It looks a bit like John Raitt. But I don’t think it’s him!
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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“Romance on the High Seas”? No idea about the guy, though.
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Uncredited actor with edited out companion Doris Day in Romance on the High Seas.
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William Bakewell in ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS. I believe he is speaking with Doris Day
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Today’s Mystery Man is William Bakewell.
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This sure looks like William Bakewell.
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and with a little sleuthing …William Bakewell.
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William Bakewell in ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS.
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John Holland.
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Gaunt John Holland with Jack Carson.
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Hello to John Holland.
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Today, it’s John Holland.
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Today’s guest is John Holland.
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Is it Romance on the High Seas?
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John Berkes. Hope we get Franklin in a shot.
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John Berkes.
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Is the film “Romance on the High Seas”?
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Johnny Berkes.
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Romance on the High Seas w/Doris Day (Happy Birthday!), Jack Carson, Don Defore, Janis Page, John Holland, John Berkes, S.Z Sakall, & Oscar Levant.
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Yay! Frankie! Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore, Fortunio Bonanova, and Oscar Levant.
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Eric Blore, a recent mystery guest, is my favorite character actor.
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Being in this film offered Oscar Levant the opportunity to utter one of Hollywood’s wittiest remarks: I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin.
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I saw this about two years ago …I remembered having seen it as a nine year old. It is a surprisingly good film …directed by Michael Curtiz …who gave us some of WB’s great classics. However I am always puzzled by the extremely long kiss at the end; it seems to defy all pictorial logic.
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Franklin Pangborn; Eric Blore; Fortunio Bonanova, Oscar Levant.
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Romance on the High Seas. Thurs. Frank Pangborn as the hotel clerk, Ship doctor is Eric Blore, Fortunio Bonanova and Oscar Levant.
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Wen’s drunk is John Berkes. Is Tues’ Best Man, John Holland? Is Monday John Alvin?
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Ooops – I think Monday’s guest is William Bakewell (not John Alvin)
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Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore, Fortunio Bonanova, Oscar Levant.
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Franklin Pangborn + Eric Blore + Fortunio Bonanova + Oscar Levant = Romance on the High Seas.
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Stalwarts Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore and Oscar Levant in Romance on the High Seas 1948. Newcomer Doris Day is on the way.
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Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore (Doris Day cut off), Oscar Levant – Romance On The High Seas
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It took awhile, but the combination of Franklin Pangborn and Oscar Levant identifies this film as “Romance on the High Seas” (1948).
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“Aha Thursdays” I recognized Oscar
Romance on the High Seas – 1948
Mon – William Bakewell
Tues – John Holland – the lack of mysteriousness ‘shoulder’ I think belongs to Mr. DeFore (I’m curious – was your favorite ‘appears years later’ movie of Mr. Holland, MFL or HTSIBWRT?)
Weds – John Berkes (the shoulder on screen left belongs to Jack Carson)
Thurs – Fortunio Bonanova (great name) and Oscar Levant
I’m guessing that Friday will have Mr. Jack Carson and Ms. Doris Day (as well as Mr. Don DeFore and Ms. Janis Paige)
Another fun one. Thanks!
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I forgot the other “Thursday” folks:
Franklin Pangborn (talking with Mr. DeFore, I think)
Eric Blore (talking to Ms. Doris Day)
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Jack Carson and Doris Day, and Janis Paige and Don Defore.
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Jack Carson & Doris Day; Janis Paige & Don DeFore.
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Jack Carson, Doris Day, Janis Paige, Don DeFore.
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The film is “Romance on the High Seas”; performers shown include Franklyn Pangborn, Eric Blore,
Fortunio Bonanova, Jack Webb, Jack Carson, Doris Day, Janis Paige and Don DeFore.
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And, the “funny” drunk is Johnny Berkes.
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Fri. we have Jack Carson and Doris Day with Janis Blair and Don DeFore
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Ooops – I mean Janis Paige not Blair!
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D-J–D-J–Doris and Jack, Don and Janis.
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