This week’s mystery movie has been the 1955 Warner Bros. film “Illegal,” and yes, it is the studio’s second remake of “The Mouthpiece.”
With Edward G. Robinson, Nina Foch, Hugh Marlowe, Jayne Mansfield, Albert Dekker, Howard St. John, Ellen Corby, Edward Platt, Jan Merlin, Robert Ellenstein, Jay Adler, Henry Kulky, James McCallion, Addison Richards, Lawrence Dobkin, DeForest Kelly, Clark Howat and Stuart Nedd. This version of the screenplay was by W.R. Burnett and James R. Webb from a story by Frank J. Collins. Photography was by J. Peverell Marley, art direction by Stanley Fleischer, set decoration by William Wallace, wardrobe by Moss Mabry, orchestrations by Murray Cutter, makeup by Gordon Bau, music by Max Steiner. Produced by Frank P. Rosenberg, directed by Lewis Allen.
“Illegal” is available on DVD from Warner Archive, paired with “The Big Steal.”
Writing in the New York Times (Oct. 29, 1955), Bosley Crowther said:
We’d be willing to be a nickel that the people who wrote and made Warner Brothers’ “Illegal” had “The Asphalt Jungle” in mind and were doing their best to imitate it, difficult though that would be. For this juristic crime melodrama, which came to the Palace yesterday along with the vaudeville program, has some clear points of similarity to that 1950 thriller. It just doesn’t begin to be as good.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Kathy Marlowe.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery guest in a newsboy cap.
Update: This is Phil Arnold.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Jan Merlin.
Brain Trust roll call: Patrick (Tuesday’s mystery newsboy).
For Thursday, we have non-mysterious guest No. 1…
This is DeForest “Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a murder suspect” Kelly.
… and non-mysterious guest No. 2.
Update: This is Jayne Mansfield.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery gent), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery gent) and Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery newsboy).
For Friday, we have a bonanza of mystery guests, some more mysterious than others.
Here’s a less attractive shot of our leading man but a better view of Top-Of-The-Head Guy.
Update: This is Robert Ellenstein, Baynes Barron, Nina Foch, Edward G. Robinson, Top-Of-The-Head Guy and Hugh Marlowe. TOTHG is a bit hard to identify. I think he may be Sol Murgi, but I could be wrong.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman), Patrick (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Steve W. (Thursday’s mystery gent), Benito (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Patricia van Hartesveldt (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery newsboy and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
I’ll start with Hillary Brooke.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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My guess is Susan Cummings.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Frank Langella
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I was hoping you were going to say: “Frank Langella, a lass? I’m afraid not.”
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Sorry to disappoint you. 🙂
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It oughter be Audrey Totter.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Don’t tell me that’s not Harvey Weinstein.
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Tuesday: Phil Arnold
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Kathy Marlowe for monday with Jan Merlin today make this ILLEGAL 1955.
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Jan Merlin for today.
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Illegal (1955) w/Kathy Marlowe, Jan Merlin, Phil Arnold, Edward G. Robinson, Nina Foch, Hugh Marlowe….
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Douglas Spencer.
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An interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Jan Merlin
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Got it (I think). If so, I actually had it on day one, but thought that Lizabeth Scott would be too well known, so I went for a Scott-ish actress. So now my guess: ‘I Walk Alone’. And I often do.
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An interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tuesday: Phil Arnold
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ILLEGAL. Roxanne Arlen Monday, Phil Arnold Tuesday, Lawrence Dobkin Wednesday, and DeForest Kelley and Jayne Mansfield today.
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Kathy Marlowe Monday and Jan Merlin Wednesday.
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Deforest Kelly and Jayne Mansfield.
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ILLEGAL (1955)
A triple play!
Monday: Kathy Marlowe
Wednesday: Jan Merlin
Thursday: DeForest Kelley, Jayne Mansfield
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DeForest Kelly and Jayne Mansfield in Illigal.
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Thursday appears to be Jayne Mansfield becoming a movie star in Illegal. I am still stumped on Monday and I even think she has been a previous mystery guest. Time (Saturday morning) will tell.
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Jan Merlin, DeForest Kelly and Jane Mansfield in Illegal from 1955.
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Cursed spellcheck; JAYNE.
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July 5th male actor: D. Forrest Kelly
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Doc and Jayne, so guess it’s Illegal 1955. If so, waiting for Eddie G.
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Thursday: DeForest Kelley and Jayne Mansfield in Illegal (1955)
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Thursday: DeForest Kelley and Jayne Mansfield. Must be “Illegal.” 1955.
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Henry Silva on Wednesday
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A very good guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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The movie is “Illegal” 1955
Mon – I think is Kathy Marlowe
Thurs – DeForest Kelly and Jayne Mansfield
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Friday – Robert Ellenstein, Nina Foch, Edward G. Robinson, Hugh Marlowe.
Looking forward to who the others are.
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Jayne Mansfield and DeForest Kelley in Illegal.
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And Phil Arnold for Tuesday.
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Edward Platt, Clark Howat, Nina Foch, Hugh Marlowe, and Eddie G. Robinson.
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Howard St. John standing in the back.
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Robert Ellenstein, Nina Foch, Edward G. Robinson and Hugh Marlowe round out the major players this week.
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Robert Ellenstein, Baynes Barron, Nina Foch, Edward G. Robinson, Stuart Hall, Hugh Marlowe.
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