This week’s mystery movie was the 1932 Warner Bros. film “Big City Blues” with Joan Blondell, Eric Linden, Jobyna Howland, Ned Sparks, Guy Kibbee, Grant Mitchell, Walter Catlett, Inez Courtney and Thomas Jackson, based on a play by Ward Morehouse, screenplay by Ward Morehouse and Lillie Hayward, edited by Ray Curtiss, art direction by Anton Grot, photography by James Van Trees, Vitaphone orchestra conducted by Leo F. Forbstein. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
“Big City Blues” is available on DVD from Warner Archive in “Forbidden Hollywood,” Volume 9, which also has previous mystery movie “Hell’s Highway.”
Writing in the New York Times (Sept. 10, 1932), Mordaunt Hall said:
O. Henry’s Bagdad on the Subway is treated in a none too friendly fashion in “Big City Blues,” a picture based on Ward Morehouse’s unproduced play. “New York Town.” It is in most respects an inviting film and the only pity is that Eric Linden’s portrayal of a country bumpkin is far from convincing. Mr. Linden makes the young man, who is known as Bud Reeves, too silly to be at liberty alone.
There is, however, little doubt that Gotham deserves the scolding it gets here, for there is an element of truth about the incidents. Walter Catlett plays a man named Biggony, Reeves’s New York cousin. This clever comedian runs away with the acting laurels. he has more to say and do than he has had in any other feature and he affords a great deal of amusement. It is a pleasure to witness the scenes in which Mr. Catlett appears and quite painful to observe Mr. Linden’s impersonation.
For Monday, we have this rustic mystery gent. Would you believe it? He doesn’t approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Edward McWade.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman. For a change, she approves of such goings-on.
Update: This is Jobyna Howland.
Brain Trust roll call: Patrick (Monday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery gent) and David Inman (Monday’s mystery gent). Howard Mandelbaum is close but no cigar.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery chap. He approves of such goings-on, but his mystery companion doesn’t much approve of him. Sorry for the poor quality of the image. The original print isn’t very good, like many films of this era.
Update: This is Walter Catlett and Inez Courtney.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery guests) and Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For Thursday, we have a mystery guest emeritus….
Update: This is Clarence Muse.
… a mystery doggo ….
Update: This is Duke.
Some more not-terribly mysterious gents. The mystery guest on the right most certainly does not approve of such goings-on. He sure knew how to wear a hat.
Update: This is Guy Kibbee and Thomas Jackson.
How did you get in here?
Welcome to Warner Bros., Mr. Bogart.
Brain Trust roll call: Dan Nather (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Gary (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery gent), Floyd Thursby (Wednesday’s mystery gent) and David Inman (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery gent).
For Friday, we have our mystery leading man….
Update: This is Eric Linden.
… and our non-mysterious leading lady conveys a certain level of weltschmerz.
Update: And Joan Blondell.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman, Thursday’s hotel detective and the man with the most recognizable face in movies), Michael (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery singer and you know who), Chrisbo (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery singer, mystery hotel detective and you know who), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Dan Nather (Thursday’s mystery guests and mystery dog) and Sue Slutzky (Thursday’s mystery guests and mystery dog).
ladailymirror.com 
Robert McWade.
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Henry Hull
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Edward McWade
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He seems to be a heavily made-up James Gleason. Yet another actor who was old when he was young.
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Indeed he was. But alas, I’m afraid this isn’t Mr. Gleason.
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Edward McWade.
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Either Robert or Edward McWade. I’m guessing Robert.
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He actually resembles our man Paul Muni again, but it can’t be Paul on a Monday. Or is it Paul in “The Last Angry Man”?
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Alas, not Paul this week…
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Monday: Edward McWade in BIG CITY BLUES (1932)
Tuesday: Jobyna Howland
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Jobyna Howland in BIG CITY BLUES.
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Is Monday’s gent Walter Baldwin?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Blossom Seeley today.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tuesday’s gal is Jobyna Howland, and the film is BIG CITY BLUES (1932). Not sure about Monday’s gent, but I’m guessing Edward McWade.
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Oh! Walter Catlett just popped up, and is that Inez Courtney with him?
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BIG CITY BLUES. Edward McWade Monday, Jobyna Howland Tuesday, and Walter Catlett and Inez courtney today.
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Monday: Edward McWade. Tuesday: Jobyna Howland. Wednesday: Walter Catlett and Inez Courtney. The movie is Big City Blues
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Walter Catlett, Inez Courtney.
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My WAG for Wednesday is Ed Wynn and Thelma Todd in “Rubber Heels,” supposedly lost but maybe found?
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Ed Wynn is a good guess. But, alas, I’m afraid not.
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Jobtna Howland, Natalie Moorhead, and Hugh Herbert in Hook, Line, and Sinker.
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Walter Catlett and Inez Courtney for Wednesday.
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Walter Catlett and Inez Courtney.
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Walter Catlett with a wedding boutonniere?
Maybe Connie Gilchrist yesterday.
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Early Ed Wynn today? Don’t know the cranky dame
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Could be. But, alas, it is not.
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Robert Woolsey?
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I know, the glasses. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mr. Wednesday looks like Walter Catlett to me.
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Walter Catlett today and Jobyna Howland yesterday, making this “Big City Blues.”
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Clarence Muse, Guy “Kibbers” Kibbee, Thomas E. Jackson, and a young Humphrey Bogart.
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Clarence Muse; Guy Kibbee, Wilfred Lucas, Thomas E. Jackson; Humphrey Bogart.
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Jobyna and Guy Kibbee in Big City Blues …which featured everyone under contract to Warner Brothers, or so it seems …the cast list is so long …including Boogie.
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Today I knew some of the clues! Of course that’s Bogart, and the singer is Clarence Muse. The movie is Big City Blues.
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Clarence Muse, Guy Kibbee and Humphrey Bogart must make this Big City Blues.
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Clarence Muse, Guy Kibbee, Thomas Jackson and Bogart.
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Wow! Lots of cast members today — let’s see:
1. Clarence Muse
2. Faithful Dog (Watch yer trunk for yer, mister?”)
3. Guy Kibbee and ever-flatfoot Thomas Jackson
4. Humphrey Bogart
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Thursday: Clarence Muse, Duke (the dog), Guy Kibbee, Thomas E. Jackson, Humphrey Bogart
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Had to restart my computer, and all my comments disappeared! I hope they are still in there somewhere . . .
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Our movie this week is Big City Blues
Monday I think is Edward McWade
Tues we have Jobyna Howland
Wen we have Walter Catlett and possibly Betty Gillette
Thurs our singer is Clarence Muse. Guy Kibbee is along side of (I think) Thomas Jackson. We have Humphrey Bogart in the single picture for Thurs.
Tomorrow we should see Joan Blondell along with Eric Linden
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Changed my mind on the gal along side of Walter Catlett on Wen. I think she is Inez Courtney.
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Eric Linden and Joan Blondell.
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And today we have the leads, Eric Linden and Joan Blondell, in the second picture they appeared in together in 1932. (The first was THE CROWD ROARS.)
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Eric Linden and Joan Blondell.
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Thursday we have Clarence Muse as the singer, Guy Kibbee and Thomas E Jackson and some bit player named Bogart. Friday is Eric Linden and the wonderful Joan Blondell. Big City Blues from 1932. This one was fun.
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Friday: Eric Linden and Joan Blondell.
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Eric Linden and Joan Blondell.
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The Tuesday actress is Jobyna Howland. Wednesday’s gent is Walter Catlett. On Thursday is Clarence Muse and then Guy Kibbe and Thomas Jackson. For Friday we Have Humphrey Bogart followed by Eric Linden and Joan Dlondell. The movie is Big City Blues.
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For Friday, we have Joan Blondell along with Eric Linden
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