This week’s mystery movie was the 1952 Stanley Kramer/Columbia picture “The Sniper,” with Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Marie Windsor, Frank Faylen, Richard Kiley, Mabel Paige, Marlo Dwyer and Geraldine Carr.
Screenplay by Harry Brown, story by Edna and Edward Anhalt. Musical score by George Antheil, musical director Morris Stoloff. Photography by Burnett Guffey, art direction by Walter Holscher, edited by Aaron Stell, set decoration by James Crowe, assistant director Milton Feldman, sound by Frank Goodwin.
Associate producers Edna and Edward Anhalt. Directed by Edward Dmytryk.
“The Sniper” is available on Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1.
The ad campaign for “The Sniper” was graphic.
After “The Temptress” last week, I wanted something a bit newer, so I played with a subject search at the American Film Institute catalog and decided on “The Sniper.” It’s a taut, disturbing movie in which Edward Miller (Arthur Franz) crisscrosses San Francisco, dropping off dry cleaning and unsuccessfully struggling to control his violent impulses against women. The film looked like it was going for a stock ending – but the script by Harry Brown, from a story by Edna and Edward Anhalt, finds a new resolution.
Motion Picture Herald ( Oct. 6, 1951) reported that “ ‘The Sniper’ was originally announced as the story of a sex maniac but altered considerably since then.”
Photoplay reported that Arthur Franz “gave such an outstanding performance as the psychologically disturbed killer in Stanley Kramer’s ‘The Sniper’ that he is today one of the most talked about actors in Hollywood” and he was cast in Kramer’s ‘Eight Iron Men.’ ”
“Arthur — shy and gentle — was a little worried over his success as a killer. ‘Do I look like a killer?’ he’d keep asking his wife. ‘I think I look normal.’ ”
Harrison’s Reports (March 15, 1952) said:
No fault can be found with this Stanley Kramer production from the viewpoint of suspense and atmosphere, but the story of a pathological killer who cannot control a desire to shoot down unsuspecting people is too gruesome to be considered as entertainment. The average picture-goer will find it much too morbid, for one is left with a feeling of horror each time the killer, using a carbine with a telescopic lens, gets his victims into the sights and presses the trigger.
Harrison’s Reports (April 19, 1952) followed the review with a call to Hollywood to stop making depressing movies, like “The Sniper” and “Without Warning.”
Film Bulletin (March 24, 1952) said:
“The Sniper” tense psycho yarn with Stanley Kramer Hallmark.
Here’s a big league suspense thriller. A laundry messenger, young, handsome, but insane, terrorizes a city. He has a carbine with a telescopic lens and an irresistible penchant for shooting beautiful girls.
…. There’s no overwhelming production values here, no top-flight marque names — just crisp, exciting entertainment. yes, it’s on the grim side, sinister, chilling, gripping; but a splendid change of pace from the comedies and musicals.
Writing in the New York Times (May 10, 1952) Bosley Crowther said:
A solemn rebuke to society for not doing enough to confine and correct the incipient sex criminal is dutifully put into words in the Stanley Kramer’s new picture, “The Sniper,” which came to the Criterion yesterday. But the preachment is primly academic and it seems but a dignified excuse for working a slightly different angle into a simple manhunt on the screen.
….The presentation of the killer that Arthur Franz gives, under the direction of Edward Dmytryk, lacks the dark hints of mental disease. Mr. Franz seems a very nice fellow, and whenever he gets the urge to kill he appears to be no more afflicted than if he had a stomachache.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent. The frame grab is a little fuzzy because he was moving. His companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness. He will appear Friday.
And here he is again. As before, his companion has been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness.
Update: Showing full frame — This is Dudley Dickerson with leading man Arthur Franz.
For Tuesday, we have a couple of juvenile mystery guests. Our mystery girl, and I know this will be hard to believe, does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Marlene Lyden.
We also have this troubled teen. He also does not approve of such goings-on. His companions have been cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness and will appear Friday.
Brain Trust roll call: David Inman (mystery movie) and Jenny M. (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest).
Update: Showing full frame — This is Danny Mummert with Adolphe Menjou as Back of the Head Guy.
Our mystery movie has a huge cast with lots of mystery women. So for “Hm Wednesday,” let meet a few of them.
This is mystery woman No. 1.
Update: This is Robin Raymond.
This is mystery woman No. 2. And, as astounding as it might seem, she does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Mabel Paige in her fourth appearance as a mystery guest. With a bonus photo of her with her mystery cat.
This is mystery woman No. 3.
Update: This mystery woman stumped a lot of people, especially me. I went for the week thinking she was Marlo Dwyer but she is apparently Geraldine Carr. Apologies to Sylvia and Sue, who identified her correctly. Nailing down identities on some of these minor players with few credits is really a challenge.
And finally, mystery woman No. 4.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (Tuesday’s mystery juvenile delinquent).
Update: This is Marie Windsor.
For “Aha Thursday,” here are some of the men in our mystery movie with varying degrees of mysteriousness. Mystery man No. 1 on the left is playing an amiable drunk. That’s right, he’s sloshed. Our mystery pianist doesn’t approve of such goings-on. Mystery man No. 2 in the middle is going to take care of things.
Update: This is sloshed Charles Lane, Jay Novello and Marie Windsor, with Paul Dubov at the bar.
Mystery men Nos. 3 and No. 4 are in the medical profession.
Update: The man on the right is Sidney Miller. The man on the left plays a character named Chadwick, identified on IMDB as “Max Palmer,” an actor who was 8-feet-2. Mary Mallory had him as Steve Pendleton, which seems a strong possibility.
He mostly keeps his back to the camera, except for this blurry shot.
And this blurry shot.
Here’s the entire clip.
Here’s mystery man No. 5.
Update: This is Richard Kiley.
This is mystery man No. 6.
Update: This is Harry Cheshire.
Here’s mystery man No. 7.
Update: This is Byron Foulger.
And mystery man No. 8. That’s a lot of mystery men.
Update: This is Frank Faylen.
Brain Trust roll call: Thom and Megan (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 2 and 4 and mystery drunk at the bar), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent, Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4, and mystery drunk at the bar), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent, Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 4 and mystery drunk at the bar), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, and Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4), Sheila (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 2 and 4 and mystery drunk at the bar), B.J. Merholz (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 2 and mystery drunk at the bar), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent, and Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4, and mystery drunk at the bar), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4 and mystery drunk at the bar), Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mystery piano player), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent, Tuesday’s mystery girl and mystery juvenile delinquent, Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery gent, Tuesday’s mystery juvenile delinquent and Wednesday’s mystery women Nos. 1, 2 and 4 and mystery drunk at the bar), Diane Ely (mystery drunk at the bar), Dan Nather (mystery movie, all of Wednesday’s mystery women), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Benito (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 4).
For Friday, we have our mystery anti-hero. I’ll skip You Know Who because we just had him, even though his shaved off his mustache for this part.
Update: This is Arthur Franz.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery woman No. 3, Thursday’s eight mystery men and mystery pianist), Earl Boebert (Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery pianist), Gary (mystery movie, mystery pianist and mystery man No. 5), Mike Hawks (mystery pianist and Thursday’s mystery men Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery men Nos. 1, 5 and 8), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery barfly, mystery pianist and mystery men Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and Sylvia E. (mystery pianist and all mystery men except for No. 3).
And this is Adolphe Menjou, just seen in “Forbidden,” without his trademark mustache.
ladailymirror.com 
“The Sniper”?
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Dudley Dickerson in The Sniper.
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Danny Mummert and ??
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Room for One More …yes…I know…close but…wrong.
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Right year, but another studio.
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This week’s movie is “The Sniper” with Marie Windsor (and Charles Lane in the mirror). Robin Raymond is in the dunk tank.
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THE SNIPER. I didn’t think this could be the film on Monday. Dudley Dickerson on Monday, Susan Sharpe on tuesday, Robin Raymond, Mabel Paige, Gaily Bonney, and Marie Windsor today with Charles Lane in the mirror looking at her.
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Dudley Dickerson for Monday. Marie Windsor and Charles Lane for Wednesday. The movie is “The Sniper.”
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THE SNIPER (1952)
Monday: Dudley Dickerson
Tuesday: Marlene Lyden; Danny Mummert
Wednesday: Robin Raymond; Mabel Paige; Adrienne Marden; Marie Windsor
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Mabel Paige, Marie Windsor and Charles Lane for Wednesday, ‘The Sniper’
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Mabel Paige warding off the virus, and Charles Lane digging the piano player.
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Dudley Dickerson from Monday. For today #1 is Robin Raymond, #2 is Mabel Paige, #4 Marie Windsor and in the background is Charles Lane.
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Oops! and of course the movie is THE SNIPER.
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1) Robin Raymond, 2) Mabel Paige, 3) Jean Willes, and 4) Marie Windsor (and Charles Lane at the bar in the mirror) in The Sniper (1952)
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Gotta be Marie Windsor at the ivories, yes?
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Marie Windsor at the piano?
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Ha! Thanks to Gary for inadvertently supplying a clue. Also thanks to Ms. Windsor and the man in the mirror, Mr. Lane.
The movie is “The Sniper” 1952. Marie Windsor and Charles Lane are in the piano bar image. Will go on a hunt for the others.
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Movie: The Sniper, 1952
Monday: Dudley Dickerson
Tuesday: Karen Sharpe and Danny Mummert
Wednesday: 1- Robin Raymond, 2 – Mabel Paige, 3 – Geraldine Carr, 4 – Marie Windsor (with Charles Lane in the mirror)
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Don’t know who mystery woman #4 is, but the guy in the mirror with his hand on his face looks like Charles Lane.
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Follow up on the hunt re: “The Sniper”
Mon. – Dudley Dickerson is our ‘dry cleaners guy’. I’ve two guesses for ‘cropped out for lack of mysteriousness’ guy – either Arthur Franz or Wally Cox (both play characters who work at the cleaners, too.)
Tues. – Not sure who the girl is. I thought Kay Sharpe per TCM and Rotten Tomatoes, but IMDb says she’s actually ‘Karen’ Sharpe, which would make her about 18yrs old. The girl in this image looks about 13 or 14. Ah, well – hopefully you will reveal who she truly is. The distressed teenaged boy is Danny Mummert, I think.
Weds. – #1 is Robin Raymond, #2 is Mabel Paige (Asa the tuxedo cat is OS) #3 is Geraldine Carr and #4 – the piano bar cast I went through earlier today.
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THE SNIPER (1952). If I got that right, it’s a total fluke.
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On that basis, I’m guessing today’s mystery women are:
1. Robin Raymond
2. Mabel Paige
3. Marlo Dwyer
4. Marie Windsor (serenading Charles Lane, reflected in mirror)
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I’m guessing Marlene Lyden for the girl on Tuesday. Found some great shots of her from “Miracle on 42’nd Street” so I’m pretty confident that it is her.
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long day – “Miracle on 34th Street” is what I meant.
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The Sniper (1952) Marie Windsor, Adolphe Menjou, Arthur Franz, Gerald Mohr, Mable Paige, Frank Faylen, Charles Lane….
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Marie Windsor tickles the ivories today
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Tommy Hawkins Tuesday, Bobbi Dwyer Mystery Women #3, Jay Novello’s BOTH in the Wednesday mirror at the bar photo, Jay Novello, Charles Lane, and Marie Prevost, Steve Pendleton and Sidney Miller, Richard Kiley, Harry Cheshire, Byron Foulger, and Frank Faylen.
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Marie Windsor Wed and Thu.
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Richard Kiley and Marie Winsor in The Sniper.
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In our first photo we have Charles Lane, Jay Novello and Marie Windsor. #4 is Sidney Miller, #5 is Richard Kiley, #6 is Harry Cheshire, #7 is Byron Foulger, #8 is Frank Faylen.
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Charles Lane, Richard Kiley and Frank Faylen come to mind…so it must be “The Sniper”! A disturbing film I only saw last year for the first time.
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Charles Lane, Paul Dubov, Jay Novello, Marie Windsor
Richard Kiley
Harry Cheshire
Byron Foulger
Frank Faylen
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Thursday
Image #1 – Charles Lane, Jay Novello and Marie Windsor
Image #2 – Max Palmer and Sidney Miller
Image #3 – Richard Kiley speaking to OS Adolphe Menjou. Their OS waiter is Victor Sen Yung
Image #4 – Harry Cheshire
Image #5 – Byron Foulger
Image #6 – Frank Faylen
Wednesday’s lady using the pay phone is Geraldine Carr.
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Arthur Franz.
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Friday – poor Arthur Franz. So you’re saving Adolphe Menjou for Saturday. Looking forward to the breakdown. A terrific number of characters. You’re on a roll.
Thanks.
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Arthur Franz
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The Sniper from 1952. Richard Kiley, Frank Faylen, Arthur Franz, Marie Windsor .
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Arthur Franz in The Sniper for Fri
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Arthur Franz.
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Mystery woman #4 is piano playing Marie Windsor
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Mystery man #5 is Richard Kiley
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Mystery woman #1 is Mable Paige
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Our cleaner is Dudley Dickerson
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Our bar drunk is Charles Lane
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I suspect the director’s request to the casting director on this film was: Round up the usual suspects. So many familiar faces!
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Mystery woman #1 is Robin Raymond
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Mystery man #8 is Frank Faylen
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Mystery man #7 in the liner is Byron Foulger
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Mystery man #4, our intern, is Sidney Miller
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Mystery man #6 is our mayor, Harry Cheshire
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Troubled teen is Danny Mummert. Mystery man #2 is Jay Novello.
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Mystery man #3 our attendant who bandaged our snipers hand is Barry Brooks I think.
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Oops, I think mystery man #3 is a character called Chadwick played by Max Palmer.
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Mystery woman #3 might be Kay Sharpe.
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Oops. I think this might be our plaid shirt teen gal from the baseball scene. She would have been maybe 17 when this was filmed.
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Woman #3 might Dani Sue Nolan. That’s the best I’ve got.
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It IS Bulldog Steve Pendleton. I just caught him tonight in I Married a Woman.
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