This week’s mystery movie was the 1940 Paramount picture “The Ghost Breakers,” with Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Richard Carlson, Paul Lukas, Anthony Quinn (in two roles!) and Willie Best.
Screenplay by Walter DeLeon, based on a play by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard.
Photography by Charles Lang, art direction by Hans Dreier and Robert Usher, edited by Ellsworth Hoagland, costumes by Edith Head.
Music by Ernst Toch, musical adviser Andrea Setaro, recording by Harold Lewis and Richard Olson, process photography by Farciot Edouart, interior decoration by A.E. Freudeman.
Produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr. Directed by George Marshall.
“The Ghost Breakers” is available on DVD from TCM. The recently released Blu-ray is available from Amazon. Howard Mandelbaum says that the Blu-ray is quite good. In some versions of the DVD, the audio is out of sync with the video for about the last 20 minutes of the film.
I rarely select seasonal pictures, but I decided to do “The Ghost Breakers,” figuring I needed a more accessible, recognizable film after last week’s “Native Son.” I’m not a huge fan of Bob Hope, though I do like Paulette Goddard, and in discussing the movie with Howard, I said it was a second-rate “spooky house movie,” while Howard disagreed with me completely. (Howard says he’s also a fan of the 1939 “Cat and the Canary,” which I did back in the “before times” of 2018).
Earlier this year, in scouting potential mystery movies (yes, I do that), I noted “The Ghost Breakers” because Bosley Crowther of the New York Times, who seems to have never like anything, raved about the film.
Crowther, writing in the New York Times (July 4, 1940) said:
It looks as though Paramount has really discovered something: It has found the fabled formula for making an audience shriek with laughter and fright at one and (as the barkers say) the simultaneous time. And apparently the necessary contents for such a valuable witch’s broth are nothing more esoteric than a thoroughly haunted house, a web of tangled intrigue with some sort of treasure at the end, and Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope to grope their terrified way through and to the same. It worked out very nicely in “The Cat and the Canary” last year, and it is working quite as nicely — and even more amusingly in fact – in “The Ghost Breakers,” which came yesterday to the Paramount.
For Monday, we have a mystery guest who does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Noble Johnson.
For Tuesday, we have this mystery gentleman.
Update: This is Pedro de Cordoba.
And we also have this mystery gent.
Update: This is Paul Fix, whom you may remember as Micah in “The Rifleman.”
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery zombie), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery zombie), Michael Ryerson (Monday’s mystery zombie), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery zombie), Sheila (Monday’s mystery zombie), James (mystery movie) and Bob Hansen (Monday’s mystery zombie).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious ambulance attendant.
Update: I was going for Robert Ryan, who made his debut in “The Ghost Breakers,” but got Douglas Kennedy. Ryan is holding the other end of the stretcher and not readily visible. Also Grace Hayle as the screaming lady, Robert Elliott as the police lieutenant, Willie Best in the background, and just a bit of Paul Lukas.
We also have this somewhat inebriated fellow. And Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is famous screen drunk Jack Norton (A. Pismo Clam in “The Bank Dick”) and Willie Best as Back of the Head Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Jenny M. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Sheila (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mystery chap. He has a gun, indicating his disapproval of such goings-on.
Update: This is Richard Carlson.
We also have this somewhat mysterious gent with very large lapels.
Update: This is Anthony Quinn.
And finally, we have this mystery gentleman.
Update: This is Willie Best.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s debonair possible bad guy and Back of the Head Guy), Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery ambulance attendant and mystery drunk), Michael Ryerson (Wednesday’s mystery ambulance attendant, mystery debonair possible bad guy, mystery drunk and Back of the Head Guy), Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mysterious screaming woman, mystery lieutenant, mystery drunk and Back of the Head Guy), Chrisbo (right actor, wrong role), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery ambulance attendant, mystery lieutenant, mystery drunk and Back of the Head Guy), Roget-L.A. (Wednesday’s mystery drunk), Anne Papineau (Back of the Head Guy) and Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery ambulance attendant, mystery debonair possible villain, mystery drunk and Back of the Head Guy).
For Friday, we have our mystery leading lady and mysterious leading man.
Update: This is Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope.
Brain Trust roll call: Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Chrisbo (Thursday’s mysterious lapel gent), Michael Ryerson (Thursday’s mystery guests), Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), David Inman (Wednesday’s mystery lieutenant and mysterious, affable drunk, Thursday’s mystery lapel gent and mystery gent No. 3), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests), Gary (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery zombie, Thursday’s mystery lapel gent and mystery guest No. 3), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery lapel gent), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery lapel gent and mystery guest No. 3), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Beachgal (mystery movie and all mystery guests — congratulations on consulting your copy of the film!) and “Noir” Allie Francis (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery zombie, Thursday’s mystery lapel gent and mystery gent No. 3).
ladailymirror.com 
THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940)
Noble Johnson
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Looks like Kurt Meisel (THE LONGEST DAY 1962) but maybe just another nasty bald guy
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Guessing the
movie is ALEXANDER NEVSKY 1938
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Today’s star is Noble Johnson as the zombie in “The Ghost Breakers”.
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Noble Johnson.
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Noble Johnson in GHOST BREAKERS 1940.
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Noble Johnson?
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Bob Hope on The Ghost Breakers
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Is it Noble Johnson? Don’t know the movie or year, unfortunately.
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the ghost breakers 1940 Bob Hope
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Ghost Breakers 1940
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“The Ghost Breakers”
Monday – Noble Johnson
Tuesday – Pedro de Cordoba, Paul Fix
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Ghost Breakers with Noble Johnson, Pedro de Córdoba and Paul Fix.
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Pedro de Cordoba; Paul Fix.
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Tuesday brings us two familiar faces in Pedro De Cordoba and Paul Fix and, of course, the movie is The Ghost Breakers (1940) with Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Willie Best and Richard Carlson. A fun film all around, Hope is at his best, Goddard is sprightly and beautiful, Best brings his flummoxed, frightened and resigned and Carlson is frankly colorless. Fun all around.
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Today’s two guest are Pedro de Cordoba and Paul Fix.
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Pedro De Cordoba and Paul Fix.
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The Ghost Breakers 1940
Monday’s zombie in armor – Noble Johnson who has a grip on an OS Bob Hope
Tuesday: #1 – I think is Pedro de Cordoba. #2 is Paul Fix (I love that his character’s name is Frenchy Duval)
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THE GHOST BREAKERS. Noble Johnson on Monday (I should have gotten this yesterday!), Pedro de Cordoba, and a very young Paul Fix.
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Pedro de Cordoba and Paul Fix, ‘The Ghost Breakers’
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Richard Carlson as the ambulance attendant and Pedro de Cordoba (actually isn’t that Paul LUkas? at the far right, Willie Best as BOTH guy today.
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Douglas Kennedy, Grace Hayle, Robert Elliott, Paul Lukas, and Willie Best
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Douglas Kennedy; Jack Norton, Bob Hope.
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Wednesday’s hallway confab includes a youthful Douglas Kennedy (I think) and Paul Lukas in silhouette at the far right. And then we have one of the two best movie-drunks in Jack Norton speaking to Willie B.est
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The Wednesday lineup in the first shot includes Tom Quinn, Grace Hayle, Robert Elliott and Paul Lukas. In the second shot are Jack Norton and Willie Best.
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Wednesdays gentleman of good cheer: Paul Lucas?
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Douglas Kennedy, Robert Elliott, Jack Norton and Willie Best.
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Wednesday’s inebriated fellow is Jack Norton, and I was astounded at the number of films in which he has played a drunk (usually uncredited). I recognized him from Cover Girl (1944) in which he played Harry the Drunk.
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Is the Back of the Head Guy Willie Best?
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Tuesday’s pinstriped gentleman reminds me of Tom Conway, but not quite sure about him.
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Willie Best as BOTHG talking to Jack Norton.
I see Paul Lukas at edge of screen right. Since you’ve labeled the young man in that image as’ambulance driver’, I think it’s Douglas Kennedy.
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Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn, and Willie Best
When I was a kid – a kazillion years ago -:I would always get Mr. Carlson and Hugh Marlowe mixed up. My Dad told me I wasn’t the only one. 🙂
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On Wednesday, we also have Robert Elliott, Grace Hayle, and Jack Norton, and is Willie Best in the background of the shot as well?. Today, Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn, and Willie Best.
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Richard Carlson; Anthony Quinn; Willie Best (Back of Head Guy).
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Large lapels: Anthony Quinn?
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Thursday brings us Richard Carlson (again, a bit of a guess), Anthony Quinn (no guess here) and the late, great Willie Best. I had forgotten how much I liked this movie as a kid. I’d kinda like to see it again.
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The Thursday actors are Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn and Willie Best.
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The Ghost Breakers
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Robert Elliott and Jack Norton on Wednesday, Anthony Quinn and Willie Best today?
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Sure looks like Cesar Romero on Thursday.
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Very close….
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Willie Best, Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn.
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Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn and Willie Best.
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Noble Jonson, Anthony Quinn and Willie Best in Ghost Chasers? Breakers? Busters?
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Is that Anthony Quinn I see in “The Ghostbreakers”?
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Only just catching up-why, it’s “Ghost Breakers”! With Anthony Quinn and Willie Best today(Thursday).
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Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn and Willie Best in The Ghost Breakers (1940)
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Tues is Paul Lucas. Thurs large lapel man is Anthony Quinn. Thurs Black actor in plaid us Willie Best. Our film is Ghost Breakers.
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Monday’s zombie is Nobel Johnson
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Next to Robert Ryan (ambulance guy) are screaming lady – Grace Hayle, next to her is our lieutenant played by Robert Elliott.
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Oops! Our mystery man #1 on Tues is Pedro de Cordoba, not Paul Lucus. He comes in later to the scene.
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Tues #2 guy is Paul Fix as Frenchy. My copy of this has the sound loop out of sync by about 20 seconds. I can barely follow who’s on first!
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Oh goodness! Our ambulance attendant is Robert Ryan
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Ghost Breakers? Anthony Quinn and Willie Best?
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Oh and Noble Johnson?
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Our drunk on Wed is Jack Norton.
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Paulette Goddard and Bob HOpe today.
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Thurs guy with the gun is Richard Carlson.
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Friday we have Paulette Goddard & Bob Hope.
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Going briefly back to Wednesday after reading your rundown: the mystery lieutenant is Robert Elliot and the mystery screaming woman is Grace Hayle.
Now for Friday, Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard (in her dramatic Edith Head gown.) Looking forward to the breakdown.
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Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope
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Paulette Goddard, Bob Hope.
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Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope, of course, round out our week. Thanks, that was fun.
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Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope.
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Ghost Breakers with Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. Willie Best is back of head guy Wednesday and Thursday. Anthony Quinn on Thursday, and Pedro DeCordova was one of the actors Tuesday.
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Robert Ryan with the mustache on Tuesday.
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The Ghost Breakers
Monday: Noble Johnson
Tuesday: Pedro de Cordoba, Paul Fix
Wednesday: Douglas Kennedy, Jack Norton
Thursday: Richard Carlson, Anthony Quinn. Willie Best
Friday: Paulette Goddard and Bob Hope
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1. Bob Hope movies of this era are remarkable for their visual storytelling. Turn the sound off and you can follow them perfectly, minus wisecracks.
2. Bob is an antihero and precursor to James Garner in MAVERICK. E.g. he is lazy, cowardly (hates fights and guns), chases girls, drinks, gambles, and winks at the the audience.
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