This week’s mystery movie was the 1943 RKO Picture Gildersleeve’s Bad Day, with Harold Peary, Jane Darwell, Nancy Gates, Charles Arnt, Freddie Mercer, Russell Wade, Lillian Randolph, Frank Jenks, Douglas Fowley, Alan Carney, Grant Withers and Richard LeGrand.
Screenplay by Jack Townley.
Musical direction by C. Bakaleinikoff, photography by Jack MacKenzie, art direction by Albert S. D’Agostino and Carroll Clark. Set decoration by Darrell Silvera and William L. Stevens. Recorded by Jean L. Speak. Edited by Les Millbrook. Assistant director Harry Scott.
Produced by Herman Schlom.
Directed by Gordon Douglas.
Gildersleeve’s Bad Day is available on DVD from TCM.
Trivia note: The Great Gildersleeve radio show was a spinoff from the hit program Fibber McGee and Molly.
Yes, I seem to be stuck in 1943. After looking up the review of last week’s The Leopard Man, I went through the trades and found another mystery movie released at the same time.
As the Showman’s Trade Review says, the Gildersleeve films, adapted from the popular radio show, were for “residents of small towns and rural areas.” “The picture is not for discriminating patrons; it will fare best in the smaller communities and the neighborhoods.”
And you just know that if the New York Times reviewed this film, it wasn’t going to be good.
Paging Bosley Crowther…. Will Bosley Crowther please report to the reviewing station?
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This is the entirety of Bosley Crowther’s review (June 11, 1943) of Gildersleeve’s Bad Day. |
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Lillian Randolph, who had the recurring role of Birdie in the Gildersleeve franchise.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery lad. And as many members of the Brain Trust have guessed, our mystery movie is part of a mysterious film franchise. The question is which one is it? Our mystery lad appears in more than one….
Update: This is Freddie Mercer, who played the recurring role of Leroy in the Gildersleeve films.
…Our mystery woman, however, only appears in one entry in the franchise.
Update: This is Joan Barclay.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Monday’s mystery woman, mystery film franchise), David Inman (Monday’s mystery woman), Funky PhD (Monday’s mystery woman), Skretvedt1958 (Monday’s mystery woman), Suzanne Stone (Monday’s mystery woman, mystery film franchise), Robert Morrissey (Monday’s mystery woman), Mary Mallory (Monday’s mystery woman), Johnny Yuma 1958 (Monday’s mystery woman), B.J. Merholz (Monday’s mystery woman, mystery film franchise), Gary (Monday’s mystery woman), Sheila (Monday’s mystery woman), Jenny M. (Monday’s mystery woman), Tucson Barbara (Monday’s mystery woman, mystery film franchise), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Sue Slutzky (Monday’s mystery woman), Roget-L.A. (Monday’s mystery woman), Michael Ryerson (Monday’s mystery woman), Sylvia E. (Monday’s mystery woman) and Sarah (Monday’s mystery woman).
Meredith Ponedel (half-credit).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery lad.
Update: This is Jimmy Clemons Jr.
We also have this somewhat anxious mystery gent and several lovely mysterious companions.
Update: This is Barbara Hale, left, making her film debut, and Dink Trout.
We also have these two mystery gents. They are up to no good.
Update: This is Frank Jenks, left, and Alan Carney.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (Tuesday’s mystery lad), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (mystery movie and all mystery guests), David Inman (mystery movie franchise), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery woman, double points for cleverness!), Gary (Tuesday’s mystery lad, mysterious franchise), Blackwing Jenny (Monday’s mystery woman, Tuesday’s mystery lad, mysterious franchise), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mystery lad, mystery franchise) and Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mystery gent.
Update: This is Douglas Fowley.
We also have this mystery woman in a remarkable hat.
Update: This is Jane Darwell.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious hoodlums), Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery hoodlums), Michael Ryerson (Wednesday’s mystery hoodlums and mysterious future TV star), Gary (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious grumpy bride and Wednesday’s mysterious hoodlum No. 1), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery guests and Wednesday’s mysterious hoodlums) and Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery bride, Wednesday’s mystery court official and mysterious future TV star and mystery companions, and mysterious hoodlums).
And for Friday, we have our mysterious leading man plus assorted mystery companions.
Update: From left, Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt, Nancy Gates and Harold Peary.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery lad, Thursday’s mystery guests and Friday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sue Slutzky (Wednesday’s mystery lad, mysterious future TV star, mystery court official and mysterious companions and mysterious hoodlums, and Thursday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (Thursday’s mystery guests), Thom and Megan (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Lillian Randolph.
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Lillian Randolph, I think,
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Lillian Randolph?
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Lillian Randolph, and I think this is from “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
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Amanda Randolph, I think.
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Lillian Randolph as Birdie in “The Great Gildersleeve”? 1942, in keeping with your wartime theme.
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That’s Lillian Randolph. I just just saw her sister Amanda last night in 1950’s No Way Out.
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Lillian Randolph today.
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Lillian Randolph
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Lillian Randolph in The Great Gildersleeve?
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Lillian Randolph.
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Lillian Randolph?
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Lillian Randolph
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Well, I think that’s Lillian Randolph.
I’ll guess the movie is either The Great Gildersleeve, Gildersleeve’s Bad Day, Gildersleeve’s Ghost, or Gildersleeve on Broadway.
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Lillian Randolph in THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE (1942)
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Amanda Randolph?
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Gildersleeve’s Bad Day (1943) w/ Lillian Randolph, Harold Peary, Nancy Gates, Jane Darwell…
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Lillian Randolph
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Monday’s mystery woman looks like Lillian Randolph.
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I’m going to supplement my earlier guess by adding Amanda Randolph’s younger sister Lillian, in which case the movie may be Gildersleeve’s Ghost (1944).
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Monday – looks like Lillian Randolph
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Is it Lillian Randolph?
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GILDERSLEEVE’S BAD DAY. Freddie Mercer and Joan Barclay.
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Freddie Mercer on Tuesday.
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“Gildersleeve’s Bad Day” (1943)
Freddie Mercer; Joan Barclay.
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Freddie Mercer and Joan Barclay in Gildersleeve’s Bad Day.
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Monday – Lillian Randolph
Tues – Freddie Mercer
Our movie is Gildersleeve’s Bad Day
Might our Tues gal in the car be Joan Barclay?
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Ah, the Marjorie Forrester conundrum! I’m guessing this is Margie Stewart, making this “Gildersleeve’s Ghost.”
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So my second guess was correct (Lillian Randolph), and Freddie Mercer makes it the Gildersleeve franchise, I think, and the pretty girl in the convertible is perhaps Joan Barclay (total guess) making it Gildersleeve’s Bad Day (1943).
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Lillian Randolph in GILDERSLEEVE GOES TO HAWAII. HO, HO.
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Dean Stockwell today? No green hair
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Alas, no green hair… Or Dean Stockwell.
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Let’s add Freddy Mercer to the mix and Margie Stewart and make this Guildersleeve’s Ghost. I saw reruns of all these films growing up in Kansas…it might be where I discovered Thurston Hall.
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Lillian Randolph on Monday?
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Kid is Freddie Mercer? Series is one of the Gildersleeves?
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Freddie Mercer and Joan Barclay (If it’s Joan, then the movie is Gildersleeve’s Bad Day.)
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I’ll take a stab at The Great Gildersleeve franchise. The kid for Tuesday is Freddie Mercer. Still working on the young woman in the car.
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In addition to Freddie Mercer on Tuesday – Joan Barclay in “Gildersleeve’s Bad Day”
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Jimmy Clemons Jr., Barbara Hale, Richard LeGrand, Patti Brill, and Margie Stewart, with good old Frank Jenks and Alan Carney as our bad guys.
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For Wednesday we have Frank Jenks and Alan Carney. The movie is “Gildersleeve’s Bad Day.”
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Jimmy Clemons, Jr., Barbara Hale, Dink Trout, Betty Wells, Margie Stewart, Frank Jenks, Alan Carney
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Wed photo #3 are Frank Jenks and Alan Carney
Wed lad is Jimmy Clemons Jr
Wed gals at party with man in glasses – Barbara Hale right front, Dink Trout (gent in middle), gal front left might be Patti Brill, gal back right might be Ann Summers. Hard to tell these party girls from each other.
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Jimmy Clemons Jr.; Barbara Hale, Dink Trout, Patti Brill, Margie Stewart; Frank Jenks, Alan Carney.
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Wednesday’s mystery gents: Frank Jenks and Alan Carney. Film is “Gildersleeve’s Bad Day.”
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Frank Jenks and Alan Carney and do I see Barbara Hale (on the left) at the party?
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OK. So it’s Joan Barkley and Frank Jenks in Guliderleeves Bad Day.
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Freddie Mercer and Joan Barclay from Tuesday. Frank Jenks, Alan Carney add up to GILDERSLEEVE’S BAD DAY.
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This has been fun.
Gildersleeve’s Bad Day 1943
Tues – Woman in the car – Joan Barclay
Weds – not sure about the kid with the bottle / Dink Trout with Barbara Hale, Ann Summers and Margie Stewart / Frank Jenks and Alan Carney
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Yay! Douglas Fowley and Jane Darwell. She got her start working at Famous Players Lasky in 1914-1915, and then quit and went back to theatre before returning to films in the 1930s.
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Wed – Douglas Fowley and Jane Darwell
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Missed seeing this cast member listed before. I’m going by his approximate age on the IMDb page. I sent Wednesday’s sailor-suited youngster, Jimmy Clemons Jr?
Thurs – Douglas Fowley / Jane Darwell
That leaves Harold Peary and Nancy Gates for Friday. Maybe Charles Arnt, too.
Had fun. Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown.
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Douglas Fowley; Jane Darwell.
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Wednesday: 1 – Jimmy Clemons Jr.; 2 – Barbara Hale, Dink Trout,
Ann Summers, and Margie Stewart; 3 – Frank Jenks and Alan Carney
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Douglas Fowley, Jane Darwell
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For Thursday, Douglas Fowley and Jane Darwell.
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Our mystery movie is Gildersleeve’s Bad Day with Jane Darwell, Douglas Fowley, Frank Jenks, Alan Carney, Barbara Hale, Patti Brill, Margie Stewart, Joan Barclay, Freddie Mercer and Lillian Randolph.
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Douglas Fowley and Jane Darwell.
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Thursday: Douglas Fowley and Jane Darwell
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Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt, Nancy Gates, and Harold Peavey.
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Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt, Nancy Gates, Harold Peary
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And Friday, we have Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt and Nancy Gates gathered round Harold Peary’s (as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve) bed.
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Fri Harold Peary, Jane Darwell, Nancy Gates, Charles Arnt
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Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt, Nancy Gates and Harold Peary.
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Friday: Jane Darwell, Charles Arnt, Nancy Gates and Harold Peary
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