This week’s mystery movie was the 1952 MGM comedy Young Man With Ideas, with Glenn Ford, Ruth Roman, Denise Darcel, Nina Foch, Donna Corcoran, Ray Collins, Mary Wickes, Bobby Diamond, Sheldon Leonard, Dick Wessel, Carl Milletaire, Curtis Cooksey, Karl Davis, Faye Roope, John Call, Nadene Ashdown, Barry Rado/Norman Rado, Wilton Graff and Martha Wentworth.
Screenplay by Arthur Sheekman.
Music by David Rose, photography by Joseph Ruttenberg. Art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Arthur Lonergan. edited by Fredrick Y. Smith, recorded by Douglas Shearer. Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Hugh Hunt. Special effects by A. Arnold Gillespie. Hairstyles by Sydney Guilaroff. Makeup by William Tuttle.
Produced by Gottfried Reinhardt and William H. Wright.
Directed by Mitchell Leisen.
Young Man With Ideas is available on DVD from TCM.
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Ruth Roman came up in a recent Brain Trust discussion, so I dug through the vault to see what I had of her filmography. I picked Young Man With Ideas at random because she has a leading role and the movie got fair reviews.
The movie is a lead-footed treatment of a flimsy plot. Young Man With Ideas? Please. There isn’t an original idea in the entire film. The humor is so labored it belongs in a union. Glenn Ford does his best, but even Van Johnson, one of the masters of frivolous early 1950s comedies, couldn’t make this work. And it’s not even about meat!
And you just know the New York Times hated it. Paging Bosley Crowther….
What? WHAT? Bosley Crowther (June 7, 1952) LIKED IT! He never liked anything.
This cheerful and unpretentious flurry of straight domestic farce has a lot more to recommend it than you’ll find in some of the studio’s heavier, gaudier films. In the first place, it has an elastic and pleasingly written script, knocked out by Arthur Sheekman, that is tangled with gay, amusing twists.
I don’t know about the 1950s. Must be something about the Cold War era.
For Monday, we have three adorable mystery kids. They’re adorable, right? And mysterious.
Update: From left, Donna Corcoran, Bobby Diamond and Nadene Ashdown.
For Tuesday, we have a lot more adorable mysterious kiddos.
Update: This is Martha Wentworth. Rudy Baron is one of the mysterious kiddos.
We also have this mysterious dignified gentleman.
Update: This is Curtis Cooksey.
And finally this mysterious gent. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Dick Wessel.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and adorable mystery kiddos), Suzanne Stone (mysterious girl No. 1), Norman Desmond (mysterious girl No. 1 had a guest spot on that show), Jenny M. (mysterious girl No. 1), Mike Hawks (mysterious girl No. 1), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and adorable mystery kiddos), Meredith Ponedel (mysterious girl No. 1), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery girls), Patrick (mystery movie and adorable mystery kiddos), Gary (mystery movie and adorable mystery girls), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Blackwing Jenny (mystery girl No. 1).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have these mystery woman. The individual in the center has been blocked due to lack of mysteriousness and will appear Friday.
Update: Adding our mysterious leading man for Friday.
Update: This is Lela Bliss, Glenn Ford and future June Cleaver, Barbara Billingsley.
We also have this mystery woman.
Update: This is Denise Darcel.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (mystery movie, Monday’s adorable mystery kiddos, Tuesday’s mysterious deadbeat mom, mystery judge and mystery bartender), Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s deadbeat mom and mystery kiddo, mystery judge and mysterious bartender), Floyd Thursby (Tuesday’s mysterious bartender), Tucson Barbara (Tuesday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (mystery movie, Monday’s adorable mystery kiddos, Tuesday’s mysterious deadbeat mom and mystery kiddo, mystery judge and mysterious bartender), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mysterious bartender), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery gents), Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mysterious deadbeat mom and mystery kiddo, and mystery judge).
Note to Sylvia: Thanks for asking! Nobody comes through a window with a gun in this movie. The mystery guest who makes a habit of doing that is taking a well-deserved vacation in Big Bear this week.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this dignified mysterious gent.
Update: This is Ray Collins.
And our adorable mystery lad from Tuesday has a less mysterious mom.
Update: This is Bobby Diamond and Mary Wickes.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Alexa (mystery movie, Monday’s adorable mystery kiddo No. 1, Tuesday’s mysterious judge, Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star and mystery nightclub entertainer), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sarah (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star), Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious girls, Tuesday’s mysterious deadbeat mom, mysterious judge and mystery bartender, and Wednesday’s mystery guests), and Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have our mysterious leading lady. She’s married to our leading man.
Update: This is Ruth Roman.
We also have this mystery woman, who is very interested in our leading man.
Update: This is Nina Foch.
Here’s our mysterious leading man. In the background, out of focus, is the mystery guest who has a habit of coming through windows with a gun. But he’s on vacation until next year.
Update: This is Glenn Ford. Man Who Comes Through Windows With a Gun, seen in the background, is on hiatus until next year at least.
Brain Trust roll call: Beach Gal (Thursday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie, Monday’s adorable mystery kiddo No. 1, Tuesday’s mystery judge, Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star, Thursday’s future mysterious TV detective lieutenant), Charles Kjelland (Thursday’s mysterious future TV detective lieutenant), Richard Wegescheide (Wednesday’s future TV star, Thursday’s mystery guests), Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery guests), Earl Boebert (Thursday’s mysterious future TV detective lieutenant), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery judge, Wednesday’s mystery nightclub singer, Thursday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious adorable kiddos Nos. 1 and 2, Tuesday’s mystery judge and mysterious bartender, Wednesday’s future TV star and mysterious nightclub singer, Thursday’s mystery guests, peering into the future to predict Friday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Chrisbo (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious bartender, Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star and Thursday’s mystery guests), Benito (Wednesday’s mysterious future TV star and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests, mysterious leading man blocked for insufficient mysteriousness and his mysterious companion No. 1).
ladailymirror.com 
Donna Corcoran, Nadine Ashdown, Bobby Diamond in YOUNG MAN WITH IDEAS (1952)
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Donna Corcoran in “Million Dollar Mermaid” but I do not know the names of the other kids.
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Girl on the left was on older daughter on Danny Thomas Show. It’s not Bobby Driscoll, but I do recognize the lad.
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Marlene Lyden on the left?
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Donna Corcoran in Scandal at Scourie.
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Girl at left is Donna Corcoran.
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Young Man with Ideas (1952) w/Donna Corcoran, Nadine Ashdown, Bobby Diamond, Glenn Ford, Ruth Roman, Nina Foch, Denise Darcel, Mary Wickes…
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Young Man with Ideas
Bobby Diamond, Donna Corcoran, Nadine Ashdown
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I know the oldest is Noreen Corcoran
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LOVE IS BETTER THAN EVER. Donna Corcoran and Irwin Jay Berniker.
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Oops, YOUNG MAN WITH IDEAS. Donna Corcoran, Norman Rado, and Nadine Ashdown.
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Donna Corcoran, Bobby Diamond and Nadine Ashdown in Young Man With Ideas from 1952.
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How about Donna Corcoran in Scandal at Scourie.?
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And the joke is that all three of them are played by Jonathan Winters . . .
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The girl on screen left is a Corcoran kid. I’m gonna guess Donna Corcoran to start.
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The infamous “Bad Seed” prequel?
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It is indeed Donna Corcoran! I found a photo of the same kids from a different angle.
“Young Man With Ideas” 1952
Ms. Corcoran, Bobby Diamond and Nadine Ashdown. O/S are Ruth Roman, Mary Wickes and Glenn Ford.
I’ll guess along with the images during the week.
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Add Nadine Ashdown…for Young Man with Ideas.
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Tallest young lady on the left has to be a Corcoran-Donna?
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Movie: Young Man with Ideas.
,,
Monday: Donna Corcoran, Bobby Diamond. and Nadine Ashdown.
Tuesday: Martha Wentworth, Curtis Cooksey and Dick Wessel.
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Rudy Baron Monday, Martha Wentworth, Curtis Cooksey, and Dick Wessel today.
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Dick Wessex for Tuesday.
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Dick Wessel for Tuesday, not Wessex — durn autocorrect.
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Martha Wentworth, Rudy Baron, Curtis Cooksey, Dick Wessel
RIP Jane Withers
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Movie is Young Man With Ideas
Monday Girl 1 is Donna Corcoran and girl 2 is Nadine Ashdown
Monday little boy – might he be Bobby Diamond?
Tues judge in frame 2 is Curtis Cooksey
Tues frame 3 is Dick Wessel
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Tues frame #1 might be Martha Wentworth and all her in the movie kiddos who appear to be uncredited but for maybe Rudy Baron.
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Dick Wessel in LOVE IS BETTER THAN EVER.
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Curtis Cooksey; Dick Wessel.
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Tuesday – 1) Martha Wentworth and her character’s children (only found the name of one – Ruday Baron)
2) Curtis Cooksey – the judge and 3) John Call is the phone guy, I think
Just curious: Does Sheldon Leonard come through a window with a gun in this movie? The group discussed this pattern with Mr. Leonard and since his character’s name is ‘Brick’ Davis, I think he must be a shady guy (who would come through a window with a gun.)
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Ann Shoemaker takes charge.
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Lela Bliss, Barbara Billingsley, and Denise Darcel. Is that Ruth Roman between the ladies?
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Wed frame 1 – Nella Walker and Barbara Billingsley
Wed frame 2 – Denise Darcel
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Scratch my answer for Wed frame 1. I think our actress in the be jeweled dress is Leia Bliss, not Nella Walker. Behind the blackout is Glenn Ford. While our blonde is Barbara Billingsley.
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Oops! Now I think our be jeweled gowned actress is none other then Jean Acker, former Mrs Rudolph Valentino of 1919 ill fated marriage.
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Oh dear! Now that I look at TCM cast lust, they don’t even show Jean Acker in the cast! Ok. So it’s most likely not Lila Bliss either. I’m going with Helene Millard. Gads! Who is she?
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Lela Bliss, Barbara Billingsley, Denise Darcel
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Young man With Ideas!!
Donna Corcoran
Curtis Cooksey
Barbara Billingsly
Denise Darcel
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Although not listed on IMDB the woman seated at right looks like Barbara Billingsley.
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Lela Bliss, Nina Foch, Barbara Billingsley; Denise Darcel.
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Thanks to Barbara Billingsley, the film is “Young Man with Ideas” (1952).
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The movie this week is “Young Man with Ideas.” The two girls on Monday are Donna Corcoran and Nadine Ashdown. The woman in the first scene on Tuesday is Martha Wentworth. The man in the second scene is Curtis Cooksey. In the third scene is Dick Wessel. For today’s first scene we have Lela Bliss and Barbara Billingsley. Denise Darcel is in the second picture.
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Wednesday – ladies at the table: Barbara Billingsley and I think, Nella Walker, but I’m not sure.
I think the ‘Drama Queen’ is Denise Darcel.
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Thurs frame 1 – Ray Collins
Thurs frame 2 – Mary Wickes with Bobby Diamond.
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Nella Walker, Ray Collins, and Mary Wickes with Bobby Diamond.
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Louise Lorimer, Ray Collins, Bobby DIamond, Mary Wickes
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From the left are Edith Meiser and Ray Collins; Mary Wickes.
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Monday’s mystery girl on the left is Donna Corcoran. The judge is Curtis Cooksey. Wednesday’s mystery woman on the right is everyone’s favorite TV mom, Barbara Billingsley. The dignified gent is Ray Collins, which makes this movie Young Man With Ideas.
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Lt Tragg today aka Ray Collins!
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Ok, we have Barbara Billingsly on Wednesday, Ray Collins and Mary Wickes on Thursday, so I’ll guess ‘Young Man with Ideas”
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Today’s distinguished gent is Ray Collins. In the second scene are Bobby Diamond and Mary Wickes.
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Ray Collins on Thursday.
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Did I have a brain fart or what? The movie is YOUNG MAN WITH IDEAS and here are the people I missed. Curtis Cooksey, Ray Collins, Denise Darcel, Mary Wickes.
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Well, Donna Corcoran and a youthful Bobby Diamond (sporting the polka dot tie), a stern Curtis Cooksey, scenery-chewing Dick Wessel, bejeweled Barbara Billingsley, a vaguely intimidating Denise Darcel, Ray Collins and Mary Wickes (fiddling around with Bobby’s outfit), makes this Young Man with Ideas (1952). Glenn Ford and Ruth Roman likely Friday guests.
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Ray Collins and Mary Wickes in Young Man with Ideas (1952)
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Aha! Ray Collins and Mary Wickes. Young Man With Ideas. Tuesday: Dick Wessel. Wednesday: Barbara Billingsly (!) and Nina Foch
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Wed: Barbara Billingsley
Thurs: the ubiquitous Ray Collins, Mary Wickes
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Thursday – Ray Collins in image 1 and image 2 with Mary Wickes with Bobby Diamond.
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Forgot to add that Glenn Ford is the ‘hidden guy’ from Wednesday. He’s alarmed at his slightly tipsy wife, Ruth Roman, at the other end of the table.
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I was wrong about Nella Walker being one of the ladies sitting next to Glenn Ford. After looking at a photo from “Sabrina” I think Nella Walker is the woman who receives the note from Glenn Ford. She’s playing Mrs. Jethrow, right? You haven’t shown her yet.
Soooo…who is this woman on Ford’s right (screen left) on Wednesday? She asks Ford a question about his children going to the dentist, so maybe she’s the wife of a dentist? This is the 1950s, so heaven forbid that she herself is a dentist. Hmmmm….
Maybe, I’ll have to wait until Saturday.
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Getting longwinded. I think the Wednesday lady screen left of Glenn Ford is Lela Bliss. Saw an image from Miracle on 34th Street and it looks like her.
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Glenn Ford pops up o Wednesday, Ruth Roman, NIna Foch, glenn Ford with Roman, Foch, and Sheldon Leonard in the background.
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Ruth Roman; Nina Foch; Glenn Ford.
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Ruth Roman, Nina Foch, Glenn Ford
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For Fri – reveal of Glenn Ford from behind the black curtain on Wed.
Friday – Ruth Roman, Nina Foch and Glenn Ford.
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Friday round-up for Young Man with Ideas is the aforementioned Ruth Roman, Nina Foch and Glenn Ford.
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In truth, I did not aforemention Ms. Foch. Is aforemention actually a word?
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Ruth Roman, Glenn Ford and Nina Foch.
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Friday – Ruth Roman (not tipsy in this shot), Nina Foch, Glenn Ford with the out of focus Sheldon Leonard (sans gun and sans window for this movie.)
This was fun! Looking forward to Saturday’s breakdown.
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