This week’s mystery movie was the 1943 picture Hangmen Also Die! with Brian Donlevy, Walter Brennan, Anna Lee, Gene Lockhart, Dennis O’Keefe, Alexander Granach, Margaret Wycherly, Tonio Selwart, Jonathan Hale, H.H. v. Twardowski, Billy Roy, Reinhold Schuenzel, Louis Donath, Arno Frey, Sarah Padden, Byron Foulger, Edmund MacDonald, Lionel Stander, Lester Sharpe, Arthur Loft, George Irving and James Bush.
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Screenplay by John Wexley. Adaptation and original story by Bert (!!!) Brecht and Fritz Lang.
Photography by James Wong Howe. Assistant producer T.W. Baumfeld.
Production manager Carley Harriman. Assistant directors Walter Mayo and Fred Pressburger. Art direction by William Darling.
Edited by Gene Fowler Jr. Sound by Fred Lau. Set dressing by Julie Heron.
Makeup by Blagoe Stephanoff. Miss Lee’s dresses by Eleanor Behm. Technical advisor Max Pretzfelder.
Music by Hanns Eisler. Conducted by Arthur Gurmann.
Released through United Artists.
Produced and directed by Fritz Lang.
More on the film’s history is available from the AFI catalog.
Hangmen Also Die! is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
I picked Hangmen Also Die! by going through the trades and finding this review from The Exhibitor, April 7, 1943.
The print, alas, is barely usable and James Wong Howe’s photography suffers in the poor resolution. And a screenplay by “Bert” Brecht?? Really?
I’m guessing Bosley Crowther hated it because it is too long and, well, something or other.
Alas, not Bosley Crowther, but the unidentified T.S. upholding Bosley’s tradition of not liking a film (New York Times, April 16, 1943):
In Hangmen Also Die!, Fritz Lang has returned to the starkly melodramatic style that marked his finest films. If his new effort, now at the Capitol, fails to stand among his best it is not for lack of a meticulous and often uncanny talent for accepting a frightful tale. An apocryphal story of the killing of Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi “protector” of Czechoslovakia, and the terror that followed, it is a film full of murky shadows, harsh commands and more dangerous whispers. As patient as a pendulum, it moves slowly from one small detail to another to build the macabre jest upon which the climax turns. And yet, for all of Mr. Lang’s finesse, his film is too patient — it runs well over two hours — too ponderous to hit its stride as melodrama. nor does it match in emotional power and conviction its heroic theme.
For Monday, we have a mystery lad.
Update: This is Billy Roy.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery fellow. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is This is Hans von Twardowski, left, and probably Hans Fuerberg .
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have two mysterious gentlemen.
Update: This is Alexander Granach, left, and Gene Lockhart (making a break from Mystery Movie Jail).
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery Nazi), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Tuesday’s mysterious Nazi) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mystery gent.
Update: This is Walter “Was you ever bit by a dead bee?” Brennan.
Brain Trust roll call: Floyd Thursby (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Beach Gal (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Incredibleinman (Wednesday’s mysterious brew meister), Funky PhD (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious brew meister), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery guests), BJ Merholz (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mysterious brew meister), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sheila (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious Nazi and Thursday’s mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (Wednesday’s mysterious brew meister), Diane Ely (Wednesday’s mystery brew meister), Benito (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious brew meister), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Tucson Barbara (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mysterious Nazi and Wednesday’s mystery brew meister).
For Friday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Brian Donlevy.
And this mystery woman.
Update: This is Anna Lee.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery fellow), Tucson Barbara (Thursday’s mystery gent), Jenny M. (Thursday’s mysterious professor), Beach Gal (Thursday’s mystery gent and correction on Monday’s mysterious lad), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery fellow), Patrick (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery fellow and gazing into the crystal ball for Friday’s mystery folks), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery fellow) and Megan and Thom (Thursday’s mystery professor).
ladailymirror.com 
Could that be Darwood Kaye?
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That is a fine guess! But alas….
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Dang, this kid looks familiar…
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Kevin Brownlow’s “It Happened Here”?
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Good guess, but alas….
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I’m guessing “The Devil’s General,” which would make today Viktor de Kowa.
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A good guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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On Tuesday, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski in “Hangmen Also Die!”
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Werner Klemperer for Tuesday?
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One vote for Col. Klink!
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William Roy and Hans von Twardowski in HANGMEN ALSO DIE.
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HANGMEN ALSO DIE! Wiliam Roy Monday, and Hans Heinrich von von Twardowski and Hans Fuerberg today.
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Werner Klemperer is the Nazi on the left on Tuesday. Movie is Ship of Fools.
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Two votes for Col. Klink!
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Werner Klemperer heute?
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Three votes for Col. Klink!
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For Wednesday we have Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart. The movie is “Hangmen Also Die! “
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Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart today.
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Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart in Hangmen Also Die.
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Monday – Willy Roy
Tues – Nazi on left I think is Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Wen – On right is Gene Lockhart. On left I think is Alexander Granach
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Forgot to add the name of the film – Hangmen Also Die
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Gene Lockhart as today’s fellow with the homburg. Could this be “The House on 92nd Street”?
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Wednesday’s mystery man on the right: Gene Lockhart? Hangmen Also Die?
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Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart
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Gene Lockhart, Hangmen also die.
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Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart.
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Thanks to Gene Lockhart.
“Hangmen Also Die” 1943
Director – Fritz Lang
Monday – William Roy (I think)
Tuesday – Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Wednesday – Gene Lockhart (nice to see him out of mystery movie jail)/ still working on 3/4profile guy.
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Revised Tuesday guy: Hans Heinrich von Twardoski with such odd makeup. Wednesday guys: Alexander Granach and Gene Lockhart. ‘Hangmen Also Die’?
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Albert Basserman on the left for Wednesday?
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Hangmen Also Die! (1943) w/William Roy, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Brian Donlevy, Anna Lee, Walter Brennan, Gene Lockhart…
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Alexander Granach and old reliable Gene Lockhart in “Hangmen Also Die”! William Roy is the kid.
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Gene Lockhart
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For Hm Wednesday, Gene Lockhart on the right.
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Okay, found him (both-3/4 profile guy) talk to Gene Lockhart. He’s Alexander Granach.
It’s good to see a James Wong Howe movie. He was amazing.
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Gene Lockhart in HANGMEN ALSO DIE! 1943
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Our mystery movie is “Hangmen Also Die!” with Gene Lockhart and Alexander Granach for today. Tuesday’s main Nazi is Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, and Monday’s guest is William Roy.
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Hangmen Also DIe
Tuesday – Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Wed – Gene Lockhart
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Walter Brennan.
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Thursday – Walter Brennan
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Walter Brennan
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Thurs is Walter Brennan
**For Monday, I had said it was “Willy” Roy. His full name is William Roy and they credited him as William “Billy” Roy in the film credits.
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I can’t remember if I put Walter Brennan or wrongly put Huston last night so trying again.
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Walter Brennan.
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Billy Roy, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Alexander Granach, Gene Lockhart and Walter Brennan in Hangmen Also Die from 1943.
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A very serious Walter Brennan on Thursday.
That leaves Brian Donlevy, Anna Lee, Dennis O’Keefe and maybe a peek at Lionel Stander.
It’s been interesting reading up on the history of the film. Looking forward to your Saturday breakdown.
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WALTER BRENNAN
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Today’s mystery guest is Walter Brennan.
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Brian Donlevy and Anna Lee
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For Fri – Brian Donlevy and Anna Lee
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Brian Donlevy and Anna Lee.
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Brian Donlevy and Anna Lee.
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Interesting that none of my research on Gene Laockhart films came up with Hangmen Also Die. Thank you Brin D and Anna Lee.
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