This week’s mystery movie was the 1956 United Artists film Comanche, with Dana Andrews, Kent Smith, Nestor Paiva, Henry Brandon, Stacey Harris, John Litel, Lowell Gilmore, Mike Mazurki and Tony Carbajal. Introducing Miss Linda Cristal. And Reed Sherman.
Assistant Directors Henry Spitz and Ignacio Villareal.
Art direction by Ramon Rodriguez.
Sound supervisor James L. Fields.
Recording by Manuel Topete and Galdino Samperio.
Wardrobe by Georgette Somohano and Adolfo Ramirez.
Script supervisor Bobbie Sierks.
Special effects by David Koehler.
Makeup by Rosa Guerrero.
Hairstyles by Pena Lozada.
Photographic effects by Jack Rabin and Louis De Witt.
Production manager Aphonso Sanchez Tello.
Edited by Charles L. Kimball.
Costumes by David Berman.
Music composed and directed by Herschel Burke Gilbert.
Orchestrations by Walter Sheets and Joe Mullendore.
Guitarist David Moreno.
Song A Man Is as Good as His Word, lyrics by Alfred Perry, music by Herschel Burke Gilbert.
Sung by The Lancers, Coral Recording Artists.
Photographed by Jorge Stahl Jr.
Associate Producer Henry L. Spitz.
Written for the screen and produced by Carl Krueger.
Directed by George Sherman.
Photographed in CinemaScope.
Color by DeLuxe.
Further information about Comanche is available from the AFI Catalog.
Comanche is available via Amazon.
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I picked Comanche by going through the trades, as it got a decent review in Harrison’s Reports. As a Baby Boomer, the film strikes me as yet another of the countless horse operas churned out by Hollywood in the 1950s. Almost 70 years later, the film is a painful example of “red face” acting, notably Mike Mazurki – I mean, really. The film was shot on location around Durango, Mexico, and uses a fair amount of Mexican actors and craftspeople. And, yes, there is Linda Cristal, who would appear in the TV Western The High Chaparral, which aired from 1967 to 1971.
I’m going to guess that The New York Times didn’t bother with Comanche.
No, not even the alphabet critics got a chance at Comanche.
For Monday, we have a mystery guest.
Update: This is Jose Chavez Trowe.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious guest.
Update: This is Reed Sherman.
Note to Sylvia: You’re on the right track!
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have two mysterious gents.
Update: This is Nestor Paiva, left, and Mike Mazurki.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have another mystery gent.
Update: This is Kent Smith.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guests), Benito (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guest No. 2), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guest No. 2), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guest No. 2), Sylvia (mystery movie and all mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mysterious guests) and Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guest No. 2).
Note to Charles Kjelland and Earl: He’s in the mystery movie, but in a different role.
For Friday, we have our mysterious leading lady and enigmatic leading man.
Update: This is Linda Cristal and Dana Andrews.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guest), Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guest) and Greg (mystery movie).
ladailymirror.com 
Happy Memorial Day to All.
I am guessing that today’s guest is the late Pedro Armendariz.
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An excellent guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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The color, local and film era have the feeling of “The Magnificent Seven” 1960, but that’s too famous a film I think for the mystery movie.
Thinking cap is back on…
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Not sure who this is, but he looks like an interesting mash-up of Edmond O’Brien and Desi Arnaz.
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I think he looks like Ernie Kovacs’ stunt double from “North To Alaska”!
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Hawmps! Jesse Davis Monday.
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Henry Kenrick today.
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I love Matt Berger’s description of Monday’s guy. So true.
My Tuesday guess (just because) is “The Wonderful Country” 1959. It’s got the color, the setting, the US calvary and the movie era. Mainly, it has Satchel Paige! My great uncle Byron played on two of Paige’s All Star teams in the 1930s.
I will continue searching though as I don’t really think that this is the mystery film. Hopefully I’m getting warmer.
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Since I guess it isn’t HAWMPS!, I’ll say SOUTHWEST PASSAGE.
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COMANCHE (1956). Jose angel Espinosa Monday, Allan Lewis Tuesday, Nestor Paiva and Mike Mazurki today.
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It doesn’t look like it took my comment. COMANCHE. Jose Angel Espinosa Monday, Allan Lewis Tuesday, and Nestor Paiva and Mike Mazurki today.
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is that Mike Mazurki as Flat Mouth in COMANCHE 1956? I recall the other gent wore an alarming toupee because he’d been scalped
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oh my go—-it’s Mike Mazurki! In “Comanche”!
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Gabby Hayes and Iron Eyes Cody In Old Cheyenne?
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Sure looks like Espera Oscar de Corti on Wednesday.
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mike mazurki as flat mouth in COMANCHE. The other guy has an alarming scalp underneath that toupee
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Mike Mazurki is hardly a mystery gent. But his Comanche headdress is a mystery yet to be solved.
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Comanche 1956
Monday – Jose Chavez
Tuesday – Reed Sherman along with our OS leading man, watching desperate riders approach.
Wednesday – Nestor Palva and Mike Mazurki
Great photography in this film.
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Comanche (1956)w/Dana Andrews, Linda Cristal, Kent Smith, Mike Mazurki, Nestor Paiva, Stacy Harris, Henry Brandon, John Litel, Lowell Gilmore…
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This must be “Comanche,” although I cannot name the Edmond O’Brien and Desi Arnaz chap. But on Tuesday, that’s Reed Sherman. And Wednesday, Nestor Paiva and Mike Mazurki.
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Today’s guest is Mike Mazurki, in Comanche, I think.
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Kent Smith on Thursday. Kind of hard to believe.
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Tony Carbajal Monday, Reed Sherman Tuesday, and Kent Smith today.
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🇺🇸 July 30 is the day for remembrance.
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Hmm… really surprised that Monday’s guy is not Jose Chavez. Other photos I found of Mr Chavez looked just like our guy. Will be curious to find out who he actually is.
Thursday – Kent Smith. I wondered if you would pair him with Henry Brandon. Mr Brandon plays Quanah Parker in another movie. I think “Two Rode Together”.
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The movie is “Comanche” (1956).
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And our stars, Linda Cristal and Dana Andrews …
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Tony Carbajal, Monday LInda Christal and Dana Andrews.
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Linda Cristal and Dana Andrews.
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