This week’s mystery movie was the 1937 Paramount picture Waikiki Wedding, with Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Shirley Ross, George Barbier and Leif Erikson.
Screenplay by Frank Butler and Don Hartman, Walter DeLeon and Francis Martin.
Based on a story by Frank Butler and Don Hartman.
Musical direction by Boris Morros.
Words and music by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger.
Orchestrations by Victor Young.
Arrangements by Al Siegel and Arthur Franklin.
Sweet Leilani by Harry Owens, winner of an Academy Award for best original song.
Hawaiian lyrics by Jimmy Lowell.
Photographed by Karl Struss.
Photographic effects by Farciot Edouart.
Hawaiian exteriors by Robert C. Bruce.
Art direction by Hans Dreier and Robert Usher.
Edited by Paul Weatherwax.
Recording by Gene Merritt and Louis Mesenkop.
Dance direction by LeRoy Prinz.
Costumes by Edith Head.
Interior decorations by A.E. Freudeman.
Produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr.
Directed by Frank Tuttle.
Further information on Waikiki Wedding is available from the AFI Catalog.
Waikiki Wedding is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I chose Waikiki Wedding by going through the trades, looking for another lighthearted film to atone for two weeks of downbeat boxing pictures. As Harrison’s Reports says, the plot is quite thin and somewhat predictable, but pleasant enough.
I’m going to guess that The New York Times did not approve of such goings-on, probably assigning one of the alphabet critics. Frank S. Nugent says (March 25, 1937):
Regretting that he has but one voice to give, Bing Crosby is surrendering it cheerfully at the Paramount to the uses of the Hawaiian Board of Trade, the pineapple industry and sundry tourist agencies. His Waikiki Wedding places him in a welter of grass skirts, tropical sunsets, Martha Raye and a razorback pig called Wafford. Undismayed, he sings on — things like Okolehao and Sweet Leilani. That simplifies the problem: it permits us to describe his picture as the lei of the last minstrel. Or, if Walter Scott still owns that copyright, let it be called a friendly, inoffensive, reasonably diverting musical.
The Lay of the Last Minstrel by Sir Walter Scott, if anyone in curious. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it.
For Monday, we have a mysterious person with a mystery fruit.
Update: This is Santini Pualoa.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Iris Yamaoka.
Brain Trust roll call: Earl Boebert (mysterious fruit), Suznchaz (mysterious fruit), Anne Papineau (mysterious fruit), B.J. Merholz (mysterious fruit) and Sylvia E. (mysterious fruit).
I have two votes for Bird of Paradise, which, alas, is not our mystery movie.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious fellow, plus Back of the Head Women.
Update: This is Anthony Quin, with Martha Raye and Shirley Ross as Back of the Head Women.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious fellow, and Back of the Head Woman.
Update: This is Leif Erickson in an uncharacteristic role with Emma Dunn as Back of the Head Woman.
Also, this mysterious gent and mysterious piglet.
Update: This is Bob Burns, sans bazooka, with Wafford the pig.
And finally, this mystery chap.
Update: This is Grady Sutton.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery fellow and Back of the Head Women), Greg (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious fellow), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Sarah (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery fellow and Back of the Head Woman), Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mysterious fellow), L.C. (mystery movie, mysterious cast and mystery fruit), Chrisbo (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery chap), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery fellow and Back of the Head Woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, mysterious fruit and all mystery guests, and Back of the Head Women), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery fellow and Back of the Head Women), and Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guest).
For Friday, we have our mysterious leads with Back of the Arm Guy.
Update: This is, from left, Shirley Ross, Bing Crosby, Martha Raye and Bob Burns with Anthony Quinn as Back of the Arm Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mysterious guests), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Thursday’s mysterious stockholder in the Beefsteak Mine), Morgan and Thom (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious fellow), Benito (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery fellow and mysterious stockholder in the Beefsteak Mine, plus Friday’s mystery woman No. 2), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests and mysterious piglet).
ladailymirror.com 
Have no idea who the gent is, but that “mystery fruit” is a pineapple 🙂
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“Bird of Paradise” (1932) with Dolores del Rio and Joel McCrea……and the mystery fruit is a pineapple!
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On Monday, the mystery fruit is a sliced pineapple.
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Dole pineapple.
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I’m guessing BIRD OF PARADISE (1932).
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Hmm…a pineapple with part of it sliced off…looks ceremonial.
Is this a monster movie by any chance?
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Still unsure of the name of the gentleman who performs a sword dance with a pineapple, but this would appear to be “Waikiki Wedding” with Iris Yamaoka.
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Lotus Long today and THE MYSTERY OF MR. WONG.
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An excellent guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Anthony “I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle” Quinn, Martha Raye and Shirley Ross
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Hm Wednesday, Anthony Quinn in Waikiki Wedding, 1937.
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WAIKIKI WEDDING. Price Leilani Monday, Irish Yamaoka Tuesday, and Anthony Quinn and Shirley Ross both.
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It’s “Waikiki Wedding” (1937). And Anthony Quinn. With Shirley Ross as BOTHW.
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Anthony Quinn! Is it “Daughter of Shanghai”?
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Waikiki Wedding (1937) w/Bing Crosby, Martha Raye, Shirley Ross, Anthony Quinn, Iris Yamaoka, Leif Erickson, Grady Sutton, Santini Pualoa (knife dancer with pineapple)…
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Could that be Anthony Quinn in Waikiki Wedding?
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Tony Quinn staring down Shirley Ross in a wacky wedding movie.
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Iris Yamaoka and Anthony Quinn in WAIKIKI WEDDING.
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Ha! I almost guessed “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” yesterday on seeing the woman who looked ‘secretarial’ to me. So, thank you Mr Quinn for today.
“Waikiki Wedding” 1937
Monday – Santini Pualoa is our pineapple slicer
Tuesday – Iris Yamaoka
Wednesday – A very babyfaced Anthony Quinn. The BOTH women are Martha Raye and Shirley Ross I’m guessing. Ms Ross’ claim to fame was interesting to learn about.
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Iris Yamaoka, Anthony Quinn in WAIKIKI WEDDING.
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Wednesday: Anthony Quinn in Waikiki Wedding (1937) with Martha Raye and Shirley Ross as back of the head women
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Anthony Quinn, ‘Waikiki Wedding’?
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A bespectacled Leif Erickson, Bob Burns and Grady Sutton.
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Martha rate as Both, Keif Erickson, Bob Burbs, and Grady Sutton.
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and the mystery fruit isn’t a mystery. Not quince, dragon fruit, kumquat, or loquat.
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I see my man Grady Sutton so it must be “Waikiki Wedding”!
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Our movie is Waikiki Wedding with Anthony Quinn.
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Anthony Quinn and Grady Sutton, maybe in WAIKIKI WEDDING 1937. Worth watching for Martha Raye, who had an extraordinary 1937
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Leif Erickson, Bob Burns and Grady Sutton.
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Thursday – 1) Leif Erickson, I think. Not sure of BOTHW.
2) Bob Burns and Wolford the pig ( not sure of the spelling of the pig’s name. But learned that his owner demanded a pay raise for him. From $60 per week to$1000 per week. Guess a lot more was expected of the pig.)
3) Grady Sutton
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Shirley Ross, Bing Crosby, Martha raye, and Bob Burns.
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BOTAG is Anthony Quinn again, I think.
Shirley Ross (whose claim to fame was singing a very poignant “Thanks for the Memories” with Bob Hope in the Big Broadcast of 1938), Bing Crosby, Martha Raye and Bob Burns.
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Der Bingle
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