This week’s mystery movie was the 1947 film The Voice of the Turtle, with Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, Eve Arden, Wayne Morris, Kent Smith, John Emery and John Holland.
Screenplay by John van Druten. Additional dialogue by Charles Hoffman.
From the stage play by John van Druten.
Produced by Alfred de Liagre Jr.
Photographed by Sol Polito.
Edited by Rudi Fehr.
Art direction by Robert Haas.
Sound by Stanley Jones.
Dialogue direction by Richard Barr.
Montages by James Leicester.
Special effects by Harry Barndollar and Edwin DuPar.
Set decorations by William Kuehl.
Wardrobe by Leah Rhodes.
Makeup by Perc Westmore.
Orchestral arrangements by Murray Cutter.
Musical direction by Leo F. Forbstein.
Music by Max Steiner.
Produced by Charles Hoffman.
Directed by Irving Rapper.
Further information on The Voice of the Turtle is available from the AFI Catalog.
The Voice of the Turtle is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
The script of the Broadway play The Voice of the Turtle is at the Internet Archive.
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I picked The Voice of the Turtle by going through the trades and it was a pleasant discovery, especially because there’s a nice part for Eve Arden, playing the second female lead as Eleanor Parker’s brassy friend. Ronald Reagan is wholesome and sincere, and worries about whether Parker’s reputation will suffer from having a man spending the night. (The Breen office was adamant about the issue, according to the AFI Catalog entry as the three-character play was a bit racier).
Because the film originated as a Broadway play, I’ll guess that Bosley liked it – with a few quibbles.
Not quite. The task falls to “alphabet critic” TMP, possibly Thomas M. Pryor (The New York Times, December 26, 1947):
It does not often happen that a hit play and its film version run concurrently on Broadway, and, generally speaking, it is true that most bright theatrical achievements lose considerable luster in the process of their screen adaptations. The Warner Brothers’ picturization of The Voice of the Turtle is a very happy exception, and, in fact, the film, which opened yesterday at the Warner Theatre, is in many ways much more satisfying than the John van Druten comedy, which after five years, still is going along nicely at the Hudson Theatre.
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Also Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Ernest Anderson and Ronald Reagan as Back of the Head Guy.
For “Tricky Tuesday,” we have a mysterious fellow with a knack for making faces.
Update: This is Ronald Reagan.
Brain Trust roll call: Greg (Monday’s mysterious Back of the Head Guy).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mysterious fellow, plus Back of the Head Guy and Back of the Head Woman.
Update: This is John Holland, with John Emery as Back of the Head Guy and Eleanor Parker as Back of the Head Woman.
And this mysterious fellow – and Back of the Head Woman again.
Update: This is John Emery and Eleanor Parker as Back of the Head Woman.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery sergeant’s mysterious shoulder patch), Greg (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and both mystery guests) and Sylvia (mystery movie and both mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” our mysterious couple is having a night on the town – and it’s not going well.
Update: This is Wayne Morris and Eve Arden. She is so good in this film!
Brain Trust roll call: Sarah (Wednesday’s mystery fellow No. 1), L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast), Stacia (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious gents), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sylvia (Wednesday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman) and Suznchaz (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
For Friday, we have our mysterious leading lady and leading man.
Update: This is Ronald Reagan and Eleanor Parker.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery guest and Thursday’s mysterious woman), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Boebert (Thursday’s mystery woman) and Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
The Back of the Head Sergeant’s profile sort of resembles Ronald Reagan.
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All I know for sure is that they’re wearing the “psychedelic cookie” shoulder patch of the 9th Infantry Division.
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The movie is The Voice of the Turtle.
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Ernest Anderson and Ronald Reagan in VOICE OF THE TURTLE.
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The Voice of the Turtle 1947
Mon – Ernest Anderson and BOTHG is Ronald Reagan
Tues – Ronald Reagan
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Wednesday’s #1 mystery gent is John Holland.
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The Voice of the Turtle (1947) w/Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, John Holland, Eve Arden, John Emery, Wayne Morris, Kent Smith…
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The Voice of the Turtle (1947)
Ernest Anderson in the first photo, I recognized him (or so I thought) but could not find a movie that matched the character or Back of the Head Guy, but once I saw Hm Wednesday and John Holland I was able to figure out what the movie was.
Ronald Reagan is probably Back of the Head Guy in the first one and Tricky Tuesday, too. John Emery is in the fourth photo. Back of the Head Lady in the 3rd and 4th photos must be Eleanor Powell in a wig.
This one has been driving me batty all week because I knew I should recognize it, and I finally figured out why: it’s been posted in not one but two Eve Arden blogathons over the years!
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The Voice of the Turtle (1947) with
Ernest Anderson, Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, John Holland, John Emery.
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John Holland, John Emery, ‘The Voice of the Turtle’?
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Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, John Holland and John Emery.
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Wed – 1) John Holland, I think. Reagan and Eleanor Parker as BOTHC
2) John Emery, I think and Ms Parker as BOTHW
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“The Voice of the Turtle” (1947. Ernest Anderson on Monday, John Emery is today’s mystery man….Ronald Reagan on Tuesday, Eleanor Parker is the lady.
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Eve Arden in “Voice of the Turtle.” And Ronald Reagan in the military uniform.
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THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE. Ronald Reagan BOTH Monday, and again on Tuesday with Eleanor Parker offcamera Tuesday, BOTH Reagan and Parker with John Holland, Parker BOTH with John Emery Wednesday, Wayne Morris and Eve Arden today.
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Sorry for cluttering up the comment stream. Eve Arden on Thursday?
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Wayne Morris and Eve Arden.
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Reagan and Parker.
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Thur – Wayne Morris and Eve Arden
Fri – Ronald Reagan and Eleanor Parker
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Ronald and Eleanor.
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Eve Arden Thursday and the Gipper Friday make this “The Voice of the Turtle”, and so Eleanor Parker on Friday.
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