This week’s mystery movie was the 1935 MGM film Mark of the Vampire, with Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, Henry Wadsworth, Donald Meek, Jessie Ralph, Ivan Simpson, Franklyn Ardell, Leila Bennett, June Gittelson, Carol Borland, Holmes Herbert and Michael Visaroff.
Screenplay by Guy Endore and Bernard Schubert.
Recording director Douglas Shearer.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons, Harry Oliver and Edwin B. Willis.
Gowns by Adrian.
Photographed by James Wong Howe.
Edited by Ben Lewis.
Directed by Tod Browning.
Produced by Edward J. Mannix.
Further information on Mark of the Vampire is available from the AFI Catalog.
Mark of the Vampire is available on Blu-ray from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I thought another “chiller” would be appropriate in the heat of summer, and I picked Mark of the Vampire, a remake of Tod Browning’s lost silent film London After Midnight (1927) with Lon Chaney.
The promotion of the film by a theater in Harrisburg, Pa., reminded me of what’s portrayed in the 1993 film Matinee, which in turn was a tribute to William Castle. A preview showing in the morgue. A woman dressed as a nurse on duty in the theater lobby. An ambulance in front of the theater and a woman dressed as a vampire walking the pavement.
I can’t imagine who reviewed Mark of the Vampire for The New York Times…
Aha! One of the “alphabet critics,” F.S.N. (Frank S. Nugent) May 3, 1935:
Horror being a precious commodity in the cinema and a potent lure to the box office, it is not altogether surprising this week to discover that two Broadway houses — the Mayfair and the Rialto — have avidly laid claims to the same picture. Its name is Mark of the Vampire and it manages, through use of every device seen in Dracula and one or two besides, to lay a sound foundation for childish nightmares. Even the adults in the audience may feel a bit skittery at the sight of two or three vampires, a bevy of bats, a herd of spiders, a drove of rodents and a cluster or two of cobwebs, not forgetting the swarm of fog….
…. Like most good ghost stories, it’s a lot of fun, even though you don’t believe a word of it.
For Monday, we have a mysterious cat and an enigmatic suit of armor.
Update: Our mysterious calico cat remains unidentified.
For Tuesday, we have a most mysterious guest.
Update: This is Mrs. Louise Emmons in her last film.
Brain Trust roll call: L.C. (mystery movie, mysterious mouser and mystery cast).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious woman.
Update: This is Carol (Carroll) Borland.
Brain Trust roll call: Suz N Chaz (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious woman), Stacia (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Allie (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious woman) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman).
Note: Several folks made valiant efforts to determine the name of Monday’s mysterious cat. All answers accepted!
For “Aha Thursday,” we have several mysterious guests.
Update: This is Donald Meek, center, and Lion Atwill, right. Head on the Desk Guy is Holmes Herbert.
And this mysterious fellow with Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Jean Hersholt and Lionel Atwill as Back of the Head Guy.
And finally, this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Lionel Barrymore.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mysterious woman), Sarah (mystery movie, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mysterious guests), Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Veronyka (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Chrisbo (mystery movie, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mysterious guests), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery woman) and Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery woman).
For Friday, we have a very mysterious guest.
Update: This is Bela Lugosi.
And a mystery couple.
Update: This is Elizabeth Allan and Henry Wadsworth.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Thursday’s mystery guests, Head on the Desk Guy and Back of the Head Guy) Lorenzo (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Chrisbo (Thursday’s mysterious guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and all mysterious guests) and Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mysterious guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Mark of the Vampire (1935) w/Bela Lugosi, Carroll Borland, Lionel Atwill, Elizabeth Allan, Lionel Barrymore, Donald Meek, Jesse Ralph, Jean Hersholt…
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Louise Emmons!
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CONNECTICUT YANKEE. Marion Jochimsen, one of the women in my book, curated key art for this movie.
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“Mark of the Vampire” (1935) with Mrs. Emmons!
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Mark of the Vampire! I forgot to guess yesterday, but I watched this a couple times back when I was blogging about London After Midnight. I don’t know the name of the cat actor on Monday, I tried looking it up and Google’s AI told me its name was “Clanker” which was 100% made up. Tuesday is Louise Emmons who died before the movie was released.
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Louise Emmons in MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.
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Well my search for name of the “cat actor” has not revealed anything. Only that clip I sent you earlier. For now “calico cat” is what we have. Apparently this gag was a ‘thing’.
Mark of the Vampire 1935
Director – Tod Browning
Cinematographer – James Wong Howe
Monday – uncredited calico cat jokester
Tuesday – Louise Emmons
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I wonder why the fuss (supposedly) by the actors over the “twist” ending, when the original film it’s based on had basically the same ending. Most of the cast would have seen, or could have seen the 1922 Lon Chaney version I would think.
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Louise Emmons and a calico cat in “Mark of the Vampire.”
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Mark of the Vampire with dear Louise Emmons.
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Following our past themes, MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.
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Carol Borland
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It’s “The Mark of the Vampire” (1935). Louise Emmons yesterday; Carol Borland today. Unfortunately the cat did not appear in the cast credits.
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Wednesday – The film credit name for her is spelled Carol Borland, but there’s also Carroll Borland in other places.
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Carol (or Carroll) Borland
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Louise Emmons and Carol Borland in Mark of the Vampire
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Carroll Borland.
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Carroll Borland on Wednesday. She looks so contemporary.
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Donald Meek and Lionel atwill, jean hersholt and twill, Lionel barrymore.
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Thursday – A recently deceased Holmes Herbert (head on desk), Donald Meek and a guest from last week, Lionel Atwill. Jean Hersholt and Atwill as BOTHG. Lionel Barrymore
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Tuesday’s guest is Louise Emmons, Wednesday’s guest is Carroll Borland, and for Thursday we have.Donald Meek and Lionel Atwood. The BOTH guy is Henry Wadswort. The movie is Mark of the Vampire with Lionel Barrymore..
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Donald Meek, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, Lionel Barrymore
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This is a rare Thursday Mystery offering to a no-brain trustee.
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Donald Meek, Lionel Atwill and Barrymore and Jean Hersholt.
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Mark of the Vampire (1935): Louise Emmons on Tuesday; Carol Borland on Wednesday; Donald Meek, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, and Lionel Barrymore on Thursday.
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Stellar faces all: Donald Meek, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt and Lionel Barrymore.
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Belated and Elizabeth Allen.
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Bela with Elizabeth Allen and Henry Wadsworth.
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Bela Lugosi, Elizabeth Allen and Henry Wadsworth
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