Category Archives: Mystery Photo

Found on EBay — Mystery Postcard [Updated]

         [Update: What’s wrong with this postcard?  Notice City Hall way down the block? Please congratulate Cat Murray for recognizing this as Broadway, not Spring Street. ] This postcard of downtown Los Angeles has been listed on … Continue reading

Posted in Downtown, Mystery Photo, Photography, Transportation | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Updated 2: Please congratulate Mary Mallory for identifying our mystery fellow as Maurice Schwartz! This is Schwartz (d. 1960) in a photo stamped April 9, 1963.] [Update: So far, nobody has … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 13 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update 2: This is indeed Eddie Quillan (d. 1990) in an undated photo from his Mack Sennett days, stamped March 5, 1984, by The Times library.] [Update: Please congratulate Mary Mallory, … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Obituaries, Photography | 49 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: June 11, 1936 — Franchot Tone and Robert Greig in a comedy sequence in MGM's "The Unguarded Hour," directed by Sam Wood. Loretta Young plays the heroine in the Lawrence … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 9 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: Aug. 22, 1937 — Franchot Tone and Virginia Bruce caught in a tender moment of MGM's "Between Two Women." In the motion picture, Tone marries Miss Bruce, although in love … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 7 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: Nov. 12, 1947: Franchot Tone and Lucille Ball in "Her Husband's Affairs.”] And for Friday, another mystery companion!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 18 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Updated: July 1, 1955 — Ida Lupino and Franchot Tone comprise the entire case of "Award," the powerful tale of a Hollywood actress who has to prove herself capable of sincere … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 13 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: April 18, 1958– Eva Le Gallienne and Franchot Tone head a star-studded cast in Screen Gems' "Bitter Heritage" for CBS Television’s "Playhouse 90." Miss Le Gallienne makes her telefilm debut … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 10 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: May 1, 1958 — Expressions of principals testify to strain of hearing as Mrs. Jean Wallace Wilde, near tears, leaves court with actor husband Cornel Wilde after ex-husband Franchot Tone, … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 9 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: Aug. 23, 1959 — Franchot Tone is seen as gentle father torn between vastly different sons, Cameron Mitchell, left, policeman, and Dennis Hopper, tough guy, in drama on "Reckoning" series.] … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 15 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: I call Daily Mirror readers the Brain Trust and here’s why. Mike Hawks and Don Danard (via email) independently identified our mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery companion. This still is … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 41 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: This is Dorothy Mackaill (d. 1990) in an undated photo! ] We’re off to a late start on this week’s mystery photo. It turns out that our mystery guest was … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 25 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details [Update 3: This is Madeleine Carroll and her husband Philip/Phillip Astley in a photo published Nov. 7, 1936]. … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 53 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update two: This is Mabel Todd (sometimes spelled Mable in The Times).] [Update: Please congratulate Dewey Webb, Mike Hawks, David Thompson and Eve Golden for identifying our mystery gal! NOTE: If … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 19 Comments

Daily Mirror Readers — The ‘Brain Trust’

      Los Angeles Times file photos         The back of yesterday’s photo. Notice that there’s no publication date. Very annoying!   Here’s why I call the Daily Mirror’s readers “the brain trust.” You may recall … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 2 Comments

Kennedy Mystery Photo

Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador, June 5, 1968, photo courtesy of Howard Decker Robert F. Kennedy in an undated photo by Paul Jacobs L.A. Observed recently posted a photo – from Chip Jacobs’ blog — of Robert F. Kennedy … Continue reading

Posted in 1968, Mystery Photo, Photography, Politics, RFK | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: Yes, this is Portland Hoffa, the wife of radio comedian Fred Allen. I discovered Allen’s radio shows after his death in 1956 and always wondered about the women named Portland … Continue reading

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography, Stage | 32 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Here’s this week’s mystery lady! Nobody identified our weekend mystery guest so I’m going to have to figure out how to proceed. Maybe I can find some more photos of her … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 36 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Dec. 12, 1941: Crowds in Pershing Square joined in singing "America" and other patriotic songs during the entire period of the blackout last night. The sirens sounded for the lights out … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 43 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo Fan — Eve Golden

  Eve Golden, a regular Daily Mirror reader and Mystery Photo fan, is a photo archivist in New York and has written several show business biographies, including “Vamp: The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara” and “Platinum Girl: The Life … Continue reading

Posted in books, Mystery Photo, Photography | 2 Comments