Mabel Paige

Born: 19 December 1880, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 9 February 1954, Van Nuys, California, USA

Mabel was a stage actress and silent screen star.

I Love Lucy: The Girls Go Into Business (1953) (Season 3, Episode 2) as Mrs. Hansen

Hazel Pierce

Born: 10 April 1893, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 1 March 1984, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Hazel Pierce was Lucille Ball's stand-in for many years on the television show 'I Love Lucy' and often was given small parts in the show.

I Love Lucy: Breaking the Lease (1952) (Season 1, Episode 18) as Party guest

Hazel Pierce is on the left, with Bennett Green and Lucille Ball.

















I Love Lucy: Ricky Loses His Voice (1952) (Season 2, Episode 9) as Chorus girl

One of her biggest roles in the show was as a gum chewing chorus girl in this episode.  The man in the hat is the other star of the show Desi Arnaz. In the background on the left is Gertrude Astor and Barbara Pepper is on the right.















I Love Lucy: Sentimental Anniversary (1954) (Season 3, Episode 18) as Party guest

Hazel is seated on the left.

















I Love Lucy: The Homecoming (1955) (Season 5, Episode 6) as neighbour

Hazel is on the left, with Charlotte Lawrence in the middle.

Gertrude Astor

Born: 9 November 1887, Lakewood, Ohio, USA
Died: 9 November 1977, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

A silent film star who was the first actress to sign a contract with Universal. Her transition to sound films was not a smooth one and this, combines with her age, relegated her to lesser roles.

Dizzy Daddies (1926) as A Former Flame, Little Eva

The Nickel-Hopper (1926) as Edsel's Mother (uncredited)

It is suggeested that the lady in the glasses is Gertrude Astor. The evidence put forward is that she is about the right age and height, and also that she was making films for Hal Roach Studios in 1926. There is only a brief glimpse of her face and it is contorted as she struggles with her instrument. On the right is Mabel Normand holding Mildred Kornman.

Come Clean (1931) as Mrs. Hardy

 

With Stan Laurel and Linda Loredo.

















They Never Come Back (1932) as Kate

With Regis Toomey.



















Girls of the Big House (1945) as Railroad Matron (uncredited)

Gertrude is on the far left of the picture. Could do with a better copy of this film.

Leave Her to Heaven (1945) as Prison Matron (uncredited)

Gertrude is ready to shut the door.

Crack-Up (1946) as Lady nagging husband on train (uncredited)

I Love Lucy: Ricky Loses His Voice (1952) (Season 2, Episode 9) as Chorus girl

Gertrude Astor is on the right in the stripes. Lucille Ball is in the centre of this picture.

Helen Dickson

Born: 7 May 1892, Wakefield, Massachusetts, USA
Died: 8 May 1956, Los Angeles, California, USA

A bit part player in over 100 films.

The Big Street (1942) as Florida nightclub patron

Helen Dickson is forcefully led back into the party.

















I Love Lucy: Ricky Loses His Voice (1952) (Season 2, Episode 9) as Chorus girl

Helen Dickson is on the left in one of only a handful of television appearances.  Lucille Ball is in the middle in full flow and Hazel Pierce is on the right.

Eduardo Ciannelli

Born: 30 August 1889, Ischia, Italy
Died: 8 October 1969, Rome, Italy

A baritone singer who trained as an actor and eventually went to New York to perform on Broadway in 1920 in the play 'Always You'.  His film performances were mainly as gangsters or other unsavoury types.

Winterset (1936) as Trock Estrella

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Mr. Krug (Credited as Eduardo Cianelli)

Dorothy Vaughan

Born: 5 November 1890, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Died: 15 March 1955, Hollywood, California, USA

A bit part character actor of over 140 films.

Telephone Operator (1937) as Mrs. Molloy

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Jones' mother (uncredited)

Pleased to Mitt You (1940) as Mrs. Kelly (uncredited)

John Kellogg is on the right.
















Kitty Foyle (1940) as Mary, second charwoman (uncredited)

Dorothy Vaughan is on the left, with Mary Gordon.















Big Town After Dark (1947) as Cleaner (uncredited)

Harry Davenport

Born: 19 January 1866, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 9 August 1949, Los Angeles, California, USA

Harry Davenport was a long time stage and silent actor who brought his own grandfatherly demeanour to sound films. He was born into a creative family of actors and singers.

Gone with the Wind (1939) as Dr. Meade

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) as King Louis XI

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Mr. Powers

Gangway for Tomorrow (1943) as Fred Taylor

G.I. War Brides (1946) as Grandpa Giles

With Anna Lee.

Charles Halton

Born: 16 March 1876, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Died: 16 April 1959, Los Angeles, California, USA

A silent and sound character actor who made films over a period of 40 years usually playing in the fickle or 'jobsworth' type of roles.

Midnight (1934) as Jury member (uncredited)

Charles Halton is easily seen in this sweeping shot of the jury sitting on the back row.


















Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936) as Dr. Bell

Nancy Drew...Reporter (1939) as Tribune publicity man (uncredited)

They Made Her a Spy (1939) as Beldon

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) as Fisher, the printer (uncredited)

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Bradley

Up in Arms (1944) as Dr. Roger B. Freyheisen

With Danny Kaye.

















The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) as Prew

With Fredric March and Ray Collins.

Holmes Herbert

Born: 30 July 1882, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England

Died: 26 December 1956, Hollywood, California, USA

 

Holmes Herbert was a leading man in Hollywood silent movies before settling for lesser supporting roles when sound arrived. He appeared in 7 Sherlock Holmes films, with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, playing a variety of characters.

 

20,000 Men a Year (1939) as Dean Norris (uncredited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Intelligence (1940) as Arthur Bennett

 

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Assistant Commissioner

Herbert is on the right, with George Sanders.

















The Mummy's Curse (1944) as Dr. Cooper

Holmes Herbert is on the right, with Karl Katch.

Barbara Pepper

Born: 31 May 1915, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 18 July 1969, Panorama City, California, USA

Barbara Pepper was a former Ziegfeld and Goldwyn girl along with her friend Lucille Ball. She appeared mainly in one dimensional supporting roles or bit parts in the 30s and 40s. After her husband, Craig Reynolds, was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1949, Barbara spiralled down into depression and alcoholism and only occasionally surfaced in small roles on television and in films. She appeared a few times on her friend Lucille Ball's show 'I Love Lucy' in the 1950s and from then on television parts were sporadic, probably because Pepper had lost her looks and her voice had become more gravelly. In 1965 Barbara Pepper secured a major role in the television series 'Green Acres' as Doris Ziffel.

Waterfront Lady (1935) as Gloria Vance

A co-starring role for Barbara in this film.

















Taming the Wild (1936) as Hazel White

The Rogues' Tavern (1936) as Marjorie Burns

Co-starring with Wallace Ford.

















Winterset (1936) as Girl

Barbara Pepper is the lady on the right. Jack Chefe is the man on the left.

















What Becomes of the Children? (1936) as Elsie Ford

Foreign Correspondent (1940) as Dorine

With Robert Benchley.

















Girls in Chains (1943) as Ruth

I Love Lucy: Breaking the Lease (1952) (Season 1, Episode 18) as Party guest

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are on the far left.

















I Love Lucy: The Freezer (1952) (Season 1, Episode 29) as Customer in butcher shop

With Lucille Ball.

















I Love Lucy: Ricky Loses His Voice (1952) (Season 2, Episode 9) as Chorus girl

With Desi Arnaz (in the hat). Hazel Pierce is on the left.

















I Love Lucy: Lucy Goes To Hospital (1953) (Season 2, Episode 16) as Nurse

I Love Lucy: Lucy's Last Birthday (1953) (Season 2, Episode 25) as 'Friends of the Friendless' lady

Barbara Pepper is at the back on the right. Only part of the background ensemble and no lines of dialogue.

















I Love Lucy: The Girls Go Into Business (1953) (Season 3, Episode 2) as Dress shop customer

Barbara Pepper is in the middle with Kay Wiley on the left and Mabel Paige on the right.

















I Love Lucy: Sentimental Anniversary (1954) (Season 3, Episode 18) as Party guest

Barabara is in the middle. A very small part in this episode with no lines of dialogue.

















The Jack Benny Program: How Jack Found Mary (1954) (Season 5, Episode 3) as Sally, Mary's co-worker

Left, with Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone

















I Love Lucy: The Tour (1955) (Season 4, Episode 30) as Woman on bus

With Lucille Ball.

















I Love Lucy: The Homecoming (1955) (Season 5, Episode 6) as Neighbour

Barbara Pepper is on the left with Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Willam Frawley.

















The Jack Benny Program: Mary Has A Co. Reunion (1957) (Season 7, Episode 15) as Barbara

Barbara is sitting on Jack Benny. The lady on the left is Mary Livingstone.

















A Child is Waiting (1963) as Miss Brown (uncredited)