Forgotten Actors: April 2023

Thursday, 27 April 2023

Katharine Snell

Born: 22 March 1916, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Died: 21 August 2001, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

The Wizard of Oz (1939) as Lion's Manicurist (uncredited)

Katharine Snell is attending to the lion's head. Muriel Barr is crouching on the right. Bert Lahr is the 'Cowardly Lion.' Dona Massin is the manicurist crouching on the left.

Dona Massin

Born: 18 February 1917, St.Jean Baptiste, Manitoba, Canada

Died: 26 May 2001, Culver City, California, USA

The Wizard of Oz (1939) as Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)

Dona is the dark-haired manicurist on the left.

Dona was also an assistant choreographer for this film.

E! Mysteries & Scandals (1998) as Herself (Credited as Donna Massin)

Priscilla Montgomery

Born: 19 July 1929, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Wizard of Oz (1939) as Munchkin Child (uncredited)

Priscilla is in the blue dress. On the left is Ardith Dondanville.

Ena Gregory

Born: 18 April 1907, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died: 13 June 1993, Laguna Beach, California, USA

The Soilers (1923) as The Girl

Wednesday, 26 April 2023

June O'Dea

Born: 18 December 1912, Revere, Massachusetts, USA

Died: 5 December 1992, Novato, California, USA

June O'Dea was a Broadway actress and singer whose foray into films was brief in the early 1930s.

Cab Waiting (1931) as Marilyn Mills, the showgirl

Jack Benny is on the right and Walter Wilson is behind the wheel.

Tammany Young

Born: 9 September 1886, New York City, New York, USA

Died: 26 April 1936, Hollywood, California, USA

Taxi Tangle (1932) as Bill, the Cab Driver (uncredited)

Tammany Young is driving Jack Benny.

Herschel Mayall

Born: 12 July 1863, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA

Died: 10 June 1941, Detroit, Michigan, USA

The Cole Case (1932) as Sergeant Platt (uncredited)

Leonard Mudie is on the right.

Francetta Malloy

Born: 7 October 1906, Connecticut, USA

Died: 17 July 1978, Los Angeles, California, USA

Taxi Tangle (1931) as Helen Hunt

Walter Wilson

Born: unknown

Died: unknown

Cab Waiting (1931) as Algonquin Jones

With Jack Benny.

Taxi Tangle (1931) as Willy the Chauffeur (uncredited)

In the back seat is Francetta Malloy.

The Cole Case (1932) as Man from the Insurance Company (uncredited)

Donna Broome

Born: unknown

Died: unknown

Only known to have appeared in two short films in the early 1930s.

The Cole Case (1932) as Madge Dawson

Irish Meusel

Born: 9 June 1893, Oakland, California, USA

Died: 1 March 1963, Long Beach, California, USA

A Major League baseball player who appeared in a handful of baseball related films.

Off His Base (1932) as Pop Anson - Manager

Irish Meusel is on the right, with Mike Donlin.

Jim Thorpe

Born: 22 May 1887, Prague, Indian Territory [now Oklahoma], USA

Died: 28 March 1953, Lomita, California, USA

Jim Thorpe was an all-round native American athlete who played Major League baseball and professional (American) football in the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the NFL). After his career in sport was over he used his fame to carve out a film career, often playing sportsmen or indians in Westerns.

Off His Base (1932) as Jim Thorpe

Monday, 24 April 2023

Dorothy Vernon

Born: 1894, UK

Died: 1952

Not to be confused with the German actress of the same name who appeared in American films.

Cleaning Up (1933) as Agatha

Wednesday, 12 April 2023

Sara Leighton

Born: 12 April 1934, Camberwell, Surrey, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Georgie (Credited as Shirley Lorimer)

Sara Leighton is talking to Janette Scott.

William Simon

Born: unknown

Died: unknown

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Jeremy

With Edith Sharpe.

Chris Castor

Born: 24 February 1896, Guyana

Died: 7 February 1986, Hillingdon, Middlesex, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Schoolmistress

Ann Codrington

Born: 10 September 1894, Kasauli, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India

Died: 29 March 1982, Denville Hall, Northwood, London, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Miss Hancock

Anthony Nicholls

Born: 16 October 1902, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK

Died: 22 February 1977, London, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Baxter

Anthony Nicholls is on the far left, with Leo Genn, Janette Scott and Rosamund John.

MacDonald Hobley

Born: 9 June 1917, Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

Died: 30 July 1987, Hampshire, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Salesman (Jeweller's Shop)

MacDonald Hobley is on the left, with Lockwood West.

Lockwood West

Born: 28 July 1905, Birkenhead, England, UK

Died: 28 March 1989, Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Head Salesman

Lockwood West is the bald man on the right, with MacDonald Hobley.

William Fox

Born: 26 January 1911, Manila, Philippines

Died: 20 September 2008, London, England, UK

Father of actors Edward Fox and James Fox. Grandfather of actress Emilia Fox and actors Freddie Fox and Laurence Fox.

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Paula's Counsel

Tony Wager

Born: 24 June 1932, Willesden, London, England, UK

Died: 23 December 1990, Bali, Indonesia

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Ted (Credited as Anthony Wager)

With Janette Scott.

Billy Thatcher

Born: 28 April 1921, Willesden, London, England, UK

Died: 7 October 1964, Marylebone, London, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Chestnut Seller

With Janette Scott.

Brian Smith

Born: 24 December 1932, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Martin

Maggie Pierce

Born: 24 October 1931, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Died: 5 April 2010, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA

The Thin Man: Bat McKidderick (1959) (Season 2, Episode 33) as Zo

Maggie Pierce is lady with the dark hair. The blonde lady is Barbara English who is talking to Peter Lawford.

The Thin Man

Season 1

Season 2

Episode 33 - Bat McKidderick (1959)

[Peter Lawford, Phyllis Kirk, Asta, Chick Chandler, Mary Wickes, Stuart Randall, Robert Griffin, Bud Osborne, Barbara English, Maggie Pierce, Iron Eyes Cody]

Tuesday, 11 April 2023

Ruth Lodge

Born: 13 August 1914, Iver, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Died: 11 November 1973, Chelsea, London, England, UK

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Miss Gordon

Ruth Lodge, right, with a young Janette Scott.

Monday, 10 April 2023

Peter Brace

Born: 30 August 1924, Southwark, London, England, UK

Died: 29 October 2018, UK

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Bar Patron (uncredited)

As Basil Radford walks into the saloon, Peter Brace can be seen facing the camera in the background on the right.

Eddie Boyce

Born: unknown

Died: unknown

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Orderly at Intelligence HQ (uncredited)

The shot cross-dissolves and Eddie Boyce is briefly seen on the right, without a helmet.

Frederick Kelsey

Born: unknwon

Died: unknown

Not to be confused with the American actor Fred Kelsey.

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Passerby Outside Sports Shop (uncredited)

Frederick Kelsey is nearest to the camera. Susan Shaw walks into the shot on the left.

Hamilton Keene

Born: 15 November 1896, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Died: 4 October 1975, Chelsea, London, England, UK

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Intelligence Sergeant

Hamilton Keene is standing on the right, with Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford.

Sheila Huntington

Born: 29 November 1924

Died: unknown

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Shoe Shop Assistant

Leslie Dwyer

Born: 28 August 1906, Catford, London, England, UK

Died: 29 December 1986, Truro, Cornwall, England, UK

Late in his career Leslie Dwyer became famous to a new generation when he played the disgruntled 'Punch and Judy' man in the 80s British comedy 'Hi-De-Hi'.

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Batman

Leslie Dwyer stands between the taller Cyril Chamberlain on the right and John Boxer.

Paul Beradi

Born: unknown

Died: unknown

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Cricketer (uncredited)

Paul Beradi is on the right, standing next to a heavily disguised Maurice Denham.

Viola Lyel

Born: 9 December 1896, Hull, Humberside, England, UK

Died: 14 August 1972, Hampstead, London, England, UK

It's Not Cricket (1949) as Hearty Female

For once, this is not my picture. It is the one going around the Internet because the only version of the film I can get is missing the short scene with Viola Lyel in.

No Place for Jennifer (1950) as Music Mistress