Thursday 30 May 2024

Jim Jeffries

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Jim Jeffries was a popular radio announcer and personality.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Radio Announcer



















Charles 'Sonny Boy' Carpenter

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Porky, an Orphan (uncredited)


















Harry von Zell

Born: 11 July 1906, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Died: 21 November 1981, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

It's in the Bag! (1945) as Phil (uncredited)

Harry von Zell is in the middle. Fred Allen is on the right.















Gloria Gardner

Born: 2 November 1929, Lansing, Michigan, USA
Died: 29 November 2000, Kern County, California, USA

Twin sister of Gladis Gardner.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Twin orphan (uncredited)

Gladis and Gloria Gardner are on either side of this picture. Elaine Merk is 2nd from the right.














Gladis Gardner

Born: 2 November 1929, Lansing, Michigan, USA
Died: 11 February 1981, Los Angeles, California, USA

Twin sister of Gloria Gardner.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Twin Orphan (uncredited)

Gladis and Gloria Gardner are on either side of this picture. Elaine Merk is 2nd from the right.















Buckie Tibbs

Born: 5 August 1929, USA
Died: 2 June 2002, Mission Viejo, California, USA

Younger sister of Mary Lee.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Buckshot (uncredited)

Buckie Tibbs is in the white dress in the centre of the background. Mary Lee is bottom right of the picture.
































Wednesday 29 May 2024

Dorothy Harrison

Born: 31 March 1922, Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
Died: 30 July 2014, Lancaster, Grant County, Wisconsin, USA

In 1940 Dorothy Harrison won the 1940 Wisconsin Dairy Queen. Dorothy later worked in insurance and real estate.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Queen of Dairyland

This was to be Dorothy Harrison's only appearance in a film.
































With Rufe Davis.

Bonnie Irma Dane

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Barnyard (1940) as Roller Skating Little Girl (uncredited)


















Elaine Merk

Born: December 19, 1930 · Colorado, USA

Elaine was one of a handful of child dancers to play a 'Munchkin' in 'The Wizard of Oz (1939)'.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan (uncredited)

Elaine Merk is the 2nd girl from the right.





























Clyde Willson

Born: 7 May 1935, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Omaha, an Orphan (uncredited)

































Helene Stanley

Born: 17 July 1929, Gary, Indiana, USA
Died: 27 December 1990, Los Angeles, California, USA

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Acrobatic Specialty Dancer (Credited as Dolores Diane)

Helene Stanley is the taller girl on the left, standing next to Helen Guthrie.


















Patricia Wheeler

Born: 24 June 1931, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 18 August 2015, Los Angeles, California, USA

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

Left to right: Helen GuthrieLoree Lee Foxx, Patricia Wheeler, Shirley DobleRae-Nell LaskeyMaretta LightLavonne Battle and Jackie Krenk.














Patricia Wheeler is at the back of this picture.















Here's a close-up.















Helen Guthrie

Born: 8 April 1930, Kern, California, USA
Died: 9 October 1994, Orange, California, USA

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

Left to right: Helen Guthrie, Loree Lee Foxx, Patricia Wheeler, Shirley Doble, Rae-Nell Laskey, Maretta Light, Lavonne Battle and Jackie Krenk.














Helen is in the middle of the picture looking to our right.
















A better shot of Helen Guthrie, front and centre, between Helene Stanley on the left and Kay Tapscott.

Jackie Krenk

Born: 20 December 1931, Lincoln, Nebraska

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

While the De Zurik sisters perform front and centre, the four young dancers on the left hand side are Maretta LightRae-Nell Laskey, Jackie Krenk and Lavonne Battle.













L-r: Maretta LightRae-Nell Laskey, Jackie Krenk and Lavonne Battle.

Maretta Light

Born: 9 November 1931, Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Died: 9 August 1988, Los Angeles, California, USA

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.
There is a possibility that Maretta Light also used the name Patsy Irish, but IMDB have both names down independently with different birth and death dates.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

While the De Zurik sisters perform front and centre, the four young dancers on the left hand side are Maretta Light, Rae-Nell Laskey, Jackie Krenk and Lavonne Battle.













L-r: Maretta Light, Rae-Nell Laskey, Jackie Krenk and Lavonne Battle.











Dolly Conlin

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Sister of child actress Sally Conlin.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan (Credited as Dolores Conlin)

Dolly Conlin is standing next to Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer.
















Dolly is singing. The boy in the glasses is Darwood Kaye.














This time on the right. Mary Lee is upset in the foreground.













Lavonne Battle

Born: 20 March 1929, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 5 September 2023, Idaho, USA 

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

While Kay Tapscott does her featured tap dance, the four girl immediately behind her watch in initial disgust. They are from left to right: Rae-Nell Laskey, Lavonne Battle, Loree Lee Foxx and Shirley Doble.












Here is a close-up of Lavonne.















Rae-Nell Laskey

Born: 5 April 1930, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 18 August 1991, Montana, USA

A member of the Maurie Rubens dancers.
Rae-Nell Laskey was one of a handful of child dancers used to make up the number of Muchkins in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan / Dancer (uncredited)

Rae-Nell Laskey is the girl in the dark dress. The men in the foreground are two members of the Kidoodlers.













Fortune Cookie

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Obviously, this would be a stage name, but seems a little derogatory, even for the time. But is this really his stage name or has someone made this up over time?

The Apartment (1960) as Chinese Waiter (uncredited)

With Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray.














Hal Smith

Born: 24 August 1916, Petoskey, Michigan, USA
Died: 28 January 1994, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Man in the Santa Claus Suit (uncredited)

With Jack Lemmon.











With Benny BurtBenny Burt.








Tuesday 28 May 2024

Benny Burt

Born: 26 March 1900, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 27 May 1980, Hollywood, California, USA 

The Apartment (1960) as Charlie - Bartender (uncredited)
















Hope Holiday

Born: 30 November 1930 · New York City, New York, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Mrs. Margie MacDougall

With Jack Lemmon.








David Lewis

Born: 19 October 1916, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 11 December 2000, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Al Kirkeby

















Lynn Cartwright

Born: 27 February 1927, McAlester, Oklahoma, USA
Died: 2 January 2004, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Elevator Supervisor with Clicker (uncredited)

Lynn Cartwright approaches Johnny Seven.












Willard Waterman

Born: 29 August 1914, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Died: 2 February 1995, Burlingame, California, USA

Willard Waterman was a character actor in American radio, films, and television. One of his most notable roles was replacing Harold Peary as The Great Gildersleeve in the radio series from 1950 to 1955, a character he reprised in the 1958 television series of the same name.

The Apartment (1960) as Mr. Vanderhoff
















Frances Weintraub Lax

Born: 5 October 1895, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 6 May 1975, Santa Monica, California, USA 

The Apartment (1960) as Mrs. Lieberman (uncredited)

With Jack Lemmon.














Edith Simmons

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

The Apartment (1960) as Sheldrake's Wife (uncredited)

With Fred MacMurray.














Joyce Jameson

Born: 26 September 1927, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 16 January 1987, Burbank, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as The Blonde

















David White

Born: 4 April 1916, Denver, Colorado, USA
Died: 27 November 1990, North Hollywood Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Mr. Eichelberger

David is on the phone.











David Macklin

Born: 24 March 1941, Greenhills, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Died: 6 April 2017, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Messenger (uncredited)

Jack Lemmon is seated.












Edie Adams

Born: 16 April 1927, Kingston, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 15 October 2008, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Apartment (1960) as Miss Olsen










Monday 27 May 2024

Minerva Pious

Born: 5 March 1903, Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]
Died: 16 March 1979, New York City, New York, USA

Also appeared on Fred Allen's radio show as Mrs. Pansy Nussbaum.

It's in the Bag (1945) as Mrs. Pansy Nussbaum

















Johnny Seven

Born: 23 February 1926, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Died: 22 January 2010, Mission Hills, California, USA 

The Apartment (1960) as Karl Matuschka


















Friday 24 May 2024

Ralph Gilliam

Born: 29 August 1926, Waco, Texas, USA
Died: 24 November 1995, San Gabriel, California, USA

Barnyard Follies (1940) as Orphan (uncredited)

Ralph Gilliam is top left of this picture. Also in the picture are Shirley Coates (with glasses), Darwood Kaye (with glasses) and Anita Gordon (top right).











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