musicalnovelty

Those are all excellent choices given already. But often when I think of pre-code I think I'd pick actresses whose careers were so defined by their pre-code films that they were (unfortunately) pretty much washed up post-code. A few examples: Clara Bow Nancy Carroll Alice White Dorothy MacKaill And even Betty Boop! To name just a few...I'm sure others can add more.

The movie you referred to as "Sunday Dinner" is actually called "Sunday Dinner for a Soldier" (1944) and it's a 20th Century-Fox Picture, as were many of Connie Marshall's films. So, being 20th Century-Fox, it hasn't been on TCM.

gagman: I totally agree with you about both Marian/Marion Nixon and Virginia Lee Corbin. Please do find and post more pictures! Thanks!

In the short "The Stolen Jools" (1931) Eugene Pallette calls him Maurice Chandalier. But that's not his real name!

dredmn: You mentioned Richard Barrios' book "Song in the Dark". I saw Richard recently and I thought fans of that excellent book might like to know that Richard told me that he has been working on an updated revised edition of the book. Should be out later this year.

How's about... Maureen O'Sullivan?

Mickey: Here is the complete listing, in order of appearance, of all the musical selections used in the movie "The Spirit of St. Louis" (1957 - WB). If you watch the movie and follow along with this list you should be able to figure out the title of the march you asked about. I am including the timings of each selection, as that may help in keeping track of when one tune changes to another. "The Spirit of St. Louis" ; music cue sheet, dated March 4, 1957: (All compositions by Franz Waxman unless otherwise noted). 1. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (1:02). 2. La Marseillaise (R. De Lisle. Arranged by Franz Waxman). (0:08). 3. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:35). 4. La Marseillaise. (0:13). 5. Rio Rita (Joseph McCarthy and Harry Tierney). (1:40) - background vocal. 6. Peoria Airfield. (0:35). 7. Forced Landing. (0:30). 8. Baby Face (Benny Davis and Harry Akst). (1:55) - visual vocal. 9. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:15). 10. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:15). 11. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:42). 12. New York Street. (0:20). 13. Off to San Diego. (0:55) 14. Building the Ryan. (2:30). 15. Building the Ryan. (3:10). 16. Test Flight. (1:10). 17. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (1:10). 18. St. Christopher. (0:35). 19. St. Christopher. (1:10). 20. Hotel Room. (0:50). 21. Rolling Out. (2:05). 22. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (3:05) 23. Cape Cod. (4:45). 24. Recollections. (3:00). 25. Nova Scotia. (2:25). 26. Contact. (Roy Webb & Ray Heindorf). (1:10). 27. Solo Flight. (0:20). 28. St. John's. (2:15). 29. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (3:30). 30. Barnstorming. (0:30). 31. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:30). 32. Spirit of Independence. (Abe Holzmann). (1:35). 33. Iceberg. (2:10) 34. March Comic. (Roy Webb & Ray Heindorf). (1:30). 35. Old Plane. (Roy Webb & Ray Heindorf). (0:35). 36. Comic Agitato. (Roy Web & Ray Heindorf). (0:35). 37. Asleep. (5:00). 38. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (1:00). 39. Asleep. (5:40). 40. Fishing Boats. (2:05). 41. Ireland. (1:50). 42. Ireland. (2:30). 43. Plymouth. (2:25). 44. La Marseillaise. (0:12). 45. Fifteen Minutes. (0:30). 46. Le Bourget. (5:45). 47. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:40). 48. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:35). 49. *Stars and Stripes Forever. (John Philip Sousa). (0:25). 50. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:07). *For release in United States only. In prints released outside the United States, the following composition is substituted: 49. Spirit of Independence. (Abe Holzmann). (0:25). And, just for completeness, here's a listing of the music used in the trailer for the movie: "The Spirit of St. Louis" (Trailer); music cue sheet, dated April 9, 1957: 1. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:47). 2. Fanfare. (0:07). 3. Peoria Airfield. (0:29). 4. Spirit of Independence (Abe Holzmann). (0:35). 5. Old Plane. (Roy Webb & Ray Heindorf). (0:15). 6. Comic Agitato. (Roy Webb & Ray Heindorf). (0:08). 7. Peoria Airfield. (0:22). 8. The Spirit of St. Louis Theme. (0:35). Well, I hope these lists will help you to name that tune, as they used to say... And when you figure it out let us know which it turned out to be. Without having seen the movie in years, I'm guessing the march you mean is "Spirit of Independence" by Abe Holzmann.

Mickey: Okay I found my old tape of "Bordertown" and looked at the scene you described (it's at 55 minutes in). The music heard when she turns on the radio is way too brief! Only 10 seconds long! But it does sound slightly familiar, quite possibly as part of a song from some current or recent Warner Bros. picture of the period. But I can't come up with a title from the little bit we hear there. That's frustrating, as the tune, even as brief as that one is, would be listed on the cue sheet. While seaching for it I found the cue sheets for just about every other WB movie from that period...but somehow I must have never got that one. But ya never know. It could be misfiled somewhere. I will continue to be on the lookout for it as I go through other cue sheets. .

casablancalover: Certainly, go ahead! Never know, it may not be easy to everyone else. On that last picture, I will venture an unsure guess: maybe Janet Leigh? It looks a little like her... .

Mickey: Okay I just finished excavating the archives (almost literally) and did not find the music cue sheet to "Bordertown". Drat! I thought I had it. I am very curious to hear the tune you asked about. I will have to see if I have the movie recorded somewhere and listen to the scene you described. But good news: I did find the sheets for "The Knockout" and "The Spirit of St. Louis". I will be transcribing them here for you, soon. Then you should be able to figure out the titles of the tunes you've asked about.

Mickey: I found my music cue sheet for this movie, and it lists every selection heard in the entire film (consisting of 55 cues, plus the two used in the trailer). Among them will certainly be the answer to your question. It can take me a while to type all this in, and get it accurate and exact, so I will get back to it as soon as I can devote the time it will take to do it right. But I just wanted to let you know that I have the info...coming soon! .

MickeyFender: Surprise! I didn't think I had it, but while digging through my Warner Bros. music cue sheets looking for those other two you asked about, I found the sheet for this movie! This is the listing of every musical selection played during the course of the film (and not just certain excerpts or highlights someone chose to include on a soundtrack album or CD). This is what is really needed for researching a question like yours. I will post the entire listing, so you can hopefully figure out the title of the march you asked about. (It can take a while for me to type all this info in, so I will get back to it later, when I can devote the time to get it exactly right.) But I just wanted to let you know that I have the info.

Fred said: He who hesitates loses the game. I say: He who hesitates is lunch. Well, I see that nobody has yet taken me up on my offer to give someone else a chance on the picture for which I gave the clue of the actress's real name of Harriette Lake. So I guess I will go ahead and identify her (although I must admit, this was one of the easier ones): Ann Sothern.

Okay Mickey, I'm on the case. I know I have the music cue sheet to "Knockout" I think I have one for "Bordertown". I doubt I have one for "The Spirit of St. Louis" (that's why I haven't responded to you earlier about that one). But I will check anyway and let you know shortly. I am sure I will have at least two out of three. Time to go and start digging!

Nameless Drifter and tomagain77: I looked up the movie "The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry" (1945 - Universal) in a movie Trade Paper publication I have called "The Exhibitor", as it gives detailed plot descriptions in its reviews. I thought this would be a good way to confirm if this is the movie being asked about in the original post. So, from page 1768 of the August 22, 1945 issue, here is the story: And, as they say, SPOILERS AHEAD! All that remains of one of a small town's oldest families are two sisters and their brother, Harry Quincey (George Sanders), who lives a sheltered existance with the two women, and who is also the support of the family through his designing job at a local factory. The sisters, Hester Quincey (Moyna MacGill), a widow, and Lettie Quincey (Geraldine Fitzgerald), a deliberate invalid with a burning love for Harry, quarrel continuously over minor things. One day, Deborah Brown (Ella Raines), a representative for the local mill, arrives and she and Harry take a mutual liking to one another. Eventually romance blossoms forth, much to Lettie's dismay, who tries to break up the romance with various and petty tricks. After their engagement, Harry and Deborah announce marriage plans, and this too is held up by jealous Lettie on one pretext or another. Finally, as they are about to leave for New York, Lettie gets one of her convenient heart attacks. When Deborah forces Harry to choose between them, he chooses to remain with his supposedly ill sister. Deborah returns to New York. Upon her departure and her rumored marriage to someone else, Lettie recovers remarkably, and tries to regain Harry's love, but now he understands that it was because of her that he lost Deborah. One night, he discovers a vial of poison that Lettie used to kill Harry's elderly dog, although she informed him that the beloved animal died naturally. As he falls asleep, he dreams that he uses the poison in a drink intended for Lettie, but instead it goes accidentally to Hester. Because of an earlier quarrel with Hester, and the fact that she bought the poison, Lettie is tried for the murder of her sister, and is convicted. It is then that Harry becomes remourseful, and tries to save her from hanging, but she prefers to die, and, in doing so, torture Harry. Since no one believes his confession, he is forced to see her go back to her cell, and await her doom. It is then that he is awakened by the return of Deborah with Hester, and he immediately leaves for New York with her without even stopping to say goodbye to Lettie or pack a bag, upon hearing that Deborah's would-be marriage didn't come off. Reviewer's comments: Here is a well-made psychological drama that should do well at the boxoffice with a concentrated selling campaign. Performances of the cast as a whole are tops, as are the production of Joan Harrison and the direction of Robert Siodmak, although the insertion of the dream sequence is rather confusing. Suspense and interest are well-maintained throughout, and the whole effort shapes up as okeh film fare. Musical interludes include such numbers as "The Quilting Party", "Abide With Me", and "When I Die". This movie was also known as "Uncle Harry", the title under which this review appeared. Here is the IMDb entry, including the cast listing: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038123/combined Well, I hope all this info will confirm whether or not this is the title you've been seeking.

That's Harriette Lake...okay I will let someone else get this one. I gave only her real name, not her post-1933 movie name.

Hi georgie: What a nice picture of Una Merkel. Oh, did I just say her name? I was going to wait on this one and let someone else try... Sorry, time to find another!

I answered this question on the Information Please forum a few days ago. Just noticed the original question is also on this forum and is still unanswered here. So here is my answer as posted on the other forum: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=142593&tstart=15

May I ask before guessing...was she a star at Warner Bros.?

Could it be Kitty Foyle?

May I make two guesses? (I'm only half sure on each anyway!) Yvonne DeCarlo or Barbara Hale?

Fred: Ann Sheridan, possibly?

hamradio: You're lucky to have a local station that runs stuff like "Racket Squad". Sure it may seem primitive by today's standards of TV shows, but I'd much rather see shows like that and "My Little Margie" than just about anything made for TV after about 1975. But that's just how I am with movies, too. I'd be interested in checking out anything "old" (pre-1959 or so) no matter what kind of movie it is, over anything "new" (post-1960). By the way, "Racket Squad": -- wasn't that about tennis players? And, I also want to say, sorry to hear about the flooding.

movieman1957: Absolutely one of the very best! Greenbriar Picture Shows! Every classic film fan should check it out!

Georgiegirl: A dentist appointment, eh? Are you telling us the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth? Well, hope all went well. Looking forward to more of your pictures.