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Rubbery Mug: Jack Carson - source
Duplicitous Mug: John Emery - source
Sinister Mug: Boris Karloff - source
Gangster Mug: Edward G. Robertson
Sophisticated Mug: Sir John Gielgud - source
Daffy Mug: Bob Hope - source
Leading Man Mug: Sterling Hayden
Menacing Mug: Peter Lorre
Wacky Mug: Danny Kaye - source
Pugnacious Mug: George C. Scott - Photo: Granger - source
Actors with mugs instead of fashionably chiseled good looks always seem more interesting than their refined brethren - don't you think?
Don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom, to see what Forgotten (or Overlooked) Films, Television or other Audio/Visuals, other bloggers are talking about today.
Although I was put off by the mannequins -- don't ask why; it just happened for some unknown reason -- these real-life guys are great and, of course, remind me of even more movies to watch. The photos will send me scurrying to the library's website to look for their movies.
ReplyDeleteI did get Cottage to Let; what a hoot! No subtlety; bad guys are bad, good guys are good.
Well, you know, Kathy, when we're dealing with the Nazi scourge, subtlety goes out the window. Ha. I truly enjoyed COTTAGE TO LET and mean to re-watch it again every once in a while. Great fun.
DeleteI always thought Dan Duryea played such Mean parts.
ReplyDeleteI loved Edward G. Robertson. I think he was also a painter.
George Scott was wonderful.
I'm with you on George C. Scott, but then, I love all these mean mugs. :)
DeleteIt's a mugs' game! It does take a complexly handsome face to be more compelling than the expressiveness of many of these folks', to be sure. Though I'm not distracted by the attractiveness or lack of same that I might be in dealing with women's faces...but it's true there, too...certainly an interesting face is usually at least as attractive as a blandly pretty one.
ReplyDeleteToday's crop of 'stars' is so bland and so pretty that I often can't tell them apart. It's only the English crop that becomes differentiated in my mind. Last night I was trying to cast a movie in my mind (one of my past times) and for the life of me couldn't remember most of the American crop. They truly do all look alike. I'm sorry, but it is what it is. :)
DeleteI think I'll do a 'complex handsome' list. I like that term, Todd.
Great mug shots!
ReplyDeleteVienna's Classic Hollywood
Oooooh, I should have thought of that expression. I'll use it next time for sure. :) Thanks, Vienna.
DeleteHello Yvette:
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely splendid! Superb images of these one time 'stars' of the screen which you have obviously taken time and trouble to research.
We have been 'off air' with Blogger problems which now, hopefully, are sorted.
Thanks so much, dear Jane and Lance. I thought maybe you'd gone walkabout like you like to do. :) I kept thinking: where will the gadabouts turn up next??
DeleteI just read your favorite movies' list, and although I've seen about 13 o4 14 of them, my reading will never catch up if I start watching all these movies, but it's very tempting. Perhaps spread out over a period of time.
ReplyDeleteAnd those are only my favorite mysteries and thrillers, Kathy. Heaven help us all if I did a comprehensive list. HA!!
DeleteSome of these are not only cool pictures, but wonderful portraits of these men. Great photo of a relatively young Karloff. Never seen him like that ever. That Danny Kaye photo is classic! Loved him when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteJust watched THREE STRANGERS over the weekend. Compared to his co-stars Sydney Greenstreet and Geraldine Fitzgerald, both extremely mannered in their acting, Peter Lorre's acting is thoroughly relaxed and contemporary. He was a lot better than most people thought he was. I'm fascinated by him. In THREE STRANGERS he does fantastic work and the movie becomes his own vehicle rather than an ensemble piece as I think it was intended. Joe who is not an old movie fan at all and never heard of Lorre (can you imagine?) was creeped out by his voice. HA!
NEVER heard of Peter Lorre? Where did Joe grow up - in an alternate universe? HA! I'm always astounded by people who don't know these guys. If you love movies, you gotta' know these guys. Having said that, I don't think I've ever seen THREE STRANGERS, John. So maybe I come from an alternate universe as well. Come to think of it, that would explain a lot. Ha!
DeleteYeah, Lorre's voice took getting used to. Have you seen M?
Of course I also loved Lorre in THE MALTESE FALCON and believe it or not, as one of the Russian 'emigres' in SILK STOCKINGS where he actually danced for a few seconds on screen. (Just a few kicks.) Hard to believe I know.
But I never cottoned to the Mr. Moto movies. Nope.
Actually, I'm finding as I look at Boris Karloff over the years online, that he had a very varied and expressive face. One of my favorite pix is of Karloff in Frankenstein make-up, shirtless and drinking a cup of tea.
And Karloff was always pretty sinister in his pre-FRANKENSTEIN crime drama roles...which didn't cease afterward (and some of his Lewton Unit films split the difference).
DeleteHi, Yvette - It's always interesting to me to see photographs of character actors in their more youthful days and see a degree of handsomeness or beauty. Perhaps that speaks of my own age!
ReplyDeleteMark, I think that we're allowed to see character actors warts and all, young and old and even occasionally strangely attractive. The camera must have something to cling to.
DeleteYvette, send me your address in email, as I have a book to send you.
ReplyDeleteGee, that's so nice of you, Kathy. Will do. Your books will be on the way to you next week for sure. I'm moving in slow motion lately. :)
DeleteYvette, I love this Rogue Gallery of yours, be they good guys or bad guys or the goofy guys,I always love most! I'm especially delighted to see you included our beloved Danny Kaye! I also like that Dan Duryea has always been equally deft as both a villain and as a foil, as he was in BALL OF FIRE, where he was a daft henchman. In real life, he was a real sweetie, even being a Boy Scout for his kids! And of course, we of Team B. always like Sterling Hayden, another maverick was a family man, even when his ex wasn't happy about it! Now I've gotta watch SILK STOCKINGS again to watch Peter Lorre sing and dance! :-D Great post, my friend, as always!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dorian. I'm so glad I included three of your faves! Danny Kaye. Wow do I love that zany. Dan Duryea, who couldn't love him as the meanest, sleaziest, sleaze that ever walked the screen. HA! He just had that kind of face. :) Sterling Hayden was TOO BIG for the screen. And that's saying a lot. :)
DeleteYvette, if you wrote a comprehensive movie guide, you could publish it with all the sarcasm and witticisms within. It would be fantastic and hilarious.
ReplyDeleteBut would anyone besides you read it? HA! Kathy you're my biggest fan. :) It's not a bad idea, actually....Hmmm.
DeleteYvette, I haven't seen many of these in films, but how about William Powell, Spencer Tracy, and Humphrey Bogart? What kind of mugs do you think they'd make? I agree, you don't see actors like these any more.
ReplyDeleteGood question, Prashant. But I didn't want to use the Big Stars as examples. My choices (except for Hayden and Scott) were never the 'leading man'. Or, rarely.
DeleteWilliam Powell: Elegant Mug. Spencer Tracy: Everyman mug. Humphrey Bogart: Canny mug.
Forgot that Danny Kaye was ALWAYS the leading man. Oops as well as Edward G. Robinson. So forget I said anything. Ha.
DeleteSpot-on, Yvette. I liked some of the Powell movies I saw on TCM before they went off the air in India a few years ago.
DeleteOh, too bad you can't get TCM anymore. They're a great source of great old movies. But maybe Netflix will come to India SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. :)
DeleteI grew up watching a lot of these guys in movies. Danny Kaye was often on our TV and in movies we saw. George C. Scott was, too.
ReplyDeleteWho can forget Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart facing off in Key Largo? Unforgettable.
Where would movie classics have been without these actors?
They wouldn't have been classics I suppose. :)
Delete