Alway's Raquel

 

It looks like Raquel is on a stage, so I'm going with a theatrical photo rather than a costume party.  Too, that's a great kick.  Written on the back, "To Dear Leo, Sincerely your's Raquel."  

Number 7

 

 "7" is all that's written on the print.  It's obviously a photograph from a play, and there were at least seven photos taken of the production, and very likely a lot more.  In any case, but the time I began rummaging around this was the last one available. 

More Good Communists

 

More East German actors serving the state with portrayals of western decadence.  Dig the greaser beatnik in the background.  The stamp on the back, "Reproduktion u. Anderungen verboten.  Aenny Jungermann Photoarelier  Rudolstadt, Registr.  Nr. 8"  Rudolstadt is a city in Thuringia, a German state that was onc epart of the East.  

On the Stage With That Weird Thing In the Background

I can make out the guys Afro when I blow it up, so no, that big thing in the background isn't a hat.  I have no idea what it is.  Dated "MAY  72." 

On the Stage In Blackface

Not too long a go I bought an envelope of random photographs.  There were three, square formatted photos of stage plays.  If they were all dated in the same year I'd say they were related, but they run from the fifties to the seventies.  This one, "JUN 58."  With all that's going on now a days it's a bit jarring to find a picture of a woman in blackface spanking a white guy, and I have to wonder who wrote this show.  Even in the late fifties, while it wouldn't be scandalous, it would be considered in bad taste. 

The Attorney for the Defense

There's a fair amount of information written on this print, "St. Michaels Luther League Cast for "The Attorney for the Defense" Sunday, May 15, 1932."  With all that I had. I still had a lot of trouble finding a very small amount of information.  The Luther League is an organization for young Lutherans founded in New York City in 1888.  St Michaels is probably a church, but without a city, it's not possible to narrow down which chapter.  Despite checking a number of sources, I couldn't find any information about the play named.  I checked IBDB, The Internet Broadway Data Base.  Apparently it was never made into a movie since there's no listing in IMDB.

Who Is This?

I know I've seen this man before.  I'm fairly certain  he's a character actor from the the 1950s?  Anyway, he looks like he's standing there, script in hand, waiting to rehearse. 

Juggling Sombreros

I've decided I'm just too lazy to translate the back of this card, so have at it for anyone who cares.  The real question is who would be entertained by hat jugglers?  It looks like their agent is from Leipzig, East Germany, from what I've read, a fairly dull country, so perhaps tossing sombreros in the air was a big deal to the communist proletariat.  No rock and roll for you! 

Leg Show

This one is labeled "Christmas 1940"  It's nice to know that the holidays had enough room for a chorus line.  If nothing goes wrong, I'll be camping and hiking in the desert on Christmas day, so this one is getting posted a few days early. 

Max Terhune

I can remember these postcard sized things from my childhood.  You put a quarter in a machine and out  popped  a random picture.  I patronized the machines that sold dinosaur pictures.  Sometimes baseball players, but mostly dinosaurs.

So, Max Terhune was a Vaudevillian.  He was a magician, juggler, impressionist, whistler, did card tricks, but his specialty was ventriloquism, with his dummy Skully Null.  After appearing on the Gene Autry radio show (Ventriloquism on the radio!) he moved to Hollywood and worked in a number of B movies, almost all westerns.  He was one of The Three Mesquiteers, but after John Wayne left the series, and latter  he was in the Range Busters series.  Strangely enough, after a long career of one bad movie after another,  and equally bad TV shows, he ended his life in the movies with a role in Giant.  Yes, that Giant.  The one with Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, and Rock Hudson.  Terhune died in 1973. 

Dana Hall School For Girls 13

Unless someone writes in their photo album that these photos belong to me and sign their name, there is always a question of who put the thing together.  I'd guess it's probable that the owner has put some pictures of herself in this collection of life at Dana Hall School, and the most likely culprit has to be one of the three theatrical subjects.  One might stress friends and faculty from the ordinary days at school, but the theatrical portraits are special and say, "Look, that was me." 

The very first post from this collection was a loose photo, not pasted on to any of the pages, and the young lady was identified as Helen Zollinger.  But whether Helen was a classmate of the album's owner or that identification was written by Helen's grandchild years latter, well, who knows.   In any case, none of the three women in costumes look like Helen.

The couple are ID'd as Henry Doran and Helen Moock.  They've showed up before this, and they look just young enough that they might be friends, and just old enough to be junior faculty.  And speaking of labels, once again click on Dana Hall School to see more.

Dana Hall School For Girls 12

This album pages seems to be all about student activities.  The top photo, a wide picture that takes up the top of the album page, is the school play.  Since Dana Hall was a girls school, I'd assume all the actors are female students.  And then, picture number two and four has the students marching and doing calisthenics on the outdoor basketball court.  Gym class, or are they warming up for a game?

Once again, click on Dana Hall School in the labels section at the bottom of the post to see more album pages and to get more information.

An Actor Prepares-2

No, I didn't make a mistake this time.  Two of these are almost identical.  The slight difference is a slight tilt of the head.  Also, one photo in male mode.  It's the Tyrol/girl scout look in the first picture in the column that I really like.

An Actor Prepares-1, Oops

Hey, when I did the last post it was 1:00 A.M., I was tired, and put up one image twice and missed this one.

An Actor Prepares 1

I swear, if I ever get enough money to buy a really good scanner,  I'll redo this post.  The one I've got know seems intent on correcting photographs even when it's not necessary.  The fact is, the better the quality print, the harder it tries to dig out detail in shadow areas which were printed in a way to plug up those ares and give a nice solid black. Well, now that that's over....

There are two possible explanations for this gentleman posing as a woman.  Either he was what is now referred to as trans-gendered, or he's a male actor playing a female role.  Considering these photos were shot in a studio, printed on a heavy double weight paper, I'm betting on the latter.  I've spent the last hour or so searching cross-dressed actors trying to get an identification, but so far, no luck.

Nita Borka, Contortionist

For those who are not old enough, many years ago, there was something called The Ed Sullivan Show.  Ed Sullivan had been a newspaper columnist on the New York Broadway beat.  Despite the fact the he wasn't particularly telegenic, and far from charismatic, Ed Sullivan became one of the early stars of network television.  Every Sunday night he hosted a variety show.  While he booked some pretty big acts, and made rock & roll mainstream, he also booked these weird novelty acts that probably hadn't worked since vaudeville died.  Personally, I liked the plate spinners. 

There's a label on the back of this photo that I've translated from German.  Well, actually Google Translate did that, but I did type it in.  "Photo is the property of the artist.  Please do not hesitate to return to agency G. Schnitzler.  HAMBURG 13-Innocentiastr. 12."  Well, Innocentiastr. is an abbreviation, str. is probably strasse, or street.  Innocentia doesn't come up as German, but does mean harmless in Latin.  So, for what it's worth.  There's a second stamp, "Photo reproduction Garloff & Richter, Magdeburg."  And a third, all abbreviations, "Reg. Nr.  IV-14-68."  Good bet that means April, 14, 1968. 

What's intersting is that Hamburg was in West Germany, while Magdeburg was in the East.  Perhaps by 1968, a contortionist wasn't sophisticated enough for the more advanced west, but  in East Germany, Nita Borka could still make a living. 

The Theater, The Theater

"Marilee" is the only thing written on the back of this print.  I did a search for any plays with that title and came up empty.  So, which of the three women in this photo is Marilee?  Obviously, I haven't a clue. 

English Theater, Funny Hats

There are no identifying marks on this print at all.  No photographer's stamps, no writing, nothing.  So why do I think this image is from England?  Only the English would wear such stupid hats.  And those who watch PBS, of course. 

English Theater, The Kiltie Show

Ah, those Brits.  It's always a leg show.

Anyway, like yesterdays' post, there's lots of info on the back, including hand written stuff that looks a lot like the writing on, well, yesterday's post.  So, starting on the stamped info, "KIN 5638 ORDER No.  PHOTOCRAFT OF KINGSTON, 3 & 4 EMPIRE CHAMBERS RICHMOND ROAD, KINGSTON-ON THAMES."  And the hand written entry, "Laughing Room Only, Comin' Thru' the Rye.  Finale of Kiltie Show.  Oct. 1951." 

So, if it the same handwriting, rather than an example of a rigid school system that made sure everyone's handwriting looks exactly the same, was it the photographer or a cast member? 

English Theater, Sincerely Hazel Bray

There's a lot of information on the back of this print.  A stamp, "KEMSLEY NEWSPAPERS LTD., MANCHESTER, COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH."  And hand written, "Puss in Boots.  Panto: Scene 3-Courtyard of the Inn.  Hazel Bray and Jean Adrienne. [Principal girl and Boy]" 

A panto is a form of musical comedy aimed at family audiences, preformed mostly in England.  Hazel Bray has an IMDB listing.  She had four film credits from 1944 to 1947.  Not very extensive, as far as film work, but clearly she worked on the stage.  Jean Adrienne did a bit better with her film career, but not by much.  She appeared in seven films from 1932 to 1938.  She was born in India in 1905 and died in London in 1994.