I seem to be treading water here. It looks like I will continue to be a day behind for at least one more day.
For Monday our first TIGer is actor Raymond Walburn (1887). Walburn is often described as looking a little like Mr. Monopoly and I do see the resemblance. Add to that the fact that Walburn often played rich, out of touch characters and one can see why the comparison stuck. He played Mr. Layton, father of Cecilia, the rich snob leader of the Penguins (a rich girls social club) in THE UNDER-PUP (1939). He eventually came to realize that his precious girl was a bit of a problem child, but not until the final reel. Monogram had a family series in the late 1940s and Walburn played the father, Henry Latham, in those. Other films he appeared in included MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN and THE GREAT ZIEGFELD. The photo is of Walburn in THE UNDER-PUP.
Arthur Freed (1894) became famous as the head of his own unit churning out hit musicals at MGM. Virginia made three musicals at MGM, BABES ON BROADWAY (1941), BORN TO SING (1942) and BEST FOOT FORWARD (1943). Freed was directly involved in production of the first and third and he actually wrote lyrics for two of the songs in BTS. Freed revolutionized MGM’s musical productions, but he didn’t make the big changes, and best musicals, until after Ginny’s departure. Obviously, the photo is an attempt at levity during the production of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
Eddie Fetherston (1896) was a footman in THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT (1939). I think I found him taking invitations and announcing the guests at the costume party, but you really don’t get a good look at him. The footman role was a rarity for Eddie was typecast as a reporter be it newspaper, newsreel, or still photographer. He was the Senate reporter in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, Reporter Wilson in GOLDEN BOY, and just a reporter in UNION PACIFIC. The photo is apparently from VIOLENT IS THE WORD FOR CURLY, a Stooges short.
Cyril McLaglen (1899) was the Captain of the Guards in PETER IBBETSON (1935). I’m sure Ginny’s childhood scenes were over before he arrived on the scene. Cyril was the brother of Victor, Arthur, Kenneth, and Leopold and the uncle of Andrew. He played a lot of military types in a 40 credit career. The photo is of Cyril and Elissa Landi in UNDERGROUND.
De Forest Covan (1917) played a South American Fire Dancer-a native type-in TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1938). After an early career unfairly limited by his race, Covan came back in the 1970s to become a sought after character player, appearing on television in shows like SANFORD AND SON, THAT’S MY MAMA, GOOD TIMES, GABRIEL’S FIRE, and NYPD BLUE. He was also one of Apollo’s cornermen in the original ROCKY. While I have a photo of the natives dancing in THTH and can’t possibly ID Covan, I’m using a photo from the 1970s to properly identify him.
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