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1 of 1- Richard Baker
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- From: Kenilworth, Warwickshire, Engl
- Registered: 20/11/2010
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MGM Celebration
The ever - active Ron Field has found a photo of the celebrations at MGM for their 25th Anniversary in 1949.
The movie shots with the hosts of stars are frequently shown. Stills are less seen, and I certainly don't recall seeing this one. No Bing - he had made "Going Hollywood" in 1933 and his next effort with MGM was "High Society" - then of course there was his part in "That's Entertainment".
But brother Bob was there - 
Those in the photo are (left to right):
1st Row; James Stewart, Margaret Sullivan, Lucille Ball, Hedy Lamarr, Katharine Hepburn, Louis B. Mayer, Greer Garson, Irene Dunne, Susan Peters, Ginny Simms, Lionel Barrymore
2nd Row: Harry James, Brian Donlevy, Red Skelton, Mickey Rooney, William Powell, Wallace Beery, Spencer Tracy, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Taylor, Pierre Aumont, Lewis Stone, Gene Kelly, Jackie Jenkins
3rd Row: Tommy Dorsey, George Murphy, Jean Rogers, James Craig, Donna Reed, Van Johnson, Fay Bainter, Marsha Hunt, Ruth Hussey, Marjorie Main, Robert Benchley
4th Row: Dame May Whitty, Reginald Owen, Keenan Wynn, Diana Lewis, Marilyn Maxwell, Esther Williams, Ann Richards, Marta Linden, Lee Bowman, Richard Carlson, Mary Astor
5th Row: Blanche Ring, Sara Haden, Fay Holden, Bert Lahr, Frances Gifford, June Allyson, Richard Whorf, Frances Rafferty, Spring Byington, Connie Gilchrist, Gladys Cooper
6th Row: Ben Blue, Chill Wills, Keye Luke, Barry Nelson, Desi Arnaz, Henry O'Neill, Bob Crosby, Rags Ragland
Some names bring to mind notable films, immediate mental images, others the reaction, I fear of "Who?". A few remembered not so much for their roles in films but elsewhere, Bob Crosby, Harry James and Tommy Dorsey among them.
The original sent to me by Ron was much larger but I have had to scale down for display on this site.
- Richard Baker
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Re: MGM Celebration
A quick reaction to this - it is suggested to me that this was not the 25th Anniversary (which suggests 1949) but 20th (presumably 1944). That could explain why James Stewart is in uniform.
Can anyone be certain about this? Does presence or absence of anyone give clues? Appearances might not count for much over five years.
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Thread Starter- nicoley13
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Re: MGM Celebration
Yeah, that's not the 25th anniversary gathering - that's not the *really* famous photo I've seen tons of times. I think you're right and it's for MGM's 20th. No Clark Gable - he was serving in the military at that point too. No Judy Garland either, and probably lots of others I'm not thinking of who managed to get out of it somehow.
- Richard Baker
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Re: MGM Celebration
Thank you Nicoley. I think further confirmation is in the fact that Chill Wills and Desi Arnaz are also in uniform and Jacke "Butch" Jenkins at the end of the second row looks about right for seven (or thereabouts) years old and certainly too young for the 12 years he would be by 1949.
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Thread Starter- Richard Baker
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Re: MGM Celebration
Richard Baker wrote:
Thank you Nicoley. I think further confirmation is in the fact that Chill Wills and Desi Arnaz are also in uniform and Jacke "Butch" Jenkins at the end of the second row looks about right for seven (or thereabouts) years old and certainly too young for the 12 years he would be by 1949.
- And the candles on the larger original can be counted to 20!
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Thread Starter- Steve Fay
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Re: MGM Celebration
With Red Skelton and Mickey Rooney seated NEXT TO each other, it's a wonder they got the group settled down enough to take a formal picture.