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Who Is That?: The Late Late Viewers Guide to the Old Old Movie Players
We see them on the late, late show on television, and we think to ourselves: "I've seen that face in a hundred movies. Who is that?"
We need wonder no longer. 'Who Is That?' features within its pages the photographs and names of the actors and actresses most often seen late at night. They are categorised by their most frequently played roles, including Cheap Tart, the Other Woman, Nosy Neighbour, Smart Aleck Kid, Sad Sack and Bombastic Blusterer.
It is these wonderful, virtually unknown bit players and character actors who gave and continue to give us so much viewing pleasure. And within the covers of 'Who Is That? anyway, they are Hollywood's brightest stars.
We need wonder no longer. 'Who Is That?' features within its pages the photographs and names of the actors and actresses most often seen late at night. They are categorised by their most frequently played roles, including Cheap Tart, the Other Woman, Nosy Neighbour, Smart Aleck Kid, Sad Sack and Bombastic Blusterer.
It is these wonderful, virtually unknown bit players and character actors who gave and continue to give us so much viewing pleasure. And within the covers of 'Who Is That? anyway, they are Hollywood's brightest stars.
65 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 1991
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August 28, 2018
With 'Who Is That?' there is no need to wonder who those oft-seen actors and actresses playing character roles in old movies are for this book features over 600 head and shoulder portraits of those stars. And stars they are for they have given, and some continue to give, so much pleasure while holding those celluloid make-believe worlds that they featured in together.
The book is divinely and amusingly divided into 11 sections: 'Tough Tomatoes' with the tag line 'My, Isn't She Cheap'; 'Other Women', tag 'Kiss Me, You Fool'; 'Society Ladies', tag 'Position Is Everything'; 'Sweet Motherly Types', tag 'Go Live From Children'; 'The Younger Generation', tag 'Scram Kid, Ya Bother Me'; 'Busybodies', tag, 'Awww Mind Your Own Business'; 'Bad Guys', tag 'Don't Trust This Man'; 'Losers', tag 'He Should Have Stood in Bed'; 'Windbags, Blowhards, Know-It-Alls, & Con Artists', tag 'Ahem, Hrumph, And In Conclusion, Barff'; 'Clean Old Men, tag 'Everybody's Good Ol' Gramps' and 'Ethnic Types, tag '... And A Credit To Their People'.
Many of the names are of people we may remember slightly from film credits even though we may not recognise the faces but there are quite a number who are perhaps surprisingly listed … but that may just be that they are relatively well known to me for being in many of my favourite films.
The first of these to strike me was Edward Everett Horton who features in the 'Busybodies' section where the men tended to be 'nervous, prissy little fussbudgets, operating with maddening officiousness within the small authority of a minor clerkdom'. I suppose EEH could be classed somewhere in that description when he played alongside one of my all-time heroes, Fred Astaire. Incidentally his film career lasted from 1922 to 1971 so he was obviously doing something right!
Angela Lansbury pops up in 'Other Women' where she was one of those who 'provided romantic competition for the heroine', focusing in on only 'the hard and calculatedly self-seeking aspects of the feminine mystique'. Of course, she is more well know these days for her role as Jessica Fletcher in that popular television series 'Murder She Wrote'.
C Aubrey Smith is in the 'Clean Old Men' section where these distinguished gentlemen were usually 'more convincing as bankers, judges, military commanders and board chairmen'. Well C Aubrey played Colonel Zapt in the 1937 Ronald Colman version of 'The Prisoner of Zenda' (one of my top books and films) and a memorable performance it was. I am also endeared to him because he did once captain the England cricket team in a Test match against South Africa!
In the 'Bad Guys' section is Lee Van Cleef, looking type-cast for the part in his head and shoulders portrait. His first screen character was the gunslinger Jack Colby in 'High Noon' and from then on he played mostly villainous roles when the quality that he more often than not portrayed was one of 'instant automatic distrust'. But he reached international stardom when Sergio Leone cast him in 'For a Few Dollars More' and now he is regarded as one of the most well-known and respected actors of the Spaghetti Western Cinema.
In the same category as Van Cleef is another of my favourites, Jack Elam and when he was seen with that distinctive squint almost immediately viewers' suspicions were aroused. I was always on edge whenever he appeared on screen, particularly in 'Gunfight at the OK Corral'. As a matter of interest, he was also in 'High Noon', although uncredited as a drunk in the jail.
Nigel Bruce, perhaps somewhat bizarrely, slips into the 'Ethnic Types' (English), presumably because he was very often 'the backbone of war movies, spy yarns, historical films and situation comedies'. But perhaps, for me anyway, he is best remembered for his role as Sherlock Holmes' companion, Dr Watson. Also in this section is Hattie McDaniel who I can never forget in the role of 'Mammy' in 'Gone With the Wind' (another of my favourite films) … and she did win an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress for her role. It was the first Academy Award won by an African American entertainer.
There are plenty more I could talk about, such as Russ Tamblyn, Dean Stockwell, Akim Tamiroff (I always loved him!), Elisha Cook Jr, J Carroll Naish - Charlie Chan in the 1950s, Conrad Veidt - often portraying a Nazi!), Leo G Carroll - a fantastic spymaster, Alexander Waverly, in that fabulous (perhaps rather corny these days?) 'The Man from UNCLE' television series, Gladys Cooper - she even had her own brand of cosmetics, Flora Robson - later Dame Flora, Dooley Wilson - 'Play it again, Sam', Otto Preminger and Eric Von Stroheim - later directors extraordinaire, Sabu - Mowgli of 'The Jungle Book' fame and ad infinitum …
But I could not end without mention of another of my all-time favourites who quite rightly features in the 'Society Ladies' section; this is Margaret Dumont. This lovely and aristocratic lady graced her simulated position of wealth and power in dozens of films and in many, as a gullible co-star, she regularly fell prey to the absurd stratagems of none other than Groucho Marx! Groucho even called her 'practically the fifth Marx brother'.
This book is a movie-goers dream and it is always there to have another browse at to pick out more favourites or others who went on to greater things. Having reflected on it and written this review I have upgraded my assessment to five stars!
The book is divinely and amusingly divided into 11 sections: 'Tough Tomatoes' with the tag line 'My, Isn't She Cheap'; 'Other Women', tag 'Kiss Me, You Fool'; 'Society Ladies', tag 'Position Is Everything'; 'Sweet Motherly Types', tag 'Go Live From Children'; 'The Younger Generation', tag 'Scram Kid, Ya Bother Me'; 'Busybodies', tag, 'Awww Mind Your Own Business'; 'Bad Guys', tag 'Don't Trust This Man'; 'Losers', tag 'He Should Have Stood in Bed'; 'Windbags, Blowhards, Know-It-Alls, & Con Artists', tag 'Ahem, Hrumph, And In Conclusion, Barff'; 'Clean Old Men, tag 'Everybody's Good Ol' Gramps' and 'Ethnic Types, tag '... And A Credit To Their People'.
Many of the names are of people we may remember slightly from film credits even though we may not recognise the faces but there are quite a number who are perhaps surprisingly listed … but that may just be that they are relatively well known to me for being in many of my favourite films.
The first of these to strike me was Edward Everett Horton who features in the 'Busybodies' section where the men tended to be 'nervous, prissy little fussbudgets, operating with maddening officiousness within the small authority of a minor clerkdom'. I suppose EEH could be classed somewhere in that description when he played alongside one of my all-time heroes, Fred Astaire. Incidentally his film career lasted from 1922 to 1971 so he was obviously doing something right!
Angela Lansbury pops up in 'Other Women' where she was one of those who 'provided romantic competition for the heroine', focusing in on only 'the hard and calculatedly self-seeking aspects of the feminine mystique'. Of course, she is more well know these days for her role as Jessica Fletcher in that popular television series 'Murder She Wrote'.
C Aubrey Smith is in the 'Clean Old Men' section where these distinguished gentlemen were usually 'more convincing as bankers, judges, military commanders and board chairmen'. Well C Aubrey played Colonel Zapt in the 1937 Ronald Colman version of 'The Prisoner of Zenda' (one of my top books and films) and a memorable performance it was. I am also endeared to him because he did once captain the England cricket team in a Test match against South Africa!
In the 'Bad Guys' section is Lee Van Cleef, looking type-cast for the part in his head and shoulders portrait. His first screen character was the gunslinger Jack Colby in 'High Noon' and from then on he played mostly villainous roles when the quality that he more often than not portrayed was one of 'instant automatic distrust'. But he reached international stardom when Sergio Leone cast him in 'For a Few Dollars More' and now he is regarded as one of the most well-known and respected actors of the Spaghetti Western Cinema.
In the same category as Van Cleef is another of my favourites, Jack Elam and when he was seen with that distinctive squint almost immediately viewers' suspicions were aroused. I was always on edge whenever he appeared on screen, particularly in 'Gunfight at the OK Corral'. As a matter of interest, he was also in 'High Noon', although uncredited as a drunk in the jail.
Nigel Bruce, perhaps somewhat bizarrely, slips into the 'Ethnic Types' (English), presumably because he was very often 'the backbone of war movies, spy yarns, historical films and situation comedies'. But perhaps, for me anyway, he is best remembered for his role as Sherlock Holmes' companion, Dr Watson. Also in this section is Hattie McDaniel who I can never forget in the role of 'Mammy' in 'Gone With the Wind' (another of my favourite films) … and she did win an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress for her role. It was the first Academy Award won by an African American entertainer.
There are plenty more I could talk about, such as Russ Tamblyn, Dean Stockwell, Akim Tamiroff (I always loved him!), Elisha Cook Jr, J Carroll Naish - Charlie Chan in the 1950s, Conrad Veidt - often portraying a Nazi!), Leo G Carroll - a fantastic spymaster, Alexander Waverly, in that fabulous (perhaps rather corny these days?) 'The Man from UNCLE' television series, Gladys Cooper - she even had her own brand of cosmetics, Flora Robson - later Dame Flora, Dooley Wilson - 'Play it again, Sam', Otto Preminger and Eric Von Stroheim - later directors extraordinaire, Sabu - Mowgli of 'The Jungle Book' fame and ad infinitum …
But I could not end without mention of another of my all-time favourites who quite rightly features in the 'Society Ladies' section; this is Margaret Dumont. This lovely and aristocratic lady graced her simulated position of wealth and power in dozens of films and in many, as a gullible co-star, she regularly fell prey to the absurd stratagems of none other than Groucho Marx! Groucho even called her 'practically the fifth Marx brother'.
This book is a movie-goers dream and it is always there to have another browse at to pick out more favourites or others who went on to greater things. Having reflected on it and written this review I have upgraded my assessment to five stars!
October 6, 2021
This indispensable little guide is for all readers who have ever watched the late late late show [or the early early early show] and muttered, “Who is that?”
Before television brought the movies into our living rooms, audiences gathered in movie theaters to watch the latest offering from the sound stages of Hollywood. Every studio had, along with its stars, a company of stock actors and bit players under contract. Generally typecast, they appeared in film after film, often playing the same role repeatedly. However, theater-goers often did not know their names, and today’s viewers, watching in their living rooms, often see a face that looks vaguely familiar, but . . . .
Many of these contract players, categorized according to the types of roles they played, are pictured here [in alphabetical order] along with a brief explanation of the categories in which they are shown. Categories include Tough Tomatoes . . . Other Women . . . Society Ladies . . . Sweet Motherly Types . . . The Younger Generation . . . Busybodies . . . Bad Guys . . . Losers . . . Wind Bags, Blowhards, Know-It-Alls, and Con Artists . . . Clean Old Men . . . and Ethnic Types.
Now readers can put a name to that face.
An alphabetical listing is also included.
Highly recommended, especially for film buffs.
Before television brought the movies into our living rooms, audiences gathered in movie theaters to watch the latest offering from the sound stages of Hollywood. Every studio had, along with its stars, a company of stock actors and bit players under contract. Generally typecast, they appeared in film after film, often playing the same role repeatedly. However, theater-goers often did not know their names, and today’s viewers, watching in their living rooms, often see a face that looks vaguely familiar, but . . . .
Many of these contract players, categorized according to the types of roles they played, are pictured here [in alphabetical order] along with a brief explanation of the categories in which they are shown. Categories include Tough Tomatoes . . . Other Women . . . Society Ladies . . . Sweet Motherly Types . . . The Younger Generation . . . Busybodies . . . Bad Guys . . . Losers . . . Wind Bags, Blowhards, Know-It-Alls, and Con Artists . . . Clean Old Men . . . and Ethnic Types.
Now readers can put a name to that face.
An alphabetical listing is also included.
Highly recommended, especially for film buffs.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews