This is guest post is by Cary O’Dell, assistant to the National Film Preservation Board and the National Recording Preservation Board.
Hey kids, it’s time for another round of Mystery Photos!
In years past, you’ve helped us identify people in more than 1,000 publicity stills from the music, film, television or other entertainment industries. These were part of a collection of more than 30,000 images that came into the Library from a private collector in New Jersey. Most, thankfully, were already named.
You’ve done stellar work with the unknowns. We greatly appreciate it. But now we’re down to the Stubborn 100, a few of which are below, and we’re stumped. Can you name these stars of yesteryear?
A few words of caution:
- We’ve tried web-based reverse-image searches.
- We have no information beyond what is listed below. There are no dates, locations or titles. They may not be from the United States.
- Standards of proof: We’d most like to see the same photo, with the person’s name, in a newspaper, magazine or somesuch. Failing that, another image from the same photo shoot, but with the person named.
We are happy to investigate any legitimate guesses, though. We’ll report on any success stories.
Meanwhile, here you go. Good luck!
 #1 This dapper gent might be an actor or a writer/author or none of the above. |
 #3 We’d like to ID any member of this trio or this group. Is this a dance troupe? An acting company? A band? |
 #5 We wonder if this might be the actor/model Bill Cable, who appeared in the first few moments of “Basic Instinct”? |
 #6 Lots of guesses but so far no solutions for this unknown man. |
 #9 Might be a character actor or someone from behind the scenes… |
 #15 This photo is NOT Karen Valentine, Judy Stangis nor Suzy Mandel. |
 #16 We know this is NOT Phylicia Rashad or Anna Maria Horsford. |
 #18 The letters “TC” are printed at the bottom of this image which usually means it is the initials of the person in the photo or the initials of the film (or other production) this image is from. |
 #43 This gentleman is thought to be an actor–he certainly looks like he might have played some judges in his time—but, again, we have no idea as to his identity. |
Comments (44)
#1 is ED MURRAY
I think #1 is Roger Lee, M.A., ‘The History Guy’, owner of, narrator on, and creative force behind the website ‘Historyguy,com.
Hi Mary Rose–Thanks for the suggestion on #1. Can you give me a little more info? Is Ed an actor? A politician? Thx.
#16 Pepsi Demacque?
#16 looks like model Beverly Johnson. She was the first African American model on the cover of Vogue in 1974.
#1 looks like model Beverly Johnson.
#3 bears a resemblance to a young Barry Bostwick. Does not look like Mr. Cable to me
Oops! I meant #5. Sorry!
#43 I can’t quite remember the TV show nor character name but I remember a VERY similar face playing a mad scientist type character in a old black and white tv show, in the same vein as the addams family perhaps even IN the adams family at some point.
Could also be Bela Lugosi (dracula from nosferatu) other than that I’m not sure.
I like that Pepsi suggestion and we will reach out to her to try to confirm.
That was fast…and unfortunate…we just heard back from Ms. Demacque and the lady in the picture is NOT her. 🙁
Could #18 be Judy Carne? –That would be J.C.
Pretty sure it’s not her as the photo is almost certainly too old, but #15 looks a lot like Melissa Joan Hart.
#9 makes me think of country music, but I have no name.
I have pics of a young Barry Bostwick but this will not allow me to upload them. I am 90% sure he is #5
#16 could be Debbi Allen (dancer/choreographer)?
Is #5 a picture of the blond Duke from Dukes of Hazzard?
#43 Ray McAnally?
#5 looks like Maxwell Caufield, but the image is clearly from the 1970’s. Caufield would’ve been just a kid, so it can’t be him. Don’t know if he had any relatives that were also actors.
I’VE REACHED OUT TO THE HISTORY GUY. WE’LL SEE WHAT HE SAYS.
LEONI–MCANALLY LOOKS LIKE A GOOD GUESS; I WILL SEE IF I CAN CONFIRM. THX.
18 Flip Wilson (aka Geraldine Jones)
#16. Audra McDonald
#9 looks like a very young Dom DeLuise
No.43 definitely not Ray McAnally i have 100s of photos of Irish performers tv and film incl.McAnally
#15 might be Catherine Burns, who was nominated for an Oscar in 1969 for “Last Summer”. I’ve only seen pictures of Burns with short hair, but the face sure looks the same.
MANY THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS–KEEP ‘EM COMING. I AM HAPPY TO INVESTIGATE. AND WE’LL UPDATE THIS BLOG AS ANY ARE SOLVED.
@ Karl F. Miller. I hadn’t thought of it, but #18 DOES look like Flip Wilson as Geraldine.
#5 is Barry Bostwick. #15 is Catherine Burns.
#16 looks like British Heptathlete Denise Lewis, but she was only born in 1972 so I think the photo might be too early
Debbie Allen sounds like a good possibility. She is Felicia Rashad’s sister. Here’s a pic of Debbie from 1982 in “Fame”: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjI0MjU4NTAxNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzE2NTQ4NA@@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,665,1000_AL_.jpg
Could # 16 be Alicia Keys?
THANKS TO ALL FOR THE COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS. WE ARE FOLLOWING UP ON MANY. FOR EXAMPLE, DENISE LEWIS HAS YET TO GET BACK TO US. MEANWHILE, ALL OF THE PICTURES I’VE SEEN OF FLIP WILSON AS “GERALDINE” HAS HIM IN A FLIP WIG UNLIKE OUR STRAIGHT-HAIRED WOMAN IN THE PHOTO.
THANKS TO ALL FOR THE COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS; WE ARE INVESTIGATING.
#15 & #18 might be the same person. If you superimpose, eyes, brows and nose all line up.
#9 – Possibly J.P. Pennington from the band Exile? Laura Wilson’s comment got me considering the bearded men of 1980s country music…
THANKS HEATHER–I WILL INVESTIGATE.
A big thanks to Mr. Rago! You have shared fantastic pic of these legendary people.
Interesting mystery! Could #5 be William Katt – star of the 80s series, Greatest American Hero?
I know it’s probably not, but #18 looks a lot like Flip Wilson as his Geraldine character!
#1 resembles author Joseph Stefano (Psycho, The Outer Limits)
Is #6 Whit Bissell?
#2 like like the 1960s band “Spirit.” The fellow in the middle would be guitarist Randy California’s father, the drummer in the band.
I don’t think #2 is the band Spirit. It would be tough to ID Randy California from that shot. But I’m fairly certain that is not Ed Cassidy. Aside from the shaved head, there’s not much resemblance. It’s difficult to tell by the shot, but Ed was a Tall/big guy. Unless the guy behind him is really tall as well. There are lots of shots of Cassidy as he was a Jazz drummer back in the 1940s as well.