# MGM 1949 studio portrait **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450 "2024-06-03T21:18:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/1 "2024-06-03T21:18:59Z")
A local restaurant has a black and white copy of this hanging in their entryway. [http://orig06.deviantart.net/05fc/f/2015/169/d/0/mgm\_1949\_stars\_by\_slr1238-d8xrn8y.jpg](http://orig06.deviantart.net/05fc/f/2015/169/d/0/mgm_1949_stars_by_slr1238-d8xrn8y.jpg) Whenever I’m there, I try to figure out who everyone is. Although these are stars from my parents’ generation, I can name maybe a quarter. But I’m curious about the rest. I’ve hunted around online but haven’t been able to find a list or a key. Anybody got any ideas on identifying them all? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/2 "2024-06-03T21:26:07Z")
Here ya go. > **[Lionel Barrymore, June Allyson, Leon Ames, Fred Astaire, Edward...](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/lionel-barrymore-june-allyson-leon-ames-fred-astaire-edward-news-photo/171041322)** > > Lionel Barrymore, June Allyson, Leon Ames, Fred Astaire, Edward Arnold, Lassie, Mary Astor, Ethel Barrymore, Spring Byington, James Craig, Arlene Dahl. 2ND: Gloria DeHaven, Tom Drake, Jimmy Durante,... > NEW YORK - 1949: FRONT L-R: Lionel Barrymore, June Allyson, Leon Ames, Fred Astaire, Edward Arnold, Lassie, Mary Astor, Ethel Barrymore, Spring Byington, James Craig, Arlene Dahl. 2ND: Gloria DeHaven, Tom Drake, Jimmy Durante, Vera-Ellen, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Betty Garrett, Edmund Gwenn, Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin. 3RD: Katharine Hepburn, John Hodiak, Claude Jarman, Jr., Van Johnson, Jennifer Jones, Louis Jourdan, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Alf Kjellin, Angela Lansbury, Mario Lanza, Janet Leigh. 4TH: Peter Lawford, Jeanette MacDonald, Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, Jules Munshin, George Murphy, Reginald Owen, Walter Pidgeon, Jane Powell, Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton. BACK: Alexis Smith, Ann Sothern, J. Carroll Naish, Dean Stockwell, Lewis Stone, Clinton Sundberg, Robert Taylor, Audrey Totter, Spencer Tracy, Esther Williams, Keenan Wynn. (Photo by PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) ---
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/3 "2024-06-03T21:29:50Z")
Wow. That was quick. Thanks, Maserschmidt. Now I’m off to see if my guesses were right. In addition to learning who all those others actually are… ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/4 "2024-06-03T22:01:14Z")
MGM held a big lunch on the 25th anniversary of their founding (and I just realized that this year is the 100th anniversary of their founding), which was to highlight their slogan “More stars than there are in the sky” or something like that, and you can see part of a film of that event in one of the That’s Entertainment movies, I think it was #2. It’s very interesting to watch. This photo probably comes from the same event. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/5 "2024-06-03T23:51:24Z")
I will note that Al Traina was 22 when this picture was taken, and he is nowhere to be seen. Unless he’s actually taking the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/6 "2024-06-04T02:00:56Z")
No Tom & Jerry? They made more films for MGM than any of those slackers. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/7 "2024-06-04T02:23:15Z")
I recognize Lassie! > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > you can see part of a film of that event in one of the That’s Entertainment movies, I love that. I like that they’re just hanging out. > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I will note that Al Traina was 22 when this picture was taken, and he is nowhere to be seen. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/ea/d8/d5ead85146001741a48f8610b864cf0f.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/ea/d8/d5ead85146001741a48f8610b864cf0f.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2024, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/8 "2024-06-04T02:31:45Z")
^^ Ditto! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mgm-1949-studio-portrait/1002450/9 "2024-06-11T09:53:00Z")
As did I.