AutoPuzzles - The Internet's Museum of Rare Cars!

Make this a rookie puzzle? I must be out of my mind. I see no rookies here today, except spammers.
Let's move this to the experts for some action.

Nice puzzle, not easy!
This must be the easiest though:
Philip Marlowe - impersonated by Humphrey Bogart (Character 8) rides a Plymouth Special (Ride 2).

George Sanders (Character 9) played Leslie Charteris's The Saint in various movies, and The Saint drove a Lagonda Rapide (Car 7)?

Bogart and Marlowe are  correct (what picture?). In which film?
They match Plymouth (Ride 2), but I asked for some precision: which year, which model ("Special" was not a Plymouth designation). Locked for you til your more complete answer.

Thanks for your appreciation.

Quote from: Carnut on July 13, 2010, 11:06:21 AM
George Sanders (Character 9) played Leslie Charteris's The Saint in various movies, and The Saint drove a Lagonda Rapide (Car 7)?

Eveything is correct, except maybe the model. I have another designation (but I'm no Lagonda specialist).

The movie is "The Saint in London": here are stills with the actual car.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 13, 2010, 11:15:19 AM

Quote from: Carnut on July 13, 2010, 11:06:21 AM
George Sanders (Character 9) played Leslie Charteris's The Saint in various movies, and The Saint drove a Lagonda Rapide (Car 7)?

Eveything is correct, except maybe the model. I have another designation (but I'm no Lagonda specialist).

The movie is "The Saint in London": here are stills with the actual car.

M-45? (AKA 'Rapide'...)

In the forum where I got the stills the car is identified as probably a 1938-39 LG6  Standard drophead coupe. I believe that the M45 was rather called LG 45 in these years. and to tell the truth, Idon't know the difference between both.

IIRC the LG45 was the uprated M45 for 1936 and the 1938 LG6 had much the same ifs chassis as the V12 but still the Meadows engine - which had been subject to serious development by W.O. Bentley. The one illustrated looks like an LG6.
According to the registration details it was first registered on 24 August 1938 its engine has a strange capacity at 4303cc where the Meadows capacity is usually quoted as 4453cc.

Thanks Allan. Let's call it an LG6 then.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 13, 2010, 11:07:47 AM
Bogart and Marlowe are  correct (what picture?). In which film?
They match Plymouth (Ride 2), but I asked for some precision: which year, which model ("Special" was not a Plymouth designation). Locked for you til your more complete answer.

Thanks for your appreciation.

Bogart is in picture 8, the movie is 'The Big Sleep' of 1946.
The car of picture 2 is a 1938 Plymouth DeLuxe.

Right. Here is a still of the movie with Marlowe's Plymouth.

Character 11 is James Garner, who, following on from Bogart, also played Raymond Chandler's private detective Philip Marlowe in the 1969 film Marlowe.

In the film he's seen driving a 1963 Plymouth Fury convertible, which I think is Ride 6.

And another Marlowe...

You're right about all of this.

the answers sofar. Watch this space!

Character #1 is Robert Montgomery, who played Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in 'The Lady In The Lake' (1947), in which he drove a a 1941 Ford Super DeLuxe (Ride #15) -Carnut
Character #2  is Ralph 'Papa' Thorson playing a bartender in 'The Hunter', a film based on his life and where Steve McQeen (his last film) plays the role ofThorson himself, if you follow me. In the movie McQueen drives a 1951 Chevy styleline  (Ride #1) and makes a very poor job of it - Tom_I

Character #3 is Robert Mitchum, who played Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in 'Farewell My Lovely' (1975), in which he drove a a 1940 Buick Special(Ride #14) -Tom_I
Character #4 is Wolfgang Preiss, who played Fritz Lang's Dr Mabuse in 'Die Tausend Augen des Dr Mabuse, in which he drove a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Ride #13) - Carnut
Character #5 is Adam West as Batman, whose drove The 1955 LincolnFutura/1966 Batmobile (Ride #4) - Otto Puzzell
Character #6 is Tom Conway, who played 'The Falcon', here in 'The Falcon Strikes Back', in which he drives a 1942 Buick Special (Ride #8) - Carnut
Character #7 is Fernandel , who played 'Don Camillo', here in 'Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppino', in which he drives a 1925 Fiat 509 (Ride #11) - Carnut
Character #8 is Humphrey Bogart, who played Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe in 'The Big Sleep' (1946), in which he drove a a 1938 Plymouth DeLuxe (Ride #2) -Oswald
Character #9 is George Sanders, who played Leslie Charteris's The Saint in various movies: here  'The Saint in London', in which he drove a 1938 Lagonda LG6 (Ride# 7) -Carnut
Character #10 is Ralph Meeker, who plays Mickeys Spillane's Mike Hammer , in which he drives a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette  (Ride# 9) -barrett
Character #11 is James Garner, who, following on from Bogart, also played Raymond Chandler's private detective Philip Marlowe in the 1969 film 'Marlowe'. In the film he's seen driving a 1963 Plymouth Fury convertible, (Ride #6) -Tom_I

Character #12 is Eddie Constantine, who played Peter Cheyneys' Lemmy Caution in several films, and drove - in 'Les Femmes s'en Balancent' -  a 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88 - Tom_I
Character #13 is John Gavin, who played agent OSS 117 in "Niente Rose per OSS 117" ("Pas de roses pour OSS 117"), driving Ride #5, a Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Carnut.
Character #14 is Elliott Gould, who again played Marlowe in 'The Long Goodbye' and drove a 1948 Lincoln Continental (Ride #14) - Carnut
Character #15 is William Powell who played Nick Charles, here in  "After the Thin Man" and drives  a '36 Packard Super 8 (Ride #12) - Carnut.

Bonus: George Sanders is the only actor who played two and a half of these characters: The Saint, The Falcon, and almost Philip Marlowe in 'The Falcon Takes Over', adapted from Raymond Chandler's novel 'Farewell My Lovely'

A fascinating and compelling puzzle. Well done, Ray!

Thanks, Otto. It may come your way in a few days, but we've got some cunning experts working on it, meanwhile.

Character #14 is Elliot Gould, again playing Philip Marlow, driving Car #10, a '48 Lincoln Continental in the movie 'The Long Goodbye'.

The Lincoln used in the film was in fact his own personal car at the time!

Quote from: Carnut on July 15, 2010, 03:33:49 PM
Character #14 is Elliot Gould, again playing Philip Marlow, driving Car #14, a '48 Lincoln Continental in the movie 'The Long Goodbye'.

The Lincoln used in the film was in fact his own personal car at the time!

Another Marlowe again!
True  about the car and well done. Another thing I've learned when I was preparing this is his marriage to Barbara Streisand. This woman always scared me since I've seen Hello, Dolly. And he had to carry her on his shoulder too!

This one was easy, event if I cropped his head out, overlooking that his relation to Miss Streisand could be common knowledge. And mostly overlooking the fact that the sight of a 46-48 Lincoln Continental, in a puzzle which seems to deal with detectives and movies, is a dead giveaway. Especially when we've already had TWO Philip Marlowes before.

But you may have some tougher pairings to make later...

You really had to know the Barbra Streisand/Elliot Gould connection to get that one!

Another one I'm working on is Character #6, who is Tom Conway (George Sanders's older brother) who played a character similar to The Saint called The Falcon.

The only car connection I can find however is that he drove a '39 Buick in 'The Falcon in Hollywood' but I'm struggling to recognise any '39 Buick (although there is another Buick pictured - but I'm having dreadful trouble with the Internet this evening so can't say which number that is but I'll try to log on again in a couple of hours and see if I can tie that one down).

Tom Conway as the Falcon is correct.
I lock this part for you until you complete your pairing, but remember that you're only entitled to a second essay until it gets open to all.

OK, then I guess the connection must be car #8, the '42 Buick Special Series A Convertible driven in 'The Falcon's Brother'?

And how about Character #7 = Fernandel playing baker Felicien Hebrard in the French movie "Le boulanger de Valorgue" (known in English as "The Wild Oat") which links to Ride #13 = 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet driven by a character in the film!

Two things are correctly identified in your post. But the character,  the film, and so the link, are wrong.
You know the rule: Only one answer left, and locked for you, let's say 72 hours...

Quote from: Carnut on July 16, 2010, 08:46:36 AM
OK, then I guess the connection must be car #8, the '42 Buick Special Series A Convertible driven in 'The Falcon's Brother'?

That's the right car and connection, even if I had preferred you to say 'The Falcon Strikes Back", where we find the evidence that The Falcon does drive this Buick. But we can assume that he had the same car in the two films.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 16, 2010, 09:38:52 AM
Two things are correctly identified in your post. But the character,  the film, and so the link, are wrong.
You know the rule: Only one answer left, and locked for you, let's say 72 hours...

Are you referring to the Tom Conway or the Fernandel connection?!

The Fernandel connection.
The Tom Conway connection is fine (see above)

OK. I'll have to keep working on the Fernandel connection.  What else was right?!

In the meantime how about Character #1 (Joseph Cotten) played George Loomis in "Niagara" and drove a '51 Chevrolet, Ride #1?

Also have a feeling that Character #3 is Ralph Meeker, who played Mike Hammer in "Kiss Me Deadly" and drove a '54 Chevrolet Corvette, Ride #9?

Quote from: Carnut on July 16, 2010, 09:20:57 AM
And how about Character #7 = Fernandel playing baker Felicien Hebrard in the French movie "Le boulanger de Valorgue" (known in English as "The Wild Oat") which links to Ride #13 = 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet driven by a character in the film!

Quote from: Ray B. on July 16, 2010, 09:38:52 AM
Two things are correctly identified in your post. But the character,  the film, and so the link, are wrong.
You know the rule: Only one answer left, and locked for you, let's say 72 hours...

Sorry, but I'm getting a bit confused here.

Does this mean that the Fernandel and Simca connection is correct, or that both individual identifications are correct, but not necessarily linked?

And what is locked? Everything to do with Fernandel, everything to do with the Simca, or both?  :)

Quote from: Tom_I on July 16, 2010, 04:23:44 PM
Sorry, but I'm getting a bit confused here.

Does this mean that the Fernandel and Simca connection is correct, or that both individual identifications are correct, but not necessarily linked?

And what is locked? Everything to do with Fernandel, everything to do with the Simca, or both?  :)

Confused? I thought thi was clear. This puzzle is about "characters", it says so in the title, and establishing connections. It also says that the cars have to be driven by the character.
Of course this is Fernandel and a Simca sport. That doesn't get us very far. The connection hasn't been established.
About what is locked: the connection, of course, and to make it easy for you let's say starting with one of its elements: Fernandel.

( You think that you've established some simple rules for a puzzle, but there is always a guy who comes upi with a question that you didn't foresee...)

Thanks Ray.  What about my reply #28; anything right there?!

Let's have a go at another one then:

Character #4 is Wolfgang Preiss, who played Dr Mabuse in "Das Testament des Dr Mabuse" - and he drove a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Car #13) in that film!

So if that's right I'll have to look for a different car driven by Fernandel...

Well, I have yet another possible connection for the Simca.

This is character 12, American-born French actor Eddie Constantine, who starred in a series of French B movies as secret agent and detective Lemmy Caution, a character created by author Peter Cheyney.

Lemmy is seen driving a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Ride 13) in the 1953 film Cet Homme est Dangereux.

Character 10 - Ralph Meeker > Ride 9 - 1954 Chevy Corvette

Playing Mike Hammer, Meeker Drives a 54 Corvette in the film 'Kiss me Deadly'

?

Character 7 - Dean Martin > Ride 5 - Mercedes-Benz 250SL

Playing Matt Helm, Martin drives a 250SL in the film 'The Wrecking Crew' (1969)

Right, here's what I think the Fernandel connection is:

Fernandel (Character #7) plays priest Don Camillo in the Italian film "Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppino" (La grande bagarre de Don Camillo in French), who drives a 1925 Fiat 509 = Ride #11.

Quote from: Carnut on July 17, 2010, 11:21:14 AM
Thanks Ray.  What about my reply #28; anything right there?!

Nothing. except that there is indeed a 1954 Corvette in 'Kiss me deadly'.

Quote from: Carnut on July 18, 2010, 03:01:04 PM
Let's have a go at another one then:

Character #4 is Wolfgang Preiss, who played Dr Mabuse in "Das Testament des Dr Mabuse" - and he drove a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Car #13) in that film!

So if that's right I'll have to look for a different car driven by Fernandel...

Very good!. That's right.

wow, I really haven't been paying attention have I  ::)

Quote from: Tom_I on July 18, 2010, 03:11:31 PM
Well, I have yet another possible connection for the Simca.

This is character 12, American-born French actor Eddie Constantine, who starred in a series of French B movies as secret agent and detective Lemmy Caution, a character created by author Peter Cheyney.

Lemmy is seen driving a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Ride 13) in the 1953 film Cet Homme est Dangereux.

Oomph!
You're quite right about the actor, character and car. I hadn't seen this one. However, the right connection of the Simca has been found by Carnut. Mabuse cannot be connected with another of these cars, wile Lemmy Caution surely can.
Now this one (Constantine/Caution) is locked for you 72 hours.

Quote from: barrett on July 18, 2010, 03:28:42 PM
Character 10 - Ralph Meeker > Ride 9 - 1954 Chevy Corvette

Playing Mike Hammer, Meeker Drives a 54 Corvette in the film 'Kiss me Deadly'

?

Fine. Guess who's seated next to him in the picture...

Quote from: barrett on July 18, 2010, 03:42:47 PM
Character 7 - Dean Martin > Ride 5 - Mercedes-Benz 250SL

Playing Matt Helm, Martin drives a 250SL in the film 'The Wrecking Crew' (1969)

Wow! This is the first time that I hear  of a resemblance between Dean Martin and Fernandel!
No.

Quote from: Carnut on July 18, 2010, 06:11:23 PM
Right, here's what I think the Fernandel connection is:

Fernandel (Character #7) plays priest Don Camillo in the Italian film "Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppino" (La grande bagarre de Don Camillo in French), who drives a 1925 Fiat 509 = Ride #11.

That's it!

Will anything be left for the pros?

Quote from: Ray B. on July 19, 2010, 04:24:29 AM

Quote from: Tom_I on July 18, 2010, 03:11:31 PM
Well, I have yet another possible connection for the Simca.

This is character 12, American-born French actor Eddie Constantine, who starred in a series of French B movies as secret agent and detective Lemmy Caution, a character created by author Peter Cheyney.

Lemmy is seen driving a 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (Ride 13) in the 1953 film Cet Homme est Dangereux.

Oomph!
You're quite right about the actor, character and car. I hadn't seen this one. However, the right connection of the Simca has been found by Carnut. Mabuse cannot be connected with another of these cars, wile Lemmy Caution surely can.
Now this one (Constantine/Caution) is locked for you 72 hours.

Back to the drawing board..... Nice picture of the Simca, though, wasn't it?

OK, my alternative guess for #12 is actor Eddie Constantine, character Lemmy Caution, 1954 movie Les Femmes s'en Balancent (English title Dames Get Along) and Ride 3, the 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88.

You got it.

Let's try some more:

Thomas Hunter (Character #13) playing Jens Larsen in "Gebissen wird nur nachts" who drives a Mercedes-Benz 230SL (Ride #5).

Farley Granger (Character #3) playing Bowie in "They Live by Night" (aka "The Twisted Road") who drives a '41 Buick Special Coupe (ride #14).
The character is a guess because I can't find that picture anywhere and none of the other pictures look like Farley Granger (although I thought that about Ralph Meeker too before barrett identified him as Character #10: I couldn't see any resemblance...!), but it must fit a ride somewhere so it's as good a guess as any!

No, and no, sorry.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 19, 2010, 01:19:48 PM
No, and no, sorry.

OK.  This is getting harder!

Character #1 is in fact Robert Montgomery.  He played another Philip Marlowe in "Lady in the Lake" but I can't tie any of the remaining cars to that film (nearest would be the '41 Ford, but the only cars I can find in that film are '46 Fords so that can't be it).  The only other remaining ones are also not featured in that film. 

Does the picture of the character have to be from the film with the car in it?  Because although I can find that picture of him I can't actually tie it to any film and he looks much younger there than he did in 1947 when "Lady in the Lake" was made.  But again, if it is an earlier film then the only car old enough would be Ride #12, and I can't tie that in to any of his earlier films..  A real poser.

Ride #14 I reckon is from "They Live by Night" but I can't tie that in to any of the remaining characters, and in any case I think you've already dismissed that one (unless it's Character #3 who you can't see and is Howard da Silva playing Chicamaw?)  Superseded now although I did have the right Character number and ride but not the right film or Character name!

Yes, it is getting harder.

But I just had a minor breakthrough with Character 3. Hiding behind the girl is Robert Mitchum. And I think it's Philip Marlowe yet again, this time in the 1975 film Farewell, My Lovely. He drives Ride 14, the 1940 Buick Special.

Great!
I'd considered that one several times but never thought for a minute that character could be Robert Mitchum, hence couldn't tie the character in!  Well done!  Think it's a '41 Buick Special though (or did it last 2 years?!)

I'm pretty sure that both Ride 14 and the screen shot I posted are the 1940 model. The grille is different on the '41.

But aside from that, I have been looking at Robert Montgomery's films (Character 1), and I agree with Carnut that only Lady in the Lake (1947) seems a likely candidate for this puzzle.

It's an odd film - it's shot entirely from Philip Marlowe's perspective. The camera (and therefore the viewer) sees what Marlowe is seeing, and Robert Montgomery (who also directed) only appears when Marlowe is looking at his own reflection, in a mirror or whatever.

This also means that there are no long shots of Marlowe and his car. But there are a few glimpses, a couple shown below. I think there are enough details to tentatively identify it as a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe, so I think that Carnut could be right, and the link is with Ride 15.

I'm just back after a 3 day leave. I'll reply later.

Quote from: Tom_I on July 20, 2010, 02:52:51 PM

But I just had a minor breakthrough with Character 3. Hiding behind the girl is Robert Mitchum. And I think it's Philip Marlowe yet again, this time in the 1975 film Farewell, My Lovely. He drives Ride 14, the 1940 Buick Special.

Right (and  Carnut is wrong: this is a 1940 Buick indeed).

Quote from: Carnut on July 20, 2010, 09:31:44 AM

Does the picture of the character have to be from the film with the car in it? 

I never said so, and it doesn't.

Guys, by making partial and unsure guesses while explaining what mental torments led you to those, you do cause this puzzle author serious headaches.
Sorry Carnut, I have to dismiss yours and give Tom_I the point for the Robert Montgomery connection. 

Four to go, and I hope not as easy as the first eleven.

And a bonus point for the puzzler who will answer this question:

Which is the actor, already identified here as one of the 15 characters, who also played another one and a half?
So, who, where and why?

Quote from: Ray B. on July 23, 2010, 03:40:35 AM

Quote from: Carnut on July 20, 2010, 09:31:44 AM

Does the picture of the character have to be from the film with the car in it? 

I never said so, and it doesn't.

Guys, by making partial and unsure guesses while explaining what mental torments led you to those, you do cause this puzzle author serious headaches.
Sorry Carnut, I have to dismiss yours and give Tom_I the point for the Robert Montgomery connection. 

OK, so Tom I gets the point for agreeing with me identifying Robert Montgomery in "Lady in the Lake" and saying it's most likely to be the '41 Ford?!
Hmmmm.  Thought it might be worth a lock at least...

Yes, to be honest Carnut did most of the work. I just filled in the final detail.

And I guess I should really have waited for Ray to comment on Carnut's post before adding my £0.02 worth, so I don't think I deserve the point.

All right! One must admit when he's been wrong. I re-read all your replies and I see that I had overlooked Carnut's reply #48 and the mention of the Ford. The description of his doubts and questionings got me lost.  And since Tom agrees, Carnut gets the point.
Sorry, Carnut, Thanks Tom.
Wrong corrected.
I hadn't locked it because I feel that only matching an actor with a character isn't enough, but I had already done it twice, once for each one of you, so everyone is even now.

I'll guess Character #5: William Lawrence III (Adam West) from "The Young Philadelphians" and car# 12 (Packard)

This is only partly correct, a small part. So, locked for you 72 hours. One more try.

Wrong car? I couldn't find any stills from that movie that featured a car.

You've only got the right actor (I can't tell more without being unfair to other puzzlers)
Start with that.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 25, 2010, 08:08:51 AM
You've only got the right actor (I can't tell more without being unfair to other puzzlers)
Start with that.

Understood - thank you.

I'll guess Character #5: Bruce Wayne / Batman (Adam West) from the TV Series (and the movie) Batman. He is associated (sort of) with Ride #4, the 1955 Lincoln Futura show car, which was later transformed into the Batmobile.

Closely associated: he drove it in both, and as you can see in the B&W photo, the dash hadn't changed that much in 10 years.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 24, 2010, 10:06:49 AM
All right! One must admit when he's been wrong. I re-read all your replies and I see that I had overlooked Carnut's reply #48 and the mention of the Ford. The description of his doubts and questionings got me lost.  And since Tom agrees, Carnut gets the point.
Sorry, Carnut, Thanks Tom.
Wrong corrected.
I hadn't locked it because I feel that only matching an actor with a character isn't enough, but I had already done it twice, once for each one of you, so everyone is even now.

Thanks Ray.  Knew you'd want to be fair!

Quote from: Tom_I on July 24, 2010, 09:49:21 AM
Yes, to be honest Carnut did most of the work. I just filled in the final detail.

And I guess I should really have waited for Ray to comment on Carnut's post before adding my £0.02 worth, so I don't think I deserve the point.

And thanks Tom I too!

Quote from: Ray B. on July 25, 2010, 08:42:42 AM
Closely associated: he drove it in both, and as you can see in the B&W photo, the dash hadn't changed that much in 10 years.

So I'm wrong again?

Quote from: Otto Puzzell on July 26, 2010, 04:49:11 AM

Quote from: Ray B. on July 25, 2010, 08:42:42 AM
Closely associated: he drove it in both, and as you can see in the B&W photo, the dash hadn't changed that much in 10 years.

So I'm wrong again?

??? Wrong? Surely not, you're dead right!   :applause:
It is Adam West, Batman, and in the puzzle picture, the steering wheel and dash of the Lincoln Futura. To me the Futura and the 1966 Batmobile are the same car, even if some changes were made.

Woo-hoo! ;D

Wow....another cool puzzle......that could lead to more of the same type, given the wealth of possibilities from TV and film.....



Cort | 36.m.IL | 5 Monte Carlos.1 Caprice Classic | pig valve.pacemaker * NoreastrTrekRT=Aug2010 *
MCs.CC | models.HO.legos.CHD.RadioShows | RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I kept my heart hidden" ... Bryan White ... 'So Much For Pretending'

Let's try another one:

Character #15 is William Powell playing the eponymous Godfrey in "My Man Godfrey", driving Car #12 the Packard 12 Phaeton.

Here is the complete picture from the film, including his then real wife Carole Lombard, for whom he was chauffering in the film:

And another one:

Character #13 is John Gavin, who played agent OSS 117 (Jonathan Roberts) in "Niente Rose per OSS 117" (also known as "Murder For Sale"), who drove Ride #5, a Mercedes-Benz 230 SL.

So that just leaves Character #2, who obviously drove Ride #1 the '51 Chevrolet but still working on identification of character and film!

Incidentally John Gavin was already signed up to play Agent 007 James Bond in "Live and Let Die", replacing the disastrous George Lazenby who only did "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" but Cubby Broccoli got cold feet and tore up the contract when Sean Connery agreed to come back for one last time.

Quote from: Carnut on July 30, 2010, 09:39:42 AM
Let's try another one:

Character #15 is William Powell playing the eponymous Godfrey in "My Man Godfrey", driving Car #12 the Packard 12 Phaeton.

Here is the complete picture from the film, including his then real wife Carole Lombard, for whom he was chauffering in the film:

This is William Powell indeed, and maybe he goes with the Packard, but your link, film and wharacter are wrong. Locked for you and your second chance.

Quote from: Carnut on July 30, 2010, 10:40:19 AM
And another one:

Character #13 is John Gavin, who played agent OSS 117 (Jonathan Roberts) in "Niente Rose per OSS 117" (also known as "Murder For Sale"), who drove Ride #5, a Mercedes-Benz 230 SL.

That's almost it. But I'll accept your reply when you will correct the identity of the character. Who is ths "Jonathan Roberts"?
Since the film is a french-italian production, let's stick to the original titles (Pas de roses pour OSS 117), instead of an english or chinese one, for this gem of french culture.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 30, 2010, 11:50:18 AM

Quote from: Carnut on July 30, 2010, 10:40:19 AM
And another one:

Character #13 is John Gavin, who played agent OSS 117 (Jonathan Roberts) in "Niente Rose per OSS 117" (also known as "Murder For Sale"), who drove Ride #5, a Mercedes-Benz 230 SL.

That's almost it. But I'll accept your reply when you will correct the identity of the character. Who is ths "Jonathan Roberts"?
Since the film is a french-italian production, let's stick to the original titles (Pas de roses pour OSS 117), instead of an english or chinese one, for this gem of french culture.

All right, his name was Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath.  He was called Jonathan Roberts in the dubbed English version 'Murder For Sale', so we'll ignore that!

Quote from: Ray B. on July 30, 2010, 11:42:07 AM

Quote from: Carnut on July 30, 2010, 09:39:42 AM
Let's try another one:

Character #15 is William Powell playing the eponymous Godfrey in "My Man Godfrey", driving Car #12 the Packard 12 Phaeton.

Here is the complete picture from the film, including his then real wife Carole Lombard, for whom he was chauffering in the film:

This is William Powell indeed, and maybe he goes with the Packard, but your link, film and wharacter are wrong. Locked for you and your second chance.

OK, so the film must be "After the Thin Man", in which William Powell played Nick Charles driving a '36 Packard Super 8, Ride #12.
I was fooled by the fact your still was from the film I said, but as you said earlier it didn't have to be the film featured!

Quote from: Carnut on July 30, 2010, 12:13:57 PM

All right, his name was Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath.  He was called Jonathan Roberts in the dubbed English version 'Murder For Sale', so we'll ignore that!

Right. With a name like Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, I understand that the british felt an urge to rename him. But that silly name is part of the legend. I watch movies in the original version as often as I can, and I go nuts these days because in France, for the DVD's, thay always use the french title.

So if my Reply #77 is correct that just leaves the one?
Trying to tie in Char #2 with Ride #1 (which appears in lots of films but so far not making much progress...)

Your Thin Man reply is totally correct.

Abot the last one, Character#2. To be honest I must make it  clear: it is his "celluloid avatar" who rides in the remaining car. But it's not his "celuloid avatar" that is shown on the picture.
If you see what I mean...

Quote from: Ray B. on July 30, 2010, 02:07:05 PM
Abot the last one, Character#2. To be honest I must make it  clear: it is his "celluloid avatar" who rides in the remaining car. But it's not his "celuloid" avatar that is shown on the picture.
If you see what I mean...

So is the film "Teenagers from Outer Space"? And is the Character Tom Graeff (who changed his name to Tom Lockyear for his acting part in the film) who played Joe and drove the '51 Chevrolet Fleetline?  Or am I way off..?

No.
I' m afraid my explanations aren't very clear. Let me wait until tomorrow to clear up this mess.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 30, 2010, 06:44:59 PM
No.
I' m afraid my explanations aren't very clear. Let me wait until tomorrow to clear up this mess.

It's back to the drawing board tomorrow then...!

The picture for Character #2 is Character #2. But it's not an actor.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 31, 2010, 05:19:16 AM
The picture for Character #2 is Character #2. But it's not an actor.

It's not football player and later TV presenter Merlin Olsen is it?
Anything to do with 'Speed Racer'?

The beard, maybe? Nope.
This one is tough. Two things that might help you:
- I showed on ly half of the picture. It would be much easier if you saw the  other half.

- With the exception of The Falcon films, which were original screenplays, all these characters, as I wrote, started their life on paper (novels or comics). But this one is the only one who appeared in a single book, whils others, as the term character might imply, appeared in several of them before they were adapted for the screen.

After a lot of searching, Character 2 is real-life bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson, who had a long career catching over 5,000 criminals and bail-jumpers. Thorson's exploits had already featured in a book by Christopher Keane, and this formed the basis for the 1980 film "The Hunter".

In the film, Thorson is played by Steve McQueen, in his last film role before he died. He drives a 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe (Ride 1).

Ralph "Papa" Thorson appears in the film himself as a bartender. Here he appears with himself being played by Steve McQueen.

Again you are cleverer than I am Tom!
I had identified that film too as the best possibility but just couldn't tie that bearded guy behind the bar with any actor in the film...  I had Googled endlessly for stills from the film but mainly it would only give me pictures of Robert Mitchum in "Night of the Hunter"!  Of course now when I try again it comes up with the actual picture Ray used (see below)!
Well done!

Amazing, Tom!
Especially as I hadn't  been too generous with clues . I avoided telling that the Chevrolet was a convertible.
Nice sympathetic film where McQueen plays the worst driver you've ever seen. He can't park his Chevy without bumping it against other cars, and he totally destroys a rented Pontiac TransAm (with the help of a combine)

Excellent puzzle Ray.
Great fun!

I agree. Thanks, Ray, and well done indeed!

You guys sure didn't leave a chance for this puzzle to outlive summer!

Now as I said, there is a bonus point to win for this

Quote from: Ray B. on July 23, 2010, 04:06:17 PM

Which is the actor, already identified here as one of the 15 characters, who also played another one and a half?
So, who, where and why?

The count, so far/
Carnut: 8 points
Tom_I: 4 points
barrett, Oswald, Otto Puzzell: 1 point

I think that might be Tom Conway, because not only did he play The Falcon as identified in this puzzle, but he also played the Saint on NBC radio.  In "The Falcon's Brother" his real-life brother George Sanders (also featured in this puzzle for playing The Saint) was bumped off half way through the film having got bored with the part of the Falcon and the role was taken on by Tom Conway who had been in the film playing his celluloid brother!

So that's another one and a half: The Saint and the Falcon's brother for half a film!

Odd that brothers George Sanders and Tom Conway both played both the Falcon and the Saint.

Just thinking about it this could equally apply to George Sanders, because not only did he play The Saint as identified in this puzzle but he also played The Falcon (Gay Lawrence) in a series of films and in half a film before being bumped off to be replaced by his real-life and celluloid brother Tom (Conway/Lawrence). 

So he could also be said to feature another one and a half times!

I hadn't noticed that Tom Conway had played The Saint too.

Anyway  in both cases that totals one and a half., when I spoke of two and a half ( one plus one and a hal), if you read me correctly. "Half being a manner of speaking, but I can't find a better way to say it.

Quote from: Ray B. on August 01, 2010, 04:51:25 PM
I hadn't noticed that Tom Conway had played The Saint too.

Anyway  in both cases that totals one and a half., when I spoke of two and a half ( one plus one and a hal), if you read me correctly. "Half being a manner of speaking, but I can't find a better way to say it.

Not quite with you there.
The Saint plus The Falcon plus half of the Falcon in a film would be two and a half, or one which we already had identified plus another one and a half.  Isn't that what you asked for?

Do you mean I'm wrong?

Is the answer car-related?

Maybe it's James Garner then, who had another career as racing car team owner after he fell in love with fast cars whilst filming "Grand Prix"?
He actually had a Lola T-70 which he used for a time as his everyday car for going to the supermarket etc!!

The half might be that he was one half of a public advertisement entitled "Don't be fuelish" at the time of one of the fuel crises, exhorting people to save petrol (maybe he didn't take his T-70 beyond 30 mph to save fuel...).  The other half was George C. Scott.

Not car-related but it could even be John Gavin, because he also went on to have a second career, in politics, being appointed by his big buddy Ronald Reagan to be the US Ambassador to Mexico, a post he filled for some years.

And the half could be the fact that he had been signed up to play James Bond 007 in 'Diamonds are Forever' to replace George Lazenby but was dropped when Sean Connery agreed to play the part once more; nevertheless the contract was honoured and he received payment in full...

Live and Let Die was a Roger Moore Bond flick. He was coaxed back for the dreadful Diamonds Are Forever, and, a dozen years later, for the almost as bad, thinly disguised Thunderball rehash, Never Say Never Again.

Quote from: Otto Puzzell on August 03, 2010, 03:42:54 AM
Live and Let Die was a Roger Moore Bond flick. He was coaxed back for the dreadful Diamonds Are Forever, and, a dozen years later, for the almost as bad, thinly disguised Thunderball rehash, Never Say Never Again.

Thanks Otto.
It was late at night and I was sitting there thinking "now was it 'Diamonds are Forever' or 'Live and Let Die'?"  Of course I plumped for the wrong one...
I've edited my post and changed it to the correct film.

You're all beating around the bush I'd say.

Quote from: Ray B. on July 23, 2010, 04:06:17 PM

Which is the actor, already identified here as one of the 15 characters, who also played another one and a half?
So, who, where and why?

It seems to me that it means: which one of the 15 "actors " whose picture appears in the puzzle played another "one and a half" of the characters that 'you've identified. Why go looking for James Bond, Maciste or any ambassador in Mexico? The list is simply: Philip Marlowe, PapaThorson, Lemmy Caution, Nick Charles, Dr. Mabuse, The Saint, Don Camillo, Mike Hammer, Batman, The Falcon and OSS 117. That's it.

Carnut found out that both Conway and Sanders had played The Falcon and The Saint. If he is right it must be one of them.

The question is not auto related.

Of course you may want to try and understand what I mean by "a half". You haven't yet.

Well I thought I understood but maybe not...

I've already suggested the answer might be George Sanders because he played the Saint in a series of films and also the Falcon in half of a series of them whilst his brother Tom Conway played the Falcon in the other half.  But you've already dismissed that one!

So I'm still wracking my brains...

P.S. OK - so what I've said above is slightly different from what I said before in my Reply #94 as it relates to the series of films rather than playing the Falcon in just half a film...  So is that the answer?

The number of films in which he played a character doesn't matter.
He played The Saint: that makes one
He played The Falcon: that makes two.
Youre still missing the "half". (... try and understand what I mean by "a half"....)

Quote from: Ray B. on August 03, 2010, 05:46:17 PM
The number of films in which he played a character doesn't matter.
He played The Saint: that makes one
He played The Falcon: that makes two.
Youre still missing the "half". (... try and understand what I mean by "a half"....)

The Falcon's brother?
In "The Falcon's Brother" but for half the film before the original Falcon played by George Sanders got bumped off.  He was then The Falcon for the remaining half of the film.  That would make him Tom Conway.

Or maybe this one is more likely:

Still Tom Conway, but the 3rd Falcon movie ("The Falcon Takes Over") was in fact the very first film adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell My Lovely" - except the Philip Marlowe part was played by The Falcon - Tom Conway!

So is that half a Philip Marlowe?

In other words Tom Conway could be said to have played The Saint, The Falcon and (half) Philip Marlowe because that was really the character he was playing...?

Quote from: Carnut on August 04, 2010, 03:58:37 AM
Or maybe this one is more likely:

Still Tom Conway, but the 3rd Falcon movie ("The Falcon Takes Over") was in fact the very first film adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell My Lovely" - except the Philip Marlowe part was played by The Falcon - Tom Conway!

So is that half a Philip Marlowe?

In other words Tom Conway could be said to have played The Saint, The Falcon and (half) Philip Marlowe because that was really the character he was playing...?

THAT'S IT! Well thought. Except that, if you check, it's George Sanders and not Tom Conway in 'The Falcon Takes Over'.
Yoy just got entangled by all this Falcon's and Falcon's brother stuff.  You got me so mixed up myself that I don't want to ever hearabout it as long as I live.

I am posting a picture from the film with Sanders and a girl (the Ann Riordan character I guess) in a car. I didn't add it to the puzzle because I believe that it's her car and not his in the story.

This makes 'Farewell My Lovely' the most adapted of Chandler's novels; this one, then the Edward Dmytryk film (titled 'Murder My Sweet'), with Dick Powell,  then the Mitchum film that we had in this puzzle.

The final count, then

Carnut: 9 points
Tom_I: 4 points
barrett, Oswald, Otto Puzzell: 1 point

Quote from: Ray B. on July 25, 2010, 08:42:42 AM
Closely associated: he drove it in both, and as you can see in the B&W photo, the dash hadn't changed that much in 10 years.

A beautiful period pic, before the 'facelift'.

 :hail: