Who is this picture of? (Yes, I know, "Of whom is this picture...")
March 14, 2013 9:30 AM Subscribe
A friend found this picture in the basement of his apartment building, and it's killing us to try to figure out who it is. A roomful (OK, a barful) of people were convinced that it is "someone", but we can't quite place who. If it weren't for the teeth, I'd almost say it's Andy Griffith, but, you know, perfect teeth.
It appears to be a photograph printed onto canvas. The kraft paper on the back has the name, address and old-style phone number (CA 8-1555) of a framing store in downtown Portland that no longer exists rubber-stamped onto it. The old-style phone # dates it to quite some time ago (40's? 50's? 60's?), but other than that, we are stumped. Any thoughts, Metafilter?
It appears to be a photograph printed onto canvas. The kraft paper on the back has the name, address and old-style phone number (CA 8-1555) of a framing store in downtown Portland that no longer exists rubber-stamped onto it. The old-style phone # dates it to quite some time ago (40's? 50's? 60's?), but other than that, we are stumped. Any thoughts, Metafilter?
Response by poster: Ha, yeah, that came up too ("the love child of Ricardo Montalban and George Bush", specifically), but we decided it's not quite him. We don't think...
posted by dersins at 9:37 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by dersins at 9:37 AM on March 14, 2013
Broadway musical star, Oklahoma? Show Boat? Of that ilk...
posted by lois1950 at 9:42 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by lois1950 at 9:42 AM on March 14, 2013
Looks like Martin Landau.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:46 AM on March 14, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:46 AM on March 14, 2013 [4 favorites]
A roomful (OK, a barful) of people were convinced that it is "someone", but we can't quite place who.
Since everyone else is just spouting the names of male celebrities who are quite obviously not the guy in your picture, I would like to be at least as helpful and say it is "nobody."
Unless someone's chiropractor is "someone."
posted by General Tonic at 10:05 AM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
Since everyone else is just spouting the names of male celebrities who are quite obviously not the guy in your picture, I would like to be at least as helpful and say it is "nobody."
Unless someone's chiropractor is "someone."
posted by General Tonic at 10:05 AM on March 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
Paul Lynde or Andy Griffith
posted by DWRoelands at 10:20 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by DWRoelands at 10:20 AM on March 14, 2013
To me he is a a guy who looks like Andy Griffith. I mean it definitely isn't Andy Griffith but if you told me it was his brother I'd totally buy that.
posted by magnetsphere at 10:25 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by magnetsphere at 10:25 AM on March 14, 2013
I think I recognize him as a character actor from TV, specifically from re-runs, shows like My Three Sons, and Bewitched. Maybe Bonanza, or Beverly Hillbillies. So I guess 50's/60's?
I cannot name the actor, sorry.
posted by jbenben at 10:26 AM on March 14, 2013
I cannot name the actor, sorry.
posted by jbenben at 10:26 AM on March 14, 2013
It's definitely not Paul Lynde...Wrong eye color. I did have to Google Image search that, I swear I didn't have Paul Lynde's eye color locked and loaded at the tip of my memory.
I'm getting a very "Hal Needham-directed movie" vibe from whoever it is. But really, think it's probably someone's old uncle (or someone's new uncle with a hipter's sense of kitsch). If it was a headshot from the 60s, as it kind of seems, I don't know that he'd be dressed so casually.
posted by doctornecessiter at 10:59 AM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm getting a very "Hal Needham-directed movie" vibe from whoever it is. But really, think it's probably someone's old uncle (or someone's new uncle with a hipter's sense of kitsch). If it was a headshot from the 60s, as it kind of seems, I don't know that he'd be dressed so casually.
posted by doctornecessiter at 10:59 AM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm afraid I'm going with 'nobody famous, sorry'..... my impression is it's somebody's dad from +/- 1960.
posted by easily confused at 11:29 AM on March 14, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by easily confused at 11:29 AM on March 14, 2013 [6 favorites]
He looks like someone who was on the Laurence Welk shows. Maybe that's a starting point?
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 11:34 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 11:34 AM on March 14, 2013
It looks like Bruce Campbell from Burn Notice, but I am sure it is not. Perhaps the resemblance is what makes you think that picture is of someone famous or notable.
posted by Yellow at 11:50 AM on March 14, 2013
posted by Yellow at 11:50 AM on March 14, 2013
The high quality printing medium suggests a family photo; a celebrity shot would be of cheaper quality. The framing, the pose, the outfit and the place it was found all argue for a family portrait.
posted by Morrigan at 12:49 PM on March 14, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Morrigan at 12:49 PM on March 14, 2013 [4 favorites]
What are the dimensions of this photo? Given the fact the person has their top shirt button undone, I'd say it is more likely a personal photo and not someone super famous. Perhaps sharing the name of the framer could help give a clue as to who would be utilizing that service (high end pros or standard framing service ... could make a difference).
Also the use of a named telephone prefix you've correctly dated to a 1950s - 1960s range. Fashion is too modern to be 1940s, I'd think.
posted by kuppajava at 1:38 PM on March 14, 2013
Also the use of a named telephone prefix you've correctly dated to a 1950s - 1960s range. Fashion is too modern to be 1940s, I'd think.
posted by kuppajava at 1:38 PM on March 14, 2013
Being from the generation that might have spawned this, I'm going to agree with the "nobody" votes. I don't believe it's Andy or Paul, or Lorene Green.
posted by HuronBob at 3:24 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by HuronBob at 3:24 PM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
The toothy grin made me think of Jimmy Dean, but he wasn't quite old enough at the time this style of portrait was common, I don't think. Still ... some of the facial details are uncannily close (except maybe the chin shape, but that could be the angle).
I think a celebrity photograph is very plausible, or at least not implausible enough to rule out. There's a lot of cheesy celeb worship from this era, especially for musicians.
posted by dhartung at 3:34 PM on March 14, 2013
I think a celebrity photograph is very plausible, or at least not implausible enough to rule out. There's a lot of cheesy celeb worship from this era, especially for musicians.
posted by dhartung at 3:34 PM on March 14, 2013
I get an Al Lewis (Grampa Munster) vibe, but can't find an image of him as a younger man without the Grampa makeup.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:03 PM on March 14, 2013
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:03 PM on March 14, 2013
Best answer: It looks like John Raitt, legit Broadway star of some repute (and father of Bonnie).
posted by mdrew at 6:54 AM on March 15, 2013
posted by mdrew at 6:54 AM on March 15, 2013
Have you tried taking it out of the frame to see if there is anything on the back of the photo itself?
And to all the folks guessing Andy Griffith, I think you are confusing his Matlock (1986) image with his Andy Griffith Show (1960) image. If that photo was taken in the 60's, it is way too old to be Andy Griffith. BTW, 1965 seems to be about the time that letters were changed to numbers nationwide, with some places switching prior to that and some businesses still used letters in their advertising afterward.
posted by CathyG at 10:25 AM on March 15, 2013
And to all the folks guessing Andy Griffith, I think you are confusing his Matlock (1986) image with his Andy Griffith Show (1960) image. If that photo was taken in the 60's, it is way too old to be Andy Griffith. BTW, 1965 seems to be about the time that letters were changed to numbers nationwide, with some places switching prior to that and some businesses still used letters in their advertising afterward.
posted by CathyG at 10:25 AM on March 15, 2013
Best answer: mdrew: "It looks like John Raitt, legit Broadway star of some repute (and father of Bonnie)."
Oooh! Here's another pic of Raitt, circa 1964 and Oklahoma!.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:05 PM on March 15, 2013
Oooh! Here's another pic of Raitt, circa 1964 and Oklahoma!.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:05 PM on March 15, 2013
Response by poster: Wow, that second John Raitt picture is close. Close enough, in fact, that I think my friend will just go with it whether true or not. Who's going to contradict him? Thanks Metafilter!
posted by dersins at 12:23 PM on March 20, 2013
posted by dersins at 12:23 PM on March 20, 2013
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posted by phunniemee at 9:32 AM on March 14, 2013 [1 favorite]