Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House (And Smokes Pipes) Airing 11/8/19 On TCM

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jpmcwjr

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The pipe Douglas is smoking is a billiard with a slight bend in the stem at the button end. (Min 35) In the architect's office, Mr. Simms is smoking what looks like a Canadian.

In Blanding's apartment, Douglas loads the same Kaywoodie from Blanding's humidor/rack. Minute 49. At the construction site, Douglas is still with the original pipe, and Grant is smoking a Kaywoodie with a small metal ferrule, somewhat between a billiard and a Canadian. (Min. 55) . In Blandings office, same pipes. Tin that Douglas produces looks like it has a tape over the printing, but could be Balkan Sobranie.
 

jpmcwjr

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May 12, 2015
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Very interesting! RKO selling to a charity seems a bit tight....

Oddly, the house designed by my uncle for my parents, built ca .1948 in the prairie of Illinois, was in loose Cape Cod style, which is what the Blandings house looks like, again, loosely perhaps.
 
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cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
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Parker, CO
You are correct. The house built for the movie still exists, though it looks far different than it did in the film. It’s been modified and is painted a different color. They filmed in sequence as the house was being constructed. Several were built around the country as a publicity campaign, though many were not exact replicas.
 
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cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
224
72
Parker, CO
The pipe Douglas is smoking is a billiard with a slight bend in the stem at the button end. (Min 35) In the architect's office, Mr. Simms is smoking what looks like a Canadian.

In Blanding's apartment, Douglas loads the same Kaywoodie from Blanding's humidor/rack. Minute 49. At the construction site, Douglas is still with the original pipe, and Grant is smoking a Kaywoodie with a small metal ferrule, somewhat between a billiard and a Canadian. (Min. 55) . In Blandings office, same pipes. Tin that Douglas produces looks like it has a tape over the printing, but could be Balkan Sobranie.
From what I’ve been able to ascertain, both actors smoked the same two pipes throughout the film, Douglas the Dunhill billiard with the white spot very evident in several photos in my possession, and Grant the Canadian/Lumberman with a larger white spot with a dark center, indicating a Kaywoodie club insignia. The tobacco tin is definitely Dunhill My Mixture, with #175 written on it. Trust me, I’ve researched this film about as thoroughly as possible, to the point of obtaining professional quality publicity photos. I’ve examined them very closely using magnification. Almost an obsession of mine. I absolutely love this movie!
 
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cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
224
72
Parker, CO
The pipe Douglas is smoking is a billiard with a slight bend in the stem at the button end. (Min 35) In the architect's office, Mr. Simms is smoking what looks like a Canadian.

In Blanding's apartment, Douglas loads the same Kaywoodie from Blanding's humidor/rack. Minute 49. At the construction site, Douglas is still with the original pipe, and Grant is smoking a Kaywoodie with a small metal ferrule, somewhat between a billiard and a Canadian. (Min. 55) . In Blandings office, same pipes. Tin that Douglas produces looks like it has a tape over the printing, but could be Balkan Sobranie.
A running gag throughout the film is Douglas pilfering tobacco from Grant, never using his own, right to the final scene. The publicity photo I have clearly shows the tin as Dunhill My Mixture with the number 175 written on the side. Grant’s pipe is most likely a Kaywoodie, while Douglas’ pipe is clearly a Dunhill, possibly a Bruyere, with a fantail bit, around group three in size.
 
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jpmcwjr

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May 12, 2015
24,570
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Carmel Valley, CA
How to place a photo in a post:

If it's on your computer, you can drag it into the REPLY Box directly, or to the Image box (see below) after opening the dialogue box. If you are LINKING* to an image, click on the Link button and paste the URL into the box that opens. The symbol to LINK is the right hand symbol on the upper left of the box. (Looks like a tilted infinity sign.)

No need to resize, as the server will do that for you. Choose full size image, not thumbnail.

* Photos from many—even most—websites can be displayed by copying the image's URL, usually by Control-clicking onna Mac; or right-clicking on Windows, selecting the URL (often stated as "Copy Image Location" or similar words), then copy/paste that into the window.



8091
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
The floor varnisher is smoking what looks to be a bent Pete system pipe. (min 110).

In every close up of Douglas' pipe, it looks to be a diamond in the stem. I wonder if they had different pipes on hand for the promo stills.
 

cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
224
72
Parker, CO
You are correct. The house built for the movie still exists, though it looks far different than it did in the film. It’s been modified and is painted a different color. They filmed in sequence as the house was being constructed. Several were built around the country as a publicity campaign, though many were not exact replicas.

The house as it appeared in the film:

8161

The house present day:

8162

Quite a bit has changed, but at least it's still standing!
 
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