We head up the week with a shot from Vincent Sherman‘s amiable Western comedy The Second Time Around (1961) for the fourth or fifth time around on the blog. This one is another publicity still. Masked bad guy Bonner manhandles Lucretia Rogers (Debbie Reynolds), as Aggie Gates (Thelma Ritter) tries to prevent further mayhem.

Ms. Ritter, like Tim a Brooklyn native, was simply one of the greatest character actors ever, bar none. Her wry, wise-cracking presence enlivened many a classic film, from Miracle on 34th Street (1947) to All About Eve (1950) to Pickup on South Street (1953) to Rear Window (1954) and beyond. She was nominated six times for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, and never won. “Now I know what it feels like to be the bridesmaid and never the bride,” she said about this unfortunate turn of events. Shame on you, Oscar.