Category Archives: Obituaries

Remembering Newsman Tony Valdez | 1945-2023

Posted on May 11, 2023 by lmharnisch

We’re remembering veteran Fox 11 newsman Tony Valdez, who died last week at 78. Tony loved Los Angeles and he loved Los Angeles history; for Tony, the city was a profession and an avocation. When he wasn’t reporting on Los … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Betty White, America’s Sweetheart

Posted on January 3, 2022 by lmharnisch

On December 31, beloved television actress Betty White passed away at the age of 99. For more than 80 years, she charmed audiences with her quick wit, sly smile, genuine warmth, and wicked sense of humor. White’s expert comic timing … Continue reading →

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Dec. 25, 1947: The Times Christmas Poem

Posted on December 25, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. The Times’ front-page Christmas and Easter poems are as forgotten today as their author, James M. Warnack. I’ll leave it to my theological betters to parse … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – Einar Petersen, Forgotten Artist

Posted on October 25, 2021 by lmharnisch

Image: Lobby of the New Rosslyn Hotel, showing murals by Einar Petersen. Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Fame is an odd thing. An artist might be successful and popular in his lifetime and forgotten with the decades, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, Architecture, Art & Artists, Downtown, Food and Drink, Hollywood Heights, Interior Design, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, Photography, San Francisco | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – A Perfect Villain

Posted on April 12, 2021 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Rasputin and the Empress,” with Gustav von Seyffertitz, center, with Ethel Barrymore, Edward Arnold, John Barrymore, Tad Alexander and Lionel Barrymore. Photo listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $9.99. Note: This is an encore post from 2011. One of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, Stage | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Constantin Bakaleinikoff

Posted on March 1, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Most people today probably haven’t heard of motion picture musical conductor Constantin Bakaleinikoff, but he was instrumental in setting up theatre orchestras around Los Angeles in the 1920s, before he became music … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – ‘Peter the Hermit’

Posted on November 2, 2020 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Like Blanche Dubois, Peter depended upon the kindness of strangers to augment his spare existence working odd jobs and living in a shack in the Hollywood hills. He wore simple white shirts … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain Trust, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, Religion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Los Angeles Times Bombed 1910: ‘A Terrible Roar’

Posted on October 1, 2020 by lmharnisch

Courtesy of University of Southern California, on behalf of the USC Special Collections. Oct. 1, 1910:  The Times Building in flames, as seen from Broadway just south of First Street. Notice The Times Eagle outlined by the fire. Note: This … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights, Ernest Torrence

Posted on September 21, 2020 by lmharnisch

Photo: Ernest Torrence and Greta Nissen in “The Wanderer,” listed on EBay at $34.95. Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Long remembered for playing both villainous and comic supporting roles in silent films, Ernest Torrence achieved big success … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – Hugh Herbert

Posted on August 31, 2020 by lmharnisch

March 13, 1952: Hugh Herbert dies at the age of 66. Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Per an ad in the July 27, 1937, Daily Variety, “Public Screwball No. 1 to the film audiences of the world … Continue reading →

Posted in 1952, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dec. 25, 1947: The Times Christmas Poem

Posted on December 25, 2019 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. The Times’ front-page Christmas and Easter poems are as forgotten today as their author, James M. Warnack. I’ll leave it to my theological betters to parse … Continue reading →

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Ed Fuentes: We Lose a Member of the Brain Trust

Posted on February 8, 2019 by lmharnisch

Dear friends and members of the Brain Trust. We lost a charter member with the death of Ed Fuentes, who apparently suffered a fatal heart attack, according to Facebook. Ed was the subject of my first column at The Times … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, 2019, Art & Artists, Brain Trust, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 22, 1959: ‘Our Gang’ Star Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer Dies in Fight Over $50

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 22, 1959: Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer is shot to death in a fight with Moses Samuel Stiltz. According to police, Switzer borrowed a dog belonging to Stiltz, then lost the dog. Switzer paid $50 for the return of Stiltz’s dog. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Baseball, Crime and Courts, Dodgers, Film, Hollywood, Keith Thursby, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 21, 1959: Cecil B. De Mille Dies at 77

Posted on January 21, 2019 by lmharnisch

  Jan. 21, 1959: The Mirror brings out an extra when Cecil B. De Mille died of a heart attack at the age of 77.. The post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org.

Posted in 1959, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Voices: Recalling Times Sports Columnist Ned Cronin

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: Ned Cronin was a columnist at The Times until his death in 1958 and his work has been featured often in the Daily Mirror. His son, Jerry, recently discovered the blog and we started an e-mail conversation. … Continue reading →

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Jan. 2, 1958: Photographer Edward Weston Dies

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s a blog post I wrote for the Daily Mirror blog in 2008, when it was hosted by the Los Angeles Times. Edward Weston, one of the great photographers of the 20th century, received a one-paragraph obituary in the Los … Continue reading →

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Dec. 25, 1947: The Times Christmas Poem

Posted on December 25, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. The Times’ front-page Christmas and Easter poems are as forgotten today as their author, James M. Warnack. I’ll leave it to my theological betters to parse … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Obituaries, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dec. 20, 1947: Pulp Author Rob Eden Dies | Author of ‘Short Skirts: A Story of Modern Youth’

Posted on December 20, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project.. And at the age of 55, after dozens of novels and countless short stories, he died. Not that you’ve heard of him or any of his … Continue reading →

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Nov. 29, 1946: Meet Margaret Dixon, Only Woman Managing Editor of a U.S. Daily Newspaper

Posted on November 29, 2018 by lmharnisch

One of the Daily Mirror’s themes is to highlight women’s history – not an easy task because women’s achievements were often poorly documented, and women who attained any sort of prominence were presented as curiosities. Like the Samuel Johnson quip … Continue reading →

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Nov. 16, 1947: Alvira Earp, Widow of Frontier Lawman Virgil Earp

Posted on November 16, 2018 by lmharnisch
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