Monthly Archives: December 2008

36 homes burn in Malibu fire, December 3, 1958

  I have seen some ugly Page 1 layouts but this headline takes the prize.   Corral Canyon fire, 1958   Corral Canyon fire, 2007. One fire began near Bob Hope Ranch, the other near 20th Century Fox movie ranch … Continue reading

Posted in @news, Architecture, broadcasting, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Real Estate, Sports, Television | 2 Comments

Killers die in gas chamber, December 3, 1938

"There’s nothing to it." — Robert Lee Cannon "So long." — Albert Kessel "That was the most terrible thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve witnessed 52 hangings. I could find nothing humane about it and I never want to watch anything … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, Caryl Chessman, Front Pages, Homicide, Sports | 1 Comment

Voices — Odetta, 1930 – 2008

Odetta at the Hollywood Bowl, 1961. I have to admit, Dean Jones on a bill with Odetta is not something I ever imagined. Versatile Odetta Found Her Folk Roots and a Message Music: Now she feels a necessity to perpetuate … Continue reading

Posted in Music, Obituaries | Comments Off on Voices — Odetta, 1930 – 2008

Found on EBay — Black Mask magazine

A copy of the May 1943 issue of Black Mask magazine has turned up on EBay. Bidding has started at $50, about average for an issue of this vintage. Note that UCLA Special Collections has a nearly complete collection of … Continue reading

Posted in art and artists, books, Homicide | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Black Mask magazine

Coming attractions — Black Chrome

At long last I’m digging through the handouts I gathered at the Archives Bazaar (my companion, newly published author Brady Potts is way ahead of me on that score) and came across a flier for an exhibit at the California … Continue reading

Posted in art and artists, Transportation | Comments Off on Coming attractions — Black Chrome

College campus struggles to reopen; Rams win over Vikings, December 2, 1968

Here’s a 1968 interview with S.I. Hayakawa that aired on ABC. It’s nice to see the late Frank Reynolds, one of my favorite TV news anchors, once again. For all his gifts with language, Hayakawa was not a man given … Continue reading

Posted in @news, Current Affairs, Education, Front Pages, Sports | Comments Off on College campus struggles to reopen; Rams win over Vikings, December 2, 1968

December 2, 1958: 90 die in Chicago school fire

Posted in 1958, @news, Front Pages | 2 Comments

Speeding train crushes school bus; UCLA gets new football coach, December 2, 1938

A truck carrying Christmas trees crashes into a streetcar … and a man is charged with buying a cougar cub at a pet store and killing it for the $75 bounty. Robert L. Cannon and Albert Kessel, sentenced to die … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, Sports, Transportation | 1 Comment

Found on EBay –Harvey Milk

The new movie about San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk has brought a bit a ephemera to EBay. Here’s the extra the San Francisco Examiner brought out the day of the shooting. Bidding started at $9.99 and rose quickly.     … Continue reading

Posted in #gays and lesbians, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, Politics | Comments Off on Found on EBay –Harvey Milk

Rams win over Cards, December 1, 1958

The Rams survived the cold of Chicago to edge the Cardinals, 20-14. The statistic that stood out in Cal Whorton’s story was the attendance–only 13,041 watched the game at what Whorton called Comisky Ball Park. Whorton said temperature at game … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Sports | 2 Comments

December 1, 1938: California prepares to execute two killers at San Quentin

The secret of Babe Ruth’s happy marriage: White Owl cigars. December 1, 1938: California prepares to use the gas chamber for executions rather than hanging.

Posted in #courts, 1938, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Politics, Religion, Sports | 1 Comment