January 12-13: Soviet leader visits Los Angeles

Posted on January 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

January 12, 1959: LAPD officers next to limousine as crowds gather before Anastas Mikoyan arrives at LAX.
LAPD officers keep control as a large crowd gathers at LAX in anticipation of the arrival of Deputy Soviet Premier Anastas Mikoyan. His plane was diverted to Burbank, where he landed without incident, The Times said.

Today, Anastas Mikoyan (1895-1978) is hardly a household name and his trip to Los Angeles is mostly a footnote to history. His AP obituary didn’t even mention that he had visited the city. With the nation’s fears about communism and the Soviet Union, public sentiment was far different and his brief stay received wide publicity.

January 12, 1959: Police confiscate eggs from a man before Mikoyan's arrival.
Photograph by John Malmin / LAT

Officer C.R. Casey confiscates eggs from Zoltan Szabo.

 January 12, 1959: Police confiscate protesters' signsPhotograph by John Malmin / LAT

Above, police remove protest signs from the car of George Petrovay, who said he had been a freedom fighter in Hungary.

 
January 12, 1959: Times coverMass grave of 160 political prisoners, victims of the Batista regime, are
found in Cuba.		 January 12, 1959: Page 2Mikoyan tells Gov. Pat Brown that the Russian bear looks more friendly than the bear on the state flag.
January 13, 1959: Mikoyan shakes hands with Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson.
Photograph by Ben Olender / Los Angeles TimesMikoyan meets Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson.
January 12, 1959: Page 4“I don’t think you know what
you are talking about,” Mikoyan tells one reporter.		 January 13, 1959: Mikoyan arrives at the Ambassador Hotel, accompanied by Times reporter Walter Ames, left, and hotel manager Philip WeberJanuary 13, 1959: Mikoyan arrives at the Ambassador Hotel, accompanied by Times reporter Walter Ames, left, and hotel manager Philip Weber
Photograph by George R. Fry / LAT
Mikoyan arrives at the Ambassador Hotel accompanied by Times reporter Walter Ames, left, and Philip Weber, right, hotel manager.  Mikoyan stayed in the Presidential Suite, which The Times called “a modest three-room affair.”
January 13, 1959: Mikoyan examines computers at UCLA, accompanied by UCLA Chancellor Raymond Allen.
Photograph by John Malmin / Los Angeles TimesMikoyan examines computers at UCLA, escorted by Chancellor Raymond B. Allen.
January 13, 1959: Mikoyan meets Jerry Lewis on a sound stage.
Photograph by the Los Angeles TimesMikoyan visits a sound stage at Paramount, where he meets Jerry Lewis.
 

January 12, 1959: Page 16
The Times publishes a complete guest list for the Mikoyan dinner, including Mr. and Mrs. Norman Chandler.		 January 12, 1959: Nieson Himmel on the job!
Photograph by John Malmin / LATLook who’s in one of the photos: Nieson Himmel of the Herald-Express!
January 13, 1959: Mikoyan tips his hat as he leaves Los Angeles
Photograph by John Malmin / Los Angeles TimesMikoyan tips his hat to The Times’ Walter Ames as he leaves Los Angeles.
Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
This entry was posted in @news, broadcasting, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, LAPD, Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to January 12-13: Soviet leader visits Los Angeles

  1. Barry Jackson's avatar Barry Jackson says:
    January 12, 2009 at 9:13 am

    He was the brother of Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan, one of the designers of the MiG military aircraft. The “Mi” in MiG.

    Like

  2. Arye (Leslie) Michael Bender's avatar Arye (Leslie) Michael Bender says:
    January 12, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Jerry Lewis in uniform? That in itself should have been enough to heat up the Cold War. Surprised Mikoyan survived that scary encounter.

    Like

Comments are closed.