Monthly Archives: April 2011

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 6, 1941

Posted on April 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

The country is virtually at war. Its defense efforts are being hamstrung by unjustified strikes, uncooperative industrialists and blathermouthed, spotlight-hunting politicians. The average man in America has, with excellent reason, such a deep distrust of inefficient nincompoops in public office that his patriotism is in danger of being poisoned by his distrust.
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Jim Murray, April 6, 1961

Posted on April 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 6, 1961: James Gilliam Jr. is with the Dodgers but not of them. He starts every season in the dugout. He sleeps every night with his bag packed at his feet and rumors of a … Continue reading →

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From the Stacks — ‘City of Angels’

Posted on April 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Rupert Hughes’ “City of Angels,” 1941.   How much of a book must one read before deciding that it’s going to be a dog? Does an author deserve a running start of the first chapter? Can one … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, books, Film, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off on From the Stacks — ‘City of Angels’

Matt Weinstock, April 5, 1961

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

       April 5, 1961: Anyone who patrols the downtown beat becomes accustomed to odd sights. There are the resolute pigeon feeders and the sad characters who poke through refuse cans for hidden treasure. There are the men with … Continue reading →

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Paul Coates, April 5, 1961

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

       April 5, 1961: The Army is looking for a cartoonist who can make the service look attractive – and not humorous (in other words, forget “Beetle Bailey” and “Sad Sack”), which is fodder for a Paul Coates … Continue reading →

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 5, 1941

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

           April 5, 1941: A well-paid reporter was thinking of quitting journalism to write fiction. He sought advice from a reader for a publishing house, who told him to stick to reporting and write fiction on … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 5, 1941

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo   This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details [Update 3: This is Madeleine Carroll and her husband Philip/Phillip Astley in a photo published Nov. 7, 1936]. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 53 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update two: This is Mabel Todd (sometimes spelled Mable in The Times).] [Update: Please congratulate Dewey Webb, Mike Hawks, David Thompson and Eve Golden for identifying our mystery gal! NOTE: If … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 19 Comments

Daily Mirror Readers — The ‘Brain Trust’

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photos         The back of yesterday’s photo. Notice that there’s no publication date. Very annoying!   Here’s why I call the Daily Mirror’s readers “the brain trust.” You may recall … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 2 Comments

Jim Murray, April 5, 1961

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

            April 5, 1961: Four years ago, Doug Ford restored the prestige of the Masters after a disastrous attempt to thin the field eliminated some of the greats of golf. Now Ford is returning to … Continue reading →

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Spade Cooley: ‘I’m not sure, but I think Ella Mae is dead’

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Oct. 15, 1949: Spade Cooley and his daughter Melody pose for a publicity photo aboard his yacht.     April 5, 1961: In a switch from its usual policy of keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Music, Photography | 4 Comments

Found on EBay — ‘Headline Happy’

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

  Los Angeles Times file photo   A somewhat distressed copy of “Headline Happy” by Florabel Muir  has been listed on EBay. You may recall that Muir, above, has a terrific description of the Busgy Siegel crime scene and, yes, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950, books, Crime and Courts, Mickey Cohen, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off on Found on EBay — ‘Headline Happy’

Matt Weinstock, April 4, 1961

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

    April 4, 1961: ONLY IN L.A. — On a recent dewy day, an ad stating "Utter-McKinley Understands" on the side of a bus had soaked through, revealing the previous ad underneath, which John Watson was delighted to observe, … Continue reading →

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Paul Coates, April 4, 1961

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

    April 4, 1961: Paul Coates has an update on the Watts Towers. On the jump, Al Capp writes about Jim Hagerty, President Eisenhower's former press secretary, who is heading ABC's news operations. One goal is to cut 90 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, art and artists, broadcasting, Columnists, Paul Coates, Television | Comments Off on Paul Coates, April 4, 1961

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 4, 1941

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 4, 1941: Lee Shippey has an item on Leland Stowe, the reporter who was the subject of a Tom Treanor column. Treanor, meanwhile, writes about Arthur Ernest Morgan, the former president of Antioch College and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 4, 1941

Spade Cooley Held in Wife’s Death

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo April 4, 1961: Western music star Donnell “Spade” Cooley is accused of killing his estranged wife, Ella Mae,  in a jealous rage after listening to tape recordings of her phone conversations about what the defense … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, books, Front Pages, Homicide, Music | 4 Comments

Jim Murray, April 4, 1961

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 4, 1961: Jockey Johnny Longden must choose between two troublesome horses for the Kentucky Derby – Flutterby or Four-and-Twenty, Jim Murray says.  [He finished seventh on Four-and-Twenty, by the way—lrh.]

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1961, Columnists, Sports | 1 Comment

From the Vaults: ‘Fantasia’

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

    For the last few days, the DVD player has been glowering at me. Over two nights, I worked my way through most of “Fantasia” and whenever I went near, it would scold me as if to say “Don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood | 3 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 3, 1941

Posted on April 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 3, 1941: Tom Treanor, who died covering World War II for The Times, writes about Leland Stowe, a reporter for the Chicago Daily News who was visiting Los Angeles. Stowe and Treanor had crossed paths … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, April 3, 1941

Jim Murray, April 3, 1961

Posted on April 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 3, 1961: Jim Murray has a wonderful feature on featherweight champ Davey Moore. Don’t miss it!

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1961, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Sports | Comments Off on Jim Murray, April 3, 1961