Monthly Archives: January 2014

Fact-Checking ‘City of Nets’ — Uh-Oh

Back in the 1990s, when I began scrounging and scouring for everything I could find on Los Angeles in the 1940s in my research on the Black Dahlia case, I got a copy of Otto Friedrich’s 1986 book “City of … Continue reading

Posted in 1933, Books and Authors, Music | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

1944 in Print — Daily Mirror Newsstand, Jan. 15, 1944

Top songs on the Hit Parade. No wonder all the radio shows are talking about “Paper Doll” and “Shoo-Shoo, Baby.” Via Billboard. Jan. 15, 1944 It’s Saturday in 1944 and therefore we have a new issue of the Saturday Review … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Command Performance,’ Jan. 15, 1944

Jan. 15, 1944 It’s Saturday in 1944 and today we have: — “Command Performance” with Frances Langford, and Spike Jones and the City Slickers doing “Glow-Worm.” “Shoo-Shoo Baby” must have been a popular song in January 1944. It was on … Continue reading

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Today is Jan. 15 — Trim Your Roses

Today is Jan. 15, and the Daily Mirror marks the anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s death by pruning back the roses.

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Movieland Mystery Photo

The flying paster jumped a sprocket in the Daily Mirror’s press line yesterday and we spent most of the day trying to repair the damage. We are limping along today on our backup equipment and should be up and running … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 24 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Amos ‘N’ Andy,’ Jan. 14, 1944

Jan. 14, 1944 It’s Friday in 1944 and today, “Amos ‘N’ Andy” with guest Adolphe Menjou. Courtesy of Archive.org.

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Rediscovering Los Angeles — The Baker Block’s Grand Staircase

March 2, 1936: Here’s a treasure — a drawing of the grand staircase in the Baker Block. I have seen pictures of the exterior before, but never anything of the interior. Columnist Timothy Turner writes that the staircase is worn … Continue reading

Posted in 1936, Architecture, Art & Artists, Columnists, Downtown, Main Street, Nuestro Pueblo | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo — Makeup Edition

Eve Golden pointed out that the mystery woman I posted earlier today was a repeat from last month. (I thought I might have used her but I couldn’t locate the post.) Anyway, forget her, and my apologies. Here’s a new … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo — Nevermind Edition

Sorry, as Eve Golden points out, this lady is a repeat. I thought I recognized her but I couldn’t find the post. Comments are closed. I’ll notify those who got her right. For Monday, here’s a mystery woman, courtesy of … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Whisky a Go Go Opens, Jan. 15, 1964

The Whisky a Go Go at Sunset Boulevard and Clark Street via Google Street View. Trentham Roberts, the proprietor of “The ‘60s at 50” blog, has an entry on the opening of Whisky a Go Go on Jan. 15, 1964.

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1944 on the Radio — ‘Ellery Queen’ and ‘Kraft Music Hall,” Jan. 13, 1944

Jan. 13, 1944 It’s Thursday in 1944, and today we have: — “Forgery and Murder” on “Challenge of the Yukon.”  Courtesy of Archive.org. — “The Adventure of the Mischief-Maker” on “Ellery Queen, Master Detective.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — ‘Kraft Music … Continue reading

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘The Key to Hollywood’ Promotes Tourism

Sightseeing has long been the lifeblood of Hollywood and Los Angeles. Long before Gray Line Tours or even any of its poorer knockoffs came along, companies offered sightseeing around these areas, particularly those neighborhoods where movie stars or celebrities were … Continue reading

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge

Jan. 12, 1944: Here’s Kay Kyser and the Kollege of Musical Knowledge. Courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1944, Music, Radio | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

To Serve and to Collect — LAPD on EBay

An Ebay vendor is selling random issues of the LAPD’s Police Beat magazine from 1962 to 1967, including this issue featuring Chief William H. Parker, presumably honoring Parker after his death in 1966. Bidding starts at $16.95.

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Radio on 1944 — ‘Fibber McGee and Molly,’ Jan. 11, 1944

Jan. 11, 1944: Today we have —“Fibber McGee and Molly” in which Fibber tries to calculate his income tax. Courtesy of Archive.org.

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The Shrinking American Newspaper, 1989 — 2014

I dug into some old boxes over the holidays and found this Business section cover from 1989, which I had used to wrap something. Here it is, compared to the Jan. 10, 2014, business cover. We all know that newspapers … Continue reading

Posted in 1989, History | Tagged , | 7 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Lux Radio Theater’ and ‘Screen Guild Theater,’ Jan. 10, 1944

Jan. 10, 1944: Today we have —“Information Please,”  hosted by Clifton Fadiman with John Kieran, Franklin P. Adams, Christopher Morley and Rep. John M.  Coffee of Washington. —“The Constant Nymph” on Lux Radio Theater with Charles Boyer, Alexis Smith and … Continue reading

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The Mysterious Life of Frank Korn

There is much that we do not know about Frank Korn, even what became of him. For that matter, we don’t know much about his grandmother, Frances/Francis  Klocker (sometimes spelled Kloecker). What we do know is that on Sept. 12, … Continue reading

Posted in 1911, 1928, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, San Francisco | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo — Guest Edition

Christina Rice, photo archivist at the Los Angeles Public Library, sends along another unidentified photo. She’s hoping someone in the brain trust will recognize these folks.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Texaco Star Theater’ and ‘The Great Gildersleeve,’ Jan. 9, 1944

Jan. 9, 1944 — “Texaco Star Theater” with Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa. —“The Great Gildersleeve” with Harold Peary. Courtesy of archive.org.

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