Monthly Archives: April 2014

Mickey Rooney: Death Claims Andy Hardy

Posted on April 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

As readers remember (some fondly, others not so much) the late Mickey Rooney, here’s a post I wrote about the fifth Mrs. Mickey Rooney (Barbara Thomason) in 2008.

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo ( Updated + + + + )

Posted on April 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

This is “While the City Sleeps,” and although we did Lon Chaney’s “Mr. Wu” recently, I thought it was worth looking at “While the City Sleeps” because a rooftop shootout and another scene provide early glimpses of Los Angeles City … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 34 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — The Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood Party Central

Posted on April 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Once movie studios moved into Hollywood, life changed in the sleepy, little farming community. Easygoing small town life gave way to the jazzy bustle of a moviemaking metropolis. Office towers, theaters and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1927, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘The Lone Ranger’

Posted on April 5, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 5, 1944: Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear! “The Lone Ranger.” Courtesy of otronmp3.com.

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Black Dahlia: Bevo Means Did Not Name the Black Dahlia Case

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

I recently heard from someone who had taken a bus tour of Los Angeles and wondered why the tour guide said that Bevo Means had named the Black Dahlia case. The answer, of course, is no, if the tour guide … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Ramona Shines a Light On Early California

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

A poster for “Ramona” featured on the program for the premiere of the restored film. Only 86 years after it originally opened in Los Angeles, the newly restored motion picture “Ramona” premiered March 29, 2014 at UCLA’s Billy Wilder Theatre. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1928, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

1944 in Print — Hollywood by Sidney Skolsky, April 4, 1944

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 4, 1944 Billy Wilder’s handwriting, though it looks neat, is almost undecipherable. He sent a memo on “Double Indemnity” to Buddy De Silva which was returned because it was too difficult to read. Wilder answered, “I know what I … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, April 4, 1944

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 4, 1944 A day after Lana Turner told Louella Parsons that she and Stephen Crane weren’t separating, Crane says they are. From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Children Pray for Safety of Dad Lost in Pacific

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

  April 4, 1944 The original caption reads:  Mrs. Edward Healy and her eight children kneel in St. Mary’s church, Des Plaines, Iowa, to pray for the safety of their husband and father, an aerial gunner reported missing in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, World War II | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Not for Young Readers

Posted on April 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

Imagine my surprise to find this little gem floating around on the Internet, and I see that I’m a couple of years late. According to Amazon, it’s a 2011 account of the Black Dahlia case for middle school students, although … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

1944 in Print — Erskine Johnson

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 3, 1944 And here’s a little feature from Erskine Johnson on a singer named Yvette (Elsa Harris) … or is she Elsie Silvers? From the Miami News.

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

1944 in Print — Life Magazine, April 3, 1944

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 3, 1944 A dog is this week’s cover photo for a story which says that city dogs are just as healthy and happy as country dogs. The movie feature story is child star Margaret O’Brien. Courtesy of Google Books.

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It Was a Kinder, Simpler Time, April 3, 1944

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch
Posted in 1944 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, April 3, 1944

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 3, 1944 The rumors were widely circulated last week that Lana Turner and Steve Crane had reached a breaking point. So I asked Lana. “Oh for heaven sakes,” she said, “we have been so peaceful for a year. There … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — ‘I Hate Actors’ by Ben Hecht

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 1, 1944 This is the article by Ben Hecht mentioned in Sidney Skolsky’s column. If you’re patient, you can dig it out of the files at unz.org. It starts on Page 24 and continues to Page 43 and you’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

1970s VHS Nostalgia

Posted on April 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

I have been going through some of my old VHS tapes, which I burned to DVDs. Who remembers this ad campaign from 1979?

Posted in 1979, Television | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Books From the Slush Pile: ‘Charlie Chaplin, Director’

Posted on April 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

The reject pile! Aspiring authors, avert thine eyes! This is a sample of review copies that are cast aside in bins to be rummaged through by the staff. Usually they are contemporary genre fiction (“50 Shades of Stealing Maps for … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

1944 in Print — Hollywood by Sidney Skolsky, April 2, 1944

Posted on April 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 1, 1944 HOLLYWOOD, April 1 — War Notes of the Week: Looking at the front page of most of the local papers you wouldn’t know that there was a war on, for the headline and most of the page … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, April 2, 1944

Posted on April 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

The Sentinel is serializing “Goodnight, Sweet Prince,” Gene Fowler’s biography of John Barrymore, with illustrations by James Montgomery Flagg. April 2, 1944 Louella Parsons asks Ann Sheridan: “When are you and Steve Hannagan going to take that big step?” Sheridan … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood by Sidney Skolsky, April 1, 1944

Posted on April 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

April 1, 1944 Meet Sidney Skolsky (d. 1983), a Hollywood-based gossip columnist. Let’s give him a month and see if he’s a keeper. HOLLYWOOD, April 1 — It doesn’t matter who your favorite movie critic is, you can’t ignore those … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 2 Comments