Monthly Archives: September 2023

Reminder – My Next ‘Ask Me Anything’ on the Black Dahlia Case Is Oct. 3

Reminder: Boxy and I will be doing a live “Ask Me Anything” on the Black Dahlia case Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. Pacific time, on YouTube and on Instagram. I’ll give an update on the book and talk about … Continue reading

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Myrtle Gonzalez – Early Latina Movie Star

An autographed photo of Myrtle Gonzalez by the Martel-Carruthers studio, inscribed to Jean Herscholt, listed on EBay at $250 Note: This is an encore post from 2021.  Mostly forgotten today because of her untimely death in the 1918 influenza epidemic, … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

I picked a mystery movie for this week, but upon previewing the film I decided that the print wasn’t good enough to use, and that there were other issues that sent it back to the vault. While I’m picking a … Continue reading

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

Black Dahlia: George Hodel, Ask Me Anything, September 2023

Boxy and I did another Ask Me Anything on Dr. George Hodel on Tuesday. I covered the history of the Sowden House and who lived there in the 1930s and ‘40s. I also gave an overview of the life of … Continue reading

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Two Pioneering Women Photographers

Just a few years after Susan B. Anthony and others organized the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848, women began working as photographers in the United States. While many took over their father’s or husband’s photography … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated) + + + +

This week’s mystery movie was the 1953 United Artists film The Magnetic Monster, with Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe, Leo Britt, Leonard Mudie, Byron Foulger, Michael Fox, John Zarimba, Lee Phelps, Watson Downs, Roy Engle, Frank Gerstle, … Continue reading

Posted in 1953, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Brian De Palma’s ‘The Black Dahlia’

Note: This is an encore post from 2006.  I’m running it again because I’m seeing a fair number of comments on social media about De Palma’s Black Dahlia being “Well, OK, not *that* bad.” Yes, yes it was *that* bad. … Continue reading

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Ask Me Anything’ on George Hodel — September 19

Boxy and I will be doing a live “Ask Me Anything” about Dr. George Hodel on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Have you read Steve Hodel’s books? Watched the TV interviews? Listened to the podcasts? Maybe you’re … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

This week’s mystery movie was the 1925 MGM picture Zander the Great, with Marion Davies, Holbrook Blinn, Harrison Ford, Harry Watson, Harry Myers, George Seigman, Emily Fitzroy, Hobart Bosworth, Richard Carle, Hedda Hopper, Olin Howland and Master John Huff.

Posted in 1925, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Cinecon 2023 Celebrates Classic Films

Nothing keeps a good film festival down, even a change of venue.The 59th Cinecon Classic Film Festival put on another entertaining festival at this year’s new location in El Segundo’s Old Town Music Hall, celebrating the power of entertainment. Presenting … Continue reading

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Southbound 110: Traffic Collision 9/8/2023

Public Service Announcement: I saw this accident on the southbound 110 between a Honda and a Toyota, and got footage on my dash cam, but I wasn’t able to stop (it wasn’t safe) so I couldn’t contact the drivers, especially … Continue reading

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Lost Film ‘Hollywood’ Turns 100

One of the most sought after “lost” films, Paramount’s “Hollywood” debuted 100 years ago, telling a film industry behind-the-scenes story through scenes set all through the self-named community populated with a bevy of stars. Unlike several other movie-themed pictures released … Continue reading

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Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything for September 2023

Here’s my latest Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case. We had a good turnout and lots of excellent questions. The video is posted on YouTube and on Instagram. I discussed Don’t Dress Up Like the Black Dahlia for … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

This week’s mystery movie was the 1956 Paramount picture The Mountain, with Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Claire Trevor, William Demarest, Barbara Darrow, Richard Arlen, E.G. Marshall, Anna Kashfi, Richard Garrick, Harry Townes, Stacy Harris and Yves Brainville.

Posted in 1956, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments