Author Archives: lmharnisch

Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

August 30, 1953: Barbara Graham Defense Wins Delay After Prosecution Bombshell

Posted on August 30, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 30, 1953: Judge Charles Fricke grants a delay to attorneys for Barbara Graham after the prosecution discloses a recorded conversation between Graham and an undercover police officer. Continue reading →

Posted in 1953, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

August 30, 1907: Rabbi Leads Campaign to Open Hebrew University in L.A.

Posted on August 30, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 30, 1907: Rabbi Alfred Arndt of Congregation Beth Israel leads an effort to open what The Times describes as “the only Hebrew university within the entire United States.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Education, Religion, Streetcars | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

August 29, 1907: Engine Co. 20 Pranks Newlywed Firefighter

Posted on August 29, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 29, 1907: Lt. Samuel Dodd is something of a practical joker around the firehouse, so when he left on his honeymoon with his bride, Juanita, his fellow firefighters decided to get even. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Fires | Tagged , | Leave a comment

August 28, 1958: Intruder kills former actress

Posted on August 28, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 28, 1958: Helene Jerome, described as a retired actress, is found strangled in her apartment at the Las Palmas Hotel. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Cemeteries, Dodgers, Film, Forest Lawn, Front Pages, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, Homicide, LAPD, Sports | Leave a comment

August 28, 1947: Diamond Street Gang Member Takes Murder Rap ‘for the Gang’

Posted on August 28, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 28, 1947: Earl Bush, 19, member of the Diamond Street gang, says he’s taking a killing rap for the gang. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Voices — Christine Collins, August 28, 1932

Posted on August 28, 2026 by lmharnisch

Walter Collins in an undated prison photo. August 28, 1932: Christine Collins replies to the warden, saying that she is not yet ready to visit the grave of her husband, Walter, in the prison cemetery. She also says she is … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1932, Changeling, Film, Hollywood | Leave a comment

August 27,1958: Woman kills husband over singing, Reds win against Dodgers

Posted on August 27, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 27, 1958: Anne Benyon was arguing with her husband, Ben, about his singing, and as he hummed a tune, she rolled her wheelchair into the kitchen, got a knife and stabbed him. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Dodgers, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD, Sports | Leave a comment

August 27, 1947: I. Magnin Seeks Young Woman to Supervise Glove Department

Posted on August 27, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 27, 1947: Spot the mistakes: I. Magnin is seeking a young woman to manage the glove department. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Fashion | Tagged , | Leave a comment

August 27, 1907: Undertaker Sent Home as Minister Survives Suicide Attempt

Posted on August 27, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 27, 1907: An undertaker makes two trips to pick up a retired Episcopal minister — but he wasn’t dead. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1911, Black Dahlia, Suicide | Tagged , | Leave a comment

1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, August 26, 1944

Posted on August 26, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 26, 1944: William Bendix repays a loan from his father-in-law by setting up a hardware store for him, Louella Parsons says. Virgo: Put today in your happy medium column. Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Horoscope | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

August 26, 1907: Save Those Redwoods

Posted on August 26, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 26, 1907: A large rally calls for saving the 800-acre Armstrong Grove of redwoods. In 2025, it is a State Natural Reserve. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Parks, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

August 25, 1948: Stars Pick Their Biggest Movie Turkeys; Lizabeth Scott Calls ‘Dead Reckoning’ Her Worst Film

Posted on August 25, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 25, 1948: Stars pick their worst pictures. Lizabeth Scott says it’s ‘Dead Reckoning.’ Alan Ladd says it’s ‘Blue Dahlia.’ John Wayne says ‘Allegheny Uprising.’ Donna Reed walked out of ‘Mokey.’ Continue reading →

Posted in 1948, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reminder: My Next Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia Case Is September 1

Posted on August 25, 2026 by lmharnisch

Reminder, Boxie and I will be doing an Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 10 a.m. Pacific time at https://www.youtube.com/@lmharnisch/streams Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Black Dahlia Book Club, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Voices — Christine Collins, August 25, 1932

Posted on August 25, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 25, 1932: Christine Collins, whose experiences inspired the movie ‘Changeling,’ asks the warden about visiting her husband’s grave in the prison cemetery. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1932, Changeling, Film, Hollywood | Leave a comment

August 25, 1907: Death at the Lummis House Over a Garden Hose

Posted on August 25, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 25, 1907: Death at the Lummis House in a fight that began over a garden hose. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Streetcars | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

August 24, 1947: Golfers Play Through as Fire Destroys Clubhouse at Inglewood

Posted on August 24, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 24, 1947: Golfers play through as fire destroys the clubhouse at Inglewood Country Club. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Fires, Sports | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on August 24, 2026 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 29 Comments

August 23, 1947: Sartre’s ‘No Exit’ Opens in L.A.

Posted on August 23, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 23, 1947: L.A. Times critic Philip K. Scheuer reviews Sartre’s “No Exit.” I imagine this is where Existentialism, the philosophy evolved by Playwright Sartre, comes in. In a world without God, man is answerable to himself for what he is and does. It is as close as I am able to approach the Sartre creed at this moment of deadline. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Comics, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Stage | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Ladies in Black visit tomb of Valentino

Posted on August 23, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 23 — A look at the Ladies in Black who visited the tomb of Rudolph Valentino on the anniversary of his death Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Leave a comment

Aug. 22, 1947: 5 L.A. Women Doctors Honored at Medical Convention

Posted on August 22, 2026 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1947: Girls aspiring to careers should follow women physicians’ example—many have both satisfactory home and professional lives, Dr. E. Mae McCarroll says. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Education, Medicine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment