Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Video: David Blight on ‘Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom’

Posted on January 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

I’m late to the party on this book, but I was pleased to run across a Q and A with historian David Blight of Yale on his new biography, “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom.” The session, with Princeton professor Eddie … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, African Americans, Books and Authors, History | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 4, 1959: Grocermat – The Supermarket of Tomorrow!

Posted on January 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

I love “futurism” stories like this one, featuring a 7-Eleven for the Jetsons.  In sports, football coach Earl “Curly” Lambeau says the split-T offense is dead. He also thinks college ball should put the goal posts back on the goal … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Futurism, Sports | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Victor Segno: ‘How to Live 100 Years’

Posted on January 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

A. Victor Segno is my favorite Los Angeles charlatan. I wrote a feature about him for The Times in 2012.. The entire Daily Mirror post appears on Archive.org.

Posted in 1903, 2009, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Victor Segno: ‘How to Live 100 Years’

Jan. 2, 1945: The Making of ‘The Blue Dahlia’

Posted on January 3, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 2, 1945: Paramount promotes “Two Years Before the Mast,” with Alan Ladd, Howard Da Silva and William Bendix, all appearing in “The Blue Dahlia.”  “Two Years Before the Mast” was finished in 1944, but not released until November 1946, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, Blue Dahlia, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 1, 1945: The Making of ‘The Blue Dahlia’

Posted on January 3, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 1, 1945: Raymond Chandler writes to Charles Morton, mentioning his original idea for a film. “The Blue Dahlia” would become Chandler’s first original screenplay. To be continued.

Posted in 1945, Blue Dahlia, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 3, 1959: Russia Winning Space Race! Bulla Leads L.A. Open!

Posted on January 3, 2019 by lmharnisch

The Soviets are winning the space race! Moral Re-Armament stages “Turning of the Tide” and “The New American!” French Foreign Legion rifles, only $9.88!  Johnny Bulla leads the L.A. Open! The entire post from the 2009 Daily Mirror via Archive.org.

Posted in 1959, Film, Sports, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 3, 1959: Russia Winning Space Race! Bulla Leads L.A. Open!

Jan. 3, 1949: Tom Harmon on the Future of Televised Sports

Posted on January 3, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s a nice piece from Keith Thursby, now of ESPN. The complete post from the Daily Mirror, Jan. 3, 2009, is at Archive.org.. Story, Part 1 | Story, Part 2

Posted in 1949, Baseball, Sports, Television | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 3, 1949: Tom Harmon on the Future of Televised Sports

Jan. 2, 1959: Paul Coates ‘Repeal the Mann Act?’

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 2, 1959: Long before Nate Silver launched 538, Paul Coates was skeptical of polls and to prove his point formed his own polling concern: the Los Angeles Survey Institute. His question: “Do you think the Mann Act deters or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Columnists, Paul Coates | 3 Comments

Jan. 2, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Reader’s Choice’

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

The old-school newspaper columnists were tough, writing six pieces a week. Six-day-a-week columnists like Matt Weinstock and Paul Coates took it easy by making their Saturday columns a roundup of readers’ letters. In those days, apparently, newspaper columnists received interesting … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Books and Authors, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Jan. 2, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Reader’s Choice’

Jan. 2, 1969: College Student Home on Vacation Killed, Dumped Off Mulholland

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

This is another story that I don’t remember at all. The original post is here at Archive.org. The killing of Marina Elizabeth Habe remains unsolved (I see that I garbled her name in the original post). See also Keith Thursby’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Keith Thursby | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another Fine Mess? Stan Laurel Accused of Planning to Bury Wife in Backyard

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

I have written more than 10,000 posts about L.A. history over the years and I don’t remember many of them. Like this one, which was turned into a “Then and Now” a feature that continued briefly after Cecilia Rasmussen left … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940, 2009, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another Fine Mess? Stan Laurel Accused of Planning to Bury Wife in Backyard

Black Dahlia: My Annual Donation in Memory of Elizabeth Short

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

As longtime readers know, I always begin a new year with an annual donation in memory of Elizabeth Short to Heading Home, which works with the homeless in the Boston area. Partly because of my research on Elizabeth Short, I … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 2, 1958: Photographer Edward Weston Dies

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s a blog post I wrote for the Daily Mirror blog in 2008, when it was hosted by the Los Angeles Times. Edward Weston, one of the great photographers of the 20th century, received a one-paragraph obituary in the Los … Continue reading →

Posted in 1958, Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

LAPD Crime Statistics for 1957 | Looking Back at ‘Our Lawless City’

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

If you are a longtime reader, you may remember when the Daily Mirror was hosted by the Los Angeles Times. The Times holds the copyright on these items, even though the blog was killed in 2011 (thank you, Jimmy Orr), … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, 2008, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on LAPD Crime Statistics for 1957 | Looking Back at ‘Our Lawless City’

Jan. 1, 1959: Matt Weinstock, ‘Unsung Heroines’

Posted on January 1, 2019 by lmharnisch

The other joy of doing the Daily Mirror was reintroducing readers to the columns of Matt Weinstock, taken from the Mirror (d. 1962). Weinstock is remembered today for the 1947 book “My L.A.” (I have enough copies, thank you), which … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 1, 1959: Matt Weinstock, ‘Unsung Heroines’

Jan. 1, 1959: Paul Coates, Confidential File ‘Looking Back at ‘58; Looking Ahead to ‘59’

Posted on January 1, 2019 by lmharnisch

One of my particular joys in doing the Daily Mirror at the Los Angeles Times was rerunning Paul Coates’ columns, which originally appeared in the Mirror (d. 1962). I was particularly fortunate to have several excellent interns who transcribed them. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 1, 1959: Paul Coates, Confidential File ‘Looking Back at ‘58; Looking Ahead to ‘59’

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Posted on December 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Just in time for New Year’s, we’ll take a look at a “lost drink,” making a brief inquiry into San Francisco’s Pisco Punch, made famous by Bank Exchange saloon owner Duncan Nicol … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, 1934, 1939, Food and Drink, San Francisco | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1956 Columbia picture “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,” with Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, John Zaremba, Tom Browne Henry, Brandon Rhodes and Larry Blake. Screenplay by Bernard Gordon and George Worthing … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 33 Comments

Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – Mack Sennett’s Rose Parade Gag

Posted on December 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Photo: “The Sleuths at the Floral Parade.” Credit: Mary Mallory, the Collections of the Margaret Herrick Library. Note: This is an encore post from 2011. The Tournament of Roses Parade is going on its 122th year, and grows more elaborate … Continue reading →

Posted in 1913, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Comments Off on Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – Mack Sennett’s Rose Parade Gag

Dec. 31, 1907: Old Watchman, Beaten by Robbers, Revealed as Cocaine Addict

Posted on December 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Dec. 31, 1907 Los Angeles His name was W.H. Reynolds and the old watchman for E.H. Howard Contracting had laid out all night after being beaten up and thrown in the weeds … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, LAPD, Medicine, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Dec. 31, 1907: Old Watchman, Beaten by Robbers, Revealed as Cocaine Addict