Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1933 film “A Study in Scarlet,” with Reginald Owen, Anna May Wong, June Clyde, Allan Dinehart, John Warburton, Alan Mowbray, Warburton Gamble, J.M. Kerrigan, Doris Lloyd, Billy Bevan, Leila Bennett, Wyndham Standing and Halliwell … Continue reading →

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

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights – Campo de Cahuenga, California’s Birthplace

Posted on January 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

A photo of the original museum at Campo de Cahuenga, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Note: This is an encore from 2012. Driving south down Lankershim Boulevard from Toluca Lake into Universal City, it’s hard to miss the skyscrapers, soundstages, and … Continue reading →

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Jan. 14, 1959: State Supreme Court Upholds L.A.’s Deal for Dodger Stadium

Posted on January 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: The state Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Dodgers and City Hall, moving plans for a baseball stadium in Chavez Ravine one huge step closer to reality. The Times’ coverage was breathless, no surprise since … Continue reading →

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Jan. 14, 1939: Thousands at St. Vibiana’s Hold Vigil for World Peace

Posted on January 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 13, 1939: About 4,000 worshipers attend a Perpetual Novena for Our Sorrowful Mother at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. People knelt in the aisles, in the doorways and outside praying for peace and for relief of the poor, The Times says.. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Books and Authors, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Religion, Sports, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 14, 1939: Thousands at St. Vibiana’s Hold Vigil for World Peace

Black Dahlia: ‘Definitely Not Betty’ Elizabeth Short’s Family Refutes Hodel Photos of ‘Black Dahlia’

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

  The Short family rarely speaks on the record, but in 2003, they were so incensed by Steve Hodel’s “Black Dahlia Avenger” and his bogus claims of photos purportedly showing Elizabeth Short that they issued a public statement through me. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: ‘Definitely Not Betty’ Elizabeth Short’s Family Refutes Hodel Photos of ‘Black Dahlia’

Jan. 13, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 13, 1959: Horseracing, Al Capone, a poem, a couple of funny stories, and we have another Matt Weinstock column. Weinstock perfected the art of the light touch. Rarely anything controversial and he never swung for the fence, like Coates … Continue reading →

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Jan. 13, 1959: Paul Coates Interviews Soviet Leader Mikoyan

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 13, 1959: Paul Coates worked himself into an early grave. In addition to writing six columns a week for the L.A. Mirror, he also had a show on KTTV-TV Channel 11. It was definitely another era. In this piece, … Continue reading →

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Voices: Recalling Times Sports Columnist Ned Cronin

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: Ned Cronin was a columnist at The Times until his death in 1958 and his work has been featured often in the Daily Mirror. His son, Jerry, recently discovered the blog and we started an e-mail conversation. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1958, 1959, Keith Thursby, Obituaries, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Voices: Recalling Times Sports Columnist Ned Cronin

Jan. 13, 1969: Jets and Broadway Joe Namath Win Super Bowl

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

    Jan. 13, 1969: The first Super Bowl – and it doesn’t make Page 1 of the Los Angeles Times. Kicked back to sports. I would love to have been sitting in the news meeting that day… Jim Murray … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: A Warning About Hollywood and the Black Dahlia

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Lucie Arnaz in “Who Is the Black Dahlia?” “Inspired by a true story?” A painful lesson about Hollywood and the Black Dahlia. In 1975, the murder of Elizabeth Short was the basis for the TV movie “Who Is the Black … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1975, Black Dahlia, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Television | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 12, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Taxing Times’

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 12, 1959: Matt Weinstock offers a light way to end the day. A little story about a taxpayer’s travails with the IRS, a poem, an honest panhandler asking for a dime for a bottle of wine. And yes, he … Continue reading →

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Jan. 12, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File — East L.A. War Hero Plotted to Kill Batista

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 12, 1959: Paul Coates has the story of Guy Louis Gabaldon, a war hero raised in East L.A. who claimed to have plotted to assassinate Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista. Gabaldon was raised by the parents of a Japanese American … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Paul Coates, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Are There Any Good Black Dahlia Sites on the Internet? Part 2

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

John Gilmore’s “Severed” was once the most popular book on the Black Dahlia case, although it was eclipsed by Steve Hodel’s seemingly endless series of “Black Dahlia Avenger” books. You may Google “Black Dahlia” while you’re watching “I Am the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Wikipedia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jan. 12-13, 1959: Soviet Leader Mikoyan Visits L.A.

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 12-13, 1959: Protests force the plane carrying Deputy Soviet Premier Anastas Mikoyan to divert to Burbank! Mikoyan did a grip and grin with L.A. Mayor Norris Poulson, but Norrie would not be so friendly during Nikita Khrushchev’s time in … Continue reading →

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Jan. 12, 1959: East Wins Pro Bowl 28-21 in L.A.

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby says of the 1959 game: The Pro Bowl in its current format has been held in Hawaii since 1971, so that must mean at some point Los Angeles was considered an exotic getaway to lure the players for … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: Are There Any Good Black Dahlia Sites on the Internet? Oh Dear!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

So you may not read any Black Dahlia books before watching “I Am the Night.” But you may turn to Google. You should be warned. BlackDahliaSolution.org may be the worst of the websites on the Black Dahlia case simply because … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Jan. 11, 1959: ‘Who Shot Duke Snider?’

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 11, 1959: Keith Thursby looks at the fledgling acting career of Duke Snider. If it worked for Chuck Connors…. The entire piece appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available at Archive.org..

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Victor Segno: How to Live 100 Years – Don’t Boil Water!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

For a while, I thought it would be amusing to run advice of A. Victor Segno, my favorite Los Angeles charlatan. Like this item on not boiling water. Look out for the decaying carcasses of dead germs! This item originally … Continue reading →

Posted in 1903, Medicine | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Jan. 10, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Chinese Puzzle’

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959: And we close the day with a lighthearted column from Matt Weinstock. A bit of poetry, an amusing story. Maybe one sentimental yarn. That’s what afternoon papers were all about. Features, news updates, late stock market reports … Continue reading →

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Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File – Mash Notes and Comments

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates runs a letters column – and has an interesting item about Herman Hover’s efforts to reopen Ciro’s (Coates covered L.A. nightlife and restaurants before he became a columnist).. The entire column appeared in the L.A. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Food and Drink, Nightclubs, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File – Mash Notes and Comments