Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Bessie Lasky, Painter

Posted on January 21, 2019 by lmharnisch

  Bessie Lasky in her studio, courtesy of Jesse L. Lasky.com. Though overshadowed by her husband, Jesse, Bessie Lasky was as much an artist as he, a multitalented artist in many fields with some renown from the 1920s through the … Continue reading →

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Jan. 21, 1959: Cecil B. De Mille Dies at 77

Posted on January 21, 2019 by lmharnisch

  Jan. 21, 1959: The Mirror brings out an extra when Cecil B. De Mille died of a heart attack at the age of 77.. The post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org.

Posted in 1959, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 20, 1959: Matt Weinstock and the Maligned Mad Men

Posted on January 20, 2019 by lmharnisch

Some earnest men in the advertising business are concerned about the derogatory image of their profession that has been created in the public mind and quietly are running it up on the flagpole to see who salutes. As they see … Continue reading →

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Jan. 20,1959: Paul Coates and Fidel Castro

Posted on January 20, 2019 by lmharnisch

Fidel Castro, the bearded boy wonder of Cuba, has been sassing his kindly, benevolent, slightly wealthy Uncle Sam lately. Young Fidel has taken it as a personal insult that a few of our congressmen are suggesting tough measures to let … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: No Sign of George Hodel or the Black Dahlia in the Fauna Hodel Story 1990

Posted on January 20, 2019 by lmharnisch

If you’re curious about whether “I Am the Night” is indeed “inspired by a true story,” I did a bit more digging into the tale of Fauna Hodel and her unfinished film “Pretty Hattie’s Baby” (spoiler alert – there’s nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1990, 1996, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 19, 1959: Matt Weinstock and Practical Jokes in Beverly Hills

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 19, 1959: Practical jokes in mid-century America. Matt Weinstock has the details.. The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished in 2009 on latimes.com. It is available via Archive.org.

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Jan. 19, 1959: Paul Coates Talks to ‘The Head of the Hair Dept.’ at Max Factor

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 19, 1959: After Paul Coates column about the man who stole toupees – a new meaning for “hair loss,” he received a call from “the head of the hair department at Max Factor.” (Really).. The column originally in the … Continue reading →

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Exploring Historic Photos on Flickr (Yes, Flickr)

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

In 2007, the Library of Congress began putting historic images on Flickr (remember Flickr?) and this was one of my favorites: The first all-woman jury in Los Angeles AND the first all-women jury in California.. Warning, you will see this … Continue reading →

Posted in 2009, Crime and Courts, Libraries, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Exploring Historic Photos on Flickr (Yes, Flickr)

Black Dahlia: The Fauna Hodel Story ‘Pretty Hattie’s Baby’

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

In preparing for the launch of TNT’s “I Am the Night,” I thought it would be interesting to do a bit of research on Fauna Hodel. Just to see if she ever mentioned Dr. George Hodel earlier in her life. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1990, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Film, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

January 1959: Butch Harris’ Fight to Join the Cub Scouts

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

Ten years ago, when we were doing the Daily Mirror blog at latimes.com, several of us wondered what became of Butch Harris and his attempt to join the Cub Scouts. Fortunately, the L.A. Sentinel is online and we have an … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Columnists, Education, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Photos From Black Dahlia’s Scrapbook Sell on EBay for $7,611 in 2003

Posted on January 18, 2019 by lmharnisch

Back in 2003, a few photos from Elizabeth Short’s scrapbook were sold on EBay for $7,611.11 Perhaps they look familiar. I archived the page (it has vanished from EBay, of course) to keep anybody from claiming that they found them … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 2003, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Found on EBay, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Photos From Black Dahlia’s Scrapbook Sell on EBay for $7,611 in 2003

Jan. 18, 1959: Jerry Lewis Plays First Base for the Dodgers

Posted on January 18, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 18, 1959: OK, it was a benefit game. But still.. Keith Thursby writes: Rosalind Wyman was a bright, young politician and a driving force in bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles. The paper profiled the City Council member as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Baseball, Dodgers, Keith Thursby, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 18, 1959: Jerry Lewis Plays First Base for the Dodgers

A. Victor Segno: How to Live 100 Years – Olive Oil and Distilled Water

Posted on January 18, 2019 by lmharnisch

More wisdom from A. Victor Segno, my favorite L.A. charlatan. Via Archive.org..

Posted in 1903, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Dec. 10, 1958: Paul Coates – Mothers Seek to Bar Black Boy From Cub Scouts

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Dec. 10, 1958: Here’s Paul Coates’ earlier column about Butch Harris, the young African American boy who was denied admission to the Cub Scouts.. The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1958 and was republished on latimes.com in … Continue reading →

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Jan. 17, 1959: Matt Weinstock – Bashing Los Angeles

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1959: Matt Weinstock invented the “Only in L.A.” column while he was at the L.A. Mirror. In this edition, Weinstock is cataloging some L.A.-bashing: It is a city without the power to assert its own identity; a city … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Matt Weinstock | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 17, 1959: Matt Weinstock – Bashing Los Angeles

Jan. 17, 1959: Paul Coates Dips Into the Letters File

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1959: It was Saturday in 1959, so Paul Coates ends his week with a letters column. Pretty standard for those guys who wrote six columns a week. (In case you don’t know, afternoon papers did not publish on … Continue reading →

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

Jan. 17, 1959: Lakers Back Elgin Baylor in Refusing to Stay at Segregated Hotel

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1959: Keith Thursby has the story of the Minneapolis Lakers moving out of a hotel in Charleston, W.Va., after operators refused to give a room to rookie Elgin Baylor and two other black players. Baylor boycotted the game, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Keith Thursby, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 16, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Saved by the Knell’

Posted on January 16, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1959: Puns, poems, jokes, little stories. Ending the day with a smile courtesy of Matt Weinstock. This column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. Via Archive.org.

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Jan. 16, 1959: Paul Coates – Cub Scouts Bar Butch H. Because He Is Black

Posted on January 16, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1959: The Cub Scouts don’t want to admit 9-year-old Butch because he’s black. This is one of my favorite Paul Coates columns and well worth the read. The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Columnists, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: New ‘Evidence’ in George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel Franchise

Posted on January 16, 2019 by lmharnisch

Black Dahlia breakthrough! Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Let us suppose that there was a mathematician. A retired mathematician who once taught at a major university, who published and received tenure, and retired as a well-regarded member … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: New ‘Evidence’ in George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel Franchise