Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

October 20, 1907: Winsor McCay, ‘Little Nemo’ and The Imp

Posted on October 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 20, 1907: Winsor McCay and his cartoons never completely go out of fashion and are periodically rediscovered. Living in the era of legacy comics, bland writing. weak drawing, and panels the size of postage stamps, it’s easy to forget comics once ran a full page. And then there’s Imp. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Books and Authors, Comics | Tagged , | 1 Comment

October 19, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1957: Matt Weinstock profiles former newspaperman Edwin Anthony Browne, who appears in Carroll and Garrett Graham’s “Queer People” a hilarious book about crazy movie people in the crazy 1920s. Continue reading →

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October 19, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1957: Paul Coates talks with scenarist Jack Wagner about his recent visit to Cuba and how the talk about Fulgencio Batista reminded him of the way Mexicans talked about Porfirio Diaz. Continue reading →

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October 19, 1947: Times Political Editor Kyle Palmer Waves the Banner for Earl Warren

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1947: Kyle Palmer was an institution at The Times for many years, the embodiment of a reporter as backstage powerbroker and kingmaker, and his front-page story and opinion column were the opening salvos of his campaign to put Earl Warren in the White House. Continue reading →

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October 19, 1938: Stolen statue — Nuestro Pueblo

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1938: Writer Joe Seewerker and artist Charles Owens visit the statue of a miner at Carthay Center, later stolen and cut up by thieves. And yes, they were caught. By Stephanie Lazarus. Continue reading →

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October 19, 1938: Mystic vision

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1938: Meet the Rev. Violet Greener “The Ghost of Hollywood,” a psychic who was consulted by many people in the industry. Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Religion | Comments Off on October 19, 1938: Mystic vision

October 19, 1907: Toku, Abandoned by Man Who Claimed to Be Wealthy, Denied a Divorce

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1907: Visiting Japan, K. Tsuneda met a young woman named Toku. Claiming that he was a wealthy Stanford student, Tsuneda married Toku and they came to the U.S. so his new wife could get an American education. She learned that Tsuneda wasn’t rich or a Stanford student. Continue reading →

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October 18, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 18, 1957: The city health department has a complaint desk and some of the calls would test anyone’s sanity, Matt Weinstock says. Continue reading →

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October 18, 1947: S.S. General Saw Mass Executions as ‘Necessary to Win War’

Posted on October 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

NEURNBERG, Oct. 17 (A.P.)—S.S. Gen. Erich Naumann, whose commandos killed thousands of Jewish men, women and children on the eastern front, told a war crimes court today he saw nothing wrong with that. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Crime and Courts, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

October 18, 1943: Errol Flynn Named in Paternity Suit

Posted on October 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 18, 1943: Shirley Hassau charges that Errol Flynn is the father of her 3-year-old daughter. Her lawsuits were dismissed in 1951. Continue reading →

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October 18, 1907: Newspaper Cartoonist Ted Gale Makes His Point

Posted on October 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 18, 1907: The Los Angeles Times features pen and ink drawings by “Gale.” That’s Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale, who contributed to The Times for years, creating “Miss L.A.,” then quit in 1934 to go to the Examiner. Continue reading →

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October 17, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 17, 1957: Matt Weinstock interviews George B. Murphy, an aircraft inspector for whom Murphy’s Law was named. Continue reading →

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October 17, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 17, 1957: Paul Coates talks to a man who fled because he was suspected in the still-unsolved killing of Marguerite Keota in 1954. Continue reading →

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October 17, 1907: All-White USC Football Team Starts Race Riot Over Tackle by Black Player From Whittier

Posted on October 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 17, 1907: A Black player from Whittier State tackles a player for USC’s all-white team, setting off a fight between the teams. Continue reading →

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October 16, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1957: Matt Weinstock writes about a man who claimed he saw Saturn from his backyard — without a telescope. Which was impossible. Was it spacemen? Continue reading →

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October 16, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1957: Paul Coates has a moving tribute to a dead man and a son who loved to play the piano. Continue reading →

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October 16, 1947: LAPD Issues Guns to Policewomen!

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1947: The LAPD changes the uniform for policewomen and issues them guns — to be fashionably carried in a shoulder-slung black purse, also convenient for carrying handcuffs. Continue reading →

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October 16, 1907: Man With Three Wives Believes in Marriage but Not Divorce

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1907: George S. Best is a great believer in marriage and strongly opposes divorce, which is why he has three of one and none of the other. Continue reading →

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October 15, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 15, 1959: Matt Weinstock takes a look at Caryl Chessman’s case and his grounds for appeal. Chessman remains the only person executed in California who never killed anyone. Continue reading →

Posted in Caryl Chessman, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off on October 15, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Reminder: Don’t Dress Up Like the Black Dahlia for Halloween!

Posted on October 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

Reminder: Do not dress up like the Black Dahlia for Halloween. Don’t. Do. It. Continue reading →

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