Author Archives: lmharnisch

Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Can Wikipedia Survive? Oh, I Hope Not

Posted on June 21, 2015 by lmharnisch

Behind the boosterism of this opinion piece by Andrew Lih in the New York Times (“it is by far the world’s most popular reference site” – notice that he doesn’t call it the world’s most accurate reference site) are some … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Wikipedia | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

TCM Movie Camp: Do Your Homework

Posted on June 15, 2015 by lmharnisch

TCM’s “Movie Camp” hosts William Joyce, left, and Brandon Oldenburg. I tuned in to TCM’s “Movie Camp” over the weekend, not to watch these two fellows, but to catch “Hoppity Goes to Town” also known as “Mr. Bug Goes to … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 15, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1944 picture “The Woman in the Window,” directed by Fritz Lang, starring Edward G. Robinson (Friday’s mystery chap), Joan Bennett (Thursday’s mystery painting), Raymond Massey (Friday’s mystery chap), Edmond Breon (not shown), Dan … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 48 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition Caught on Film

Posted on June 15, 2015 by lmharnisch

The Tower of Jewels, in an image from the Los Angeles Public Library. One hundred years ago, San Francisco hosted the most elaborate and and fantastic World’s Exposition until that time in celebration of the opening of the Panama Canal … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Francisco | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: When Murder Inspires Art

Posted on June 12, 2015 by lmharnisch

This amazing “objet d’art” has been listed on EBay for $39. I mean, really?

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Found on EBay | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 8, 2015 by lmharnisch

  This week’s mystery movie is the 1931 RKO picture “Men of Chance,” starring Ricardo Cortez, Mary Astor (Friday’s mystery guests) and John Halliday (Wednesday’s mystery guest). It was directed by George Archainbaud and written by Louis Weitzenkorn and adapted … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 36 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre David O. Selznick’s Summer Playhouse

Posted on June 8, 2015 by lmharnisch

The Lobero Theatre. Santa Barbara’s beautiful Lobero Theatre has long operated as Hollywood’s go-to location for theatrical tryouts and performances since its opening in 1924. California’s oldest continuous operating theatre, the Lobero was founded in 1873 by Jose Lobero, before … Continue reading →

Posted in 1924, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Theaters | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre David O. Selznick’s Summer Playhouse

‘Primates of Park Avenue’: ‘Holes Big Enough to Drive an Escalade Through’

Posted on June 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

Isabel Vincent and Melissa Klein of the New York Post do some fact-checking on the bestselling book “Primates of Park Avenue,” by Wednesday/Wendy Martin. Executive summary: “Holes big enough to drive an Escalade through.” An excellent Sunday read and a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

ALLIES INVADE FRANCE! JUNE 6, 1944; Complete Radio Coverage

Posted on June 6, 2015 by lmharnisch

The headline and map by Charles Owens from The Times. Reposting from 2014. June 6, 1944: Complete radio coverage of the D-Day Invasion. This was pool coverage using correspondents from various news organizations. By 10 a.m., CBS had resumed regular … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on ALLIES INVADE FRANCE! JUNE 6, 1944; Complete Radio Coverage

Mary Mallory/Hollywood Heights: San Francisco Silent Film Festival Celebrates 20 Years

Posted on June 4, 2015 by lmharnisch

“When the Earth Trembled,” courtesy of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. The San Francisco Silent Film Festival offered a little something for everyone during their recently concluded 20th anniversary festival. From presentations by renowned historians and archivists to screenings … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Francisco | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Zoot Suit Riots, June 1943

Posted on June 3, 2015 by lmharnisch

A hipster duck wears a zoot suit in Disney’s  “The Spirit of ‘43.” In 2011, I took a look at the official Navy documents on the Zoot Suit Riots. Here they are: “Zoot Suit” and History, Part 1| Part 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Film, Hollywood, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Zoot Suit Riots, June 1943

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 1, 2015 by lmharnisch

  This week’s mystery movie has been the 1966 Czech film “Closely Watched Trains,” which won the Academy Award for foreign film in 1968. It was directed by Jiri Menzel and written by Menzel and Bohumil Hrabal from a novel … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

Harry Houdini: An Interview by Marcet Haldeman-Julius, October 1925

Posted on June 1, 2015 by lmharnisch

We have been collecting issues of Haldeman-Julius Monthly for several years, but one issue was particularly elusive: The October 1925 number featuring an interview with Harry Houdini, written by Marcet Haldeman-Julius, which was published a year before his death and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Another Good Story Ruined, From the Stacks | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Los Angeles Breakfast Club Dines on History

Posted on June 1, 2015 by lmharnisch

Leading up to the twentieth century, few social organizations existed, except for those of wealth or higher class, or working for a charitable organization. Most people attended a religious organization of some kind. Military veterans honored those who died in … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 25, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1930-31 Warner Bros. pre-code film “Illicit,” starring Barbara Stanwyck (Friday’s mystery woman) with James Rennie (Thursday’s mystery chap), Ricardo Cortez (not shown), Natalie Moorhead (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Charles Butterworth (Wednesday’s mystery chap), Joan Blondell … Continue reading →

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

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: San Francisco Silent Film Festival Celebrates 20 Years

Posted on May 25, 2015 by lmharnisch

“Sherlock Holmes” starring William Gillette, courtesy of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Conceived by Melissa Chittick and Stephen Salmons as a way to share the beauty of early cinema with the world, The San Francisco Silent Film Festival celebrates … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Francisco | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: ‘Black Dahlia’ Composer Bob Belden Dies at 58

Posted on May 21, 2015 by lmharnisch

Adam Parker of the Post and Courier is reporting the death of composer Bob Belden, who wrote the orchestral suite “Black Dahlia,” which was released on CD in 2001. If you’re not familiar with the suite, here’s a selection. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Music, Obituaries | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: ‘Black Dahlia’ Composer Bob Belden Dies at 58

Why Don’t Asians Wear Vintage?

Posted on May 20, 2015 by lmharnisch

We went through a vintage clothing phase in 1974 while at the University of Arizona and working on the Invisible Theatre play “Mad Dog Coll,” which was set in New York in the 1930s. Our vintage suits went back to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 18, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1915 picture “The Coward,” written by Thomas Ince and directed by Ince and Reginald Barker. It was shown in Los Angeles at Clune’s Auditorium in November 1915 with  Dorothy Gish and Wallace Reid … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 32 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Griffith Observatory Celebrates 80 Years of Reaching for the Stars

Posted on May 18, 2015 by lmharnisch

The cover of an undated brochure about Griffith Observatory, courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library Originally a dream of Los Angeles benefactor and convicted murderer “Colonel” Griffith J. Griffith, Griffith Observatory now stands as one of the city’s preeminent … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Parks | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments