Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Black Dahlia: Janice Knowlton Rants

Posted on September 18, 2015 by lmharnisch

As I noted previously, I have been digitizing all my notes, audio cassettes and videos. Today, I came across a recording of a 1997 voicemail message from the late Janice Knowlton, who made increasingly bizarre claims about her father, the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1997, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

David Scholer: ‘Living With Cancer’ 10 Years Later

Posted on September 18, 2015 by lmharnisch

    Sept. 18 marks the 10th anniversary of the Rev. David Scholer’s sermon “Living With Cancer.” David was a good friend and New Testament scholar at Fuller Theological Seminary who spoke frankly about his terminal illness as viewed through … Continue reading →

Posted in 2005, Obituaries, Religion | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on David Scholer: ‘Living With Cancer’ 10 Years Later

Parkey Sharkey’s ‘Whiskey Road’

Posted on September 15, 2015 by lmharnisch

A copy of Parkey Sharkey’s “Whiskey Road” has been listed on EBay. Many people believe that Sharkey was invented by Mirror/Times columnist Paul Coates. He was for real. Bidding on “Whiskey Road” starts at $24.95. ALSO Paul Coates on Parkey … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Found on EBay | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Parkey Sharkey’s ‘Whiskey Road’

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywood Cemetery Battles to Offer Place of Eternal Rest

Posted on September 14, 2015 by lmharnisch

  Hollywood Cemetery, the Los Angeles Herald, May 21, 1905. For over 115 years, Hollywood Cemetery, or what is now Hollywood Forever Cemetery, has offered a bucolic place of eternal rest for those finding their everlasting reward. The first constructed … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on September 14, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1945 Ealing Studios film “Dead of Night,” a supernatural thriller consisting of five separate stories and a sixth story that ties them together. Robert Osborne mentioned it recently in introducing “Went the Day … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 55 Comments

Hector Tobar: ‘Deep Down Dark’

Posted on September 13, 2015 by lmharnisch

Hector Tobar, with Carolina Miranda of The Times, discusses “Deep Down Dark” at the Last Bookstore, photo courtesy of the Last Bookstore. We stopped by  the Last Bookstore last night to hear our old friend and former colleague Hector Tobar … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, 2014, Books and Authors, History | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hector Tobar: ‘Deep Down Dark’

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Cinecon 51 Presents Entertaining and Eclectic Films

Posted on September 12, 2015 by lmharnisch

Douglas Fairbanks in “Wild and Woolly,” Photoplay, 1917. Another Cinecon has come and go, but left behind memories of rare film, good friends, and fun times. This year’s festival featured a mix of silent drama and rollicking movie musicals, and … Continue reading →

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

Black Dahlia: Going Digital

Posted on September 11, 2015 by lmharnisch

  I am slowly digitizing all the interviews I have conducted into Los Angeles in the 1940s and it’s so nice to hear them again. This week, I did Fred Okrand (d. 2002) of the ACLU; Betty Rowland, the 1940s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, City Hall, History | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: The Zulu Hut – Studio City’s First Programmatic Architecture

Posted on September 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

  The Zulu Hut, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Thanks to California’s inventive motion picture industry, eccentric, eye-catching examples of vernacular architecture took off in the 1920s. Though around for decades, vernacular or programmatic architecture hit its stride in the 1920s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Historians’ Tools: Archiving Email With MailStore

Posted on September 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

  Much of the research I have done on the Black Dahlia case has been conducted via email, and after almost 20 years, I have quite a lot of it. I have tried to be diligent in backing up my … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, History, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Historians’ Tools: Archiving Email With MailStore

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on September 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

  This week’s mystery movie was the 1936 MGM picture “Small Town Girl,” starring Janet Gaynor and Robert Taylor. It featured Binnie Barnes, Andy Devine, Lewis Stone, Elizabeth Patterson, Frank Craven and James Stewart. It was directed by William A. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 63 Comments

Larry Gelbart’s Rare ‘My L.A.’ Revue – Found on EBay

Posted on September 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

I rarely brag about a find on EBay, but this is something special. This is sheet music from the ultra-obscure 1951 musical revue that took its title from Matt Weinstock’s “My L.A.” The production  — note the name of Larry … Continue reading →

Posted in 1951, Found on EBay, Theaters | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Random Shot: Isabelle Yates in ‘Axis Powers’

Posted on August 31, 2015 by lmharnisch

Snapped this photo last week during filming outside the Los Angeles Theatre.

Posted in Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on August 31, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1944 Warner Bros. picture “The Conspirators,” with Hedy Lamarr and Paul Henreid (Friday’s mystery guests), Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre (Friday’s mystery guests), Victor Francen, Joseph Calleia (Thursday’s mystery guest), Carol Thurston, Vladimir Sokoloff, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 43 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Sins of Hollywood – Tinseltown’s First Sordid Look at Scandal

Posted on August 31, 2015 by lmharnisch

“The Sins of Hollywood,” via Archive.org. From its very beginnings, the motion picture industry has endured protests and censorship attacks from conservative members of the American public, those scandalized at seeing women given the right to be heroines, use of … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on August 24, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery production was the 1961 “Perry Mason” episode “The Case of the Envious Editor,” which deals with the publisher (James Coburn) of a magazine company who tries to boost its declining circulation by pandering to the lowest common … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 64 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Theatre Mechanique: Little Theatre, Big Heart

Posted on August 24, 2015 by lmharnisch

Theatre has enlightened and entertained audiences for centuries as it weaves the tales of life and love through both the comedic and dramatic talents of myriad actors. While most stage acting involves the danger and electricity of live performance, sometimes … Continue reading →

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

Merl Reagle: Bonus Crossword Puzzles to Remember an Old Friend

Posted on August 23, 2015 by lmharnisch

Merl Reagle in 1974 for the Invisible Theatre production of “Mad Dog.” I kept asking him why he didn’t write parts for himself and he said if he had wanted to, he would have done it. Original photo by Tim … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

A Brief Delay

Posted on August 20, 2015 by lmharnisch

The Daily Mirror thanks its readers in advance for their patience.

Posted in Coming Attractions | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Black Dahlia: Portrait of ‘Not Elizabeth Short’ for Sale on EBay

Posted on August 18, 2015 by lmharnisch

An EBay vendor has listed this portrait by Eleanor Merriam Lukits, stating that it “looks like Black Dahlia Elizabeth Short.” Actually, no. The work appears to be skillfully done, but it’s not Elizabeth Short and doesn’t look like her. But … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Found on EBay | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments