Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

May 20, 1939: Flocks of Sheep Near City Hall

Posted on May 20, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 20, 1939: Bernard Folco grazes his flock of sheep on hillsides north of Alhambra Boulevard, two miles from City Hall. Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia Book Club for May 2026

Posted on May 19, 2026 by lmharnisch

In this month’s Black Dahlia Book Club, I discuss Jack Webb’s 1958 book “The Badge” and its portrayal of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia. Continue reading →

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May 19, 1939: Soldier Killed, Hundreds Hurt in Holy Land Riots

Posted on May 19, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 19, 1939: A British soldier is killed and at least 200 are injured by rioting in the Holy Land as Jews protest Britain’s plan for Palestine. Also a talking pelican with a machine gun. Continue reading →

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May 18, 1947: Friends Raise Money to Buy Prosthetic Legs for Boy Injured by Unexploded Bazooka Shell

Posted on May 18, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 18, 1947: Jackie Cooper and his friend Lee Seely are being treated after an April 26 blast that occurred when one of the boys dropped an unexploded bazooka shell that someone found at Seal Beach. Lee was hit in the abdomen with shrapnel and Jackie’s legs were amputated. Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 18, 2026 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious surgeon — yes, another one! Continue reading →

Posted in 1940, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments

May 16, 1908: Wanted — Home for 1,000 Ostriches!

Posted on May 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 16, 1908: The Cawston Ostrich Farm of South Pasadena is seeking 250-500 acres, suitable for planting alfalfa, within 100 miles of Los Angeles to be a home for 1,000 ostriches. Continue reading →

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May 14, 1909: Man Swallows Carbolic Acid on Streetcar, Battles Conductor Before Dying

Posted on May 14, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 14, 1909: A man swallows carbolic acid on a streetcar, smashes windows and battles the conductor and motorman before dying. Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: Teaser for Video Disproving Alleged Dahlia-Zodiac Link and ‘Cracking’ Zodiac’s Z13

Posted on May 13, 2026 by lmharnisch

YouTube teaser for David Oranchak’s video refuting Alex Baber’s claims that he has “solved” Zodiac’s Z13 cipher, and linked the Black Dahlia and Zodiac cases. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, May 13, 1944

Posted on May 13, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 13, 1944: Louella Parsons says that D.W. Griffith is so impressed with Preston Sturges’ “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek,” that Griffith sent Sturges a treatment of Louis Bromfield’s “Up Ferguson Way,” at the insistence of Lillian Gish. Continue reading →

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May 13, 1908: Work to Begin on Streetcar Tunnel to Ease Traffic

Posted on May 13, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 13, 1908: Work will begin on a Hill Street tunnel for streetcars in an attempt to ease traffic congestion, showing that traffic problems in Los Angeles are more than a century old. Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia Book Club – Coming May 19, 2026

Posted on May 12, 2026 by lmharnisch

Reminder: I will discuss Jack Webb’s 1958 book “The Badge” and the “Dragnet” radio show in the next session of the Black Dahlia Book Club, Tuesday, May 19, at 10 a.m. Pacific time at http://www.youtube.com/@lmharnisch/streams Continue reading →

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May 12, 1908: Stanford Officials Open Unmarked Graves

Posted on May 12, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 12: 1908: “The Christ Kid” gets his nickname from posing as a preacher to the homeless whenever police are looking for him. Continue reading →

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May 12, 1907: History Deals a Deadly Hand

Posted on May 12, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 12, 1907: A train wreck north of Point Conception kills more than 30 people heading home from the Shriners convention in Los Angeles. Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 11, 2026 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Continue reading →

Posted in 1920, Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

May 9, 1959: Family Evicted From Chavez Ravine

Posted on May 9, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 9, 1959: In an encore post, a brief look at the eviction of the Arechiga family from their home in Chavez Ravine. Continue reading →

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May 9, 1907: Shriners Present a Colorful Array

Posted on May 9, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 9, 1907: The Shriners convention in Los Angeles was a huge gathering, it’s why Shrine Auditorium (the original, later destroyed in a fire) was built. Continue reading →

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May 8, 1947: Mixed Marriage Was Illegal, Louisiana Court Rules, Ordering Woman to Vacate Home for New Owner

Posted on May 8, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 8, 1947: A Louisiana court orders a Black woman to vacate her home of 28 years because her estranged husband, who was white, wanted to sell the home. The court ruled that they had never been married because interracial marriages were illegal. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Crime and Courts, Real Estate | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

May 7, 1938: Remembering Jack Parsons

Posted on May 7, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 7, 1938: Jack Parsons displays his re-creation of the pipe bomb used in the Harry Raymond bombing. In 1952, Parsons was fatally injured by an explosion in his garage. Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: San Francisco Silent Film Festival, Where True Art Transcends Time

Posted on May 6, 2026 by lmharnisch

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival returns to the newly renovated Castro Theatre May 6 through 10 for a trip back in time and history, with screenings of newly restored and classic movies from around the worlld. These films transport … Continue reading →

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May 6, 1944: Woman’s Body Found in Trunk at Union Station

Posted on May 6, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 6, 1944: A trunk wrapped with wire and tied with rope arrives at Union Station, where people notice that it is leaking — and smells. Sent to the repair department for inspection, the trunk was opened, revealing a woman’s body wrapped in a sheet. Continue reading →

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