Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

1944 on the Radio — ‘Information Please’ and ‘Screen Guild Theater,’ on Jan. 17, 1944

Posted on January 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1944 It’s Monday in 1944 and today we have: —“Information Please” hosted by Clifton Fadiman, with John Kieran, Franklin P. Adams, Oscar Levant and guest John P. Marquand, author of the current best-seller “So Little Time.” Bonus fact: … Continue reading →

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What to Expect in 1944

Posted on January 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 1, 1945: We jumped ahead to see what The Times considered the top stories of 1944, the year we’re going to focus on in 2014. The D-Day (current Times style being D-day) invasion is the most important story, followed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on What to Expect in 1944

Thank You for Your Patience During Our Technical Unpleasantness (Updated)

Posted on January 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

“System Disk Not Found.” Two Baltimore and Ohio freight trains in a head-on crash, Laurel, Md., July 31, 1922. Via Shorpy. What started out as an annoying but (seemingly) manageable technical problem with the ancient ENIAC in the L.A. Daily … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Transportation | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

Here’s a very sincere mystery woman, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 39 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Texaco Star Theater’ With Fred Allen, Jan. 16, 1944

Posted on January 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1944: It’s Sunday in 1944 and today we have: “Texaco Star Theater” with Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa and guest Mary Pickford. Allen talks about the Jan. 10, 1944, issue of Life magazine featuring photos of comedians. Also in … Continue reading →

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World War II on the Radio — The CBS News, Jan. 16, 1944

Posted on January 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1944: Clark Gable attends the launch of a Liberty ship named for Carole Lombard, who was killed in a Nevada plane crash. The CBS news, courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1944, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Fact-Checking ‘City of Nets’ — Uh-Oh

Posted on January 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

Back in the 1990s, when I began scrounging and scouring for everything I could find on Los Angeles in the 1940s in my research on the Black Dahlia case, I got a copy of Otto Friedrich’s 1986 book “City of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Books and Authors, Music | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

1944 in Print — Daily Mirror Newsstand, Jan. 15, 1944

Posted on January 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Top songs on the Hit Parade. No wonder all the radio shows are talking about “Paper Doll” and “Shoo-Shoo, Baby.” Via Billboard. Jan. 15, 1944 It’s Saturday in 1944 and therefore we have a new issue of the Saturday Review … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Command Performance,’ Jan. 15, 1944

Posted on January 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 15, 1944 It’s Saturday in 1944 and today we have: — “Command Performance” with Frances Langford, and Spike Jones and the City Slickers doing “Glow-Worm.” “Shoo-Shoo Baby” must have been a popular song in January 1944. It was on … Continue reading →

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Today is Jan. 15 — Trim Your Roses

Posted on January 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Today is Jan. 15, and the Daily Mirror marks the anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s death by pruning back the roses.

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Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

The flying paster jumped a sprocket in the Daily Mirror’s press line yesterday and we spent most of the day trying to repair the damage. We are limping along today on our backup equipment and should be up and running … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 24 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Amos ‘N’ Andy,’ Jan. 14, 1944

Posted on January 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 14, 1944 It’s Friday in 1944 and today, “Amos ‘N’ Andy” with guest Adolphe Menjou. Courtesy of Archive.org.

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Rediscovering Los Angeles — The Baker Block’s Grand Staircase

Posted on January 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 2, 1936: Here’s a treasure — a drawing of the grand staircase in the Baker Block. I have seen pictures of the exterior before, but never anything of the interior. Columnist Timothy Turner writes that the staircase is worn … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Architecture, Art & Artists, Columnists, Downtown, Main Street, Nuestro Pueblo | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo — Makeup Edition

Posted on January 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Eve Golden pointed out that the mystery woman I posted earlier today was a repeat from last month. (I thought I might have used her but I couldn’t locate the post.) Anyway, forget her, and my apologies. Here’s a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo — Nevermind Edition

Posted on January 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Sorry, as Eve Golden points out, this lady is a repeat. I thought I recognized her but I couldn’t find the post. Comments are closed. I’ll notify those who got her right. For Monday, here’s a mystery woman, courtesy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Whisky a Go Go Opens, Jan. 15, 1964

Posted on January 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

The Whisky a Go Go at Sunset Boulevard and Clark Street via Google Street View. Trentham Roberts, the proprietor of “The ‘60s at 50” blog, has an entry on the opening of Whisky a Go Go on Jan. 15, 1964.

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1944 on the Radio — ‘Ellery Queen’ and ‘Kraft Music Hall,” Jan. 13, 1944

Posted on January 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 13, 1944 It’s Thursday in 1944, and today we have: — “Forgery and Murder” on “Challenge of the Yukon.”  Courtesy of Archive.org. — “The Adventure of the Mischief-Maker” on “Ellery Queen, Master Detective.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — ‘Kraft Music … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘The Key to Hollywood’ Promotes Tourism

Posted on January 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Sightseeing has long been the lifeblood of Hollywood and Los Angeles. Long before Gray Line Tours or even any of its poorer knockoffs came along, companies offered sightseeing around these areas, particularly those neighborhoods where movie stars or celebrities were … Continue reading →

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

1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge

Posted on January 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 12, 1944: Here’s Kay Kyser and the Kollege of Musical Knowledge. Courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1944, Music, Radio | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

To Serve and to Collect — LAPD on EBay

Posted on January 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

An Ebay vendor is selling random issues of the LAPD’s Police Beat magazine from 1962 to 1967, including this issue featuring Chief William H. Parker, presumably honoring Parker after his death in 1966. Bidding starts at $16.95.

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