Author Archives: lmharnisch

Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

1944 in Print — Life Magazine, Jan. 3, 1944

Posted on January 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 3, 1944: Google has thoughtfully scanned Life magazine for 1944. Here’s the first issue of the year.

Posted in 1945, History, Hollywood, Photography, World War II | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Harvey Glatman: The Early Years — Part 2

Posted on January 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

Aug. 26, 1946: Harvey Glatman is arraigned on robbery charges in Albany, N.Y. When he was still a teenager, Harvey Glatman was already displaying the behavior that led to the deaths of three Southern California women in the 1950s and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, 1946, 1957, 1958, 1959, Homicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Harvey Glatman: The Early Years — Part 2

What Happened to the Lindbergh Beacon on L.A. City Hall?

Posted on January 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

Joining us in our question,  blogger Militant Angeleno also asks “What happened to the Lindbergh Beacon on City Hall?” The Militant says: “Leaving the Lindbergh Beacon off during the holiday season makes Huell Howser’s angel cry.” Here’s video.

Posted in Architecture, City Hall, Downtown, Spring Street | Tagged , , | Comments Off on What Happened to the Lindbergh Beacon on L.A. City Hall?

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

And for Tuesday, a mystery woman, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

1944 the Year in Radio — ‘Texaco Star Theater’ With Fred Allen

Posted on January 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 2, 1944: “Texaco Star Theater” with Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa and violinist Albert Spalding. Courtesy of archive.org.

Posted in 1944, Radio | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 1944 the Year in Radio — ‘Texaco Star Theater’ With Fred Allen

Harvey Glatman: The Early Years — Part I

Posted on January 2, 2014 by lmharnisch

Aug. 27, 1946: Harvey Glatman in the Yonkers, N.Y., Herald Statesman. Whenever I am contacted by TV producers about appearing on a crime show, I always caution them that I’m a specialist not a generalist. I don’t do Sal Mineo, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, 1957, 1958, 1959, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Television | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Harvey Glatman: The Early Years — Part I

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

And here’s our first mystery photo of the new year, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

1944 in Print — The L.A. Daily Mirror Newsstand, January 1944

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

January 1944 Weird Tales, for sale on EBay at $49.99. I had so much fun adding radio broadcasts for Christmas 1943 that I thought I would add radio shows throughout the year, on the days that they aired in 1944 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Challenge of the Yukon’

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 1, 1944: And so we start with our experiment of going through 1944 on the radio, beginning with “Challenge of the Yukon,” a 15-minute program later named “Sgt. Preston of the Yukon.” Courtesy of archive.org.

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

Rediscovering Los Angeles — A Japanese Garden

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

Feb. 17, 1936: I think this may be my favorite entry so far. Times artist Charles Owens and columnist Timothy Turner visit a Japanese flower shop on San Pedro Street north of 1st Street, which was converted by Toyo Y. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Art & Artists, Downtown, Nuestro Pueblo | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Baby Boomer Cultural Intervention!

Posted on December 31, 2013 by lmharnisch

An anonymous drawing of Cafe de Leche found in Cafe de Leche. I am at Cafe de Leche in Highland Park this morning and a little while ago I heard the woman at the next table tell her companion that … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated)

Posted on December 31, 2013 by lmharnisch

And for the last mystery photo of 2013, we have this New Year’s Eve mystery woman. Yes, it’s Gloria Swanson. And why would there be a photo of Gloria Swanson on New Year’s Eve? To reference this scene, set on … Continue reading →

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

Stories of the Year — 1943

Posted on December 31, 2013 by lmharnisch

Happy New Year’s Eve 1943 from the pen of Ernie Bushmiller! Dec. 31, 1943: The Times lists the top stories of 1943. For Los Angeles, that included Zoot Suit Riots (June 7), the 48-hour work week (July 21) and Frank … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on December 30, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s Monday’s mystery chap, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Studio City Revolves Around Movies

Posted on December 30, 2013 by lmharnisch

The Studio City Theatre, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Celebrities and movies have existed as an integral part of Studio City’s economic life from its very beginning. Established as a motion picture district in 1928, Studio City would see entertainment-related businesses … Continue reading →

Posted in 1938, Film, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, Theaters | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Abbotwares Radio – Kitschiana!

Posted on December 28, 2013 by lmharnisch

An Abbotwares radio, known as “Atwater Kent’s love child from a drunken night in a trophy shop,” has been listed on EBay. Usually these radios, which were made in Los Angeles, take the form of horses (or the elusive Hula … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Found on EBay, Radio | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Christmas With a P-40 Squadron, 1943

Posted on December 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

Dec. 27, 1943: The British sink the Nazi battleship Scharnhorst off the coast of Norway. With the loss of the Scharnhorst, and the sinking of the Bismarck in 1941, the Nazis were left with the Tirpitz, the sister ship of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Columnists, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Posted on December 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

Just in time for New Year’s, we’ll take a look at a “lost drink,” making a brief inquiry into San Francisco’s Pisco Punch, made famous by Bank Exchange saloon owner Duncan Nicol (often spelled Nichol or Nicoll), who  died in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, 1934, 1939, Food and Drink, San Francisco | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Slaughter at Bob’s Big Boy, Part II

Posted on December 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

1980 was a bloody year in Los Angeles, with more than 1,000 killings for the first time in its history. For the LAPD, homicides increased 30% from 1979 to 1,038 in 1980.  The Sheriff’s Department also a reported a 7.9% … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Slaughter at Bob’s Big Boy, Part II

LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files — Slaughter at Bob’s Big Boy

Posted on December 26, 2013 by lmharnisch

  Suspect 1, DR-80-585-895 Suspect 2, DR-80-585-895 Dec. 14, 1980: The takeover robbery of Bob’s Big Boy at 1845 S. La Cienega Blvd. was part of a rising tide of violence in the 1980s. As The Times noted, “the latest … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980, Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | 2 Comments