Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on May 27, 2012 by lmharnisch

Death Takes a Holiday Your faithful correspondent is in Paris this week, touring the morgue and the catacombs, having absinthe with bohemians, and going for a fitting at M. Dior’s.

Posted in Eve Golden, Queen of the Dead | 1 Comment

Met Takes Masterworks Off Display for the Duration

Posted on May 26, 2012 by lmharnisch

When Milton Caniff hasn’t filled up the panel with dialogue balloons – which is most of the time – he’s quite a dramatic artist. May 26, 1942: Edwin Schallert visits New York and writes about a promotional tour for “Yankee … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Dark Side of Rosie the Riveter

Posted on May 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 25, 1942: Tom Treanor, who was killed covering World War II, visits a munitions factory and writes about women in the workplace. Interviewing a foreman, Treanor says: I asked him him how he stood it bossing 150 women doing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Nuestro Pueblo, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++++]

Posted on May 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

Our mystery guest, at left, with a mystery companion, who had a nasty experience with an artist’s paintbrush. Update: As most people realized, this is Frank Albertson with Sally O’Neil in “The Brat.”

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 41 Comments

Thursdays @ The Globe

Posted on May 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

We had a nice turnout yesterday for the Thursdays at the Globe discussion of the downtown renaissance and vintage crime. Several guests were longtime Angelenos and shared their recollections of the city’s history, including the architecture, the streetcars and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Nightclubs, Preservation | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Hollywood Notes

Posted on May 24, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 24, 1942: Duesenberg for sale (sigh). Read Kendall has the story of Pvt. Kenneth Arlen, a screen extra whose final job involved getting a kiss from Judy Garland as she finished singing “Over There” in “For Me and My … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hollywood Notes

Japanese Man’s Suicide Note: ‘My Country Goes Greatly Wrong’

Posted on May 23, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 23, 1942: Iyamma Satos uses three neckties to hang himself in Elysian Park. His suicide note reads: “My country goes greatly wrong. I cannot face my good friend America anymore, so I had to die. Please bury me quietly.”

Posted in 1942, Parks, Suicide, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Accused Killer, Shot in Courtroom, Convicted as He Dies

Posted on May 22, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 22, 1942: As the prosecutor finished his closing arguments in the trial of Mazo Shepherd, accused of killing a taxi driver, the victim’s nephew walked up to Shepherd and shot him in the head. Shepherd was taken from the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Homicide | Tagged | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

Posted on May 21, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the amazing collection of Steven Bibb! [Update: This is Claire Luce. Please congratulate Dewey Webb and Mike Hawks for identifying her.]

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on May 21, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: A 2003 Cadillac hearse listed on EBay, with bids starting at $18,900. Queen of the Dead – dateline May 21, 2012 •   Restaurateur (The Forge and The Glen in Tulsa), racecar driver, military historian and coffee heir (McLaughlin’s Coffee … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Music, Nightclubs, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | 5 Comments

Guest Mystery Photo

Posted on May 20, 2012 by lmharnisch

Graeme Fernie, a reader in Australia, sends along this mystery photo that he found in an album that includes images of San Francisco. He says it’s labeled San Juan. Other scans from the photo album are here.

Posted in Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged | 9 Comments

Coming Attractions – Vintage Crime, May 24

Posted on May 19, 2012 by lmharnisch

I’m going to be appearing in next week’s Thursdays @ The Globe gathering at The Times at noon on May 24. Jessica Gelt and Julie Makinen are going to talk about the downtown hipster renaissance. I will be on hand … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Coming Attractions, LAPD | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

N.Y. Bans Night Baseball!

Posted on May 19, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 19, 1942: It’s officially straw hat season in Los Angeles, so men, dump that felt chapeau and get yourself a nice Panama. Lee Shippey writes that the evacuation of the Japanese has forced many (white) Angelenos to get back … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Baseball, Columnists, Comics, Fashion, Lee Shippey, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Officer in Harry Raymond Bombing Dies in San Quentin

Posted on May 18, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 18, 1942: Former Police Officer Roy J. Allen, who was convicted with Earle Kynette in the 1938 Harry Raymond bombing, dies in the hospital at San Quentin. He was 38. More on the Harry Raymond bombing Charlie Chaplin’s “The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1938, 1942, Comics, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Officer in Harry Raymond Bombing Dies in San Quentin

Pilot Lands P-38 Between Venice, Ocean Park Piers

Posted on May 17, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 17, 1942: Lt. William K. Long lands his P-38, with smoke pouring from one of the engines, between the Venice and Ocean Park piers. “Then, swimming a short distance through deep water, he waded ashore,” The Times said. Philip … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Music, Mystery Photo, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo – Newsboy Cap Edition V [Updated]

Posted on May 16, 2012 by lmharnisch

Look what I found! A mystery fellow in a newsboy cap! How to Wear a Hat – Newsboy Cap Edition How to Wear a Hat — ‘Grapes of Wrath’ Edition Movieland Mystery Photo – Newsboy Cap Edition I Movieland Mystery … Continue reading →

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

Wife Stabs Abusive Husband to Death as Children Sleep

Posted on May 16, 2012 by lmharnisch

Tips on how to tell Chinese (allies!) from Japanese (enemies!) by cartoonist Milton Caniff. May 16, 1942:  Earl Blaisure came home drunk at 2:30 a.m., picked up his .22 rifle and pointed at his wife, Molly, the latest in what … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Comics, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Wife Stabs Abusive Husband to Death as Children Sleep

Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Posted on May 15, 2012 by lmharnisch

This Batchelder soap dish has been listed on EBay. Of all the Batchelder items that I have seen on EBay over the years, I don’t recall one of these. Bidding starts at $49.

Posted in Art & Artists, Batchelder Tile, Found on EBay, Interior Design | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Caltech Students Hold Drag Beauty Contest

Posted on May 15, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 15, 1942: In a typical publicity stunt, someone from showman Earl Carroll’s operation offered to select Caltech’s beauty queen. Nobody told them that the campus was all-male (oooh girls can’t be engineers!). So the young men decided to have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Education, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Suicide, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Caltech Students Hold Drag Beauty Contest

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on May 14, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the amazing collection of Steven Bibb! Our mystery guest is a stumper. I’ll leave him up another day to give the stragglers a chance. Update: This is Deems Taylor, the music critic and narrator of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments