Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Black Dahlia: The Non-Smoking Gun – George Hodel Files Part 3

Posted on February 9, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s the third installment of the Non-Smoking Gun for Feb. 20, 1950. Are you bored with this yet? Phone rang 12 times —  No answer! Ellen enters –- turns on radio – Mexican program!!!!! The George Hodel files Part 1 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1950, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood, LAPD | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: The Non-Smoking Gun – George Hodel Files Part 2

Posted on February 8, 2013 by lmharnisch

And here is the second installment of the Non-Smoking Gun for Feb. 19, 1950. Can you stand the tedium? The George Hodel files Part 1  

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Black Dahlia: The Non-Smoking Gun – George Hodel Files Part 1

Posted on February 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

OK, I’m fed up with all sorts of claims about what is in the transcript of the bugs placed at Dr. George Hodel’s house, so I’m going to start posting them, a bit every day. Here’s the first installment, from … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1950, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Black Dahlia: Wondering About Buster the Wonder Dog

Posted on February 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

Then there are the sites that throw out any pretense of skepticism and flatly state that “Buster the Wonder Dog” is solving the Black Dahlia case. Like this one by Debbie Emery for Radaronline.com George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel on the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1950, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Good Fellows Grotto – Found on EBay

Posted on February 6, 2013 by lmharnisch

At left, Good Fellows Grotto on Main Street in Los Angeles in a photo from the restaurant’s menu. Somebody swiped a teapot from Good Fellows Grotto, the famed Los Angeles restaurant. It’s listed on EBay with bids starting at $78.

Posted in Architecture, Food and Drink, Found on EBay, Main Street | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Good Fellows Grotto – Found on EBay

Black Dahlia: Publicity Hounds Wag the Dog Over Purported Death Scene

Posted on February 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

It’s been interesting to watch the news media’s reaction to Buster the cadaver dog’s cavorting at the Sowden House.  Most of the coverage is single-source or two-source reporting with no counterbalance. I haven’t seen any reaction from  the LAPD or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Smallpox Epidemic – Los Angeles, Feb. 7, 1863

Posted on February 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

Read the entire Feb. 7, 1863, edition of the Los Angeles Star from the Huntington Library, scanned by USC. Feb. 7 1863: The coroner holds an inquest in the killing of Christian Hutt. George Wright, the father of accused killer … Continue reading →

Posted in 1863, Animals, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Medicine | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on February 4, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s our mystery chap for Monday…

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Charles Butterworth, Professional Silly Ass

Posted on February 4, 2013 by lmharnisch

Comedy in films has evolved in over a century of production. Beginning with rather crude and slapstick humor, easily understood by immigrants, the film industry developed increasingly sophisticated styles of comedy as it matured. Drawing-room comedies of the mid- to … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Black Dahlia: The Non-Smoking Gun – George Hodel Files

Posted on February 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

Much has been written about the transcripts of the law enforcement bugging of Dr. George “Evil Genius” Hodel’s house, but the material is actually pretty dull. Here are some sample pages, chosen at random, published in their entirety. There’s more. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: Can’t Anybody Get This Story Right?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

Writers who are unfamiliar with the Black Dahlia case have a terrible time keeping the facts straight, as shown in the latest coverage by Christine Pelisek in the Daily Beast. There are the common mistakes and one can almost track … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia – Another Good Story Ruined (Updated)

Posted on February 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

Let me say this again. This photo is a fake. The actual Daily News front page for Jan. 15, 1947,  looks like this.

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel and the Black Dahlia – Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on February 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

Look who fell for the fake Daily News front page. Yes, it’s a fake. There are about a thousand things I would prefer to do besides shoot holes in the latest installment of the Dr. George “Evil Genius” Hodel franchise. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Architecture, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Architectural Rambling on Lemoyne Street in Echo Park

Posted on February 1, 2013 by lmharnisch

Above: 1548 Lemoyne St. via Google Street View. A vendor has posted photos of 1548 Lemoyne St. in Echo Park on EBay. Personally, I prefer the way it looked in 1911. Bidding starts at $12.99.

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C.C. Pierce — Found on EBay

Posted on January 31, 2013 by lmharnisch

A vendor has listed a good number of C.C. Pierce photos on EBay. As I have written before, Pierce was a prolific photographer who added work by other photographers to his own collection. What I find particularly interesting about them … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on C.C. Pierce — Found on EBay

How Not to Wear a Hat – Film Noir Edition (Updated ++)

Posted on January 29, 2013 by lmharnisch

This mystery gent has a rather crushed chapeau.

Posted in Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 33 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 28, 2013 by lmharnisch

Today’s mystery folks are from the collection of Mary Mallory. Thanks, Mary! Please congratulate Bob Hansen, Mike Hawks and Tim Doherty for identifying our mystery gal. And thanks to Mary for sharing a mystery photo.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Pressbooks to Sell Movies

Posted on January 28, 2013 by lmharnisch

From the beginning of the motion picture industry, film companies devised all types of advertising to entice consumers to buy movie tickets. Posters, lobby cards and window displays, glass slides, sheet music and photographs could be employed by exhibitors to … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

LAPD Officer Kicks News Photographer, Delays Beebe Inquest

Posted on January 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

Jan. 13, 1943: The inquest in the death of Stanley H. Beebe, who was fatally injured in a beating by LAPD officers, is halted when Officer John Yates kicks Herald-Express photographer Edward Phillips in the groin. Recall that it was … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

On Location: The May Co.

Posted on January 23, 2013 by lmharnisch

A little of Loretta Young (featured this month on TCM) goes a long way at the Daily Mirror HQ, but I noticed these shots of a department store in “Employees’ Entrance” and they reminded me of the sequence in “Public … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Architecture, Broadway, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments