Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

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

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on May 14, 2012 by lmharnisch

This photo of a horse-drawn hearse has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $250. Queen of the Dead – dateline May 14, 2012 •   One thing that none of the obits of Vidal Sassoon (who died at 84 on … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Fashion, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on May 12, 2012 by lmharnisch

Too easy? Well, it is Saturday….

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on May 10, 2012 by lmharnisch

And for Thursday, we have a fun-loving bunch of mystery guests! Update: This is Lila Leeds being pawed by a bunch of newsmen in a gag photo for the Los Angeles Press Club. Please congratulate Steven Bibb for identifying her. … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on May 9, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the amazing collection of Steven Bibb! Update: This is Doris Nolan. Please congratulate Mike Hawks (first) and Mary Mallory (second) for identifying her!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942

Posted on May 9, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 9, 1942: Allied forces fight the first what would be six major aircraft carrier battles with the Japanese, the next being the Battle of Midway. On the jump, a war map by Times artist Charles Owens, whom you may … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, LAPD, Obituaries, Stage, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942

Miles Corwin – ‘Midnight Alley’

Posted on May 8, 2012 by lmharnisch

The Daily Mirror stopped by Vroman’s in Pasadena on Sunday to hear our old friend and former Times colleague Miles Corwin discuss his latest book, “Midnight Alley.”

Posted in Books and Authors, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on May 7, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the amazing collection of Steven Bibb! Update: This is Cyril Cusack. Please congratulate Don Danard (first), Mike Hawks (second) and Megan Lee and Thom (third) for identifying him.

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

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on May 7, 2012 by lmharnisch

A 1968 Cadillac hearse attributed by the vendor to Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold has been listed on EBay. Queen of the Dead – dateline May 7, 2012 •  Two fashion models have left us. Lee Pepper Eliott, 86, died … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Times Wins Pulitzer for Public Service

Posted on May 4, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 5, 1942: The Times wins a Pulitzer Prize for public service. The prize was awarded after The Times fought contempt of court charges for publishing editorials on pending cases. The dispute began in 1938 when a group from the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on May 4, 2012 by lmharnisch

For Friday, we have another photo from the amazing collection of Steven Bibb! Please congratulate Xavier for identifying Patricia Knight!

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

For Mother’s Day – The Victory Bra

Posted on May 3, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 3, 1942: No, really. There was such a thing.

Posted in 1942, Fashion, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Snake Killer Dies on Gallows

Posted on May 2, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 2, 1942: Major Raymond Lisenba, better known as Robert S. “Rattlesnake” James, becomes the 214th and last person to be executed by hanging in California. James was hanged because the murder of his wife occurred in 1935, before the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Homicide, World War II | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments