Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

A Look at Paul Revere Williams

Posted on November 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: “Paul Revere Williams: A Legend in Architecture.” Credit: Dave Kelly My Times colleague Scott Harrison digs up some archival photos from the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Chris Carola of the Associated Press takes a look at the … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Architecture, Crime and Courts, Museums | Tagged | 1 Comment

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on November 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: A “Nightmare Before Christmas” hearse/snow globes listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $275.   Queen of the Dead—dateline November 7, 2011 •  If you loved Green Acres as much as I did (and if you didn’t, why not?) you … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Fashion, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Found on EBay – Marilyn Monroe

Posted on November 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

This negative (I’ve converted it to a positive), which the vendor says shows Marilyn Monroe at a Hollywood party in the 1950s, has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $499. I certainly wouldn’t pay that kind of money for … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Marilyn Monroe

History and Obituaries in the News

Posted on November 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

My Times colleague Connie Stewart has a nice piece about the Fenelon Place Elevator in her hometown of Dubuque, Iowa. Times obituary writer Elaine Woo profiles Cahuilla Indian leader Katherine Siva Saubel, one of the few speakers of the Cahuilla … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Native Americans, Obituaries | Tagged , , | Comments Off on History and Obituaries in the News

Coming Up on the Daily Mirror: Pearl Harbor

Posted on November 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Dec. 8, 1941: Pearl Harbor is about a month away, so I thought it would be illuminating to focus on the days leading up to the U.S. entry into World War II. Hope you like it. Ready for the swing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Front Pages, World War II | Tagged , | Comments Off on Coming Up on the Daily Mirror: Pearl Harbor

An Important Reminder From the Daily Mirror

Posted on November 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Pier Angeli and friend remind Daily Mirror readers to switch to standard time on Sunday. Or as William Safire said: “Fall is the time of year that conservatives like best because they get to turn the clock back.”

Posted in Photography, Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

Test Pilot Dies as P-38 Crashes Into Glendale House, Nov. 5, 1941

Posted on November 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Witnesses said the twin-engined, double fuselaged ship was booming westerward at near-maximum speed (unofficially reported to be between 400 and 500 mph) when the duralumin tail assembly “simply floated away.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Aviation, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Found on EBay – Clifton’s Pacific Seas

Posted on November 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: 618 S. Olive via Google’s Street View. This postcard of Clifton’s Pacific Seas (d. 1960), postmarked 1947, has been listed on EBay. The Pacific Seas was at 618 S. Olive and was torn down to make – a parking … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1960, Downtown, Found on EBay, Interior Design, Nightclubs, Preservation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++++]

Posted on November 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

And for Thursday, here’s another mystery chap! Update: This is Nils Asther (d. 1981) 

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

Posted on November 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 3, 1941: Tom Treanor goes to a dance at the Glendale Civic Auditorium for swing shift workers, about 5,000 of them, from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Most of the couples are married, he says, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Dance, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

Found on EBay — The Watsons

Posted on November 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

A copy of “Quick Watson, the Camera,” a collection of news photos by the Watson brothers, has been listed on EBay. The book was edited by the late Delmar Watson, a former photographer for the Mirror – and a notorious … Continue reading →

Posted in Found on EBay, Photography | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Update +]

Posted on November 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s today’s mystery chap, courtesy of Steven Bibb. [Update: For some reason, WordPress isn’t allowing comments on this post. I’ll see if I can fix it.] [Update 2: This is Cliff Danielson. Sorry for the delayed answer but the Daily … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Movieland Mystery Photo [Update +]

Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

Posted on October 31, 2011 by lmharnisch

This remarkably dazzling tie from Oviatt’s has been listed on EBay. Oviatt’s was one of the leading menswear stores in Los Angeles and is the subject of the 2008 documentary  “The Oviatt Building” by Marc Chevalier and Seth Shulman. Bidding starts … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Fashion, Found on EBay | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on October 31, 2011 by lmharnisch

[Update: This is Sandra Storme. Please congratulate Mike Hawks for identifying her.] Here’s today’s mystery gal, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on October 31, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: 1993 Cadillac Hearse for sale on EBay, listed as Buy It Now for $4,700. Queen of the Dead—dateline October 31, 2011 •  105-year-old British stage actress Norrie Woodhall died on Oct. 25. She was the last surviving member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Stage | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Found on EBay – ‘The Gold Rush’

Posted on October 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

A program from the 1925 showing of “The Gold Rush” at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre has been listed on EBay. This item has been removed from a scrapbook and frankly we have mixed feelings about that. Antique dealers who cannibalize mementos … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Theaters | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Monsters of the Silver Screen Commemorative Bills

Posted on October 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

OK, it’s only the Onion. But it’s cool. And just in time for Halloween.

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | Comments Off on Monsters of the Silver Screen Commemorative Bills

L.A. Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on October 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

Well? Any ideas? This is the floor of the Bradbury Building.  I took a picture of it during an art class given Saturday by Marion Eisenmann, known to Daily Mirror readers through the Artist’s Notebook. Marion asked me to make … Continue reading →

Posted in 1893, Architecture, Art & Artists, Interior Design, Marion Eisenmann, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Coming Attractions: This Week on the Daily Mirror

Posted on October 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

On Monday, Eve Golden will have her roundup of unusual obituaries in Queen of the Dead, and in Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory will take a look at Photoplayers – mechanical instruments that smaller theaters used to accompany silent films. Other … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, Eve Golden, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Coming Attractions: This Week on the Daily Mirror

Paul McCartney Rescues Motown Museum’s Steinway

Posted on October 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Stone chopping tool from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Credit: “A History of the World in 100 Objects.” Last year, BBC4 aired a program that tried to compress the history of the world into the stories of 100 artifacts from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Museums, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Paul McCartney Rescues Motown Museum’s Steinway