Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on November 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery fellow, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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

Man Says He Shot Wife With ‘Unloaded’ Rifle

Posted on November 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: The 600 block of West 87th Street via Google’s Street View. Nov. 10, 1941: A week after Kenneth and Betty met at a malt shop, the 20-year-olds drove to Yuma, Ariz., to get married. They moved in with his … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Religion | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Found on EBay – Ambassador Hotel

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

This postcard of the Ambassador Hotel has been listed on EBay. Wouldn’t it be neat to go there? Oh wait – we let L.A. Unified tear it down. Bidding starts at $5.

Posted in Architecture, Found on EBay, Preservation | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

In Praise of Libraries

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Take a moment to read Steve Lopez’s column about his son, a librarian working to restore services that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina: The notion that libraries could be replaced by Google is tantamount to suggesting that Americans are better … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Libraries | Tagged | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery chap, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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

Roosevelt Declares Early Thanksgiving

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 9, 1941: Amid the gathering clouds of World War II, President Roosevelt declares what will be the last peacetime Thanksgiving. Noting American aid to nations fighting the Axis, Roosevelt says: “Let us ask the divine blessing of our decision … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Found on EBay – Bullock’s Wilshire

Posted on November 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

This St. John dress from Bullock’s Wilshire has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $199.

Posted in Fashion, Found on EBay | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Bullock’s Wilshire

L.A. Detectives Meet New York Mobster’s Plane at Burbank Airport

Posted on November 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 8, 1941: Waxey Gordon, whose real name was Irving Wexler (d. 1952, Alcatraz), lands at Lockheed Air Terminal (now Burbank Airport), where he is greeted by detectives from the district attorney’s office, the LAPD and airport police. Gordon, accompanied … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Aviation, Chicago, City Hall, LAPD, San Francisco, Suicide, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

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 +]