Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

California Raises Speed Limit to 55 mph!

Posted on September 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 10, 1941: California gets ready to raise the speed limit to 55 mph and the Auto Club will be posting new signs. That’s right, the Auto Club posted highway signage. Jimmie Fidler says: There’s something sadly amiss when an … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

[Update: This is Leon Janney (d. 1980)]. Here’s our mystery fellow, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Database of Slave Names Going Online

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: “Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue.” The Virginia Historical Society is compiling a database of slaves and owners. The database, which will go online Wednesday, contains the names of 1,400 slaves and 180 owners, according to Eve … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Genealogy, History, Libraries, Museums, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Database of Slave Names Going Online

Hitler Dead Soon, Hungarian Astrologer Says

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 9, 1941: The Times publishes the amazing predictions of Hungarian “astro-philosopher” Louis De Wohl! He says Adolf Hitler is mentally ill. Check. He says Hitler doesn’t have long to live. Well, depending on how you define “long.” And the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Baseball, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

John Wilkes Booth Site for Sale – Civil War Reenactors Not Included

Posted on September 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Cleydael. Credit: Motley’s Auction and Realty Group. Three historic buildings in Texas’ Bastrop State Park were lost in the recent wildfire, but many other structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps have survived, according to Ben Wear of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1859, Architecture, Crime and Courts, Film, Homicide, Stage, Theaters | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Mystery Film of Los Angeles [Updated]

Posted on September 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Nathan Marsak tests the latest Ford. Curbed LA’s link to this 1917 Ford travelogue on Los Angeles has been passed around until I finally saw it. How many of these locations do you recognize? Here’s footage of streetcars and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1917, Downtown, Film, Mystery Photo, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged | 6 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on September 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s today’s mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb! [Update: This is Linda Ware, who was billed as the next Deanna Durbin. The fellow imitating President Roosevelt is R.D. Parker, who was elected Chief Grouch of 1939 by the Grouch Club. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Nazi Swastika on Hollywood Hills!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: “I guess I’m a fool,” she panted. Credit: This Week magazine, Los Angeles Times Sept. 7, 1941:It’s Sunday in Los Angeles, and although Pearl Harbor is three months away, concern about the impending war is everywhere. Someone even changed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Music, Radio, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Good Way to Scan Negatives

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

I rarely post non-historic items from EBay, but this one is worth mentioning. It’s a CanoScan 9950F, which handles negatives – and does a good job. These scanners have (of course) been discontinued by Canon, and don’t show up terribly … Continue reading →

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

International Spy Museum Is Hiring!

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: The International Spy Museum offers “Dinner With a Spy.” Credit: International Spy Museum. The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., has a job opening for director of guest services (and security!) The ideal applicant must have excellent team building … Continue reading →

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‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Navy Reports

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 6, 1942: Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox warns against “loose talk.” Credit: National Archives. I returned from Saturday’s trip to the National Archives in Riverside with more than 200 images of historic documents. It’s going to take some … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1943, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on ‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Navy Reports

Found on EBay – Mullen & Bluett

Posted on September 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

This vintage swimsuit from Mullen & Bluett has been listed on EBay. Another one was listed in 2009,  also from Mullen & Bluett. Bidding on this item starts at 99 cents.

Posted in Downtown, Fashion, Found on EBay | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Tenor Salvatore Licitra Dead: News Reports [Updated ]

Posted on September 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Salvatore Licitra in “I Pagliacci.” Credit: SalvatoreLicitra.com Italian news sources are reporting that tenor Salvatore Licitra has died a little more than a week after suffering head and chest injuries in a Vespa crash. Doctors say that he suffered … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged | 2 Comments

Labor Day, 1886

Posted on September 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 7, 1886: The Times publishes a roundup of events marking  Labor Day, but there are no reports of any celebrations in Los Angeles. On the jump, Labor Day, 1891, is celebrated on the West Coast, but there’s nothing about … Continue reading →

Posted in 1886, 1891, 1895, Labor, Transportation | Tagged , | Comments Off on Labor Day, 1886

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on September 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: 1998 Cadillac Eureka hearse, $14,990. Credit: Heritage Coach. Queen of the Dead – dateline September 5, 2011 • Not all 1930s child actresses were sad and bitter, though recent obits of Marcia Mae Jones and Edith Fellows were pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

We. Won’t. Be. Doing. This. Evah

Posted on September 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Folks: If you don’t have any ideas for a blog, maybe you shouldn’t be doing one.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on We. Won’t. Be. Doing. This. Evah

Sept. 4, 1781: Los Angeles Is Founded

Posted on September 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 4, 1926:The Times publishes a map showing the streets of the day, noting the changes made since Ord’s survey. Sept. 4, 1981: Mayor Tom Bradley and actress Bernadette Peters cut the cake for Los Angeles’ 200th birthday Jan. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1781, 1926, 1981, City Hall, Downtown | Tagged , | Comments Off on Sept. 4, 1781: Los Angeles Is Founded

Pinball Museum to D.C.: ‘Game Over’

Posted on September 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Old-school “Spacelab” game, like one we used to play at the Bum Steer in Tucson many years ago. Credit: Internet Pinball Machine Database (yes, there is one). The National Pinball Museum says “game over” to Washington, D.C. It’s moving … Continue reading →

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Tenor Salvatore Licitra May Have Had Cerebral Hemorrhage Before Crash

Posted on September 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Salvatore Licitra in “I Pagliacci,” Florence. Credit: SalvatoreLicitra.com Tenor Salvatore Licitra’s website confirms what has been speculated for several days: That the singer may have suffered a cerebral hemorrhage that caused him to crash his Vespa last Saturday, sustaining … Continue reading →

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Zoot Suit: A Trip to the National Archives

Posted on September 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: House, Perris, Calif. Credit: Larry Harnisch/LADailyMirror.com This house is at the turnoff to the National Archives in Perris, Calif., where I spent the day researching the Zoot Suit Riots. It was great: Photo: The city of Los Angeles is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Libraries, Photography, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Zoot Suit: A Trip to the National Archives