Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

From the Stacks: ‘Just One More!’

Posted on July 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

I picked up the 1961 edition of “Just One More!” by the Los Angeles Press Photographers Assn. and I’ve been enjoying it more than I expected. It’s a time capsule of press photography as it was 50 years ago, so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Books and Authors, From the Stacks, Photography | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

7|12|2011 #history #museum #cold cases [Updated]

Posted on July 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 19, 1890: Edison’s talking doll in the Sydney Journal. RECOMMENDEDRon Cowen in the Washington Post has a great story about scientists using optical scanning to recover a primitive recording made by Thomas Edison about 1889 for a talking doll. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold Cases, History, Homicide, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 7|12|2011 #history #museum #cold cases [Updated]

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s our mystery desperado! [Update: This is  John Anderson (d. 1992), who played used car dealer California Charlie in “Psycho,” in addition to many other roles in film and on stage.  Please congratulate Michael Ryerson, David Franklin, Dewey Webb, Herb … Continue reading →

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

7|11|2011 #history, #museum

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 26, 1936: Ambrose Schindler in The Times as USC and UCLA prepare to play for the first time in six years. My colleague Jerry Crowe at The Timeshas a nice profile of Ambrose Schindler, former USC quarterback, stuntman on … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Fashion, History, Museums | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline July 11, 2011   • Archduke Otto of Austria, pretender to the throne of the late Austria-Hungary, died on the Fourth of July, at 98. I must admit to a schoolgirl crush on his  . . … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

On the Frontiers of Journalism

Posted on July 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

While the folks who think big thoughts are busy debating the future of newspapers, I thought I would experiment with something called paper.li. Paper.li, in case you have never heard of it (I hadn’t) allows a user to create a … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged , | Comments Off on On the Frontiers of Journalism

7|10|2011 #museum, #history

Posted on July 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Portions of fabric clipped from the U.S. flag before it was planted on the moon by Neil Armstrong in the Apollo 11 mission are being offered Sunday by Ira and Larry Goldberg auctioneers, 11400 W. Olympic Blvd, Suite 800. Lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Chicago, History, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 7|10|2011 #museum, #history

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated+]

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

[Update 2: Margaret Campbell and Gertrude Olmstead in “Monte Carlo,” 1926. ] [Update: Please congratulate Mike Hawks for identifying the mystery gal on the left right!] Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb. Thanks! June 29, 1939: Campbell’s son, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Michael Jackson – Art Collector

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Is Michael Jackson’s art collection with $900 million? Well, maybe not. Dylan Howard of Star magazine writes: Michael Jackson secretly left behind an almost billion-dollar secret art fortune that is now at the center of an international tug of war, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Music | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Gen. Custer — ‘Living History’

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Steve Alexander is giving his “living history” portrayal of Gen. George Armstrong Custer on Saturday at the Michigan Historical Center in Lansing as part of its “Plowshares into Swords” exhibit marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The museum … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Gen. Custer — ‘Living History’

Maria Ridulph: McCullough Denies Kidnapping, Killing Girl

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Ted Gregory and Isolde Raftery of the Chicago Tribune, reporting from Seattle, have a jailhouse interview with Jack Daniel McCullough, suspected in the 1957 killing of Maria Ridulph. “You gotta have evidence. They have nothing,” McCullough tells Trib.

Posted in 1957, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Seattle | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

My L.A. Times colleague Elaine Woo has a first-rate obituary on Catherine Mulholland, author of “William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles.” One reason Mulholland took on the biography was to provide what she viewed as a more balanced … Continue reading →

Posted in 1963, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

7|9|2011, #history, #museum

Posted on July 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

NEWSLauren Viera, writing in the Chicago Tribune, says that the Art Institute of Chicago is quietly conducting a search for a director to replace  James Cuno, who has become president and chief executive of the J. Paul Getty Trust.Sidebar: Help … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Architecture, Chicago, History, Museums, New York, Philadelphia, Washington | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wanted: Mickey Cohen on Tape

Posted on July 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

I have received an unusual request regarding a film now in production. The folks are looking for the famous/notorious TV interview that Mike Wallace did with Mickey Cohen in 1957. Clips from the interview are on the DVD with Wallace’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Brain Trust, Film, From the Reference Desk, Mickey Cohen, Television | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Day in Hollywood: July 8, 1941

Posted on July 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

July 8, 1941: I thought it would be fun to check in with our old pals, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor and Jimmie Fidler. Lee writes about visiting researchers spending their summers at the Huntington. That’s my idea of a vacation! … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

University Demolishes Theda Bara’s Former Home

Posted on July 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Xavier University tore down Theda Bara’s former home in Cincinnati. Not for any particular reason. Just because. Photo: Theda Bara’s former home is demolished. Credit: The Cincinnati Enquirer/Michael E. Keating

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Preservation | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

#history, #museum [Updated]

Posted on July 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 10, 1963: Firefighters recover a crucifix from Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. Credit: Detroit News NEWS Steve Hindle takes over as research director at the Huntington Library. Pasadena Star- News The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts reports that … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Museums, Preservation, Religion | Tagged , | Comments Off on #history, #museum [Updated]

Found on EBay – Theda Bara in ‘Salome’

Posted on July 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

A publicity photo of Theda Bara from the lost film “Salome” has been listed on EBay. The vendor says this is an original studio handout, not a reprint. As with anything on EBay, an item and vendor should be evaluated … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

U.S. Returns Looted Items to Iraq

Posted on July 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Writing in the Washington Post, Jason Ukman says that 30 items looted from Iraq have been returned, with hundreds more to follow. Investigators have been tracking stolen artifacts on Craigslist and Christie’s, among other places.  The recovered items include ancient … Continue reading →

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

#history, #museum

Posted on July 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

NEWSThe U.S. Justice Department says that oral history interviews are not protected by confidentiality agreements, according to Scott Jaschik on the Inside Higher Ed blog. Jaschik writes: The U.S. position in the case deals with a number of issues raised … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, History, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on #history, #museum