Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo courtesy of Steven Bibb. Thanks! [Update: Please congratulate Don Danard  for identifying Tex Fletcher (d. 1987) in “Six-Gun Rhythm.” ]

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 3

Posted on June 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

In March 1943, Disney studios released “The Spirit of ’43,” a cartoon in which Donald Duck is forced to choose between saving his money for “taxes to bury the Axis” (aided by a thrifty proto-Scrooge McDuck)  and spending his paycheck … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Latinos, Lee Shippey, Nightclubs, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

History as a Theme Park

Posted on June 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

The New York Times has a review by Edward Rothstein of Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, which he calls “a hybrid of historical society, amusement park, 19th-century village and high-tech theater. Its history inspires it to try to tell history … Continue reading →

Posted in 1863, Museums, Parks | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photographs by Howard Decker Our pal Fibber (Howard Decker) sends along two pictures as mystery photos. Thanks! [Congratulations to Lorenzo for identifying Season Hubley!]

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

From the Stacks: ‘The Big Picture’

Posted on June 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

I picked up “The Big Picture,” Melba Levick and Stanley Young’s 1988 book about Los Angeles murals, not realizing what a terribly sad book it would be. As Young notes: “Most artists are aware that, exposed as it is to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1988, Architecture, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Downtown, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Latinos, Photography, Preservation, San Fernando Valley, Sports, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

From the Galleries: Soviet Film Posters

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Friday’s New York Times has a brief article on an exhibit of Soviet film posters at the Tony Shafrazi Gallery on West 26th Street in Chelsea. According to the New York Times, the posters were collected by Susan Pack, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Lost and Found: Patek Philippe

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Last Thursday’s New York Times had a terrific story by Austin Considine about Charles B. Woehrle, who received a Patek Philippe watch while imprisoned at Stalag Luft III (he ordered the watch and promised to pay for it after the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Fashion, World War II | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from Steven Bibb’s collection! [Update: Please congratulate Don Danard for identifying our mystery hero as Buddy Roosevelt. His mystery companion isn’t identified on the back of the picture, but Don says it is  Lafe McKee.]

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

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 2

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

May 9, 1943: Al Capp satirizes zoot suits in a series about “Zoot-Suit Yokum.” In Part 1, we saw that in 1942, The Times originally portrayed zoot suits as a youthful fad, but that attitudes hardened toward them once the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Fashion, Film, LAPD, Latinos, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb. There’s a closer look on the jump. [Update: This is Dorothea Wieck (d. 1986), known for “Maedchen in Uniform,” arriving in Los Angeles, April 13, 1933. She returned to Germany because she … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and history – Part 1

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

I was extremely fortunate to attend Wednesday night’s showing of “Zoot Suit” and hear remarks by the panel that preceded the show. Betto Arcos moderated a session with director Luis Valdez, Rose Portillo (Della), Edward James Olmos (El Pachuco) and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1943, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Latinos, Music, Stage, Theaters, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline June 25, 2011 • Wheelchair-bound actor and male stripper Lee Kemp, 39, died of cancer on April 11. The British actor became a paraplegic after a 1990 motorcycle accident and—against all odds—continued his career, even winning … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Religion, Stage | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

The Times and ‘The Deal From Hell’

Posted on June 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

Bryan Burrough reviews James O’Shea’s “The Deal From Hell” in the New York Times column “Off the Shelf.” Burrough writes: “Mr. O’Shea, a onetime top editor at both The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times, tells the story of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Times and ‘The Deal From Hell’

New York Honors Pioneering Black Police Officer

Posted on June 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

The New York Times has a great feature about Samuel J. Battle on the centennial of him becoming the first African American appointed to the New York Police Department. Excerpts from an interview given in 1960 for Columbia’s oral history … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, African Americans, Crime and Courts | Comments Off on New York Honors Pioneering Black Police Officer

Found on EBay – Biltmore Hotel

Posted on June 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

A set of door hardware from the Biltmore Hotel has been listed on EBay.   Biltmore items turn up somewhat often on EBay, but they are usually postcards, menus, tableware, shoehorns, bottle openers, etc. I have  never seen this type of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Found on EBay, Interior Design | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Biltmore Hotel

Found on EBay – Wildfire

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

This dramatic postcard showing a huge wildfire, as seen from Mt. Lowe, has been listed on EBay. We have a cycle of natural disasters in Southern California: Heavy rains around December produce mudslides >> The rains bring spring greenery >> … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Fires, Found on EBay, Photography | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Wildfire

Quote: Fred Steiner, 1923 – 2011

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Randy Lewis of The Times has a nice obit on Fred Steiner (1923-2011), who composed the famous theme for the “Perry Mason” show: Steiner said he wanted to create music for Mason, writer Erle Stanley Gardner’s legal-eagle lawyer, that projected … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Music, Obituaries, Television | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Call From the Past

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Maybe it’s not enough for your cellphone to have a ringtone that’s an  old-school phone. Maybe you need an iPhone docking station that looks like an old phone. These are made by Freeland Studios in the regular (left, $195) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Futurism, Interior Design, Retro | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated+++]

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s a mystery couple in a mystery movie. There’s a new photo on the jump! [Update: These photos are from the 1916 Selig-Polyscope film “The Garden of Allah” starring Helen Ware and Tom Santschi. These photos appear in the photoplay … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Location Sleuth: ‘Safety Last’

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles Conservancy has posted a guide to filming locations for Harold Lloyd’s 1923 film “Safety Last” in conjunction with a showing of the film on June 29 at the Orpheum as part of the Last Remaining Seats series. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Architecture, Books and Authors, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Location Sleuth, Photography | Comments Off on Location Sleuth: ‘Safety Last’