Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Found on EBay – 345 S. Broadway

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

This postcard showing the interior of the H.J. Whitley & Co. jewelry store, 345 S. Broadway, has been listed on EBay. The store opened on Dec. 9, 1903, (yes, just in time for Christmas)  and was a branch of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1903, Architecture, Downtown, Found on EBay, Interior Design, Music, Photography | 1 Comment

End of Watch, June 13, 1991

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

LAPD Officer Charles Randall “Randy” Champe LAPD Officer Gary Alan Howe The daily NewsWatch of the Los Angeles Police Protective League always honors the anniversaries of LAPD officers killed in the line of duty. For June 13, the union features … Continue reading →

Posted in 1991, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged , | Comments Off on End of Watch, June 13, 1991

From the Reference Desk

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

My childhood heroes: The Lookies! They don’t guess, they look it up in their new World Book Encyclopedia! Dr. Michele K. Troy of Hillyer College writes: Rob Wagner (Red Ink, White Lies) recommended I contact you with an odd research … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Columnists, From the Reference Desk, Lee Shippey, Libraries, World War II | 2 Comments

Immigrants Overwhelm San Diego!

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

San Diego has everything a family might want: A moderate climate and jobs in the expanding defense industries. But there’s no place to live.  Rep. John H. Tolan (D-Oakland) is holding hearings in San Diego on the plight of migrants … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Environment, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Immigration, LAPD, San Diego, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Posted on June 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

This unusual combination of Batchelder tiles has been listed on EBay. I have seen individual tiles from this series, like the one at right, in previous listings, but this is the first time I’ve seen a combination of them. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art & Artists, Batchelder Tile, Found on EBay, Interior Design | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Batchelder Tile

Random Shot – Times’ Linotyping Room

Posted on June 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Larry Harnisch /ladailymirror.com The third-floor newsroom at The Times is being remodeled, and workers have exposed the wooden blocks underneath the ratty green carpet (c. 1982) that’s older than some of paper’s reporters.  The third floor used to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Interior Design, Photography | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – Groucho Marx

Posted on June 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

A program from Groucho Marx’s one-night performance of “The Same Boat, Brother” at Philharmonic Auditorium on Nov. 14, 1945, has been listed on EBay.  According to reviews in the Los Angeles Times, the show was fairly unsuccessful. Bidding for the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, Books and Authors, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Stage, Theaters | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Groucho Marx

Coming Attractions – L.A. Maps

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Glen Creason, the map specialist at the Los Angeles Public Library, will give a presentation on “Los Angeles in Maps, Part II,” on Thursday, June 16, at 6:45 p.m. at the Los Feliz Branch Library, 1874 Hillhurst Ave. Creason is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Libraries | Comments Off on Coming Attractions – L.A. Maps

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo ou may recognize this photo because I ran it a few years ago. But it’s one of my favorites. This fellow was branded with a very certain stereotype that he played in countless films, so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo You may recognize this photo because I ran it a few years ago. But it’s one of my favorites. This fellow was branded with a very certain stereotype that he played in countless films, so … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 59 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo [Update: Elisabeth Bergner: The German star, seen previously here as “Catherine the Great,” displays her versatile genius in “Escape Me Never,” at the Four Star, her art being hailed as more exquisite on the screen, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 52 Comments

Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

Posted on June 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 10, 1941: Bill Henry files a color story on soldiers using rifles with bayonets to herd strikers away from the North American Aviation plant. Unfortunately, my new optical character recognition software can’t handle these old clips, so I have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Transportation, World War II | Comments Off on Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

Found on EBay – 1909 Mayor’s Race

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

A campaign button for George A. Smith has been listed on EBay. The vendor mistakenly identifies the individual as Mayor George Alexander. Actually, this is onetime Councilman George A. Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in  1909 against Alexander. The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1909, City Hall, Found on EBay, Obituaries, Politics | Comments Off on Found on EBay – 1909 Mayor’s Race

Coming Attractions – ‘Hollywoodland’

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory, a key member of the Daily Mirror’s “brain trust,”  will be signing copies of her new book “Hollywoodland” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, at Chevalier’s Books, 126 N. Larchmont Blvd. More information is … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Real Estate | 3 Comments

Jim Murray, June 9, 1961

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 9, 1961: Wrestling isn’t even a sport at all. It’s a drama in three acts in which a lot of nice old ladies get rid of all their hostilities and aggressions occasioned usually by the fact their daughters-in-law don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1961, art and artists, Columnists, Comics | Comments Off on Jim Murray, June 9, 1961

North American Aviation Strike

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by the Los Angeles Times Labor activists picket the North American Aviation plant in a photo published June 6, 1941. One of the first challenges in studying the 1941 North American Aviation strike is using The Times as source … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, 1941, LAPD, Transportation, World War II | Comments Off on North American Aviation Strike

Mayor Accuses LAPD of Spying on Political Supporters

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 9, 1961: Mayor-elect Sam Yorty comes out swinging, with charges that the LAPD was spying on his supporters, and he takes a little shot against The Times. Police Chief William H. Parker quickly disputed Yorty’s allegations, saying they were … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, art and artists, Comics, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Comments Off on Mayor Accuses LAPD of Spying on Political Supporters

Random Shot – Downtown

Posted on June 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Larry Harnisch / Los Angeles Times Don’t go looking for this. It’s gone. I found it the other day while walking from The Times to the library, but when I went back Tuesday to show it to someone, … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Downtown, Photography | 1 Comment

‘Hunchback Killer’ Arrested, June 8, 1941

Posted on June 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 8, 1941: For some time, I have been coming across stories about Alfred Horace Wells in going through the 1941 clips — “hunchback killer” is not a nickname that’s easy to forget. But I haven’t done anything on him … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1941, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | 2 Comments

From the Stacks – ‘In the Wrong Rain’ (1959)

Posted on June 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Hope died in the opening lines of “In the Wrong Rain,” and optimism succumbed a few pages later. Duty ground stubbornly ahead for a chapter or two before collapsing as well. Curiosity thumbed randomly through the book and then tossed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, books, Columnists, From the Stacks | 1 Comment