Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Cross-Country Trip Begins!

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

Emily Anderson begins her re-creation of Alice Ramsey's 1909 cross-country trip this morning. Follow her progress on her website. Or on Twitter.  Update: Emily Anderson has started — in the pouring rain. The 1909 Maxwell gets a police escort out … Continue reading →

Posted in Transportation, travel | Comments Off on Cross-Country Trip Begins!

Found on EBay — Batchelder Tile

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

This piece of Batchelder tile has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $4.99.

Posted in Architecture, art and artists | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Batchelder Tile

What’s the Worst Baseball Movie (b/w) Ever Made?

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

Keith says: There’s also a scene in which Babe Ruth goes into a bar and orders milk. So Larry and I were discussing the Mystery Photo one day and I commented on actor William Bendix, who was in a shot … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Sports | 3 Comments

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept: Your Movies

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

  July 12, 1935: "Becky Sharp" and "In Caliente."

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept: Your Movies

Trouble for Autry and the Angels

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 12, 1969: Akron has hip-huggers … guitars … clock radio/desk lamps.  How wide was the gulf between the Angels and Dodgers? Consider this item from The Times' radio columnist, Don Page, discussing Gene Autry's troubles: "This should be a … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Columnists, Dodgers, Sports, Television | Comments Off on Trouble for Autry and the Angels

Mayor Rebukes Police Chief for Insubordination

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 12, 1899: The mayor apologetically rebukes the police chief for talking back to a police commissioner.

Posted in City Hall, LAPD, Politics | Comments Off on Mayor Rebukes Police Chief for Insubordination

Chef Joseph Goes on a Bender

Posted on July 12, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 12, 1889: Millionaire P. Beaudry's chef, Joseph Garson, is an artist in the kitchen but when he's been drinking he becomes "a rather disagreeable personage."

Posted in #courts, Food and Drink | Comments Off on Chef Joseph Goes on a Bender

Found on EBay — Enrico Caruso

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Caruso in "I Pagliacci." What appears to be a collection of ephemera given by Enrico Caruso to Rosa Ponselle has been listed on EBay. There is no strong tie to Los Angeles, although both of them performed here. For example, … Continue reading →

Posted in #opera, classical music, Music, Stage | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, July 11, 1959

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Dear Friend It's too hot for indignation but maybe, with a cool drink, we can muster a little pique. I refer to a certain type of unsolicited direct mail pitch. A large envelope shows up in the mailbox. How the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off on Matt Weinstock, July 11, 1959

Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, July 11, 1959

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Confidential File Smog Blinds His Objectivity Traveling newspaper correspondents — for want of something better to report — get their kicks by diagnosing the ills of each city on their itinerary. And usually, because of deadlines and harassment by their … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, July 11, 1959

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movies

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 11, 1934:Confirmation that celebrities' deaths always come in threes.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movies

Architectural Rambling — Ray Watt

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Oct. 10, 1963: The Times' real estate section features an 80-acre tract on Sepulveda Boulevard in Torrance being developed by Ray Watt, who died July 7. The condo development was called New Horizons–South Bay and was praised by Times Real … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists | Comments Off on Architectural Rambling — Ray Watt

Traffic Officer Killed Near Hollywood Bowl

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

April 18, 1971: Marie Stansell is honored for 25 years as a school crossing guard.   The Times never reported the outcome of charges against Frederick Krupp in the death of Officer Ferris E. Stansell.   At left, on July … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off on Traffic Officer Killed Near Hollywood Bowl

Clerk Refuses to Marry Chinese Man to White Girl

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

  July 11, 1899: A Chinese man accused of raping a white 16-year-old girl wants to marry her. The girl and her mother consented, but intermarriage of whites and Asians was illegal at the time.

Posted in #courts, Eurasians | 1 Comment

Police Commission Studies Regulation of Prostitution

Posted on July 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 11, 1889: One of the best things about the 1880s newspapers is that The Times wrote about everything. One of the more controversial issues before the Police Commission is what to do with all the prostitutes in Los Angeles. … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Downtown, LAPD | Comments Off on Police Commission Studies Regulation of Prostitution

Found on EBay — Charles Mulford Robinson

Posted on July 10, 2009 by lmharnisch

A plan for Honolulu, 1907 In the early 20th century, Charles Mulford Robinson wrote a series of books on beautifying cities and developed specific plans for such places as Detroit and Los Angeles. Robinson proposed that Los Angeles build a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists, books, Downtown | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Charles Mulford Robinson

Matt Weinstock, July 10, 1959

Posted on July 10, 2009 by lmharnisch

Unfriendly Frisco My San Francisco spy has smuggled through the mail a clipping of a sports column by Prescott Sullivan in the S.F. Examiner as follows: "Ingemar Johansson demonstrated that he is the possessor of a devastating right-hand punch when … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off on Matt Weinstock, July 10, 1959

Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, July 10, 1959

Posted on July 10, 2009 by lmharnisch

Confidential File Mash Notes and Comments "Dear Paul, "Have you taken a close look in the mirror recently? "Well, we here at the Encino Summer Playhouse have. And do you know what we saw? "YOU — as an actor! "Now … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, July 10, 1959

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept: Your Movies

Posted on July 10, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 10, 1933: Ginger Rogers appears at Grauman's Chinese Theater for a showing of "The Gold Diggers of 1933."

Posted in Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Movie Star Mystery Photo

Posted on July 10, 2009 by lmharnisch

     Los Angeles Times file photo Noreen Nash in "The Red Stallion," 1947.  Los Angeles Times file photo Noreen Nash, Dec. 27, 1957 Update: This is actress and author Noreen Nash. Please congratulate Sue Willahan for identifying her. (Sue … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | 59 Comments