Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

August 24, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on August 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 24, 1957: Struggling young starlets (or their struggling young press agents) begin lining the hallway in front of my office door every morning at dawn — each with some fantastic personal experience which happened to them, personally, which is really true and which they made up on the way over from Schwab’s, Paul Coates says. Continue reading →

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August 24, 1958: Los Angeles Coliseum is dangerous, Rams coach says

Posted on August 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 24, 1958: The Rams’ Ron Waller suffers a separated shoulder from a tackle on the “concrete hard” baseball infield at the Coliseum, where the Dodgers were playing after their move from Brooklyn; from 2008 by Keith Thursby. Continue reading →

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August 24, 1947: Golfers Play Through as Fire Destroys Clubhouse at Inglewood

Posted on August 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 24, 1947: Golfers play through as fire destroys the clubhouse at Inglewood Country Club. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Fires, Sports | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Samuel Steward and Rudolph Valentino: Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on August 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

Debunking Samuel Steward’s claim that he trysted with Rudolph Valentino in Columbus, Ohio. Valentino was in New York at the time and I have a picture to prove it! (Shades of Scotty Bowers!!) Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Valentino Statue Aspires to Greatness

Posted on August 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

On the anniversary of Rudolph Valentino’s death, Mary Mallory looks at the statue erected in his memory at De Longpre Park. The statue prompted a lawsuit, vandalism, and appears in a Three Stooges movie! Continue reading →

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Couple found dead in pool, August 23, 1958

Posted on August 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 23, 1958: The puzzling deaths of a man and a woman who drowned in a home’s swimming pool. Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Suicide | 1 Comment

Ladies in Black visit tomb of Valentino

Posted on August 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 23 — A look at the Ladies in Black who visited the tomb of Rudolph Valentino on the anniversary of his death Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Valentino near death, August 23, 1926

Posted on August 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 23, 1926: In New York, silent film star Rudolph Valentino is hovering near death…. Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Front Pages, Hollywood | 1 Comment

August 22, 1959: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, Aug. 22, 1959

Posted on August 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1959: A letter writer tells Paul Coates that the great songs of the past are enduring while today’s music is fleeting. Continue reading →

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Aug. 22, 1947: 5 L.A. Women Doctors Honored at Medical Convention

Posted on August 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1947: Girls aspiring to careers should follow women physicians’ example—many have both satisfactory home and professional lives, Dr. E. Mae McCarroll says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, Aug. 22, 1944

Posted on August 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1944: “Citizen Tom Paine” will be a story of the Revolution, but won’t go into his religious beliefs nor his tendency toward atheism, Louella Parsons says. Leo: The sort of day on which your talents should shine. Continue reading →

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1944 in Music — Oscar Levant and Leonard Bernstein at the Hollywood Bowl, August 22, 1944

Posted on August 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1944: The Times encourages readers to save copies of the paper for reuse in the war effort. Let’s hear it for recycling! Continue reading →

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City of Chester Sinks After Collision With Oceanic, Aug. 22, 1888

Posted on August 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 22, 1888: The City of Chester sinks after a collision with the Oceanic. Continue reading →

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August 21, 1959: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1959: A company is recruiting engineers by putting messages in fortune cookies — 30,000 cookies, Paul Coates writes. Continue reading →

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Black L.A. 1947: Heavyweight Fighter George Godfrey, ‘The Black Shadow of Leiperville,’ Dies at 50

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1947: George Godfrey, a fighter known as the Black Shadow of Leiperville, dies in poverty in Los Angeles at the age of 50. Continue reading →

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August 21, 1947: Times Columnist Tim Turner on Women Who Wear Pants

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1947: Columnist Tim Turner does not approve of women in slacks. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, August 21, 1944

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1944: Another columnist’s snide take on Hollywood. Meet Danton Walker. 20th wants to borrow Kathryn Grayson for “State Fair,” Louella Parsons says. Leo: Make an effort to “Hi Neighbor” associates. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Life Magazine, August 21, 1944

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1944: Life magazine has Alfred Eisenstaedt’s photo essay on European immigrants arriving in America. Continue reading →

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August 20, 1959: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File

Posted on August 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 20, 1959: That annoying guest who tops every story? Paul Coates has the one that tripped him up. What to do after a 9-year-old doesn’t get invited to a playmate’s birthday? Dear Abby has the answer. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, August 20, 1944

Posted on August 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 20, 1944: Hedy Lamarr hates the word “beautiful,” Louella Parsons writes. “History of Rome” and “I Never Left Home” top the bestsellers list. Continue reading →

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