Author Archives: lmharnisch

Unknown's avatar

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on April 3, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1985 TV movie The Hearst and Davies Affair, with Robert Mitchum, Virginia Madsen, Fritz Weaver, Doris Belack, Laura Henry, Francis Hyland, Caroline Yeager, Lorne Kennedy, George Touliatos, Wayne Best, Donna Goodhand, David Daldorisi and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1985, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights–TCM Classic Film Festival Marks 13 Years of Celebrating Movies

Posted on April 3, 2023 by lmharnisch

Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones, screening at the TCM Classic Film Festival. For the 13th year, the TCM Classic Film Festival celebrates the love of film by screening movies on the big screen the way they were meant to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights–TCM Classic Film Festival Marks 13 Years of Celebrating Movies

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything

Posted on March 28, 2023 by lmharnisch

Coming next week: Ask me anything about the Black Dahlia case, Tuesday, April 4, at 10 a.m. Can’t make the live session? Email me your questions and I’ll answer them!

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 27, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1957 Twentieth Century-Fox picture China Gate, with Gene Barry, Angie Dickinson, Nat “King” Cole, Paul Dubov, Lee Van Cleef, Georg Givot, Gerald Milton, Neyle Morrow, Marcel Dalio, Maurice Marsac, Warren Hsieh, Paul Busch, Sasha … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywoodland Opens March 31, 1923

Posted on March 27, 2023 by lmharnisch

An ad for Hollywoodland, October 1923. Note: This is an encore post from 2022. On March 31, 1923, owners of a new hillside development in the Hollywood Hills called Hollywoodland announced the opening of their elaborate new tract in stories … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywoodland Opens March 31, 1923

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 20, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1946 International Pictures film Temptation, with Merle Oberon, George Brent, Charles Korvin, Paul Lukas, Leonore Ulric, Arnold Moss, Robert Capa, Aubrey Mather, Ludwig Stossel, Andre Charlot, Suzanne Cloutier and Gloria Lloyd.

Posted in 1946, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: 2178 High Tower Drive, L.A.’s First Community Elevator

Posted on March 20, 2023 by lmharnisch

The Tower appeared in the March 24, 1939, installment of Nuestro Pueblo by Joseph Seewerker and Charles Owens of the Los Angeles Times. Note: This is an encore post from 2020. Both marketing gimmick and necessity, the elevator shaft that … Continue reading →

Posted in 1922, Architecture, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: 2178 High Tower Drive, L.A.’s First Community Elevator

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 13, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1946 Twentieth Century-Fox movie Shock, with Vincent Price, Lynn Bari, Frank Latimore, Anabel Shaw, Michael Dunne, Reed Hadley, Renee Carson and Charles Trowbridge.

Posted in 1946, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Peggy Hamilton, Hollywood Fashion Influencer

Posted on March 13, 2023 by lmharnisch

Peggy Hamilton in an RKO publicity photo by Bachrach, 1931. Besotted with fashion from a young age, Peggy Hamilton turned her passion into a career in 1920s Los Angeles, becoming Hollywood’s first fashion influencer. The first to promote Hollywood and … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Peggy Hamilton, Hollywood Fashion Influencer

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights – 1938 Floods Wreak Havoc on Los Angeles Area

Posted on March 6, 2023 by lmharnisch

  Flooding in North Hollywood, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Seventy-five years ago, a deluge of rain hit Los Angeles and the surrounding area, leading to massive floods and causing millions of dollars … Continue reading →

Posted in 1938, Mary Mallory, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights – 1938 Floods Wreak Havoc on Los Angeles Area

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 6, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1948 Twentieth Century-Fox film Deep Waters, with Dana Andrews, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Dean Stockwell, Anne Revere and Ed Begley.

Posted in 1948, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Master of Electric Lights Had Hollywoodland Sign Beaming

Posted on March 1, 2023 by lmharnisch

Unknown today, Paul D. Howse was a pioneer in early entertainment and ballyhoo promotional methods. Thanks to his company’s domination of the electrical sign market and his prowess with promotion, Howse would help electrify the Hollywoodland Sign in 1923, helping … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Master of Electric Lights Had Hollywoodland Sign Beaming

Black Dahlia: Larry Harnisch–Ask Me Anything!

Posted on February 28, 2023 by lmharnisch

Here’s my first Ask Me Anything. Also on my YouTube channel! (YouTube.com/LMHarnisch)

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Larry Harnisch–Ask Me Anything!

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + + +)

Posted on February 27, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1932 MGM picture Strange Interlude, with Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Alexander Kirkland, Ralph Morgan, Robert Young, May Robson, Maureen O’Sullivan, Henry B. Walthall, Mary Alden and Tad Alexander.

Posted in 1932, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Rose McClendon, First Lady of Black Theater

Posted on February 23, 2023 by lmharnisch

Rose McClendon, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, via the New York Public Library. The first lady of the early Black stage, largely forgotten today, Rose McClendon set a blazing example of how talent could offer opportunity, even in difficult, discriminatory … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Stage | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 20, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1957 film Time Limit, with Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, Dolores Michaels, June Lockhart, Carl Benton Reid, Martin Balsam, Rip Torn, Yale Wexler, Alan Dexter, Kaie Deei, Manning Ross and Joe Di Rida.

Posted in 1957, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 51 Comments

Black Dahlia: Steve Hodel vs. His Mom – Dorothy Hodel Interview Exposes Son’s Lies

Posted on February 19, 2023 by lmharnisch

I, in the persona of NOT Dr. Alan Campbell with “Boxy,” posted a brief video on Dorothy Hodel’s statement to Dist. Atty’s Lt. Frank Jemison. For those who aren’t up for my dramatic reading, here are a few key points … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 13, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1933 Universal picture Secret of the Blue Room, with Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas, Edward Arnold, Onslow Stevens, William Janney, Robert Barrat, Muriel Kirkland, Russell Hopton and Elizabeth Patterson.

Posted in 1933, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Crazylegs’ Salutes Elroy Hirsch and the Los Angeles Rams

Posted on February 13, 2023 by lmharnisch

An image of Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, scanned from a negative listed on EBay at $24.99. Note: This is an encore post from 2016. Los Angeles is currently experiencing the second coming of its professional football team, the Los Angeles Rams, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Crazylegs’ Salutes Elroy Hirsch and the Los Angeles Rams

Gustavo Dudamel: Tinseltown’s Gift to New York

Posted on February 8, 2023 by lmharnisch

Headline in The New York Times. I am celebrating the announced departure of Gustavo Dudamel (though not until 2026) – without the jubilation of New Yorkers, but certainly not in mourning as Los Angeles may be. If I were more … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments