Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Requiem

Posted on September 16, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 16, 1957 Los Angeles Franklyn West Storer, 50, woke up on a Saturday morning to discover that his beloved 16-year-old daughter, Mary Alice, had taken a fatal overdose of sleeping pills. In despair, he also took a fatal … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, LAPD, Music, Suicide | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

College fashions, IV

Posted on September 15, 2007 by lmharnisch

In 1969, The Times sent one of its best and most respected writers, Art Seidenbaum, on a tour of California college campuses: UCLA, USC, Stanford, UC Berkeley and someplace called San Fernando Valley State. The resulting series for West magazine … Continue reading →

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Political prayers

Posted on September 15, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 10-30, 1957 Los Angeles I have only touched in passing on Arkansas Gov. Orville Faubus’ fight to prevent the integration of Central High School in Little Rock. (Faubus called out the Arkansas National Guard to block federally ordered integration. … Continue reading →

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College fashions, III

Posted on September 14, 2007 by lmharnisch

In 1969, The Times sent one of its best and most respected writers, Art Seidenbaum, on a tour of California college campuses: UCLA, USC, Stanford, UC Berkeley and someplace called San Fernando Valley State. The resulting series for West magazine … Continue reading →

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Hat squad III

Posted on September 14, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 14, 1957 Los Angeles Motorcycle Officer W.W. Wilhelm decided to put some teeth in fashion law and cited motorist Louise Squire for wearing a plastic mesh basket on her head. When stopped at Argyle and Franklin Avenues, Squire, … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock

Posted on September 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 13, 1957 Every Friday after work, Roy Huerta, 38, drives to Tijuana and spends the weekend with his beloved family–his wife, Manuela, 32, and their three girls and two boys. It is an unsatisfactory arrangement but it can't be … Continue reading →

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Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on September 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 13, 1957 The night was made for love, according to such perpetual sentimentalists as Lanny Ross. But not according to me. At my advanced age, the night was made for such prosaic chores as getting to the column you … Continue reading →

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College fashions, II

Posted on September 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

In 1969, The Times sent one of its best and most respected writers, Art Seidenbaum, on a tour of California college campuses: UCLA, USC, Stanford, UC Berkeley and someplace called San Fernando Valley State. The resulting series for West magazine … Continue reading →

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Hat squad

Posted on September 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 13, 1957Los Angeles Remember the straw hat you bought back in May? Get rid of it, gentlemen, straw hat season is over! It’s time to get back to felt in wide array of colors, from gray to blue-gray. … Continue reading →

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On the menu: domestic strife

Posted on September 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 13, 1957 Los Angeles Information on Gene Leonard Cornforth is a bit sketchy, but he certainly had interesting taste in women. Take the first Mrs. Cornforth, Maureen. After she and Gene divorced, her boss at Hughes Aircraft, David … Continue reading →

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College fashions

Posted on September 12, 2007 by lmharnisch

In 1969, The Times sent one of its best and most respected writers, Art Seidenbaum, on a tour of California college campuses: UCLA, USC, Stanford, UC Berkeley and someplace called San Fernando Valley State. The resulting series for West magazine … Continue reading →

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Student body president, eh?

Posted on September 12, 2007 by lmharnisch

Flash forward to May 9, 1968: "Education is the destruction of innocence"–graffiti at White Plaza on the Stanford campus, 1969.

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Runaway

Posted on September 12, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 12, 1957 Los Angeles There’s no telling what spooked Ben, but the horse was frightened and galloped toward Nordhoff Street and Tobias Avenue in what was then the rural San Fernando Valley. The rider, Carol Goetzinger, 13, tried … Continue reading →

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‘Mommie told me to get the gun’

Posted on September 11, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 11, 1957 Los Angeles Everett Robert Ayala’s last words on earth were: "Go ahead, shoot me," spoken to his 8-year-old foster daughter as he resumed beating his wife, Pauline. So Linda Louise Narez, who was holding a .30-caliber … Continue reading →

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Mystery guest revealed

Posted on September 11, 2007 by lmharnisch

Anthony Brancato, killed Aug. 6, 1951, 1648 N. Ogden Drive, Hollywood, along with Anthony Trombino in the “Two Tonys Murder.” Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno eventually confessed to the killings.

Posted in #courts, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, Homicide, LAPD, Mickey Cohen | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mystery guest revealed

Mystery photo VII

Posted on September 10, 2007 by lmharnisch

    If you can’t guess the unfortunate mystery guest from this, I’ll just have to tell you…. (C’mon, folks, this is a famous Los Angeles incident of the 1950s! You Ellroy freaks should know this.)

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Stag film raid

Posted on September 10, 2007 by lmharnisch

Feb. 10, 1957Los Angeles I stumbled across this story while researching yesterday’s post on South-Central vice raids and it was too wonderful to ignore. It sounds almost like one of the “Honeymooners” episodes involving Ralph Cramden, Ed Norton and the … Continue reading →

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Mystery photo VI

Posted on September 10, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Lots of guesses so far: Telly Savalas (2 votes!), Mickey Cohen, Sammy Cahn, Billy Wilder, Mel Blanc, Neil Simon, Jack Dragna, E.H. Land, Harry "Big Greenie" Greenberg, Johnny Roselli, Frank DeSimone, Bugsy Siegel, Matt Weinstock and Dustin Hoffman. But … Continue reading →

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Mystery photo V

Posted on September 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

OK, you’ll have to work for this one. Click here.

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A moment in history

Posted on September 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

June 17, 1905. The last time advertising appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. Until today.  

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