Author Archives: lmharnisch

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

Locos

Posted on April 27, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 27, 1957 Los Angeles Although the term "drive-by shooting" didn’t appear in The Times until two decades later, what happened near 107th Street and Juniper has all the tragic characteristics that are so familiar today. The victim was Fred … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Locos

He was no Cupid

Posted on April 26, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 26, 1957 Los Angeles  Albert Duarte, 20, was tired of hearing the noise made by the wrecking crews day after day as they demolished a building at 1st and Hope streets. So he got a 5-foot bow and shot … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Downtown | Comments Off on He was no Cupid

Not on Netflix

Posted on April 26, 2007 by lmharnisch

               Note: Plot summaries are based on a variety of sources since it’s difficult to find viewing copies of these cinematic gems from 1957. "China Gate." Bad things happen in Viet-Nam when an American … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Film | Comments Off on Not on Netflix

Like gonesville

Posted on April 25, 2007 by lmharnisch

Ella Fitzgerald, "April in Paris" Email me

Posted in #Jazz, #video, Television | Comments Off on Like gonesville

If you build it, they will drive

Posted on April 25, 2007 by lmharnisch

As envisioned, 1957 As built, below, looking north from Slauson As used, below, looking north from Slauson, April 22, 2007 The Harbor Freeway, below, looking south from 42nd Street, 1957. Note there are no center guardrails. The Harbor Freeway, below, … Continue reading →

Posted in Freeways, Transportation | Comments Off on If you build it, they will drive

Love me, love my shotgun

Posted on April 25, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 25, 1957 Los Angeles Charles S. Howard and his estranged wife, Rowena, have declared a truce in their war over two shotguns as they divide their property in a separate maintenance agreement. Howard had already agreed to give his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Voices

Posted on April 24, 2007 by lmharnisch

Note: Ulrich K. Quast, an auto salesman who took L. Ewing Scott and his wife, Evelyn, for a test drive along Mulholland in 1955, was probably the last person who saw her alive aside from her killer. As far as … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Homicide | Comments Off on Voices

Inca-redible

Posted on April 24, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 24, 1957 Los Angeles Note: Bylined stories were rare in the 1940s and 1950s. Here’s the handiwork of Jack Smith, doing rewrite on a celebrity brawl involving Yma Sumac and Fred Otash, former police officer, private detective and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, Jack Smith | Comments Off on Inca-redible

Like gonesville

Posted on April 23, 2007 by lmharnisch

Ethel Merman and Perry Como Email me  

Posted in #video, Music, Television | Comments Off on Like gonesville

The bad dream

Posted on April 23, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 23, 1957 Los Angeles "It’s like a bad dream," he said. "You keep thinking you’ll awaken and find it’s a bad dream." Edward Simon Wein, given five death sentences under California’s "Little Lindbergh Law" for a series of kidnappings … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Caryl Chessman, Homicide, Long Beach, San Fernando Valley, Venice Division | 3 Comments

Senoras y senores: ze mail

Posted on April 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 22, 1957Los Angeles   Latin Holidayby Pepe Arciga Lew Irwin, news director, KPOL, generously switches on his mike, bows and says: "Listeners telephoned to call my attention to your article concerning my unfortunate identification of the race of two … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Senoras y senores: ze mail

Missing

Posted on April 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

Paul V. Coates Confidential File April 22, 1957  SUBJECT’S NAME: Stella Catherine Meyer. SUBJECT’S DESCRIPTION: Age, 36. Height, 5ft., 1 in. Weight, 140 lbs. Black hair. hazel eyes. Stocky build. The county sheriff’s office reports that Mrs. Meyer left her … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Paul Coates | 1 Comment

A flurry of interest

Posted on April 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

UNEXPECTED THRILL–Romping in the snow was a surprising Easter treat for youngsters in the 4500 block of Yellowstone Street yesterday when a white blanket fell–not in the foothills–but just 1 1/2 miles from General Hospital. Enjoying a rare toboggan ride … Continue reading →

Posted in #East L.A. | Comments Off on A flurry of interest

“Not Too Good”

Posted on April 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 22, 1957Las Vegas Nils   T. Granlund, 1950s TV personality and master of ceremonies at Hollywood’s Florentine Gardens through most of the 1940s, was killed in a car accident on   the Las Vegas Strip, ending a flamboyant career … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, Nightclubs | 1 Comment

The honorary mayor of Sherman Oaks

Posted on April 21, 2007 by lmharnisch

Liberace on Edward R. Murrow’s "Person to Person" Email me

Posted in #video, Music, San Fernando Valley, Television | Comments Off on The honorary mayor of Sherman Oaks

Reading the palms

Posted on April 21, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 21, 1957 Los Angeles I think about his hands. I don’t know, but I would imagine that at the age of 78, they were old and worn from a lifetime of custodial work for Los Angeles County. Gnarled, maybe, … Continue reading →

Posted in Suicide, West Hollywood | Comments Off on Reading the palms

Cross purposes

Posted on April 21, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 21, 1957 Los Angeles Although Easter has passed in 2007, it has just arrived in 1957. One way Los Angeles marked Easter weekend was by arranging the lights in City Hall so that they formed a cross. I’ll apologize … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, City Hall | 1 Comment

Like gonesville

Posted on April 20, 2007 by lmharnisch

"These Foolish Things," 1959 "Brandenburg Gate," 1959 "Take the ‘A’ Train," 1959 "St. Louis Blues," 1961 "Take Five," 1961 Note the personnel change, Gene Wright replacing Norman Bates on bass Art Pepper Movie, Part 1 Art Pepper Movie, Part 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, #video, Nightclubs, Television | Comments Off on Like gonesville

Ex nihilo nihil fit

Posted on April 20, 2007 by lmharnisch

April 20, 1957 Los Angeles By Matt Weinstock ONLY IN L.A.–A woman about to board a Metro 91 bus at Hollywood Blvd. and Vine asked, “Do you go on La Brea?” (Some turn on Fairfax). The driver said no. She … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off on Ex nihilo nihil fit

Note to Frank Stella

Posted on April 20, 2007 by lmharnisch

Email me

Posted in art and artists | Comments Off on Note to Frank Stella