Category Archives: 1931

Voices — Christine Collins, September 28, 1931

Posted on September 28, 2026 by lmharnisch

September 28, 1931: George Anderson of the Los Angeles Railway system, writes a letter to prison officials saying he has no objection to parole for Walter Collins, who was sentenced for holding up the railway. The murder of Collins’ son was the basis for the Clint Eastwood film ‘Changeling.’ Continue reading →

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September 10, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on September 10, 2026 by lmharnisch

September 10, 1931: Christine Collins, whose experiences inspired the Clint Eastwood movie ‘Changeling,’ writes to the warden seeking release for her husband, Walter. Continue reading →

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September 8, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on September 8, 2026 by lmharnisch

September 8, 1931: Christine Collins, whose experiences inspired the Clint Eastwood movie ‘Changeling,’ writes to prison officials urging a parole for her husband, Walter Collins. Continue reading →

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Voices — Christine Collins, April 23, 1931

Posted on April 23, 2026 by lmharnisch

April 23, 1931: Walter Collins is “in good condition,” a prison report says. Collins was the husband of Christine Collins, whose story inspired the Clint Eastwood movie “Changeling.” Continue reading →

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December 14, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on December 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 14, 1931: Christine Collins, whose tragedy inspired the film ‘Changeling,’ writes to prison officials about trying to find work for her husband, Walter, in case he is paroled. Continue reading →

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Movieland Unsuitable Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

In our continuing exploration of “unsuitable” movies, we have an unsuitable mystery woman. Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

Movieland ‘Unsuitable’ Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on October 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

For Monday’s ‘unsuitable’ movie, we have a mysterious guest. Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — The First Motion Picture Electrical Parade

Posted on September 23, 2024 by lmharnisch

Harold Lloyd’s float in the electrical parade, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Long before the Walt Disney Co. began presenting an electrical parade at its parks, Los Angeles offered electrical parades as part … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 25, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 Chesterfield Motion Picture film The Devil Plays, with Jameson Thomas, Florence Britton, Thomas Jackson, Richard Tucker, Robert Ellis, Lillian Rich, Edmund Burns, Dorothy Christy, Lew Kelly, Carmelita Geraghty, Jack Trent and Murdock McQuarrie.

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 22 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on August 21, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 Universal picture Waterloo Bridge, with Mae Clarke, Kent Douglass, Doris Lloyd, Frederick Kerr, Enid Bennett, Bette Davis, Ethel Griffies, Rita Carlisle and Ruth Handforth.

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 23, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 Columbia picture Ten Cents a Dance, with Barbara Stanwyck, Ricardo Cortez, Monroe Owsley, Sally Blane, Blanche Friderici, Martha Sleeper, David Newell, Victor Potel and Sidney Bracey.

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — The First Motion Picture Electrical Parade

Posted on October 17, 2022 by lmharnisch

Harold Lloyd’s float in the electrical parade, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Long before the Walt Disney Co. began presenting an electrical parade at its parks, Los Angeles offered electrical parades as part … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 17, 2022 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 RKO picture Smart Woman, with Mary Astor, Robert Ames, John Halliday, Edward Everett Horton, Noel Francis, Ruth Weston, Gladys Gale, Alfred Cross and Lillian Harmer.

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 29, 2021 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 MGM film “Five and Ten,” with Marion Davies, Leslie Howard, Richard Bennett, Irene Rich, Kent Douglass and Mary Duncan. From the book by Fannie Hurst. Dialogue continuity by Edith Fitzgerald. Adaptation by A.P. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 36 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 4, 2021 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 MGM picture “The Sin of Madelon Claudet,” with Helen Hayes, Lewis Stone, Neil Hamilton, Cliff Edwards, Jean Hersholt, Marie Prevost, Robert Young,  Karen Morley, Charles Wininger, Alan Hale, Halliwell Hobbes, Lennox Pawle and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Stage | Tagged , , , , , , | 58 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on July 6, 2020 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1931 Warner Bros. picture “Other Men’s Women,” with Grant Withers, Mary Astor, Regis Toomey, James Cagney, Fred Kohler, J. Farrell MacDonald, Joan Blondell, Lillian Worth and Walter Long. By Maude Fulton, dialogue by William … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, City Hall, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — The Gibbons-Del Rio House: Like Stepping Into a Dream

Posted on January 2, 2017 by lmharnisch

The Cedric Gibbons home, via Google Street View. Note: This is an encore post from 2014. Celebrity has often been the cachet for creating style, fashion and cultural trends, especially with the advent of films. Stars wearing a particular designer’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Biltmore Hotel Appears in 1931 Film

Posted on November 12, 2015 by lmharnisch

TCM recently aired several Wheeler and Woolsey films and we were happily surprised to see this establishing shot at the opening of the 1931 RKO picture “Cracked Nuts.” It is our old friend the Biltmore Hotel. Let us also recall … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Wiltern Theatre Jazzes Up Movie Theater Construction

Posted on May 5, 2014 by lmharnisch

The grand opening of what was then the Warner Western Theater, courtesy of Mary Mallory.     The history of one street corner can often show the growing pains of a burgeoning city. What started out as a rural location … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — The Gibbons-Del Rio House: Like Stepping Into a Dream

Posted on January 27, 2014 by lmharnisch

The Cedric Gibbons home, via Google Street View. Celebrity has often been the cachet for creating style, fashion and cultural trends, especially with the advent of films. Stars wearing a particular designer’s couture, driving a certain car, or a female … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments