Category Archives: 1939

May 20, 1939: Midnite Show at the Follies

Posted on May 20, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 20, 1939: Marion Morgan at the Follies Burlesque: “Political crises, European crises or stock market troubles mean nothing to our busy businessmen. They still heed the call of relaxation….” Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Stage | Leave a comment

May 20, 1939: Flocks of Sheep Near City Hall

Posted on May 20, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 20, 1939: Bernard Folco grazes his flock of sheep on hillsides north of Alhambra Boulevard, two miles from City Hall. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Downtown | Leave a comment

May 19, 1939: Soldier Killed, Hundreds Hurt in Holy Land Riots

Posted on May 19, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 19, 1939: A British soldier is killed and at least 200 are injured by rioting in the Holy Land as Jews protest Britain’s plan for Palestine. Also a talking pelican with a machine gun. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Comics, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Sports, Stage | Leave a comment

Union Station Opens in Los Angeles, May 1939

Posted on May 5, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 1939: Los Angeles didn’t get a Union Station without a fight. First proposed in 1907, a unified depot was bitterly opposed by the railroads for decades. Continue reading →

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May 5, 1939: Union Station Opens

Posted on May 5, 2026 by lmharnisch

A look back at the history of Union Station, including the railroads’ opposition to sharing a depot. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Architecture, Transportation | Comments Off on May 5, 1939: Union Station Opens

April 30, 1939: Los Angeles Prepares for Opening of Union Station

Posted on April 30, 2026 by lmharnisch

April 30, 1939: Los Angeles prepares for the opening of Union Station. Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious guest! Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Posted on December 31, 2025 by lmharnisch

For New Year’s Eve, the last of our retro drinking guides: Pisco Punch. Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, 1934, 1939, Food and Drink, San Francisco | Tagged , , | Comments Off on L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on September 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

Midnight Show at the Follies Burlesque — July 29, 1939

Posted on July 29, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 29, 1939: Someone caught the midnight show at the Follies Burlesque and saw Betty Rowland, the “Ball of Fire.” Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on July 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have our mysterious leading lady, as see from the back. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | 31 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mystery guest who has just suffered the ill effects of an exploding cigar. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 30 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Posted on December 31, 2024 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2013. Just in time for New Year’s, we’ll take a look at a “lost drink,” making a brief inquiry into San Francisco’s Pisco Punch, made famous by Bank Exchange saloon owner Duncan Nicol … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, 1934, 1939, Food and Drink, San Francisco | Tagged , , | Comments Off on L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide — Pisco Punch

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 23, 2024 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 16, 2024 by lmharnisch

For Monday, we have a mysterious lad. Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + +)

Posted on July 30, 2024 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1939 MGM picture Idiot’s Delight, with Norman Shearer, Clark Gable, Edward Arnold, Charles Coburn, Joseph Schildkraut, Burgess Meredith, Laura Hope Crews, Skeets Gallagher, Peter Willes, Paterson, William Edmunds, Fritz Feld, Virginia Grey, Virginia Dale, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 8, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1939 Universal picture First Love, with Deanna Durbin, Robert Stack, Eugene Pallette, Helen Parrish, Lewis Howard, Leatrice Joy, June Storey, Frank Jenks, Charles Coleman, Mary Treen and Kathleen Howard.

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on May 1, 2023 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1939 Warner Bros. short Old Hickory, with Hugh Sothern, Nana Bryant, Victor Kilian, Frank Wilcox, Irving Pichel, Natalie Moorhead, George Renevant and John Hamilton.

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 24, 2022 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was the 1939 Twentieth Century-Fox film Day-Time Wife (sometimes Daytime Wife, watch the hyphen), with Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Warren William, Binnie Barnes, Wendy Barrie and Joan Davis.

Posted in 1939, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 51 Comments