Category Archives: 1947

Black Dahlia: Wondering About Buster the Wonder Dog

Posted on February 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

Then there are the sites that throw out any pretense of skepticism and flatly state that “Buster the Wonder Dog” is solving the Black Dahlia case. Like this one by Debbie Emery for Radaronline.com George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel on the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1950, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: Publicity Hounds Wag the Dog Over Purported Death Scene

Posted on February 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

It’s been interesting to watch the news media’s reaction to Buster the cadaver dog’s cavorting at the Sowden House.  Most of the coverage is single-source or two-source reporting with no counterbalance. I haven’t seen any reaction from  the LAPD or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Black Dahlia: Can’t Anybody Get This Story Right?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

Writers who are unfamiliar with the Black Dahlia case have a terrible time keeping the facts straight, as shown in the latest coverage by Christine Pelisek in the Daily Beast. There are the common mistakes and one can almost track … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia – Another Good Story Ruined (Updated)

Posted on February 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

Let me say this again. This photo is a fake. The actual Daily News front page for Jan. 15, 1947,  looks like this.

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

George ‘Evil Genius’ Hodel and the Black Dahlia – Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on February 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

Look who fell for the fake Daily News front page. Yes, it’s a fake. There are about a thousand things I would prefer to do besides shoot holes in the latest installment of the Dr. George “Evil Genius” Hodel franchise. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Architecture, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

It’s Jan. 15. Trim your roses

Posted on January 15, 2013 by lmharnisch

Yes it’s Jan. 15. I remember it very quietly by trimming my roses.

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

The Black Dahlia: Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on January 9, 2013 by lmharnisch

Black Dahlia: 5 Songs for a Famous Murder Victim by “Jef With One F.” The anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s 1947 disappearance from the Biltmore has provoked the usual outpouring of mistakes and nonsense, much of it swiped from Wikipedia (see: … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | 6 Comments

Found on EBay – Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on November 16, 2012 by lmharnisch

A vendor on EBay has listed this AP photo from New York as showing Ralph von Hiltz, the “murderer of Black Dahlia.” (Price: $25.44). This is just another crackpot confession. The Times reported in 1956 that then-Chief of Detectives Thad … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1956, Black Dahlia, Found on EBay, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Another Good Story Ruined

Found on EBay – A 1947 Visit to the Biltmore

Posted on November 12, 2012 by lmharnisch

A lot of items from the Biltmore Hotel, including a bill for two days in August 1947, seven months after the Black Dahlia killing, has been listed on EBay. This map appears with a booklet titled “Guide to Biltmore Services.” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Architecture, Black Dahlia, Downtown | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – A 1947 Visit to the Biltmore

Black Dahlia – Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on October 30, 2012 by lmharnisch

Curbed L.A. has posted a list of some “haunted” locations in L.A., including the Biltmore, where Elizabeth Short was left by Red Manley in January 1947, never to be seen again. The photo, alas, shows the current lobby, which didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: The Black Dahlia

Posted on September 27, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: <<Le Dahlia Noir>>  Once again, Elizabeth Short’s bogus middle name appears in a story about the Black Dahlia – proof that mistakes take on a life of their own. In reality, she had no middle name. She was erroneously … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Remembering Elizabeth Short on Her Birthday

Posted on July 29, 2012 by lmharnisch

July 29 is the birthday of Elizabeth Short. She would have been 88. I prefer to honor this day rather than the date she was found, Jan. 15, 1947.

Posted in 1924, 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Young Author Ray Bradbury Publishes ‘Dark Carnival,’ 1947

Posted on June 6, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 27, 1947: Young Ray Bradbury publishes a book of short stories titled “Dark Carnival.” Notice that he used to sell newspapers at Norton Avenue and Olympic Boulevard. Yes, that’s the same Norton Avenue where the Black Dahlia was found, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 10

Posted on March 8, 2012 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m doing a little fact-checking as I go through Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service.” This will be fairly tedious except to a research drudge. In my last post, I began examining an alleged 1946 encounter … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘Full Service’: Fun With Fact-Checking, Part 6

Posted on February 29, 2012 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m doing a little fact-checking as I go through Scotty Bowers’ “Full Service.” This will be fairly tedious except to a research drudge. In our last installment, I didn’t do all that well on … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, 1946, 1947, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, World War II | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

The Black Dahlia at 65

Posted on January 15, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: Lobby of the Biltmore Hotel, Jan. 9, 2012, 6:30 p.m. Credit: Larry Harnisch/L.A. Daily Mirror. I wandered over to the Biltmore on Monday night to keep my annual appointment. I’m not compulsive about being there, and I don’t bother … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Architecture, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, Downtown, Film, History, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , | 24 Comments

The Black Dahlia: Princess Whitewing Follies

Posted on January 13, 2012 by lmharnisch

OK. Princess Whitewing fans, pay attention.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Crime and Courts | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Black Dahlia: Biltmore Hotel

Posted on January 11, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo 1: Biltmore Hotel, Jan. 9, 2012, 6:30 p.m. Credit: Larry Harnisch Photo 2: Biltmore Hotel, 1940s The top photo shows the old lobby of the Biltmore on Monday as it was on the anniversary of the night Elizabeth Short … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Architecture, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Interior Design, LAPD | Tagged , | 19 Comments

Found on EBay – Bullock’s Wilshire

Posted on November 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

A lot of 10 commemorative covers from the 1940s mailed to Bullock’s Wilshire has been listed on EBay. I’m not sure whether Bullock’s had a coin and stamp department or if this is from some other activity. Bidding starts at … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Found on EBay | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Bullock’s Wilshire

How to Wear a Hat – Noir Edition

Posted on November 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

One thing that drives me crazy about the current crop of period films is that men usually don’t know how to wear hats. “The Black Dahlia” (with costume design by Jenny Beavan) is a particularly excruciating lesson in unfortunate hat … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1947, Black Dahlia, Fashion, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | 13 Comments