Category Archives: African Americans

1944 on the Radio — ‘Amos ‘N’ Andy,’ Feb. 4, 1944

Posted on February 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

Feb. 4, 1944 Today we have: — “Missing People’s Bureau” on “Amos ‘N’ Andy.” Courtesy of Archive.org.

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Sinatra Makes Film Debut, Jan. 29, 1944

Posted on January 29, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 29, 1944: The Times reports Frank Sinatra’s film debut in “Higher and Higher”: A generous quota of young girls attended the first showings and their ecstatic whinnyings recorded each and every appearance of their hero. In one house, at … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, African Americans, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Music, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Amos ‘N’ Andy,’ Jan. 7, 1944

Posted on January 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

Jan. 7, 1944: Time for “Amos ‘N’ Andy” with guest Pat O’Brien. I debated with myself about posting this show, but coverage of 1944 wouldn’t be complete without it, given its popularity. Courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1944, African Americans, Radio | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

‘The Clansman’ Comes to Los Angeles – Part 2

Posted on October 30, 2013 by lmharnisch

A photo from an ad for “The Clansman” in the Los Angeles Herald, 1908. Several weeks ago, I stumbled across a program from the Mason Opera House, announcing the upcoming production of “The Clansman,” the play by Thomas Dixon Jr. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1908, African Americans, Animals, Broadway, Downtown, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles Star, Stage | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘The Clansman’ Comes to Los Angeles – 1908

Posted on October 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

A 1908 program from the Mason Opera House has been listed on EBay with an ad for an upcoming production of “The Clansman,” a play adapted from  Thomas  Dixon’s novels “The Leopard’s Spots” and “The Clansman” and turned into D.W. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1908, African Americans, Books and Authors, Broadway, Downtown, Film, Found on EBay, Stage | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Vaudeville Caricatures

Posted on October 9, 2013 by lmharnisch

“Vaudeville,” by Caroline Caffin and Marius De Zayas has been listed on EBay. My knowledge of vaudeville is quite slim and for all I know this may be a standard work on the subject, although I have never encountered it … Continue reading →

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Curious Dreamer

Posted on October 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

Note: Here’s an entry I wrote in 2006 for the 1947project. I thought newer readers might enjoy it. Oct. 5, 1907 Los Angeles Hilliard Stricklin is a man with an urgent desire to do something for his fellow African Americans. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, African Americans | Comments Off on Curious Dreamer

Navy Doctors Defuse ‘Human Bomb’

Posted on September 19, 2013 by lmharnisch

Sept. 19, 1943: In a story delayed for wartime, the Associated Press reports that Allen L. Gordon, 23, of Rock Island, Ill., fire control operator third class, was struck Dec. 2 with a 20-millimeter antiaircraft shell that lodged in his … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, African Americans, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Hollywood, Labor, Medicine, Music, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Joaquin Murrieta’s Head on Display in San Francisco

Posted on September 10, 2013 by lmharnisch

What exists of the Sept. 3, 1853, issue of the Los Angeles Star, in the collection at the Huntington, is online at USC (although it can only be viewed after it is downloaded due to some malfunction in the interface) … Continue reading →

Posted in 1853, African Americans, Animals, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

6,000 Union Army Veterans Gather to Recall the Campfires of Old

Posted on August 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

The entire Aug. 27, 1903, edition of the Herald is available here. Aug. 27, 1903: The Los Angeles Times (and by extension, the Chandler family) is frequently treated as if it was the only paper in the city’s history. Those … Continue reading →

Posted in 1903, African Americans, Civil War, Parks, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

L.A. French Benevolent Society Celebrates Founding in 1859

Posted on August 20, 2013 by lmharnisch

The entire Aug. 15, 1863, issue of the Los Angeles Star, scanned from a copy at the Huntington, is available from USC (in color) or the California Digital Newspaper Collection (black and white). Aug. 15, 1863: Another installment of the … Continue reading →

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L.A. Welcomes Harbor Freeway Extension With Four-Block Traffic Jam

Posted on August 8, 2013 by lmharnisch

Aug. 8, 1953: An extension of the Harbor Freeway carrying traffic into downtown Los Angeles opens — and is jammed immediately. Traffic engineers say the backup was caused by the timing of the signals at 6th Street and Figueroa. Movie … Continue reading →

Posted in 1953, African Americans, Comics, Film, Freeways, Hollywood, LAPD, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

California Politics: Democratic Candidate for Governor Seeks to Bar Blacks

Posted on August 6, 2013 by lmharnisch

The entire Aug. 1, 1863, issue of the Los Angeles Star is available online via the California Digital Newspaper Collection.   Buckley shoots Francisco Cruz. Aug. 1, 1863: The Star publishes the campaign speech of former Gov. John G. Downey … Continue reading →

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Black Doctor in Divorce Case Says Wife Tried to ‘Masquerade’ as White

Posted on July 23, 2013 by lmharnisch

July 23, 1923: The centennial of the Monroe Doctrine is celebrated at Exposition Park in the American Historical Revue and Motion Picture Exposition.. The U.S. Mint in San Francisco issued commemorative half dollars for the occasion. The Times says: “One … Continue reading →

Posted in 1823, 1923, African Americans, Art & Artists, Broadway, Comics, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Fires, Hill Street, Hollywood, Theaters | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Was Coleman Harris From ‘Gangster Squad’ a Real Person?

Posted on May 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

Josh Brolin, left, as Sgt. John O’Mara with Anthony Mackie as Officer Coleman Harris in “Gangster Squad.” Drinking in uniform in a nightclub while on duty? I don’t think so. Now that “Gangster Squad” is out on DVD and available … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, African Americans, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Berserk Negro Kills Two Men on Ranch With Ax

Posted on April 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

April 18, 1943:  Robert Earl Lee, 61, a worker at ranch in the Malibu Hills, surrenders to authorities after killing his employer, Nelson Ross Wolfe, and another ranch hand, Albert Everett Miller, with an ax. Lee, described by The Times … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, African Americans, Animals, Hollywood, Homicide | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Steamship Hits Rock off Point Fermin

Posted on March 26, 2013 by lmharnisch

March 21, 1863: Now that we’re done with the Black Dahlia/George Hodel transcripts we can return to Los Angeles in the pages of the Star, which was brimming with vitriol against the North in the Civil War. Even when one … Continue reading →

Posted in 1863, African Americans, Animals, Civil War | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Pray for Me, I’m Going to See ‘Gangster Squad’

Posted on January 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

I am heading  off to see “Gangster Squad” this morning, not because I expect it to be good, but because I expect it to be very, very bad, as already reflected by the first reviews and the trailers. I have … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Black Dahlia, City Hall, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated +++)

Posted on December 31, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here are some mystery folks in a mystery movie.

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Mystery Photo, Nightclubs | Tagged , , , | 38 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Frank S. Hoover, Portrait Photographer and Apartment Developer

Posted on December 17, 2012 by lmharnisch

  Early Hollywood portrait photography developed from the need of stars for portraits to send out looking for roles, and from studios realizing the value of selling their product through stars. Los Angeles and Hollywood photographers recognized for taking photographs … Continue reading →

Posted in 1935, African Americans, Architecture, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments