Category Archives: Another Good Story Ruined

Black Dahlia: When New York Times Reporters Rely on Faulty Memories

Posted on January 7, 2022 by lmharnisch

Do reporters check the clips when writing for publication? Or do they rely on a faulty memory? In the case of Jill Abramson, reviewing Carl Bernstein’s Chasing History for the New York Times, faulty memory wins out, along with a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Harry Houdini: An Interview by Marcet Haldeman-Julius, October 1925

Posted on March 24, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: In honor of Harry Houdini’s birthday, we are reposting this interview from 1925. We have been collecting issues of Haldeman-Julius Monthly for several years, but one issue was particularly elusive: The October 1925 number featuring an interview with Harry … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Another Good Story Ruined, From the Stacks | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Jean Spangler and the Dr. George Hodel Non-Connection

Posted on January 25, 2021 by lmharnisch

Executive summary: A story in Entertainment Weekly looks at the 1949 disappearance of bit actress Jean Spangler. The author lists purported suspects, including Dr. George Hodel, whom Steve Hodel has accused of countless unsolved killings, including the Black Dahlia, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1949, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Black Dahlia: Purported Movie of Elizabeth Short on V-J Day in Hollywood – FALSE!

Posted on January 16, 2021 by lmharnisch

Every so often, this clip shows up on social media, purporting to be Elizabeth Short on Hollywood Boulevard during V-J Day celebrations in August 1945. False. Elizabeth Short was in Medford, Mass., on V-J Day and didn’t arrive in Los … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Cold Cases, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Dahlia: On the Anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s Murder, a Guide for the Hasty Reporter

Posted on January 12, 2021 by lmharnisch

My Page 1 story on the Black Dahlia case. Now behind the Los Angeles Times pay wall. The full version of the story (expanded by two-thirds) is available on my old, old website. The anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s murder, coming … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Dahlia: Who Can Spot the Mistake?

Posted on October 28, 2019 by lmharnisch

Every so often, a Black Dahlia researcher cites Morgan Korzik’s blackdahlia.web.unc.edu, presumably on the theory that any source ending in edu is somehow reliable. It’s not. See if you can spot the mistake. ps. You cannot trust anything on the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Scotty Bowers 1923 – 2019 | Liar to the Stars

Posted on October 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

Scotty Bowers has left the building. Reminder: Everything he said is a lie. An encore post from 2018. Scotty Bowers’ mountain of lies is not the hill I care to die on. But be assured that he has told a … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘Suspect’ Dr. Adam Fairall — Another Wikipedia Prank

Posted on July 15, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here we have a purported list of “Black Dahlia Suspects” from Wikipedia. At least as it was of May 20, 2019. Wikipedia, being Wikipedia, this could change at any moment. This list is allegedly the 25 suspects named by Lt. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Wikipedia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: ‘Suspect’ Jacob Edward Fisk — Wikipedia Prank Takes on a Life of Its Own

Posted on July 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

Let’s see what happens when Wikipedia vandalism takes on a life of its own. That would be Black Dahlia “suspect” Jacob Edward Fisk. Never a suspect. It was all just a prank.

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Wikipedia | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: Newsweek Mangles the George Hodel Story Beyond All Recognition

Posted on June 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

About 1980, when I was in journalism school, one of my classes heard guest speaker Martin Kasindorf, who impressed the room of aspiring reporters with his tales of being a Newsweek correspondent. (He was later the magazine’s New York bureau … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 2019, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: George Hodel and Rachmaninoff – A Meeting That Never Occurred

Posted on February 6, 2019 by lmharnisch

So here we have a passing mention of piano prodigy George Hodel, age 9, meeting Sergei Rachmaninoff “accompanied by the Russian minister of culture.” I’m particularly interested in this line because Rachmaninoff (Kristof Konrad) shows up in “I Am the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1917, 1919, 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: George Hodel Boy Genius, and Rachmaninoff

Posted on February 6, 2019 by lmharnisch

Do you love research? Of course you do or you wouldn’t be reading the Daily Mirror. But do you love research about the Hodel family? Possibly not.

Posted in 1917, 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Music | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: George Hodel, Steve Hodel and Public Records

Posted on January 31, 2019 by lmharnisch

I have already shared this on Twitter but I thought I would post it here as well. This is an example of Steve Hodel’s amazing detective work on his father, Dr. George Hodel. Steve evidently cannot tell when he is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Genealogy | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Common Myths About the Black Dahlia and Their Origins

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

The FBI file perpetuates the error that Elizabeth Short’s middle name was “Ann.” She had no middle name. Note: This item was originally posted on lmharnisch.com in 2005. Here’s a quick guide to the most frequent errors made in writing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: How Do People Get the Story So Wrong?

Posted on January 8, 2019 by lmharnisch

This popped into my inbox this morning and golly it’s amazing just how many mistakes some crime buffs can pack into one blog post. Then again, the Internet. Ready? Let’s find five obvious errors.

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

‘Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood’ | One-Page Fact Check: Fail

Posted on November 13, 2018 by lmharnisch

The one-page fact check of Karina Longworth’s “Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood” was even more successful than I expected. Well done, Brain Trust. Grade: Fail. Ready? Here we go:

Posted in 1920, 1921, 1923, 1925, Another Good Story Ruined, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, One-Page Fact Check | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: Karina Longworth’s ‘Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood’

Posted on November 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Here’s a “fun” challenge. How many mistakes can you spot on the first page of “Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood?”   A friend who has written many distinguished books on Hollywood emailed me over the weekend … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Black Dahlia: Sydney Morning Herald Discovers New Elmore Leonard Novel: ‘Get Dahlia’ (Oops)

Posted on October 19, 2018 by lmharnisch

Who needs editors? Certainly not the Sydney Morning Herald and Scott Ellis. ps. This is “sponsored content for Stan,” an Australian streaming video service. Mistakes like this make Mr. Laurel, who will always be the real Stan to us, very … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Noir: Will Someone Please Get the New York Times a Map of Los Angeles?

Posted on October 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

The New York Times has published a “guide” to “Where Noir Lives in the City of Angels.” With text by Gal Beckerman. And take a good look at the graphic by Ross MacDonald (no, not that Ross MacDonald; he’s dead). … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, LAPD, New York | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Scotty Bowers’ Mountain of Lies — Not the Hill I Care to Die On

Posted on August 6, 2018 by lmharnisch

Scotty Bowers’ mountain of lies is not the hill I care to die on. But be assured that he has told a mountain of lies. Have you seen even one photograph of him with one of his alleged amours? Scotty … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments