Category Archives: Art & Artists

Snake Killer Dies on Gallows

May 2, 1942: Major Raymond Lisenba, better known as Robert S. “Rattlesnake” James, becomes the 214th and last person to be executed by hanging in California. James was hanged because the murder of his wife occurred in 1935, before the … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Homicide, World War II | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

A postcard of a horse-drawn hearse listed on EBay with bidding starting at $2.50. Queen of the Dead – dateline April 9, 2012 •  The Telegraph hits another one out of the ballpark with their tribute to Peregrine John Wishart … Continue reading

Posted in Art & Artists, Dance, Eve Golden, Film, Queen of the Dead, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Explosion in Caltech Secret Project Kills 1, Injures 6

March 28, 1942: A fiery explosion during a secret experiment at the Kellogg Radiation Laboratory kills Raymond L. Robey and injures six others. Robey was thrown 50 feet by the force of the explosion, which scorched the four-story building, The … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Abortion, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

A photo of a funeral procession in Dragonea, Italy, listed on EBay at $40.95. Queen of the Dead – dateline March 26, 2012 •  I love Little Me, one of the funniest books ever written. Grab it. Now. The photos—period … Continue reading

Posted in Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Comics, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Suicide, Television | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Manzanar Internment Camp Rising Rapidly in Owens Valley

March 20, 1942: A crew of 400 carpenters working 10-hour shifts is hurriedly building the internment camp at Manzanar for “10,000 alien and American-born Japanese from Los Angeles and other Southern California cities,” The Times says. “Manzanar is the former … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

FBI Arrests Buddhist Priests in Japanese Roundup

  March 14, 1942: The FBI leads arrests of Buddhist priests, teachers, photographers, housewives, gardeners and businessmen in the continuing roundup of “enemy aliens.” Among the arrested was the Rev. Hiroshi Izumi of the Japanese Congregational Church in Santa Barbara. … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , | 1 Comment

‘Enemy Aliens’ Farms Ideally Located to Sabotage L.A., Times Says

March 4, 1942: In what must surely be a classic example of war hysteria, The Times publishes a master map of land owned or leased by “enemy aliens” that constitutes ideal locations to conduct espionage, operate signaling outposts and stage … Continue reading

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UCLA Provost Calls for a Return to Basics in Education

Feb. 25, 1942: UCLA Provost Earle Hedrick (d. 1943) describes the prevailing disdain for the “three Rs” as “the Pearl Harbor” of American education. Charging that American education is ruled by an elite clique, Hedrick says: “I propose that we … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Education, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bowling for Victory! Keglers vs. the Axis!

Feb. 16, 1942: America’s 16 million bowlers are being asked to help promote physical fitness and mental alertness for the nation’s fighting men in their war against the Axis, and to provide relaxation for defense workers!  No effort will be … Continue reading

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Lawmakers Urge Roosevelt to Order Immediate Evacuation of All Japanese

Feb. 14, 1942:  West Coast legislators abandon plans to register “enemy aliens,” a process that would allow them to remain in defense zones. Instead, the congressmen ask President Roosevelt to order the “immediate evacuation” of “all persons of Japanese lineage.” … Continue reading

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U.S. Moves to ‘War Time’

Feb. 9, 1942: It’s a sad day at the Daily Mirror HQ. No more Jimmie Fidler. The U.S. moves to Daylight Saving Time “for the duration,” which will last until six months “after the day America wins the war,” The … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Religion, World War II | Tagged | 5 Comments

FBI Continues Raids on Japanese Homes

Feb. 8, 1942: FBI agents lead local law enforcement in the continuing raids on Japanese communities.  “Trunks and storerooms were ransacked, suspicious areas of newly turned earth were dug into and all buildings were carefully investigated,” The Times said. After … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Washington, World War II | Tagged | Comments Off on FBI Continues Raids on Japanese Homes

Body of Kidnapped Girl Found in Riverbed

Feb. 4, 1942: “As Coroner R.E. Williams and his aides bore the pitiful little body, still clad in her gay blue and white striped red school dress, toward town for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, the hundreds … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, A Kinder, Simpler Time, Art & Artists, Cold Cases, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Jimmie Fidler, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

L.A. County Board Recommends Roundup of All Japanese

Feb. 3, 1942: The FBI, police and sheriff’s deputies round up 336 “alien Japanese fishermen” on Terminal Island. “Operating with machine-like efficiency, the FBI agents, headed by J.W. Vincent, in charge of operations, had prepared lists of the names and … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

U.S. Urged to Evacuate Japanese Immediately

Jan. 31, 1942: Members of Congress from the West Coast call on the U.S. to expedite the evacuation of “enemy aliens,” a term that includes native-born people of Japanese ancestry. Officials concede that some of them may be loyal – … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Freeways, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Politics, Richard Nixon, Streetcars, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on U.S. Urged to Evacuate Japanese Immediately

FBI Smashes Nazi Spy Ring in Beverly Hills: 3 Sent Coded Letters to Third Reich

Jan. 29, 1942: The FBI accuses Dr. Hans Helmut Gros, his wife, Frances, and Albrecht Rudolf Curt Reuter of belonging to a Nazi spy ring. According to allegations, Gros, of 328 N. Maple Drive, sent letters to purported relatives that … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, LAPD, Streetcars, Theaters, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

L.A. County, City Fire All Japanese Workers!

Jan. 28, 1942: Buried on the jump of this story is the news that the city of Los Angeles urged all Japanese employees to take a leave of absence “for the duration.” Those who refused to quit were suspended. The … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, City Hall, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Molestation Suspect Questioned in Killing of Girl, 9

Jan. 25, 1942: Detectives Harry Fremont and Jack Dwight are questioning Leo M. King, accused of molesting a 5-year-old girl, in the death of Dorothy Lee Gordon. The case of Dorothy Gordon, an African American child who was kidnapped and … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Architecture, Art & Artists, Cold Cases, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Nuestro Pueblo, World War II | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

L.A. Studebaker Plant Converts to War Production

Jan. 22, 1942: Chika Takamoto and Ryohei Tanaka are in jail for violating the federal ban on Japanese Americans possessing cameras or radios. Studebaker Pacific manufactures its last passenger car and converts to defense work “for the duration.” The Times … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

L.A.’s Garbage Fed to Hogs … Nom Nom Nom!

Jan. 21, 1942: Tom Treanor looks at tin recycling for the war effort and notes that garbage in Los Angeles is fed to hogs in Fontana – with a steam shovel. Hogs in the Los Angeles area had been fed … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, Animals, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment