Category Archives: Books and Authors

Coming Attractions — Mark A. Vieira on Hollywood Photographer George Hurrell

Posted on January 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

I had the great good fortune of spending several hours Saturday with Mark A. Vieira, a regular commenter on the mystery photos and author of several books, including the current release “George Hurrell’s Hollywood.” I will post more about our … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — The L.A. Daily Mirror Newsstand, January 1944

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lmharnisch

January 1944 Weird Tales, for sale on EBay at $49.99. I had so much fun adding radio broadcasts for Christmas 1943 that I thought I would add radio shows throughout the year, on the days that they aired in 1944 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, World War II | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Nothing Says ‘I Love You’ Like Hollywood Deaths and Scandals

Posted on December 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

I found this inscription last night at the Last Book Store in a copy of “Hollywood Death and Scandal Sites” by our old nonsense-slinging friend E.J. Fleming of “Wallace Beery beat Ted Healy to death in the parking lot of … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 20, 2013 by lmharnisch

For someone interested in the earlier history of Los Angeles, that is, outside the traditional Raymond Chandler/noir era that draws the most interest, you might consider Paul Bryan Gray’s “A Clamor for Equality,” another example, like Christina Rice’s “Ann Dvorak” … Continue reading →

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Los Angeles Prepares to Celebrate a Wartime Christmas

Posted on December 19, 2013 by lmharnisch

Dec. 19, 1943: Los Angeles prepares to celebrate Christmas with a focus on service members, while U.S. troops fight the Nazis in hand-to-hand combat for the Italian town of San Pietro.  The Times story by James Warnack (d. 1958) begins:  … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

Several people have suggested that “Never Built Los Angeles,” which has yet to be added to the Daily Mirror library, would be an excellent holiday gift. The book by Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin with a forward by Thom Mayne … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Authors, Futurism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘Ann Dvorak’ — Talking With Author Christina Rice

Posted on December 16, 2013 by lmharnisch

Several weeks ago, the L.A. Daily Mirror had lunch with Christina Rice, author of the new book “Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel” and it’s always fun when two ardent researchers get together to talk shop. We chatted about various archives, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide: A Brief History of the Tom and Jerry

Posted on December 14, 2013 by lmharnisch

A recipe for the Tom and Jerry from the San Francisco Call, June 30, 1912. Over on Facebook, Christopher McPherson asked whether the Tom and Jerry was named for the MGM cartoon characters. I said I suspected the opposite was … Continue reading →

Posted in 1862, Books and Authors, Food and Drink | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, the column was seen by a real … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 10, 2013 by lmharnisch

You might have to hunt a bit for Don Normark’s 1999 book “Chavez Ravine, 1949,” but your search will be rewarded. The photos are terrific and the residents’ recollections make the book even better. Copies can be found via bookfinder.com.

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

The Times ebook on the Titanic is a crossroads of old and new. Archival stories on a tablet. The book, unfortunately, was lost in the mass of Titaniciana on the centennial, but it’s a solid piece of work (I should … Continue reading →

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Pages of History — Morrow Mayo and ‘Los Angeles’

Posted on December 6, 2013 by lmharnisch

This is something of a find. “Los Angeles” is one of the most influential — though certainly not one of the most accurate — books ever written about local history and although it’s well known, the author, George “Morrow” Mayo … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

For the steampunk fan on your gift list, you might consider “Walking Your Octopus,” with wonderful illustrations by Brian Kesinger. I had an opportunity to chat with Brian at the Cartoon Expo and scored a signed copy. Available from Brian … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 4, 2013 by lmharnisch

Today’s holiday gift suggestion is the latest biography from Eve Golden, “John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars.” The Daily Mirror likes to support its local independent bookstore whenever possible. But if you’re not close to a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

LAPD: Parker Center Cop Shop Files

Posted on December 4, 2013 by lmharnisch

I was given a box of material that was cleaned out of the old press room at the LAPD’s Parker Center headquarters, sometimes called “the cop shop.” The box was a jumble of press releases, photographs, artists’ sketches and other … Continue reading →

Posted in 1965, 1973, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Parker Center Cop Shop Files | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

Whenever I’m asked about my favorite books on Los Angeles, my first recommendation is “Nuestro Pueblo,” a selection of features by Times artist Charles Owens and writer Joseph Seewerker that appeared in The Times. I went through all of them … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

If you enjoy Mary Mallory’s columns (and our survey shows that readers do) you might like this anthology of Hollywood Heights called “Hollywoodland: Tales Lost and Found.” It’s available for the Kindle, but don’t forget that Amazon has a free … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 1, 2013 by lmharnisch

We are being bombarded by stories about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with videos of long lines at stores and the attendant consumer frenzy. The L.A. Daily Mirror prefers a more subdued approach to buying gifts during the holiday season. … Continue reading →

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Matzo Brawl!

Posted on November 29, 2013 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a post I wrote in 2006 for the 1947project and I’m reposting it for newer readers. Nov. 29, 1907 Oh Those Shriners: Recall, if you will, the grisly train wreck that killed a large number of Shriners … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Food and Drink, LAPD, Religion, Streetcars | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Little Something to Think About on a Sunday Morning

Posted on November 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

I suppose the venomous Cathy Seipp (d. 2007) is pretty much forgotten now. I hadn’t thought about her in a long time until the death of Wanda Coleman and remembered that Seipp took regular potshots at Coleman when she wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Obituaries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments