Category Archives: books

Arthur C. Clarke

Nov. 1, 2001 Celebrity Setup: Evolution of a Sci-Fi Master   * ‘2001’ author Arthur C. Clarke has long been fascinated with electronics. By David ColkerTimes Staff Writer Arthur C. Clarke, author of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and numerous other … Continue reading

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March 9, 1958

Above, a literary time capsule: Thomas B. Costain … James Jones … James Gould Cozzens … and Vance Packard. Below, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower calls for a huge spending program to end the U.S. recession. Eisenhower advocates civil works programs … Continue reading

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Lies and consequences

Perhaps other folks were shocked by the revelation that "Love and Consequences" by Margaret B. Jones, a.k.a. Margaret Seltzer, was a complete fake. It was old news to me. Here’s my own experience, from Donald H. Wolfe’s 2005 "The Black … Continue reading

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Welcome to Kareem

  Here’s a salute from the Daily Mirror to one of The Times’ new bloggers!

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Craby Joe’s RIP

Craby Joe’s is gone but the sign lives on. Jeremy Hansen writes: The Museum of Neon Art is hoping to have the sign up and running by Feb. 14, the next downtown LA Artwalk.  The new location of the museum … Continue reading

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January 30, 1958: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File

January 30, 1958 Memphis Harry Lee Ward, Hollywood’s oldest newsboy and foremost collector of literary works, once made the observation to me that: “Parkey Sharkey is far more literary than you are, sir.” It wasn’t a comment meant to degrade … Continue reading

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Literary diversions

Jan. 30, 1938Los Angeles It’s a Sunday morning in Los Angeles and Times readers turn to the weekly magazine. Here’s an installment of an Erle Stanley Gardner story, as published 70 years ago.  

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Best sellers

Jan. 26, 1958 Los Angeles

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Actor stabbed

  Jan. 19-21, 1958 Los Angeles Her name was Velda and she had apparently been a model in New York. That’s where she met Burt Lancaster, at right with nurse Genevieve Grigoli. It’s not clear how well she knew the … Continue reading

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The Badge

Well isn’t this interesting? Here’s the original cover of "The Badge," from my five-foot shelf of books on Los Angeles. Note the style of badge and Serial No. 714.   And here’s the cover of the reprint ("With a new … Continue reading

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Edward Weston dies

Jan. 2, 1958 Carmel, Calif.   Photograph by the Los Angeles Times Edward Weston, after receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1937, when he was living at 4166 Brunswick Ave., Los Angeles.*   One of the greatest photographers of the 20th … Continue reading

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Smith on Wry

  Photograph by the Los Angeles Times I love this picture of Times reporters Jack Smith and Marvin Miles, in coats and ties, of course, flying a kite. I don’t know the story behind this picture, but I’m sure there … Continue reading

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Christmas past

Christmas in prison with Dalton Trumbo, 1950  

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Best sellers

Nov. 24, 1957

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Byline: Norman Mailer

May 5, 1968  

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Rock Hudson’s wedding album

I went down to The Times’ archives and pulled Rock Hudson‘s wedding pictures because I’m the kind of person who would want to see Rock Hudson’s wedding pictures. Please note: All captions are from original information provided when the photos … Continue reading

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Karil Rogers Graham and ‘The Badge’

“She was such a grand, lovely person. She loved flowers, was crazy about them.” That’s what the landlady, Eleanor Lipson, had to say about murder victim Karil Rogers Graham. Her sister, Mrs. H.L. Manley, called her “a well-settled girl.” According … Continue reading

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In praise of artists

So far, I have been bombarded with the location of the "Waltzing Mice" installation and the origin of the quote (Raymond Chandler). But nobody has said a word about the artist. Our old standby Google merely reveals that "Waltzing Mice" … Continue reading

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In praise of comix

Sept. 20, 1957Los Angeles Hey moms and dads, comic books don’t rot your children’s minds or turn your kids into hoodlums. No, really! Comics are  good, wholesome entertainment that will ensure your offspring become lifelong lovers of fine literature. Mad … Continue reading

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Literary diversions

Jim Tully, Aug. 13, 1922. Tully was a self-taught writer who specialized in stories about boxers, the circus, hobos and similar themes. He’s fairly obscure today but was once quite well-known. He was the author of "Beggars of Life," "Blood … Continue reading

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