Category Archives: Columnists

1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, July 25, 1944

Posted on July 25, 2026 by lmharnisch

July 25, 1944: Loretta Young and Col. Tom Lewis have not bought “Bugsey” Siegel’s mansion. Too expensive, they decided, and the baby, due in a month, will have its first nursery in the house where they now live, Louella Parsons says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, July 23, 1944

Posted on July 23, 2026 by lmharnisch

July 23, 1944. Louella Parsons dishes Tinseltown secrets. Continue reading →

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July 22, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on July 22, 2026 by lmharnisch

July 22, 1959: Matt Weinstock has the story of a driver who obediently followed a traffic officer to the site of a bank holdup so the policeman could finish writing up a ticket. Continue reading →

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July 22, 1959: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File

Posted on July 22, 2026 by lmharnisch

July 22, 1959: Police officers have a new set of challenges, Paul Coates writes, like being insulted with the term “cop.” Continue reading →

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June 27, 1947: Ray the Newspaper Boy Publishes First Book, ‘Dark Carnival’

Posted on June 27, 2026 by lmharnisch

June 27, 1947: Ray the newsboy, who once sold papers at Olympic at Norton, has published his first book: “Dark Carnival.” You might know him as Ray Bradbury. Continue reading →

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June 26, 1947: ‘White’ or ‘Negro?’ LAPD Holds Sentinel Columnist for Having Two Driver’s Licenses

Posted on June 26, 2026 by lmharnisch

June 26, 1947: Los Angeles Sentinel columnist Edward Robinson is held by the LAPD because he has two driver’s licenses, one identifying him as “white” and the other as “Negro.” Continue reading →

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June 4, 1941: Burbank Man Invents Death Ray!

Posted on June 4, 2026 by lmharnisch

June 4, 1941: A Burbank man claims to have invented a death ray that will kill rabbits at 100 yards. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, May 13, 1944

Posted on May 13, 2026 by lmharnisch

May 13, 1944: Louella Parsons says that D.W. Griffith is so impressed with Preston Sturges’ “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek,” that Griffith sent Sturges a treatment of Louis Bromfield’s “Up Ferguson Way,” at the insistence of Lillian Gish. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood by Sidney Skolsky, April 15, 1944

Posted on April 15, 2026 by lmharnisch

April 15, 1944: Theater owners gripe about films they are showing. Sample: “My patrons like corn, green, ripe, in muffins, cans or jugs, and I simply have got to give it to them and that’s what they are going to get from now on. This picture business is getting me, or has it got me?” Continue reading →

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February 18, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on February 18, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 18, 1959: Actor Paul Fierro grew a beard in hopes of being cast as Fidel Castro. His ploy finally worked — somewhat. He’s cast as a police officer and has to shave off the beard but is keeping the mustache, Matt Weinstock says. Continue reading →

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February 18, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on February 18, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 18, 1959: A divorcee over 40, once an executive secretary, can’t get hired because of her age, Paul Coates writes. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ February 18, 1944

Posted on February 18, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 18, 1944: Herr Goering’s first name, Herman, came from a Jewish doctor, Herman Eppstein, of Tyrol, Austria, Walter Winchell says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ February 17, 1944

Posted on February 17, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 17, 1944: “Alfred M. Landon stated: Fascism is here in America and its name is the New Deal,” Walter Winchell reports. Continue reading →

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February 16, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on February 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 16, 1959: A woman’s freelance writing jeopardizes her eligibility for welfare, Matt Weinstock says. Continue reading →

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February 16, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on February 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 16, 1959: Racists oppose statehood for Hawaii, Paul Coates says. Also the Elizabeth “Ma” Duncan is about to begin. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ February 16, 1944

Posted on February 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 16, 1944: Errol Flynn was turned down for the seventh time by the Army and Navy. He is asking the latter for special service and a waiver on physical defects, Walter Winchell says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ February 11, 1944

Posted on February 11, 2026 by lmharnisch

February 11, 1944: Sherman Billingsley, the Stork Club owner, has mike fright. Last year, frixample, he agreed to appear on “Duffy’s Tavern,” but at the last moment ran out, scared stiff. Ed Gardner went dizzy seeking a substitute, and was very irked with Mr. B, who said he’d rather pay plenty than appear on the radio, Walter Winchell says. Continue reading →

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January 31, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on January 31, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 31, 1959: Bill Thomas, then a staffer on the Mirror, is assigned to write about American Airlines’ first jet flight to New York. His colleagues buy a life insurance policy. “As the plane goes down it should be comforting to know you are doing a nice thing for your friends,” they say. Continue reading →

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January 31, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on January 31, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 31, 1959: Paul Coates has the story a drug addict who graduates from Synanon and an update on the postmortem drama about the body of Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, which was stranded at the morgue. Continue reading →

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January 24, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on January 24, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 24, 1959: Paul Coates has the story about the fight over the body of Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer between his parents and his ex-wife. In the meantime, Switzer’s body remains in the morgue. Continue reading →

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