Category Archives: Columnists

Jan. 2, 1959: Paul Coates ‘Repeal the Mann Act?’

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 2, 1959: Long before Nate Silver launched 538, Paul Coates was skeptical of polls and to prove his point formed his own polling concern: the Los Angeles Survey Institute. His question: “Do you think the Mann Act deters or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Columnists, Paul Coates | 3 Comments

Jan. 2, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Reader’s Choice’

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

The old-school newspaper columnists were tough, writing six pieces a week. Six-day-a-week columnists like Matt Weinstock and Paul Coates took it easy by making their Saturday columns a roundup of readers’ letters. In those days, apparently, newspaper columnists received interesting … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Books and Authors, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Tagged 1959, columnists, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off

Jan. 1, 1959: Matt Weinstock, ‘Unsung Heroines’

Posted on January 1, 2019 by lmharnisch

The other joy of doing the Daily Mirror was reintroducing readers to the columns of Matt Weinstock, taken from the Mirror (d. 1962). Weinstock is remembered today for the 1947 book “My L.A.” (I have enough copies, thank you), which … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, 2009, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | Tagged 1959, 2009, columnists, Little Old Lady From Pasadena, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off

Jan. 1, 1959: Paul Coates, Confidential File ‘Looking Back at ‘58; Looking Ahead to ‘59’

Posted on January 1, 2019 by lmharnisch

One of my particular joys in doing the Daily Mirror at the Los Angeles Times was rerunning Paul Coates’ columns, which originally appeared in the Mirror (d. 1962). I was particularly fortunate to have several excellent interns who transcribed them. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Paul Coates | Tagged 1959, crime and courts, homicide, lapd, Paul Coates | Comments Off

Al Martinez, a Dying Boy and Some Peaches — A (Non) Christmas Story

Posted on December 13, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2015. Jim Romenesko, for those who aren’t in the news business, runs an essential blog that serves as a clearing house for information, gossip, bad headlines and assorted gaffes. A Jan. 6 post … Continue reading →

Posted in 1949, 1958, Books and Authors, Columnists | Tagged 1949, 1958, Al Martinez, Romenesko | Comments Off

Roosevelt Declares Early Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Nov. 9, 1941: Amid the gathering clouds of World War II, President Roosevelt declares what will be the last peacetime Thanksgiving. Noting American aid to nations fighting the Axis, Roosevelt says: “Let … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Religion, World War II | Tagged #Holocaust, #Unwed mothers, Abandoned babies, Bernhard Lichtenberg | Comments Off

Oct. 18, 1907: Newspaper Cartoonist Ted Gale Makes His Point

Posted on October 18, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Oct. 18, 1907 Los Angeles For the last month, the pages of The Times have been peppered with pen-and-ink cartoons signed Gale—in fact some of them have already appeared in the blog, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, African Americans, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Columnists | Tagged art and artists, Edmund Waller 'Ted' Gale, Harry Carr, Miss L.A. | Comments Off

Oct. 1, 1947: Meet Matt Weinstock, Author of ‘My L.A.’

Posted on October 1, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Everybody’s parents or grandparents seem to have purchased this little red-bound book with the blue title on the spine. There was a time when you could … Continue reading →

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Sept. 12, 1947: L.A. Times Columnist Lee Shippey

Posted on September 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Henry R. Wagner of San Marino will be 85 years old Sept. 27 but the Zamorano Club couldn’t wait that long. In order to surprise Dr. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Columnists, Comics | Tagged 1947, Books and Authors, columnists, comics, Lee Shippey | Comments Off

Sept. 4, 1947: Red Influences in Hollywood!

Posted on September 4, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Among the celebrities declining an invitation to discuss Communists in Hollywood was Hedda Hopper, and her column expands on the number of Red-influenced films in Hollywood … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged #Hedda Hopper, 1947, Communism, film, hollywood, Red Scare | Comments Off

Aug. 21, 1947: Times Columnist Tim Turner on Women Who Wear Pants

Posted on August 21, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a post from 2005 that originally appeared on the 1947project. Timothy G. Turner was a prolific, long-established writer for The Times, beginning with a feature on Anna May Wong in 1921. While he retired from the paper … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Columnists, Fashion | Tagged 1947, columnists, fashion, Timothy G. Turner | 2 Comments

Black L.A. 1947: Nellie Lutcher’s ‘He’s a Real Gone Guy’ Leads This Week’s Juke Box Hits

Posted on August 15, 2018 by lmharnisch

Aug. 14, 1947: Nellie Lutcher’s “He’s a Real Gone Guy” is this week’s No. 1 juke box hit, according to Murray’s Record Shop, 1055 E. Vernon. “True Blues” by Roy Milton is No. 2. On the jump, Ask Evangeline helps … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Columnists, Music | Tagged 1947, African Americans, Ask Evangeline, Los Angeles Sentinel, Music | 1 Comment

Black L.A. 1947: No Black Writers Invited to Preview of ‘Black Narcissus’

Posted on July 10, 2018 by lmharnisch

July 10, 1947: Earl Griffin, the Sentinel’s Hollywood Spotlight columnist, writes of a press premiere of “Black Narcissus” at the Carthay Circle Theater and notes that “the Negro press has been conspicuous by their absence (not being invited).” Griffin salutes … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged 1947, African Americans, columnists, Earl Griffin, film, Los Angeles Sentinel, Mark Hellinger | 1 Comment

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

Posted on June 27, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. I’ll be putting that little landmark on my tour of the Black Dahlia crime scene, which is about three miles away. Bradbury’s first book got a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Books and Authors, Columnists | Tagged #Ray Bradbury, 1947, Books and Authors | Comments Off

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

Posted on June 26, 2018 by lmharnisch

June 26, 1947: Los Angeles Sentinel columnist Edward Robinson takes a trip to the University Station after LAPD officers discover that he is carrying two driver’s licenses. One identifies him as “white” and the other identifies him as “Negro.” With … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Columnists | Tagged 1947, Edward Robinson, lapd, Los Angeles Sentinel | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 79 — Request Line XIV

Posted on April 20, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. I have ceased blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe uses the “Laura” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Uncategorized | Tagged 1947, black dahlia, Books and Authors, cold cases, crime and courts, Donald H. Wolfe, lapd | Comments Off

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 76 — Request Line XI

Posted on April 17, 2018 by lmharnisch

March 14, 1907: A Now-Forgotten ‘Carmen’ Passes Through L.A.

Posted on March 14, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2007. March 14, 1907 Los Angeles Harry C. Carr, future author of “Los Angeles: City of Dreams,” visits Fely Dereyne, who is starring in the San Carlo Opera Company’s touring production of “Carmen.” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Columnists, LAPD, Streetcars, Theaters | Tagged 1907, Harry Carr | 2 Comments

Otis Chandler Tribute

Posted on March 10, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. These are audio files I made of the in-house memorial to Otis Chandler (at right with his 1937 V-12 Packard, originally owned by Bette Davis), conducted March 7, 2006. These are field … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Uncategorized | Tagged Harry Carr | Comments Off

Black Dahlia: Blogging “Black Dahlia Files” Part 18 — Uncle Vern

Posted on February 19, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Page 24-25 I was breezing along (“breezing” being a relative term in reading a book at the molecular level) when I came across this little bon mot tucked into a sentence: “Angry … Continue reading →