Category Archives: Downtown

Court beat

Posted on October 10, 2007 by lmharnisch

Oct. 10, 1957Los Angeles Oh for the life of a court beat reporter in 1957: Confidential magazine, an appeal by convicted killer Caryl Chessman and the murder trial of L. Ewing Scott, not to mention the daily grind of the … Continue reading →

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Location sleuth

Posted on October 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

Another shot from "Act of Violence," showing downtown Los Angeles.  

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Dodgers EXTRA!

Posted on October 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

Oct. 8, 1957 City Hall gets a Dodgers cap. And UFOs.  

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Location sleuth

Posted on October 8, 2007 by lmharnisch

Here’s The Times Building as seen in "Act of Violence," 1948   Larry Harnisch / Los Angeles Times, Oct. 6, 2007 Trees and buildings prevented me from precisely re-creating this shot. The camera was north of where I was standing … Continue reading →

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Location sleuth

Posted on October 6, 2007 by lmharnisch

Note the neon sign for the Westlake Theatre.   Email me

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Location sleuth

Posted on October 4, 2007 by lmharnisch

The Times Building in "Act of Violence," 1948, pointed out by  my colleague, Steve Hensch.  

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History on EBay

Posted on September 28, 2007 by lmharnisch

Although I don’t often post items from EBay, these are exceptional: Two historic postcards of The Times. The first shows the presses. Perhaps regular readers at the Olympic Plant can shed some light on the equipment. (Personal note: The Times … Continue reading →

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Redwood revisited

Posted on September 28, 2007 by lmharnisch

Attention art sleuths: A close examination of the Redwood ad reveals this startling detail!   Yes, that’s right! According to this 1960 ad, the "famed ‘Poker Dog’ original oil paintings" were on display at the Redwood. And the paintings were … Continue reading →

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Hollywood confidential

Posted on September 28, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 28, 1957Los AngelesThis isn’t looking good.

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September 27, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on September 27, 2007 by lmharnisch

September 27, 1957 I never thought the time would come when I would write an ode to a single-chamber incinerator but here I am, doing it. Well, not exactly an ode but maybe a panegyric or at least a paean. … Continue reading →

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Mickey Cohen arrested

Posted on September 26, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 26, 1957Los Angeles Alas, the old Redwood at 234 W. 1st St. was demolished before my arrival at The Times, although it lives on in newsroom lore. One incident I’d never heard about was the arrest of Mickey Cohen … Continue reading →

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September 24, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on September 25, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 24, 1957 As dedicated ocean fishermen know, this is one of the greatest seasons in years for pulling in the elusive beauties of the deep. For many years they’ve had to be satisfied with getting “skunked” completely or with … Continue reading →

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Snooze alarm

Posted on September 19, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 16-19, 1957 Los Angeles "State Senate committee hearing" is one of the most boring phrases in the English language and the thick dust of half a century only adds layers of tedium. But let’s stand in the back … Continue reading →

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South-Central Vice

Posted on September 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 8-12, 1957 Los Angeles Let's suppose you are the mayor of the nation's third-largest city. Let's further suppose that your wife has received several letters complaining about rampant crime in a heavily minority neighborhood. You might turn the … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock

Posted on September 7, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 7, 1957 The week’s cordon bleu for eccentric behavior goes to a sharply dressed young man who came into a hill Street bat cave around midnight and ordered a beer. Before sipping any, he unlatched a luggage case, extracted … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock

Posted on September 6, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 6, 1957 Last week while driving between Cortez and Durango, Colo., Paul Weeks turned on the radio to relieve the monotony. After a while it came through his consciousness that the station, KWIK in Farmington, N.M., was playing the … Continue reading →

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The vexations of research

Posted on August 19, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 18, 1957 Los Angeles Nearly a century ago, Los Angeles had the wisdom and foresight to appoint the first policewoman in the United States–or was she? Alice Stebbins Wells is usually given that distinction today, but the record … Continue reading →

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‘I Hate Cops!’

Posted on August 2, 2007 by lmharnisch

Aug. 2, 1957Los Angeles It was St. Patrick’s Day, 1957, and a few customers got rowdy in a bar at Pico Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Police Officer Leo Wise separated a couple of men who were fighting and ordered them … Continue reading →

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Random queries

Posted on July 30, 2007 by lmharnisch

The hits for the Daily Mirror blog show that someone is researching the Feb. 13, 1969, robbery of the Bank of America at 3320 S. Hill. Here’s your answer: The Times wrote very little about the case, although police killed … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock

Posted on July 24, 2007 by lmharnisch

July 22, 1957 This is to report that a distressing situation has arisen in MacWestlake Park. Certain pigeons–just a few of the hundreds in the park, mind you–have adopted a decidedly unmilitary attitude toward the recently dedicated statue of the … Continue reading →

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