Category Archives: Film

Columnist’s Wife Stabs Errol Flynn With Fork in Nightclub Brawl!

Sept. 22, 1941: Oh look what I found! Our own Jimmie Fidler mixing it up with Errol Flynn at the Mocambo.  And Fidler’s wife, Bobbe, stabs Flynn with a fork!

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Nightclubs | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

May 12, 1924: “The Marriage Cheat” at Loew’s State and May 25, 1924, at Tallys. [Update: This is Laska Winter, seen in “The Marriage Cheat.”] Here’s our mystery gal! There’s a new photo on the jump!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 9

Image: Isadore Bernstein’s name appears on a list of  undesirables.  Credit: The National Archives at Riverside. To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which I saw this summer in the Last … Continue reading

Posted in 1942, 1943, African Americans, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Latinos, Libraries, Stage, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on ‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 9

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Photo: 1962 Cadillac hearse listed for sale on Craigslist at $30,000. Queen of the Dead – dateline September 19, 2011 •  The 108-year-old Steuben Glass company has announced they are closing shop—specifically, their Corning, NY, factory, and their 1950s-chic Madison … Continue reading

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Television | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

[Update: This is Anne Heywood.] Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

[Update: Here’s a closer look][Update 2: This is Kay Winter in 1940. If she looks familiar it’s because she changed her name to Dorothy Comingore.] Here’s another mystery photo from Steven Bibb! There’s a new photo on the jump!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Found on EBay – Los Angeles Examiner

The Aug. 1, 1936, edition of the Los Angeles Examiner has been listed on EBay. I thought it would be illuminating to compare it to the cover of The Times.  Both are eight-column pages, but The Times has crammed in … Continue reading

Posted in 1936, Film, Found on EBay, Front Pages, Hollywood | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Here’s another mystery photo courtesy of Steven Bibb! Update: This is Linda Perry, one of Warner Bros.’ finds from 1937. 

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Heiress Beaten to Death in Silver Lake

2153 Moreno Drive, via Google’s street view. Sept. 15, 1941: The murder house is on one of those narrow, curving streets above Silver Lake Reservoir, 2153 Moreno Drive. Her husband came home from work and found her beaten to death … Continue reading

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Cold Cases, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Cruising Bunker Hill, 1940s

Writing for On Bunker Hill, my crime buddy Nathan Marsak has done a breakdown of shots in a 6-minute film that turned up at archive.org. The footage was apparently filmed as background for an unidentified movie. Let’s see if we … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Film, Transportation | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Coming Attractions: Cheryl Crane

Photo: Cheryl Crane and Lana Turner in court. Credit: Los Angeles Examiner collection, USC. April 5, 1958: Cheryl Crane is held in the death of Johnny Stompanato. Mary Mallory points out that Cheryl Crane will be discussing her new book, … Continue reading

Posted in 1958, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

[Update: This is Nell O’Day (d. 1989).] Here’s another mystery photo courtesy of Steven Bibb! There’s another photo on the jump.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Photo: “One of a kind” customized 1993 Cadillac hearse with satellite dish  for sale on EBay at $6,000 with reserve. Queen of the Dead – dateline September 12, 2011 •  The restoration of the Habsburgs becomes less likely (OK, it … Continue reading

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, History, Queen of the Dead, Television, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

California Raises Speed Limit to 55 mph!

Sept. 10, 1941: California gets ready to raise the speed limit to 55 mph and the Auto Club will be posting new signs. That’s right, the Auto Club posted highway signage. Jimmie Fidler says: There’s something sadly amiss when an … Continue reading

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

[Update: This is Leon Janney (d. 1980)]. Here’s our mystery fellow, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Hitler Dead Soon, Hungarian Astrologer Says

Sept. 9, 1941: The Times publishes the amazing predictions of Hungarian “astro-philosopher” Louis De Wohl! He says Adolf Hitler is mentally ill. Check. He says Hitler doesn’t have long to live. Well, depending on how you define “long.” And the … Continue reading

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Baseball, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

John Wilkes Booth Site for Sale – Civil War Reenactors Not Included

Photo: Cleydael. Credit: Motley’s Auction and Realty Group. Three historic buildings in Texas’ Bastrop State Park were lost in the recent wildfire, but many other structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps have survived, according to Ben Wear of the … Continue reading

Posted in 1859, Architecture, Crime and Courts, Film, Homicide, Stage, Theaters | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Mystery Film of Los Angeles [Updated]

Photo: Nathan Marsak tests the latest Ford. Curbed LA’s link to this 1917 Ford travelogue on Los Angeles has been passed around until I finally saw it. How many of these locations do you recognize? Here’s footage of streetcars and … Continue reading

Posted in 1917, Downtown, Film, Mystery Photo, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged | 6 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Here’s today’s mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb! [Update: This is Linda Ware, who was billed as the next Deanna Durbin. The fellow imitating President Roosevelt is R.D. Parker, who was elected Chief Grouch of 1939 by the Grouch Club. … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Nazi Swastika on Hollywood Hills!

Image: “I guess I’m a fool,” she panted. Credit: This Week magazine, Los Angeles Times Sept. 7, 1941:It’s Sunday in Los Angeles, and although Pearl Harbor is three months away, concern about the impending war is everywhere. Someone even changed … Continue reading

Posted in 1941, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Music, Radio, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments