Category Archives: Film

December 18, 1907: County Coroner Dead Drunk at Bordello

Posted on December 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 18, 1907: Los Angeles County Coroner Roy S. Lanterman was arrested on charges of being drunk and disorderly at the Navajo, a bordello run by Ida Hastings, 309 Ord St. Hastings called police, who arrested Lanterman. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, 1909, City Hall, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on December 18, 1907: County Coroner Dead Drunk at Bordello

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘White Christmas’ Soothes the Home Front in 1942

Posted on December 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

Recognized today as one of the top selling singles and pieces of sheet music of all time, Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” was just one of eleven songs in the 1942 holiday classic, “Holiday Inn.” First put to paper by Berlin in 1940, the tune evolved over time before becoming the beloved hit sung by the dulcet tones of baritone Bing Crosby. Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘White Christmas’ Soothes the Home Front in 1942

December 15, 1941: Soldier Kills Civilian in Tragedy at Airport Checkpoint

Posted on December 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 15, 1941: Soldiers stop motorists on Sepulveda Boulevard to strip off blue cellophane illegally put over the headlights in the new wartime blackout.  Dr. Harry Brandel, assuming the soldiers were hitchhiking, ignored the order to stop and Private Eugene I. Tuttle, 19, fired what he said was a warning shot. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Jimmie Fidler, World War II | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Movieland ‘Unsuitable’ Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

Concluding our exploration of ‘unsuitable’ movies, we have a mysterious woman in a movie that is not suitable. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 22 Comments

December 14, 1941: War Cancels Rose Parade

Posted on December 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 14, 1941: The Rose Parade is canceled and the Rose Bowl – between Duke and Oregon State – is moved to Durham, N.C. The streets of Pasadena were oddly quiet on New Year’s Day as millions reviewed memories of previous parades in all their glory, The Times said. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on December 14, 1941: War Cancels Rose Parade

December 14, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on December 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 14, 1931: Christine Collins, whose tragedy inspired the film ‘Changeling,’ writes to prison officials about trying to find work for her husband, Walter, in case he is paroled. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1931, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off on December 14, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

December 13, 1941: Roundup of Aliens Overwhelms L.A. Jails

Posted on December 13, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 13, 1941: So many alien Japanese, Germans and Italians are being taken into custody that Chief Jailer William Bright of the County Jail is being forced to send some of his other inmates to county prison farms. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Nightclubs, Nuestro Pueblo, World War II | Tagged , | Comments Off on December 13, 1941: Roundup of Aliens Overwhelms L.A. Jails

December 12, 1959: Paul V. Coates – Confidential File

Posted on December 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 12, 1959: With all the talk of payola, the first Christmas DJ Johnny Grant received was … a wallet. From a record company, Paul Coates says. Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Paul Coates, Suicide | Comments Off on December 12, 1959: Paul V. Coates – Confidential File

FBI Rounds Up Japanese in Hunt for Subversives, Dec. 8, 1941

Posted on December 8, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 8, 1941: The FBI begins rounding up 200 “alien Japanese suspected of subversive activities.”
Several truckloads of Japanese were seen passing through Brea toward Pomona, Brea police reported, and orders to stop all cars bearing Japanese and to confiscate maps and binoculars or radios were given. Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Aviation, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Nuestro Pueblo, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on FBI Rounds Up Japanese in Hunt for Subversives, Dec. 8, 1941

Movieland ‘Unsuitable’ Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 8, 2025 by lmharnisch

In our exploration of “unsuitable” movies, we have the most “unsuitable” one yet, as in extremely “unsuitable.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1934, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , | 33 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

A Daily Mirror gift suggestion: Mary Mallory’s latest: First Women of Hollywood. Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

December 1, 1938: California prepares to execute two killers at San Quentin

Posted on December 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 1, 1938: California prepares to use the new gas chamber for two executions rather than the previous method of hanging. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1938, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Politics, Religion, Sports | Comments Off on December 1, 1938: California prepares to execute two killers at San Quentin

Movieland ‘Unsuitable’ Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on December 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

In this week’s exploration of “unsuitable” mystery movies, we have an especially “unsuitable” film, with this “unsuitable” mystery guest. Continue reading →

Posted in 1934, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , , , | 32 Comments

November 27, 1968: O.J. Simpson wins Heisman

Posted on November 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 27, 1968: O.J. Simpson wins the Heisman Trophy after a remarkable two-year career at USC. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, broadcasting, Current Affairs, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Sports, Television | Comments Off on November 27, 1968: O.J. Simpson wins Heisman

November 27, 1941: Streetcar Companies Ask Council to End Bus Ban in Downtown L.A.

Posted on November 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 27, 1941: The Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railways ask the City Council to repeal a ban against buses operating in downtown Los Angeles. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Streetcars, Tom Treanor, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

November 26, 1941: L.A. Man Takes Fight Over Dog License to U.S. Supreme Court

Posted on November 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 26, 1941: George F. Harrington says owning his dog, named Kitty, is a constitutional right and he refuses to pay for a license, taking the fight to the Supreme Court. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Animals, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on November 26, 1941: L.A. Man Takes Fight Over Dog License to U.S. Supreme Court

November 25, 1947: House Indicts the ‘Hollywood 10’ for Contempt

Posted on November 25, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 10, 1947: The House cites the Hollywood 10 for contempt. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on November 25, 1947: House Indicts the ‘Hollywood 10’ for Contempt

Movieland Unsuitable Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

In our continuing exploration of “unsuitable” movies, we have an unsuitable mystery woman. Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

November 22, 1930: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on November 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 22, 1930: The Rev. R.P. “Fighting Bob” Shuler urges parole for Walter Collins, imprisoned husband of Christine Collins. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off on November 22, 1930: Voices — Christine Collins

November 20, 1941: California Prepares to Execute Juanita ‘The Duchess’ Spinelli

Posted on November 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 20, 1941: Juanita ‘The Duchess’ Spinelli is about to become the first woman legally executed in California. She was an ex-wrestler and knife-thrower who could pin a poker chip at 15 paces. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide | Tagged , , | Comments Off on November 20, 1941: California Prepares to Execute Juanita ‘The Duchess’ Spinelli