Category Archives: Front Pages

Cinco de Mayo, LAPD Seeks New Chief, May 6, 1939

Posted on May 6, 2009 by lmharnisch

For Cinco de Mayo, The Times features — children in Scandinavian costumes celebrating Hans Christian Andersen. Above, selection of the next LAPD chief is going to prove interesting. At left, Cinco de Mayo art, plus a photo of three women … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Front Pages, LAPD | Comments Off on Cinco de Mayo, LAPD Seeks New Chief, May 6, 1939

Churchill Visits Ike, Dodgers Beat Braves, May 5, 1959

Posted on May 5, 2009 by lmharnisch

   Above, efforts fail to heal a rift between President Eisenhower and former President Truman, who declined an invitation to the White House to dine with former British  Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Assemblyman William B. Rumford (D- Berkeley) calls upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists, Dodgers, Downtown, Environment, Freeways, Front Pages, Politics | Comments Off on Churchill Visits Ike, Dodgers Beat Braves, May 5, 1959

Union Station Preview, May 2, 1939

Posted on May 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

"That I love peace is perhaps best shown by my work." –Adolf Hitler Tim Turner covers Al Smith's arrival in Los Angeles, featuring quotes from a Negro porter and a Mexican bootblack … in dialect: "Ahl Esmeeth."  The Times runs … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Comics, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Politics, Sports | Comments Off on Union Station Preview, May 2, 1939

Police Hunt Gunmen as Officer Fights for Life; Dodgers Win, May 1, 1959

Posted on May 1, 2009 by lmharnisch

May 1, 1959: Another LAPD officer is shot in the line of duty. Robert D. Cody will survive being hit in the stomach with a shotgun blast because his Sam Browne belt blocked some of the pellets.  A police commissioner … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics, Dodgers, Front Pages, Mickey Cohen, Politics, Richard Nixon, Sports | Comments Off on Police Hunt Gunmen as Officer Fights for Life; Dodgers Win, May 1, 1959

Israel Raids Egypt, Celtics Beat Lakers, April 30, 1969

Posted on April 30, 2009 by lmharnisch

The 1960s were surely the hair decade. Ask your mom if she ever had a hairdo like this model in a Broadway ad.  President Nixon urges "backbone" against student unrest. Israel strikes Egypt. Nixon plays "Happy Birthday" for Duke Ellington. … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Downtown, Environment, Fashion, Front Pages, Lakers, Richard Nixon, Sports | Comments Off on Israel Raids Egypt, Celtics Beat Lakers, April 30, 1969

Mayor Slashes Budget for Libraries and Parks; Spring Training in Arizona, April 29, 1959

Posted on April 29, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Senate approves Clare Boothe Luce as ambassador to Brazil, but her husband, Time publisher Henry Luce, asks her to resign, saying that her prestige and authority have been impaired by a political vendetta. During her confirmation hearing, Clare Boothe … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Politics, Stage | 1 Comment

Los Angeles Fights the Flu, October 13, 1918

Posted on April 27, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times takes a lighthearted look at the flu. Schools, movie theaters and churches are closed to avoid spreading the flu. The only crowds in Los Angeles are at the drugstores.

Posted in Front Pages, health | 1 Comment

British Plane Missing Over Turkey, Dodgers vs. Camping, April 27, 1959

Posted on April 27, 2009 by lmharnisch

The debut of the majestic new Cadillac. A small civilian plane crashes into the mountains near Pasadena, touching off fears that an airliner had gone down.   A British cargo plane with a crew of 12 disappears over eastern Turkey. … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Dodgers, Film, Freeways, Front Pages, Hollywood, Sports, Television, Transportation | 1 Comment

West Hits 53 in Lakers’ Triumph, April 24, 1969

Posted on April 24, 2009 by lmharnisch

Jerry West scored 53 points to lead the Lakers past the Celtics, 120-118, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It's hard to imagine any one player on a team with West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain scoring that many points in … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Pages, Lakers | Comments Off on West Hits 53 in Lakers’ Triumph, April 24, 1969

Irish Firebrand Takes Seat in Parliament, Lakers Showdown With the Celtics, April 23, 1969

Posted on April 23, 2009 by lmharnisch

April 23, 1969: In case you don't recognize this building, it is the former Earl Carroll theater, now the Nickelodeon building, on Sunset Boulevard. The concrete slabs with movie stars' signatures were removed to make room for this huge mural, … Continue reading →

Posted in Comics, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Music, Nightclubs, Stage | 2 Comments

Oklahoman Builds Flying Saucer! Dodgers Beat Giants, April 21, 1959

Posted on April 21, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times failed to follow up on testing of what was evidently a home-made device. Update: Talk about stereotyping! The caption says nothing about the gender of the flying saucer's inventor. I merely leaped to the conclusion that it was … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Comics, Dodgers, Film, Front Pages, Music, Politics, Richard Nixon, Sports, UFOs | Comments Off on Oklahoman Builds Flying Saucer! Dodgers Beat Giants, April 21, 1959

Mystery Boy Found in Echo Park, Famous Poet Serenades Goats, April 17, 1939

Posted on April 17, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times noted that Charles Owens had an art exhibit on the third floor of City Hall. A 27-year-old man says he robbed the country club where he worked to provide a few essentials for his mother. He was sentenced … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, art and artists, books, Comics, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Nuestro Pueblo, Robberies, Sports | Comments Off on Mystery Boy Found in Echo Park, Famous Poet Serenades Goats, April 17, 1939

Teens Rescued From Ledge, Dodgers Beat Cubs, April 13, 1959

Posted on April 13, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Coliseum's improvised arrangement for the Dodgers is changed for the opening of the 1959 season. The right field fence is brought in to 333 feet from 390 feet and right center is cut to 375 feet from 440 feet. … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Sports, Stage | 1 Comment

City Workers May Get 5% Raises; Snow Cancels Dodgers Opener, April 11, 1959

Posted on April 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

On the cover, President Eisenhower and Vice President Nixon predict a Republican victory in the 1960 presidential election. The country is "squarely behind our efforts to block excess spending and to keep the federal budget in balance," Nixon says. At … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Hillinger, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Nightclubs, Politics, Richard Nixon | Comments Off on City Workers May Get 5% Raises; Snow Cancels Dodgers Opener, April 11, 1959

Little Girl’s Body Taken From Well, April 11, 1949

Posted on April 11, 2009 by lmharnisch

Read more about the Kathy Fiscus incident. >>>

Posted in Front Pages | Comments Off on Little Girl’s Body Taken From Well, April 11, 1949

Robbers Kill LAPD Officer, April 7, 1959

Posted on April 7, 2009 by lmharnisch

Two ex-convicts named Napoleon Banks and Howard Green (misidentified as James Calvin in the story above) got drunk and decided to hold up a market at 1451 W. Washington Blvd. They parked their car on a side street with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD | 1 Comment

Hard Times on Eastwood Set; Los Angeles Radio, April 6, 1969

Posted on April 6, 2009 by lmharnisch

An image that resonates with the famous 1971 ad of Iron Eyes Cody. It's Easter Sunday in 1969, and The Times features a story about the date of the crucifixion on Page 1. Biologists tally the number of seals who … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Comics, Environment, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Politics, Religion, Richard Nixon | 2 Comments

Jordan’s King Hussein Visits L.A.; Rams to Play Night Game, April 4, 1959

Posted on April 4, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times' art department retouched Neil Clemans' photo of Marlon Brando giving the finger to photographers. Let's see if we can get a copy of the original. At left, King Hussein of Jordan waves to photographers in Palmdale after flying … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Homicide, San Fernando Valley, Science, Transportation | 1 Comment

Kathy Fiscus Revisited — April 9, 1949

Posted on April 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times, April 9, 1949, a little San Marino girl is trapped in an old well. L.A.Times photo Bill Yancey is lifted to the surface, carrying the body of Kathy Fiscus. I attended William Deverell's lecture Monday night on the … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Front Pages, Television | 1 Comment

Christine Jorgensen Tries to Marry, March 31, 1959

Posted on March 31, 2009 by lmharnisch

  Christine Jorgensen and Howard J. Knox attempted to get married, but could not obtain a license.  The Times headline writers had fun with this: Ex-GI becomes GI-RL. Har har har. And the same day, an ad for the upcoming … Continue reading →

Posted in #gays and lesbians, Architecture, Downtown, Front Pages, Sports | 1 Comment