Category Archives: Hollywood

Christmas on the Radio — Lionel Barrymore in ‘A Christmas Carol’

Another staple of the radio era was a production of “A Christmas Carol” starring Lionel Barrymore as Ebenezer Scrooge. From Christmas Eve, 1939, courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1939, Hollywood, Radio | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

And for Friday, a mystery guitarist, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

And here’s a mystery woman for Thursday, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

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

Los Angeles Prepares to Celebrate a Wartime Christmas

Dec. 19, 1943: Los Angeles prepares to celebrate Christmas with a focus on service members, while U.S. troops fight the Nazis in hand-to-hand combat for the Italian town of San Pietro.  The Times story by James Warnack (d. 1958) begins:  … Continue reading

Posted in 1943, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Religion, Sports, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Los Angeles Prepares to Celebrate a Wartime Christmas

Movieland Mystery Photo

Here’s a mystery fellow for Wednesday, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

And for Tuesday, a mystery woman, courtesy of writer Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

‘Ann Dvorak’ — Talking With Author Christina Rice

Several weeks ago, the L.A. Daily Mirror had lunch with Christina Rice, author of the new book “Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel” and it’s always fun when two ardent researchers get together to talk shop. We chatted about various archives, … Continue reading

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Here’s another mystery fellow, courtesy of author Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Henry Armetta, Excitable Support

Henry Armetta, courtesy of Mary Mallory. In many films of the 1930s and 1940s, what audiences remember most are the one-of-a-kind supporting players, with vibrant personalities, colorful ways of talking, recognizable tics and dramatic looks. Many of these people came … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Millennial Moment: Man Killed in Toilet Tank Murder

Starting tomorrow: “Silkwood.” At 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, 1983, a maid cleaning rooms at the Inn at Laguna on Coast Highway found the body of Ronald Jay Murphy. Murphy, 22, who worked for an oil company in Santa … Continue reading

Posted in 1983, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Millennial Moments | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Millennial Moment: Man Killed in Toilet Tank Murder

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer Tells of Fighting on Tarawa

Dec. 12, 1943: Times columnist Tom Treanor, who will be killed in August 1944 covering the liberation of France, files a story about fighting between U.S. and Nazi troops around Filignano, Italy, about 100 miles southeast of Rome.   Crawling in … Continue reading

Posted in 1943, Animals, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Photography, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

In 1989, Billy Wilder sold much of his art collection. The works are gone, but the auction catalog lives on. If you’re a hard-core Billy Wilder fan (and I am) it’s fun looking through the catalog – I was fortunate … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

For Monday, we have a mysterious young man with a beard.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 41 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights – Einar Petersen and His ‘Aladdin and His Lamp’ Murals

One of Einar Petersen’s murals at the Spring Street Guaranty Building and Loan Assn., courtesy of Mary Mallory Fame is fleeting. An individual might go unrecognized while creating great art while alive, only for the works to be considered masterpieces … Continue reading

Posted in 1928, Architecture, Art & Artists, Downtown, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Spring Street | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

‘Bonnie and Clyde’ — Oh Dear

I don’t expect much from period productions these days. But my goodness, get a load of these two.

Posted in Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , , , | 27 Comments

Mary Pickford Warns Aspiring Actresses: Bring Your Mothers!

Dec. 4, 1923: Los Angeles celebrates Mary Pickford Day with an appearance by the silent screen star, her mother, Charlotte, and her husband,  Douglas Fairbanks, before a crowd of fans (mostly women, The Times noted) at Pershing Square. Speaking to … Continue reading

Posted in 1923, Downtown, Film, Hill Street, Hollywood, Olive, Parks | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Today’s mystery chap is especially tricky because Christopher McPherson, who kindly shared these photos, has no idea about the identity of this gent. He could be someone’s Uncle Freddy, although this does look like a publicity shot. Google’s image search … Continue reading

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

Movieland Mystery Photo

Here’s Thursday’s mystery woman, courtesy of Christopher McPherson.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

PROHIBITION ENDS!

The Times marks the end of Prohibition with a front page cartoon by Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale, who  quit in 1934 and went to the Examiner in a dispute over The Times’ editorial policies. Dec. 5, 1933: With the passage … Continue reading

Posted in 1933, Art & Artists, Comics, Downtown, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Today’s holiday gift suggestion is the latest biography from Eve Golden, “John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars.” The Daily Mirror likes to support its local independent bookstore whenever possible. But if you’re not close to a good … Continue reading

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