Category Archives: Hollywood

Keaton Sons Change Names to Talmadge

Posted on June 30, 2012 by lmharnisch

July 2, 1942: Buster Keaton’s sons Robert, 18, and James, 20, legally change their last names to Talmadge after a petition to the court by Keaton’s ex-wife Natalie Talmadge. Lee Gilcrease, 29, kills his wife, Ethel, and commits suicide in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley, Suicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Keaton Sons Change Names to Talmadge

Man Held as ‘Orchid Bandit’

Posted on June 27, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 27, 1942: James D. Hannah liked orchids. He liked them so much that he usually gave several of them to his girlfriends to put in their hair, a habit that led to his arrest when robbery victim  Elva Sieburg … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Man Held as ‘Orchid Bandit’

Drunken Brawl at Errol Flynn’s Birthday Party

Posted on June 26, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 26, 1942: A brawl at Errol Flynn’s  32nd birthday party involves Barbara Hutton’s butler – Eric Gosta Hadler —  and Flynn’s secretary and stand-in, James Fleming. Hadler says: “It all happened so suddenly I can’t remember what happened.” Judging … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the collection of Steven Bibb! Update: This is Billy House. Please congratulate Arye Michael Bender (1), Mike Hawks (2), Jenny M (3), Bob Levinson (4), Herb Nichols (5) and Don Danard via email for identifying … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on June 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

A motorcycle hearse listed on EBay at $10,000. Queen of the Dead – dateline June 25, 2012 •  Remember a couple months ago when Thomas Kinkade died and there were all these debates about “was he a worse painter than … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Television | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Eurasian Held on Suspicion of Being Japanese

Posted on June 23, 2012 by lmharnisch

    June 23, 1942: Meet Stanwood Gertz Jr., who was arrested because he was suspected of being Japanese. Gertz told detectives he was German, Chinese and Hawaiian – and his dyed hair presumably made him even more suspicious. The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hedy Lamarr’s Sarong: S’awright!

Posted on June 22, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 22, 1942: Hedda Hopper says: Joan Crawford got a mighty entertaining picture in “They All Kissed the Bride.” I’ve always liked Joan. She says, “I love being a star and everything that goes with it. I love the work, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Update +]

Posted on June 21, 2012 by lmharnisch

And here’s Thursday’s mystery chap! Update: This is Ben Blue. Please congratulate Gary Martin (1), Don Danard (2), Mary Mallory (3), Bob Levinson (4), Mike Hawks (5), Greg Clancey (6), William (7), Jenny M (8), Dewey Webb (9), Gregory Moore … Continue reading →

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

Church Organist Accused of Killing Parents

Posted on June 20, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 20, 1942: Officials of San Diego’s streetcar system are dismayed that the 20 surplus cars obtained from New York are in worse shape than the ones San Diego scrapped two years earlier. San Diego acquired the cars in an … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 18, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo from the collection of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Coming Attractions: Mary Mallory Signs ‘Hollywoodland’

Posted on June 14, 2012 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory, who writes Hollywood Heights for the L.A. Daily Mirror, will be signing copies of her book “Hollywoodland” on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Costco at 1051 Burbank Blvd. in Burbank. All profits from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 13, 2012 by lmharnisch

What happened to our mystery guest? Update: This is O.J. Simpson and Melissa Michaelsen in “Goldie and the Boxer.” I’m especially impressed that so many readers recalled this opus:  Gary Alexander (1), Michael Ryerson (2), Periwinkle (3), Barbara Klein (4), … Continue reading →

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

Now Hiring: Douglas Aircraft of Santa Monica

Posted on June 12, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 12, 1942: The Douglas plant in Santa Monica is hiring men – and women! Betty Rowland, the Ball of Fire, is at the Follies Theatre. Lionel Atwill refuses to testify before the Los Angeles County Grand Jury about charges … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, 1942, Art & Artists, Aviation, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Theaters, Transportation | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

32 Taverns and Bars Declared Off-Limits

Posted on June 7, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 7, 1942: The Navy declares 32 bars and taverns off limits in Los Angeles. Most of them are on Main Street and East 5th with a few in Hollywood. The posts on the Zoot Suit Riots have more information … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Aviation, Comics, Food and Drink, Hollywood, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

Posted on June 6, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here’s another photo from the collection of Steven Bibb! Update: This is Ian Hunter with Deborah Kerr in “Edward, My Son.”

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 28 Comments

L.A. Nazi Spy Convicted!

Posted on June 5, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 5, 1942: Dr. Hans Helmut Gros is convicted of being a Nazi spy. And radio stations along the Pacific Coast went off the air at 9 p.m. so their signals couldn’t be used as beacons in case of a … Continue reading →

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Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on June 4, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: A stereo picture of the hearse carrying the body of President McKinley has been listed on EBay at  $18.95. Queen of the Dead – dateline June 4, 2012 Just back from Paris, my dears, and what you’ve heard is … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Television | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Doolittle Visits North American Plant, Praises Workers for Bombers Used in Tokyo Raid

Posted on June 2, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 2, 1942: In a visit to the North American aircraft plant, Brig. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle praises workers who built the bombers used in his raid on Tokyo. Otis W. Hall is accused of killing his estranged wife and sending … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Aviation, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Doolittle Visits North American Plant, Praises Workers for Bombers Used in Tokyo Raid

John Barrymore Dies at 60

Posted on May 30, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 30, 1942:  Actor John Barrymore, known as “the Great Profile,” dies at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital 10 days after collapsing during a rehearsal for Rudy Vallee’s radio program. He was 60 and was suffering from liver and kidney problems, plus … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Stage | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Louis B. Mayer, Clark Gable Lead in U.S. Salaries

Posted on May 29, 2012 by lmharnisch

May 29, 1942: The highest-paid executive in America is Louis B. Mayer, who earned $704,426.60 ($11,025,713.90 USD 2012) in 1941. The next-highest is Clark Gable, who earned $357,500 ($5,595,604.59 USD 2012) and Nicholas M. Schenck is third at $334,204.54 ($5,230,983.10 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , | 1 Comment