Category Archives: Hollywood

A Casebook on ‘Los Angeles Plays Itself’

A user named smithrs has uploaded Thom Andersen’s elusive film essay “Los Angeles Plays Itself” to YouTube. The two-part film is something of a cult item in Los Angeles because Andersen made it without licensing the hundreds of clips he … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, History, Hollywood, Native Americans, Nightclubs | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Here’s another mystery fellow, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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

Man Says He Shot Wife With ‘Unloaded’ Rifle

Photo: The 600 block of West 87th Street via Google’s Street View. Nov. 10, 1941: A week after Kenneth and Betty met at a malt shop, the 20-year-olds drove to Yuma, Ariz., to get married. They moved in with his … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Religion | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Here’s another mystery chap, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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

Roosevelt Declares Early Thanksgiving

Nov. 9, 1941: Amid the gathering clouds of World War II, President Roosevelt declares what will be the last peacetime Thanksgiving. Noting American aid to nations fighting the Axis, Roosevelt says: “Let us ask the divine blessing of our decision … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Photo: A “Nightmare Before Christmas” hearse/snow globes listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $275.   Queen of the Dead—dateline November 7, 2011 •  If you loved Green Acres as much as I did (and if you didn’t, why not?) you … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Fashion, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Found on EBay – Marilyn Monroe

This negative (I’ve converted it to a positive), which the vendor says shows Marilyn Monroe at a Hollywood party in the 1950s, has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $499. I certainly wouldn’t pay that kind of money for … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Marilyn Monroe

Test Pilot Dies as P-38 Crashes Into Glendale House, Nov. 5, 1941

Witnesses said the twin-engined, double fuselaged ship was booming westerward at near-maximum speed (unofficially reported to be between 400 and 500 mph) when the duralumin tail assembly “simply floated away.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Aviation, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++++]

And for Thursday, here’s another mystery chap! Update: This is Nils Asther (d. 1981) 

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

Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

Nov. 3, 1941: Tom Treanor goes to a dance at the Glendale Civic Auditorium for swing shift workers, about 5,000 of them, from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Most of the couples are married, he says, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Dance, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

Movieland Mystery Photo [Update +]

Here’s today’s mystery chap, courtesy of Steven Bibb. [Update: For some reason, WordPress isn’t allowing comments on this post. I’ll see if I can fix it.] [Update 2: This is Cliff Danielson. Sorry for the delayed answer but the Daily … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

[Update: This is Sandra Storme. Please congratulate Mike Hawks for identifying her.] Here’s today’s mystery gal, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

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

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Photo: 1993 Cadillac Hearse for sale on EBay, listed as Buy It Now for $4,700. Queen of the Dead—dateline October 31, 2011 •  105-year-old British stage actress Norrie Woodhall died on Oct. 25. She was the last surviving member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Stage | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Found on EBay – ‘The Gold Rush’

A program from the 1925 showing of “The Gold Rush” at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre has been listed on EBay. This item has been removed from a scrapbook and frankly we have mixed feelings about that. Antique dealers who cannibalize mementos … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Theaters | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Monsters of the Silver Screen Commemorative Bills

OK, it’s only the Onion. But it’s cool. And just in time for Halloween.

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | Comments Off on Monsters of the Silver Screen Commemorative Bills

Coming Attractions: This Week on the Daily Mirror

On Monday, Eve Golden will have her roundup of unusual obituaries in Queen of the Dead, and in Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory will take a look at Photoplayers – mechanical instruments that smaller theaters used to accompany silent films. Other … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, Eve Golden, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Coming Attractions: This Week on the Daily Mirror

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

[Update 2: This is Charles Dingle (d. 1956). He appeared in the 1941 stage and film versions of Lillian Hellman’s “The Little Foxes.”] Here’s another photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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

L.A.’s Traffic Nightmare Threatens Downtown’s Future! Oct. 28, 1941

Oct. 28, 1941: Lee Shippey writes about Los Angeles’ congested streets (no, traffic is not a new problem – it’s a very old one that we are still trying to solve). Notice that Shippey says streetcars and automobiles do not … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb. [Update: After fifteen years, Esther Ralston, former Paramount star, stages a reunion with Adolph Zukor, chairman of the board of directors of Paramount Productions, the man who discovered her and put her … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

[Update: This is Lina Basquette] Here’s a mystery gal with a mystery companion, courtesy of Steven Bibb.

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