Category Archives: Hollywood

Changeling Stories — Part 2

Posted on August 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

The “Enigma Boy” who fooled police into believing that he was Walter Collins is identified as Arthur Hutchins Jr. of Iowa. Read Part I of The Times reports on the story that formed the basis of “Changeling.” Enigma Boy identified. … Continue reading →

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Changeling Stories — Part 1

Posted on August 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Police Capt. Jones and LAPD officers search the lake in Lincoln Park for the body of Walter Collins, Los Angeles Times, April 6, 1928. The boy claiming to be Walter Collins poses with Christine Collins, Aug. 18, 1928 Several regular … Continue reading →

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James Curtis: L.A. Voices — Dick Lane, Part 3

Posted on August 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

One of the countless gags in Olsen and Johnson’s “Hellzapoppin’ ” This is Part 3 of James Curtis’ 1975 interview with Dick Lane. In this installment, Lane discusses Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Jack Benny, Howard Hawks and making “Hellzapoppin’ ” … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, James Curtis, L.A. Voices | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on August 2, 2011 by lmharnisch

[Update: Please congratulate Don Danard for identifying James Bush (d. 1987). Here he is with Joan Wheeler (d. 2001) in “The Merry Frinks.”]  Here’s another mystery photo courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 6

Posted on August 2, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats Program for “Zoot Suit” Credit: Jose Legaspi In Part 5, we looked at the story of Joe Dacy Coleman, “patient zero” in the Zoot Suit Riots, which led to a report at the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, African Americans, Black Dahlia, City Hall, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Latinos, Libraries, Stage, Streetcars, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Second Takes – ‘Naked City’

Posted on July 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

March 10, 1948: “Naked City” opens in Los Angeles. Credit: Los Angeles Times Several years ago, when Kim Cooper of the 1947project and I were briefly discussing a book, I did some research on film noir, particularly “Naked City,” the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1948, Film, Hollywood, New York, Obituaries, Photography, Second Takes | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

James Curtis: L.A. Voices – Dick Lane, Part 2

Posted on July 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

This is Part 2 of James Curtis’ 1975 interview with Dick Lane. In this segment, Lane discusses his start in films in Los Angeles, making “Union Pacific” with Cecil B. De Mille, Howard Hughes’ takeover of RKO  and making “Boom … Continue reading →

Posted in 1975, Brain Trust, Film, Hollywood, James Curtis, L.A. Voices | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

#film, #history, #museums, 7|26|2011

Posted on July 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Dear Friend Hitler.” Tripti Lahiri writes in the Wall Street Journal about “Dear Friend Hitler.” Based on the previews, the movie is “Gandhi” meets “Downfall“  meets “The Sound of Music,” in Hindi with an all-Indian cast. A less charitable … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Film, History, Hollywood, Museums, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: 1940 Ford Siebert hearse converted to a delivery sedan, $49,000 on Hemmings.com   Queen of the Dead—dateline July 25, 2011   • July 22 saw the death of the first Bond Girl, Linda Christian, 87. Her career was pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Music, Nightclubs, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | 1 Comment

Time Traveling With the L.A. Daily Mirror [Updated]

Posted on July 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Pier Angeli and friend with a reminder on Daylight Saving Time, 1958 I decided to import my old lmharnisch blog, devoted mainly to dissecting “The Black Dahlia Files” by Donald “Fake Document” Wolfe. Now there are posts going back … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 2008, 2009, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, Film, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

James Curtis: L.A. Voices

Posted on July 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Dick Lane and Helen Wallace in “Sioux City Sue,” 1946. In 1975, while still in college, I did a short series of interviews. There was no real purpose to these, other than they were with people who interested me … Continue reading →

Posted in 1975, Books and Authors, Film, Found on EBay, History, Hollywood, James Curtis, L.A. Voices, New York, Stage, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Found on EBay – Florentine Gardens

Posted on July 19, 2011 by lmharnisch

Items from the Florentine Gardens – souvenir photos, matchbooks, menus, cocktail napkins, etc. – aren’t particularly rare, but this item is unusual. According to the vendor, this menu is autographed by Errol Flynn and Sophie Tucker (no, they weren’t an … Continue reading →

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

Bill James’ ‘Popular Crime’: Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on July 19, 2011 by lmharnisch

I have procrastinated about looking at Bill James’ “Popular Crime” because, as curious as it may seem, I don’t care much for “true” crime books. Even when they are well done (which is almost never) the subject matter is depressing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Coming Attractions: L.A. Voices by James Curtis

Posted on July 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Dick Lane and Helen Wallace in “Sioux City Sue,” 1946. Coming up Wednesday: Biographer James Curtis shares his interviews in L.A. Voices, beginning with Part 1 of a 1975 Q&A with actor Dick Lane.

Posted in 1946, Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++++]

Posted on July 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

“Rope” opens in Los Angeles, Sept. 24, 1948. Credit: Los Angeles Times [Update: This is a 1949 photo of Joan Chandler (d. 1979), who appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rope.”] Here’s our mystery gal! There’s another photo on the jump!

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

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: New, horse-drawn hearse for sale on EBay, $9,500. Credit: Justin Carriage Works Queen of the Dead—dateline July 18, 2011   • All the silent movie stars are long-gone, now we are down to memorializing their children. Rex Bell, Jr., … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Politics, Queen of the Dead, Television | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Attorney Storms Office, Seizes D.A.’s Bugging Equipment

Posted on July 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

July 15, 1941: Defense attorney Samuel Rummel (shot to death Dec. 11, 1950) breaks a door and seizes a dictograph wired to a microphone in his office in the William Fox Building, 608 S. Hill. Rummel was defending Deputy Charles … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Cold Cases, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Jimmie Fidler, Lee Shippey, Mickey Cohen, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Attorney Storms Office, Seizes D.A.’s Bugging Equipment

7|13|2011 #history, #museum

Posted on July 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Pierre Loti’s house. Credit: Discover Poitou Charentes RECOMMENDEDElaine Sciolino’s new travel column Lumiere in the New York Times takes a look at the house museum of Pierre Loti. Sciolino says: “On an unremarkable street in the unremarkable town, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Museums, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 7|13|2011 #history, #museum

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

Posted on July 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s our mystery tennis player! Thanks to Steven Bibb for sharing this photo. [Update: This is Lida Baarova. Please congratulate Jenny M, Don Danard and Rick for identifying her and her mystery companion Joseph Goebbels.] There’s a new photo on … Continue reading →

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

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s our mystery desperado! [Update: This is  John Anderson (d. 1992), who played used car dealer California Charlie in “Psycho,” in addition to many other roles in film and on stage.  Please congratulate Michael Ryerson, David Franklin, Dewey Webb, Herb … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments