Category Archives: Hollywood

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s a mystery photo from EBay! A vendor has listed a photograph from the Witzel studio. The back is marked the Vanity Fair Girls but it is otherwise unidentified. Sounds like an excellent mystery photo! Bidding on the photograph starts … Continue reading →

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

From the Reference Desk: Movie Star’s Mother Dies in Car Crash

Posted on June 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s a lesson in what to do if you don’t have access to ProQuest. Stacia of She Blogged by Night had a question the other day about car a accident involving Vera Steadman, Al Christie and Marie Prevost’s Mother, Mrs. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1926, Film, From the Reference Desk, Hollywood, Libraries, Obituaries, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The Daily Mirror Is Moving

Posted on June 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

I’m moving to LADailyMirror.com Henry Fuhrmann, one of the assistant managing editors at The Times, likes to say: “Always take the high road. The view is nicer up there.” Henry is my friend, as well as my supervisor, and he … Continue reading →

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, UFOs, World War II | 23 Comments

Coming Attractions: ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’

Posted on June 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sydney Pollack’s 1969 film “The Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” will be shown as a tribute to Michael Sarrazin on June 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. Also showing, “Harry in Your Pocket” (1973). … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Queen of the Dead by Eve Golden

Posted on June 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

You’ll recognize Eve Golden as one of the Daily Mirror regulars. Now that I’m no longer at latimes.com I’m free to use outside writers and Eve is my first addition. She describes herself as: a biographer, show-business historian, photo archivist … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Photography, Queen of the Dead, Religion, Stage | 9 Comments

Sex Mysteries Demonstrated With Living Artist Models

Posted on June 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

  July 24, 1932: Cartoonist Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale puts Miss Los Angeles in the midst of a dazzling array of national stereotypes for the 1932 Olympics (note that Mexico is in a sombrero … and is Japan wearing a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Stage, Theaters | 1 Comment

Immigrants Overwhelm San Diego!

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

San Diego has everything a family might want: A moderate climate and jobs in the expanding defense industries. But there’s no place to live.  Rep. John H. Tolan (D-Oakland) is holding hearings in San Diego on the plight of migrants … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Environment, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Immigration, LAPD, San Diego, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Found on EBay – Groucho Marx

Posted on June 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

A program from Groucho Marx’s one-night performance of “The Same Boat, Brother” at Philharmonic Auditorium on Nov. 14, 1945, has been listed on EBay.  According to reviews in the Los Angeles Times, the show was fairly unsuccessful. Bidding for the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1945, Books and Authors, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Stage, Theaters | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Groucho Marx

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo ou may recognize this photo because I ran it a few years ago. But it’s one of my favorites. This fellow was branded with a very certain stereotype that he played in countless films, so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo You may recognize this photo because I ran it a few years ago. But it’s one of my favorites. This fellow was branded with a very certain stereotype that he played in countless films, so … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 59 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo [Update: Elisabeth Bergner: The German star, seen previously here as “Catherine the Great,” displays her versatile genius in “Escape Me Never,” at the Four Star, her art being hailed as more exquisite on the screen, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 52 Comments

Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

Posted on June 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 10, 1941: Bill Henry files a color story on soldiers using rifles with bayonets to herd strikers away from the North American Aviation plant. Unfortunately, my new optical character recognition software can’t handle these old clips, so I have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Transportation, World War II | Comments Off on Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

Coming Attractions – ‘Hollywoodland’

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory, a key member of the Daily Mirror’s “brain trust,”  will be signing copies of her new book “Hollywoodland” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, at Chevalier’s Books, 126 N. Larchmont Blvd. More information is … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Real Estate | 3 Comments

‘Hunchback Killer’ Arrested, June 8, 1941

Posted on June 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 8, 1941: For some time, I have been coming across stories about Alfred Horace Wells in going through the 1941 clips — “hunchback killer” is not a nickname that’s easy to forget. But I haven’t done anything on him … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1941, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | 2 Comments

Tip Poff, July 17, 1932

Posted on June 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

July 17, 1932: I’ve been meaning to post some of the Tip Poff  gossip columns that The Times used to run in the movie/drama pages of the 1930s. The Times experimented with the column and by 1939 was calling it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Courts, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Tip Poff, July 17, 1932

North American Aviation Strike

Posted on June 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

  June 7, 1941: The strike at the North American Aviation plant, in which Army troops dispersed union activists and took over an essential American defense facility,  is one of the landmark events in Los Angeles history. Because of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | 1 Comment

Police Chief on His Way Out

Posted on June 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

           June 6, 1941: Police Chief Arthur Hohmann and Deputy Chief C.B. “Jack” Horrall are about to trade jobs.  Horrall will remain chief through World War II and into the postwar period, finally retiring during the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, City Hall, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update:  Dorothy Ford, one of Earl Carroll's most beautiful girls, swims and rides horseback for relaxation between nightly appearances at the Hollywood Carroll theater, in a photo published Oct. 11, 1941.] … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 42 Comments

Senator Demands Probe of Lewd ‘Soundies’

Posted on June 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

    July 2, 1941: Sam Coslow announces a deal with Mills Novelty Co. to produce 208 "soundies"  and plans to make 20 of them in the next month, directed by Josef Berne. The acts include Gale Page, Martha Tilton, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Film, Hollywood, Music | 4 Comments

June 4, 1941: Burbank Man Invents Death Ray!

Posted on June 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 4, 1941: I’ll admit I’m a sucker for stories about death rays. Evidently The Times’ editors were too since they put this item on Page 1. Promoter Kurt Van Zuyle credited L.E. Riley of Burbank as the inventor. It … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1941, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Death Rays, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on June 4, 1941: Burbank Man Invents Death Ray!