Category Archives: Hollywood

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 27, 1941

        Jan. 27, 1941: Tom Treanor writes about the popularity of the Lockheed Hudson among British fliers. “The Hudson's such a sweetheart to the British airmen that it has been made the heroine of their next-to-the-dirtiest war … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: This is a production shot from “Tennessee Johnson,” published Jan. 2, 1943. The fellow  on the ladder with the gloves is director William Dieterle.] In this mystery scene, we have … Continue reading →

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

Location Sleuth — ‘Farewell, My Lovely’

Here’s another historic location in the 1975 film “Farewell, My Lovely,” a scene with Robert Mitchum and Jack O’Halloran at the Far East Cafe on 1st St. in Little Tokyo. [These images are a little funky. They’re frame grabs from … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Photography | 3 Comments

Philip K. Scheuer, Town Called Hollywood, Jan. 26, 1941

        Jan. 26, 1941: Times reporter Tom Treanor, having returned from Europe, writes about the black market money exchange in Romania. Jimmie Fidler has the day off. Philip K. Scheuer writes about the filming of two Norman … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: This is Joan Crawford in “The Ice Follies of 1939.” ]Hm. What’s going on here?

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

Location Sleuth

        I was watching the 1975 version of “Farewell, My Lovely” for the first time in a long while and began wondering how they got the neon sign from the Earl Carroll Theatre for the opening titles. … Continue reading →

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

Paul Coates, Jan. 25, 1961

         Jan. 25, 1961: Mel Blanc, 51, is making progress after being badly injured in a head-on crash with Menlo College student Arthur Rolston, 18, on Sunset Boulevard at the notorious “Dead Man’s Curve” at Groverton Place. … Continue reading →

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 25, 1941

           Jan. 25, 1941: The recent Jew persecutions in Rumania struck a special note of horror to a visiting American because they were so invisible, Tom Treanor says. Why cast Margaret Sullavan as a Jewish refugee … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: These are  photos published in 1965, showing Hal Needham, Stephanie Epper and Patty Elder.] Here’s a mystery sequence of photos showing a stunt that went wrong.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 8 Comments

Found on EBay — ‘They Call Them Camisoles’

A rather battered but interesting copy of “They Call Them Camisoles” has been listed on EBay. “Camisoles” was written by Wilma Carnes under the pen name Wilma Wilson and is a graphic first-person account of her time at Camarillo (“Camisoles” … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: This is “The Bugle Sounds.”] Aha! Mystery tanks!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 8 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 23, 1941

           Jan. 23, 1941: Tom Treanor sums up his experiences in Europe with thoughts on reporting and censorship. “The assumption that great untold stories are lying around in Europe like gold nuggets on the sidewalk is … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: This is the production of the 1949 film “Sand.” ] Here’s another scenic shot….

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 2 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 22, 1941

        Jan. 22, 1941: Times reporter Tom Treanor, who was killed covering World War II, files the last in his series of columns from Europe before heading to Los Angeles. “And now at last goodbye to Europe, … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo         Nov. 11, 1927: “Jesse James” at Loew’s Metropolitan theater. Look! It’s Rube Wolf!   [Update: Please congratulate Mary Mallory, who recognized this as the 1927 production of “Jesse … Continue reading →

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

Hollywood’s Rename Game

        June 27, 1937: I stumbled across this article while trying to determine the title of the film in Wednesday’s mystery photo, which was in production as “Death Valley.” One of the more entertaining examples is “Murder … Continue reading →

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 21, 1941

           Jan. 21, 1941: In these confused and tortured times when democracy seems floundering in a swamp of its own failings we hear too often the defeatist cry that we must have Fascism to fight Fascism. … Continue reading →

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Jan. 20, 1941

           Jan. 20, 1941: Comparisons may be odious but today I'm thinking about the contrasting fortunes of two actors who were great stars way back yonder in the '20s. Both had armies of devoted fans and … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

      Los Angeles Times file photo   [Update: Once again, this is more of a mystery than it seems. According to the caption information, this is a crew from Fox filming “Death Valley” with George O’Brien and Cecilia … Continue reading →

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

From the Vaults: ‘After the Thin Man’ (1936)

Are there detectives anywhere in pop culture more fun than Nick and Nora Charles? Oh, Inspector Clouseau may be amusing, but you'd never want to have dinner at his house: at best, he'd spill the soup in your lap. At … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood | 3 Comments