Category Archives: Hollywood

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 17, 1940

               Dec. 17. 1940: Watching Mae West stroll down the avenue, I always catch myself musing on the sway of all flesh, Jimmie Fidler says.

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Nightclubs, Transportation | 1 Comment

Movieland Christmas Mystery Photo

Photograph by Bill Murphy/Los Angeles Times Here’s a mystery fellow with a mystery pet!

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

127 Die When Planes Collide Over New York

       Dec. 16, 1960: The collision of two airplanes over New York is one of the terrible news stories of my childhood. Stephen Baltz, 11, survived the crash but died of his injuries His father, William said at … Continue reading

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Blake Edwards Loves (and Hates) Peter Sellers — Updated

Blake Edwards: Love, hate, Peter Sellers and the Pink Panther.
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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 16, 1940

           Dec. 16, 1940: Lucille Ball (Desi Arnaz's bride) will ask RKO for permission to change her name to Lucille Arnaz, ala Dorothy McNulty, who changed to Penny Singleton when wed, Jimmie Fidler says.  ALSO Lucille … Continue reading

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Thelma Todd’s Wardrobe sold for $229

Los Angeles Times file photo Oct. 12, 1936: Thelma Todd’s 40 dresses, 57 pairs of gloves, 13 hats, 36 pairs of shoes, 35 bags and other items were sold to dress shop owner Blanche T. Wright for $229 [$3,507.31 USD … Continue reading

Posted in Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Thelma Todd | 1 Comment

Paul Coates, Dec. 15, 1960

       Dec. 15, 1960: Paul Coates writes about tourism in Los Angeles during the boom of the 1880s. Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier don’t get along during filming of “The Prince and the Showgirl” (referred to here … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo

        Los Angeles Times file photo       March 28, 1936: The mayor of Ogden, Utah, says he may reopen the investigation of Thelma Todd’s death based on a tip from an informant who overheard a … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Suicide, Thelma Todd | 7 Comments

Paul Coates, Dec. 14, 1960

         Dec. 14, 1960: While traveling overseas, Paul Coates runs into an old friend – who isn’t sure if he’s Paul Coates or Matt Weinstock. Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller make an expedition to Europe in Maurice … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 14, 1940

        Dec. 14, 1940: Humphrey Bogart, film bad man. Recently, Mr. Bogart found himself unable to realistically enact a screen murder because his "killer mood" had been destroyed when he saw a studio gardener trap a gopher … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Update: This is Thelma Todd and Antonio Moreno. Although there's no further caption information on the back of the print, I believe it's from "Bohemian Girl," as Mary Mallory says.  Please … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography, Thelma Todd | 5 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 13, 1941

           Dec. 13, 1941: The better local niteries are frowning on femmes who step out in slacks, Jimmie Fidler says.

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Nuestro Pueblo | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 13, 1941

Movieland Mystery Photo

        Los Angeles Times file photo   Jan. 17-19 1936: The foreman of the Los Angeles County Grand Jury says the case of Thelma Todd is still open despite the autopsy surgeon's finding that death was caused … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Thelma Todd | 9 Comments

From the Vaults: ‘MASH’ (1970)

I loathe war movies. I also loathe hospital movies, and movies with predominantly male stars (really, who wants to sit and watch a bunch of men running around?) And I really loathe movies with long football scenes. Yet then we … Continue reading

Posted in Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Paul Coates, Dec. 12, 1960

    Dec. 12, 1960: Paul Coates updates the story of a Beverly Hills physician who had hit bottom and was in a mental hospital when he saved the life of an inmate.  Coates interviews the doctor, who has been … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 12, 1940

           Dec. 12, 1940: Nominated for the odd job championship: Brian Kilgore, former Chicago mortician, who bills himself as a technical director for gangster funerals, Jimmie Fidler says. 

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Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Update: This is Thelma Todd and Inez Courtney in a photo stamped Nov. 7, 1932.     Jan. 4-11, 1936: If you’re sick of the Thelma Todd case by now, you … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Thelma Todd | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

         Los Angeles Times file photo   Update: Mrs. Wallace Ford and her brother George Baker arrive to testify about the Thelma Todd case. "Mrs. Ford said Miss Todd telephoned she was coming to a party at … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 11, 1940

           Test pilot Rudolph B. Lechner, 37, is killed when his  SBC-2 Navy bomber fails to come out of a test dive. Dec. 11, 1940: Eleanor Powell has invented a tap-dancing shoe that quadruples the number … Continue reading

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Transportation | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo — Update

        Los Angeles Times file photo   Update: This is Thelma Todd giving a surprise birthday party for Patsy Kelly on the set of "Sing, Sister, Sing." "Because of Patsy's particular fondness for condiments and sauces, Thelma … Continue reading

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