Category Archives: Hollywood

Hollywood Mourns Mack Sennett — Updated

        Nov. 9, 1960: Mack Sennett dies at the age of 80. “He took a farce situation and gave us the occasion and opportunity to indulge in that best of tonic — laughter," said the Rev. Harold … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 3 Comments

Paul Coates, Nov. 8, 1960

    Nov. 8, 1960: Paul Coates is on vacation, so the Daily Mirror is substituting with Hollywood columnist Earl Wilson Mary Martin broke an arm warming up for "Peter Pan" on TV? I had no idea.

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 8, 1940

            Nov. 8, 1940: Hear tell the Basil Rathbones will give up their Brentwood mansion for a more modest home. Big charity donations make it necessary, Jimmie Fidler says. Also on the jump, a review … Continue reading

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From the Vaults: ‘The Time Machine’ (1960)

Nope, not the Guy Pearce version from 2002, lovely as he and his cheekbones may be. This is the classic adaptation directed by George Pal, who'd adapted H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" a few years earlier. Wells' "The Time … Continue reading

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

Aron Ralston – the Real Story

       Aron Ralston outlines during a May 8, 2003, news conference how he deliberately broke the bones in his right arm before sawing through it. His mother, Donna, is at right. Photo by Associated Press May 3-9, 2003: … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 7, 1960

       Nov. 7, 1960: The county tax ax fell last week on property owners. They received their annual valentines from tax collector H.L. Byram, who gets the blame but merely does the bookkeeping. Some homeowners were merely nicked. … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 7, 1940

        Nov. 7, 1940: No wonder it's taken Frank Capra so long to edit "The Life of John Doe." He shot over 400,000 feet of film to get the 12,500 he needed!, Jimmie Fidler says.  Coming Nov. … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Here’s our weekend mystery chap! This week’s mystery guest (and no, he wasn’t much of a mystery) was Michael Ansara. There’s a new photo on the jump!

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

A Public Service Announcement From Pier Angeli

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Pier Angeli and friend remind you to turn your clocks back!

Posted in Animals, Film, Hollywood, Photography | 2 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 6, 1940

    Nov. 6, 1940: Roosevelt is elected for a third term. Once again, we find that election results undercut the purported influence of The Times’ political endorsements: Wendell Willkie for president (defeated); and incumbent Dist. Atty. Buron Fitts (defeated … Continue reading

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Found at Auction — ‘Bride of Frankenstein’

  I usually don’t feature anything from Heritage Auction Galleries, but this item caught my eye. The gallery says it’s a one-sheet from the 1935 release of “The Bride of Frankenstein,” from the collection of Todd Feiertag. The current bid … Continue reading

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

Mack Sennett, Ward Bond Die, Nov. 5, 1960

    Nov. 5, 1960: Paul Coates reports on a little war over press releases on the upcoming John Wayne film “The Alamo” …. Matt Weinstock writes that CBS-TV is having problems with the IBM RAMAC 305 it's using for … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 5, 1940

        Nov. 5, 1940: CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNIQUE to Carole Lombard: Don't you think publicity about your farm life is being overdone? Your fans would much rather picture you in sables at Ciro's than in gingham milking a cow, … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Here’s this week’s mystery guest! Last week’s mystery guest was William Desmond Taylor! The weekend mystery guest was Gloria Blondell! There's a new photo on the jump!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 79 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 4, 1940

        Nov. 4, 1940: Friends who accompanied Dolores Del Rio to the station when she left for Mexico City the other day are chuckling about a last-minute chat between the star and her press agent, Jimmie Fidler … Continue reading

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Paul Coates, Nov. 3, 1960

       Nov. 3, 1960: Paul Coates has the story of John Resko, who was sent to prison for killing a man but eventually rebuilt his life as an artist. Also on the jump, Earl Wilson on Marilyn Monroe … Continue reading

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James Caan on Film Directing

      Nov. 2, 1980: Roderick Mann interviews James Caan and asks when he will direct another film after “Hide in Plain Sight.” Caan says: "A lot of people were very kind when my film opened. Michael Eisner of … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Roderick Mann | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 1, 1960

       Nov. 1, 1960: BE ON THE ALERT for strangers in bars who offer to bet $25 or $5 that if Candidate A (or B) is elected that three days later the banks will be closed and there … Continue reading

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Matt Weinstock | 1 Comment

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 1, 1940

           Nov. 1, 1940 — HOLLYWOOD AFTER DARK: Cesar Romero, at Florentine Gardens, blandly disregarding the near-nude floor show as the cafe numerologist foretells coming good luck with girls, Jimmie Fidler says. 

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Tom Treanor | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 1, 1940

From the Vaults: ‘The Woman Who Came Back’ (1945)

What an odd yet pleasing little film is “The Woman Who Came Back.” A New England woman returns to her hometown and, after a near-death incident, becomes afraid that she’s under the spell of a famous local witch. It’s like … Continue reading

Posted in Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood | 2 Comments