Category Archives: Hollywood

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 23, 1940

    Nov. 23, 1940: This is one of the more interesting L.A. corruption stories of the 1940s. Bugsy Siegel was getting out of jail, where he was in custody in the killing of Harry Greenberg, thanks to Dr. Benjamin … Continue reading

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Mae West Dies, Nov. 23, 1980

       Nov. 23, 1980: Mae West dies at the age of 87 and gets a first-rate  obituary by Kevin Thomas and the legendary/notorious Ted Thackrey.  A sample: She was painted by Dali, admired by George Bernard Shaw, photographed … Continue reading

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Steve McQueen Feuds With Neighbor, Nov. 22, 1960

         Nov. 22, 1960: Columnist Earl Wilson reminisces about Clark Gable – washing his own car! And oh, that Steve McQueen! It seems that police are investigating complaints of a fight between the star of "Wanted: Dead … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 22, 1940

       Nov. 22, 1940: Talk about a divided nation! Part of the U.S. celebrated Thanksgiving on Nov. 22, as declared by President Roosevelt, while 16 states waited a week. From 1939 to 1941, Roosevelt moved the holiday ahead … Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo

      Los Angeles Times file photo   Here’s our weekend mystery guest. Last week’s guest was Polly Walters! There’s a new photo on the jump!

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

Dorothy Stratten — ‘Galaxina’

          Nov. 22, 1980: “Galaxina” is released to movie theaters three months after one of the stars, former Playmate of the Year Dorothy Stratten, died in a murder-suicide. “Since Stratten plays a robot in the title … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Obituaries, Suicide | 1 Comment

From the Vaults: ‘Metropolis’ (1927)

I am just about the last person on earth to see Fritz Lang's "Metropolis." And I chose to break my fast with a nice long incarnation of it: the newly restored 145-minute version, recently shown for the third time by … Continue reading

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

Paul Coates, Nov. 21, 1960

       Nov. 21, 1960: Paul Coates writes about the “strange passivity” in the Soviet citizen. He quotes another reporter: "There's no city in the world where I'd feel safer for my wife and kids than Moscow. They can … Continue reading

Posted in Columnists, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Paul Coates | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

    Update: This is Polly Walters! Congratulations to Mike Hawks and Mary Mallory (who not only identified Polly, but even named the photographer. Very impressive!) And thanks to Eve for suggesting her! Here’s our mystery guest. Last week’s mystery … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 15 Comments

Paul Coates, Nov. 19, 1960

    Nov. 19, 1960: Paul Coates writes about his encounter with a con man in the Soviet Union. And Marilyn Monroe takes up modeling in Part 6 of Maurice Zolotow’s "The Real Marilyn Monroe."

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Paul Coates, Nov. 18, 1960

       Nov. 18, 1960: One glance at the front page shows the Mirror was nothing like The Times — but all of that is going to change in a little more than a year…. Paul Coates writes about … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 18, 1940

          Nov. 18, 1940: Note to Realtors: The Basil Rathbone house is NOT for sale! Jimmie Fidler says. [Note: This is how errors were often handled at one time. Rather than publish a correction, The Times … Continue reading

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Paul Coates, Nov. 17, 1960

        Nov. 17, 1960: Clark Gable dies in Room 209 of Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital at the age of 59… Paul Coates reports on impressions of President-elect Kennedy in the Soviet Union … and the Mirror publishes Part … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 17, 1941

           Nov. 17, 1941: Fibber and Molly McGee are at Palm Springs. Molly hasn't been feeling well, Jimmie Fidler says.

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 16, 1940

           Nov. 16, 1940: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are packing for a trailer trek to Nebraska, where they'll visit her relatives, Jimmie Fidler says.

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Mary Astor Mystery Photo

At left, the publicity still from “Return to Peyton Place.” At right, Mary Astor in a 1959 photo. At left, the publicity still from “Return to Peyton Place.” At right, a photo of Mary Astor from 1961. Oh, Harnisch, why … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | 10 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 15, 1940

        Nov. 15, 1940: Ernest Hemingway will come to Hollywood to help adapt his "For Whom the Bell Tolls" to the screen, Jimmie Fidler says.

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Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

    I often wonder why people in movie stills sometimes have such dilated eyes. Then I found this very freckled mystery guest with about the most extreme example I’ve ever seen.       Los Angeles Times file photo … Continue reading

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

From the Vaults: ‘The Howling’ (1981)

Well, Joe Dante's horror classic "The Howling" was not at all what I expected! Every werewolf movie is necessarily idiosyncratic, of course — it's not like "Dracula" or "Frankenstein," with an established storyline and characters to follow or riff on. … Continue reading

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

The Real Marilyn Monroe

       Nov. 14, 1960: The Mirror begins publishing Maurice Zolotow’s biography of Marilyn Monroe (and yes, Clark Gable, her co-star in “The Misfits” dies in a few days). On the jump, Simone Signoret says that if Monroe is … Continue reading

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