Category Archives: Hollywood

From the Vaults: ‘Metropolis’ (1927)

Posted on November 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted on November 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

       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

Posted on November 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

    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

Posted on November 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

    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."

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul Coates, Nov. 19, 1960

Paul Coates, Nov. 18, 1960

Posted on November 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

       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 →

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

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 18, 1940

Posted on November 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

          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

Posted on November 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

        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 →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Paul Coates | Comments Off on Paul Coates, Nov. 17, 1960

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 17, 1941

Posted on November 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

           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

Posted on November 16, 2010 by lmharnisch

           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.

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 16, 1940

Mary Astor Mystery Photo

Posted on November 16, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted on November 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 15, 1940

Movieland Mystery Photo — Updated

Posted on November 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

    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)

Posted on November 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted on November 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

       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 →

Posted in Film, Front Pages, Hollywood | Comments Off on The Real Marilyn Monroe

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 14, 1941

Posted on November 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Nov. 14, 1941: One unpublicized reason for Lou Costello's New York jaunt is a conference with his pal, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, anent screening of His Honor's life story — with Costello in the title role, Jimmie Fidler says. 

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

On the Frontiers of Technology: Teletext

Posted on November 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

        Nov. 14, 1980: KCET-TV Channel 28 and KNXT-TV Channel 2 plan to experiment with teletext. Young persons reading this with the free wifi at Starbucks, gaze at the screen shots and give thanks for your netbooks.  … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 13, 1940

Posted on November 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

        Nov. 13, 1940: Insiders are saying good champagne will be $100 a case before New Year's, Jimmie Fidler says. 

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on November 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Photograph by Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times   Here’s our mystery guest for the week. Last week’s mystery fellow was Michael Ansara and the weekend guest was Robert Mitchum’s brother John, who also performed as John … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 82 Comments

Famed Writer Tours L.A.

Posted on November 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Nov. 13, 1910: Times reporter Willard Huntington Wright (yes, that is the future mystery writer S.S. Van Dine), explores Los Angeles with British author William J. Locke, who was once famous for such works as “The Beloved … Continue reading →

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Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 12, 1940

Posted on November 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

        Nov. 12, 1940: Eddie Albert, with a brand new schooner yacht, is readying for another Mexican cruise — and Warners are worried, Jimmie Fidler says. 

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