Category Archives: Hollywood

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 19, 1957: Hedda Hopper says, “Dick Widmark, back from England after locationing for 'Saint Joan,' in which he played the Dauphin, says, 'We had bad weather throughout the entire stay. I took a flat when I first went … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 18, 1956: Hedda Hopper says “A Streetcar Named Desire” is “dated.” You are probably wondering, “Did this woman ever get anything right?” I certainly am.

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Stage | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Prisoner to Hang in Chicago

Posted on February 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

  “The Holdout,” by Clare Briggs. Feb. 18, 1920: In Chicago, the sheriff prepares to hang another prisoner. "If capital punishment means anything at all it is a deterrent to further crime and an example to others. The very class … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Prisoner to Hang in Chicago

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 17, 1955: Hedda Hopper says, “Congratulations to the Last Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas for being able to land Mario Lanza (d. 1959). He'll receive $50,000 a week for a singing engagement there. And his fans will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Nightclubs | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 16, 2010 by lmharnisch

Feb. 16, 1954: Hedda Hopper says, “The Breen Office passed ‘A Bullet Is Waiting’ without a change, but killed a third of the still photographs that were to advertise the picture.”

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Bette Midler in Pasadena

Posted on February 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Feb. 15, 1980: Lee Grant covers the filming of Bette Midler's "Divine Madness." Midler says of "The Rose," "The director had to explain to me that for the film to have any semblance of reality there would … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Music, Rock 'n' Roll | Comments Off on Bette Midler in Pasadena

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

     Feb. 15, 1953: In a profile of Audie Murphy, Hedda Hopper looks at the studio intrigue surrounding “The Red Badge of Courage,” in which Louis B. Mayer was replaced by Dore Schary,  and says it is "a fine … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Olympics Open at Lake Placid

Posted on February 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Feb. 14, 1980: Has it really been 30 years since Bob Fosse’s “All That Jazz” opened? Yes it has.

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Sports | Comments Off on Olympics Open at Lake Placid

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

   Feb. 14, 1952: Hedda Hopper says, "Jean Arthur has collected nearly $500,000 from Paramount since 1947, yet has made only two pictures for that company. Now by mutual consent her contract has been canceled, with a large hunk of … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

UCLA Students Honor John Belushi

Posted on February 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 13, 1980: John Belushi comes to UCLA to receive the Jack Benny Memorial Award for Excellence in Entertainment. Asked if he would do serious movie roles, Belushi replies: "These days, people need comedy."

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Television | Comments Off on UCLA Students Honor John Belushi

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 13, 1951: Edith Head, the Paramount designer, says: "I don't know why I'm so happy these days unless it's because I've found a waist smaller than Veronica Lake's." The 21 1/2-inch waist belongs to Jan Sterling, Hedda Hopper … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Home-Schooler Goes to Jail

Posted on February 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

 Photograph by John Malmin / Los Angeles Times July 21, 1959: Dr. R. Bernard Finch escorts police and reporters in a tour of the crime scene in West Covina.  Newsmen at the courtroom door peep through a crack to get … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Education, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Home-Schooler Goes to Jail

New Studio Signs Stars, Plans Complex Near Culver City

Posted on February 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

 “Oh, Man!” by Clare Briggs. Location sleuth, Feb. 13, 1920: “A section of Chinatown was practically remodeled early this week to conform to the exigencies of ‘The Heart of a Child,' from Frank Danby's novel, which is Nazimova's current Metro … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on New Studio Signs Stars, Plans Complex Near Culver City

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

Feb. 12, 1950: William Holden tells Hedda Hopper, "It's up to the producers. You know stars are made by them before they're made by the public. And stars are broken by producers before they're broken by the public. Thus it's … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Movie Star Mystery Photo

Posted on February 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo  Update: Virtually everyone recognized our mystery guest as Louise Beavers. Oct. 27, 1962: Louise Beavers dies at the age of 60.  Nov. 2, 1962: Services for Louise Beavers include her favorite gospel song, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 76 Comments

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on February 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Feb. 11, 1949: Wedding bells for Clark Gable and Joan Crawford? Hedda Hopper says no.

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Charles Champlin on ‘Cruising’

Posted on February 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Feb. 10, 1980: Charles Champlin writes, “The principal complaint, artistically, about 'Cruising' is that it is not very clear at the rudimentary level of exposition of character and event. The problem, as with [William] Friedkin's 'Sorcerer,' which … Continue reading →

Posted in #gays and lesbians, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Film, 1965

Posted on February 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Now showing, a Peter Cushing double feature: “Curse of Frankenstein” and “Horror of Dracula.”  Feb. 10, 1965: Also opening, “Two on a Guillotine.” Directed by William Conrad!

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Film, 1965

Recalling the Days of Payola

Posted on February 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

  I was  "blown away" today to see my dad on the front page of the Mirror News. My dad, Norm Prescott, was a big DJ in Boston and New York. We all moved to Los Angeles in 1966. The … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Comments Off on Recalling the Days of Payola

Strongheart, Dog Sheik of the Movies

Posted on February 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 2, 1925, Strongheart, the dog sheik of the movies.

Posted in Animals, Film, Hollywood | Comments Off on Strongheart, Dog Sheik of the Movies