Category Archives: Hollywood

Woman Attempts Suicide Rather Than Return to Prison

  “Fire Is a Good and Blessed Thing, but if You Put Your Hand in It You’ll Get Burnt.” Feb. 1, 1920: Police respond to a call at 5032 Hollywood Blvd. and arrest Alice Lowry, a burglar who scouted apartment … Continue reading →

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Republicans Losing Strength, Poll Finds

Jan. 31, 1960: A progress report on the construction of Los Angeles’ freeways.   The Democrats try to assess the political weaknesses of Vice President Richard Nixon. The unpublished study obtained by the Herald Tribune News Service finds that most … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Jan. 16, 1942: Carole Lombard delivers a speech in Indianapolis in a rally to sell war bonds. Jan. 17, 1942: Lombard is killed on the flight returning to Los Angeles.  Jan. 31, 1942: Norman Corwin turned down an opportunity … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, Jan. 30, 1960

Rewarding Experience     Ad executive Henry Mayers and his wife came home from a trip to southeast Asia about a year ago appalled by the deluge of printed propaganda they saw extolling communism and attacking this country.     To help … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Jan. 30, 1941: Frank Capra tried to show a print of his first film, "Fultah Fisher's Boarding House," and "found the film had completely disintegrated. He'll pay almost anything for another print," Hedda Hopper says … Hey, it's Trixie … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

    Jan. 29, 1940:  Akim Tamiroff tells Hedda Hopper it took him three months to learn how to use a bullwhip for scenes in “Union Pacific.”

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Movie Star Mystery Photo

     Los Angeles Times file photo Update: This is Eleanore Whitney! Information on the back of the photo, published May 16, 1937,  says: “Fanchon, Hollywood’s only woman producer, says that Eleanore Whitney has the loveliest ‘pout’ on the screen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 27 Comments

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

     Jan. 28, 1939: Hedda Hopper writes a few lines about “You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man.” She says the picture is right on schedule. Of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, Hopper says: “No one can say Carole busted … Continue reading →

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Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, Jan. 27, 1960

  Case of Go for Broke, Caryl Chessman Says      Caryl Chessman's legal fight to beat the gas chamber resumes tomorrow.       The 38-year-old senior statesman of San Quentin's Death Row (he's been there 11 1/2 years) returns to … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Jan. 27, 1965: Rex Harrison will star in a musical version of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” Hedda Hopper says. The movie was finally made with Peter O’Toole. 

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Joseph Wambaugh on the ‘Onion Field’ [Updated]

Photograph by Don Cormier / Los Angeles Times March 11, 1963: Jimmy Lee Smith returns to the crime scene to reenact the “Onion Field” killing. From left, Sgt. Danny Galindo as Officer Karl Hettinger;  Sgt. G.H. Bates as Officer Ian … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 2 Comments

Nuestro Pueblo, Plummer Park

  View Larger Map    Sept. 23, 1938: Joe Seewerker and Charles Owens visit Plummer Park in Hollywood. The original run of Nuestro Pueblo ended in 1939, so I’m going back and picking up the ones I missed last year.

Posted in art and artists, Hollywood, Nuestro Pueblo, Parks and Recreation | 1 Comment

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, Jan. 26, 1960

Diana Barrymore was in love with Tennessee Williams and wanted to marry him, the Mirror's Earl Wilson says.  We Quiz Quiz Guy Who Blew $64,000       Al Einfrank isn't exciting news copy.  Not any more.     Three years ago, … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Jan. 26, 1964: Hedda Hopper’s profile of Evadne Baker was far more interesting than I expected. A quick check of imdb reveals that she died Jan. 17, 1995 … but wait. She was born Nov. 27, 1897? That would … Continue reading →

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Diana Barrymore Dies at 38

  Nice headline – does that make the nun a college girl? And I guess Kennedy isn’t a headline name yet. Jan. 26, 1960: The trial of Dr. R. Bernard Finch and Carole Tregoff in the killing of Barbara Jean … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

It’s Walter Neff and Betty Schaefer in “Son of Flubber!” Jan. 25, 1963: Will somebody please send Hedda Hopper some Frostilla? Thank you!

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The ‘Onion Field’ Remembered [Update]

Photograph by Don Cormier / Los Angeles Times March 11, 1963: Jimmy Lee Smith returns to the crime scene to reenact the “Onion Field” killing with Sgt. G.H. Bates, left, as Officer Ian Campbell; Sgt. Danny Galindo, center, as Officer … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1963, books, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 7 Comments

A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Jan. 24, 1962: Hedda Hopper says Buster Keaton's going to tour Germany, Austria and Switzerland with some of his films and gives another slam to Charlie Chaplin … and Marilyn Monroe is getting ready to do “Something’s Got to … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, Jan. 23, 1960

Mash Notes and Comment     (Press Release)  "As far as space travel is concerned, a big bosom is a bust — according to an article in the new issue of Look magazine.     "Although pulchritude may be an asset here … Continue reading →

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  Dolores del Rio is at the Million Dollar Theater! Jan. 23, 1961 – Hedda Hopper says: “She's 19, beautiful, a student at Northwestern University in Chicago, and made her debut singing with George Burns in Las Vegas. Her name … Continue reading →

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