Category Archives: Hollywood

‘Singin in the Rain’: The Mystery of the Aspect Ratio

Posted on March 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

  Here is the opening of “Singing’ in the Rain” as it was broadcast on TCM in 2012. For Pi Day, I pulled my copy of “Singin’ in the Rain” for a screen grab of Debbie Reynolds hitting Jean Hagen … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Second Universal City Celebrates Its Centennial

Posted on March 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

Universal City in the Washington Times, Feb. 10, 1915. In an age where businesses come and go, bought up by larger competitors or going under due to bad financial decisions, finding one in business for decades and at the same … Continue reading →

Posted in 1915, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Happy Pi (Cake) Day From Debbie Reynolds

Posted on March 14, 2015 by lmharnisch

“Here’s one thing I’ve learned from the movies.” Update: Debbie Reynolds tells us (via Twitter) that it was actually a cake, adding “I like them both!”

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Happy Pi Day From the Daily Mirror

Posted on March 14, 2015 by lmharnisch

Happy Pi Day from the L.A. Daily Mirror. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Fox Retro Never Got the Memo on Colorizing Films

Posted on March 10, 2015 by lmharnisch

Dear Fox Retro: I thought we had straightened out this whole question of colorizing movies long, long ago and decided it was a very bad idea. So imagine how terribly cross it made us to find that you aired “Rebecca … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1939 MGM picture “The Ice Follies of 1939,” starring Joan Crawford (Friday’s mystery woman), James Stewart (not shown), Lew Ayres (not shown) and Lewis Stone (not shown), directed by Reinhold Schunzel, with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 40 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Japanese Gardens Bring Serenity to Los Angeles

Posted on March 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

A postcard showing a Japanese garden at the Huntington Hotel, courtesy of Mary Mallory.   Throughout its history, Los Angeles has been blessed with an abundance of beautiful parks and gardens in which to relax. In the early twentieth century, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Parks | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Daylight Saving Time: A Reminder From Pier Angeli and the Daily Mirror

Posted on March 8, 2015 by lmharnisch

Pier Angeli and her little friend remind Daily Mirror readers that Daylight Saving Time begins today and to set your clocks forward one hour.

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

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1966 camp fest known as “Billy the Kid versus Dracula,” starring John Carradine (Friday’s mystery gent),  Chuck Courtney (Thursday’s mystery gent), Melinda Plowman (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Virginia Christine and Walter Janowitz (Thursday’s mystery … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 39 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: George E. Stone, Hollywood’s Two-Bit Hood

Posted on March 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

George E. Stone in a photo courtesy of Mary Mallory. Velvet Smith, Sparrow, Slinky, Dippy, Johnnie the Shark, Spats, Tough Tony, Ropes, McGonigle, Toothpick Charlie: just a few of the wise guy characters that made diminutive character actor George E. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 23, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1942 Columbia picture “You Were Never Lovlier,”  the second of two movies to feature Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth. It stars Adolphe Menjou (not shown), Isobel Elsom (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Leslie Brooks (Tuesday’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 58 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘The Road Is Open Again’ Promotes Optimism

Posted on February 23, 2015 by lmharnisch

  “The Road Is Open Again,” via YouTube.   In times of adversity and challenge, catchy songs or phrases have captured Americans’ imaginations, rallying spirits and action. Though written in 1929, the tune, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” was first … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘The Road Is Open Again’ Promotes Optimism

The Mystery of Jocko the Monkey

Posted on February 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

Eve Golden recently shared this photo of Leatrice Gilbert, the daughter of John Gilbert and Leatrice Joy. The question was the identity of the gentleman with the monkey. Thanks to Mary Mallory, we have a partial answer. The monkey was … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie was “The Big Combo,” a 1955 movie released by Allied Artists, starring Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte (Friday’s mystery gent), Brian Donlevy (Thursday’s mystery fellow), Jean Wallace (Friday’s mystery woman), with a young Lee Van Cleef (Thursday’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 52 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Alex Kahle Shoots the Angles

Posted on February 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

Virginia Bruce, courtesy of Mary Mallory. When most people think of motion picture stills photographers, they think of such renowned portraitists as George Hurrell, Ruth Harriet Louise, Clarence Sinclair Bull, and Eugene Richee, who created the glamour and iconography of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Vintage Slides of the Black Dahlia? Probably Not

Posted on February 13, 2015 by lmharnisch

A scan of one of the transparencies being offered on EBay. This is from an unidentified Western. A vendor has listed a lot of about 500 transparencies that were owned by a “Hollywood filmmaker.” A bit of research indicates that … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, 1947, Black Dahlia, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Book Review: ‘Dead to Me’ by Mary McCoy

Posted on February 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

Last week’s mail brought us an advance copy of “Dead to Me” by our longtime friend Mary McCoy of the Los Angeles Public Library, one of the leading lights among those of us who research L.A. history and a past … Continue reading →

Posted in 1948, 2015, Books and Authors, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Minus the Black Dahlia and George Hodel: ‘Man Ray and Human Equations’

Posted on February 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

The Washington Post has published an interesting review by Philip Kennicott of an exhibit at the Phillips Collection of Man Ray’s works. And yes, there isn’t a single mention of the ridiculous allegations about Ray, Dr. George Hodel and the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, 1947, Art & Artists, Black Dahlia, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery replacement movie was the 1951 Twentieth Century-Fox picture “Elopement,” starring Clifton Webb (Friday’s mystery feet),  Anne Francis (not shown) Charles Bickford, William Lundigan (Wednesday’s mystery chaps), Reginald Gardiner (Thursday’s mystery gent), Evelyn Varden (Tuesday’s mystery woman) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 48 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Studio City Nightclubs Jazz Up San Fernando Valley

Posted on February 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

The Zomba Cafe in “The Loved One,” about the 1:38 mark. Thanks to its geographic location and its proximity to entertainment industry businesses, Studio City has served as the home for eclectic restaurants and nightclubs providing a variety of amusement … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Nightclubs, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments