Category Archives: Homicide

Nooooo!!!

Posted on September 5, 2006 by lmharnisch

I couldn’t stand the thought of James Ellroy’s copies of “Black Dahlia Avenger” going for so little on EBay. After all, don’t people know the book has been optioned by New Line Cinema? Surely books that are inscribed to the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Uncategorized | Tagged 1947, black dahlia, cold cases, lapd | Comments Off

So Rude!

Posted on September 4, 2006 by lmharnisch

My goodness, one never knows what will turn up on Ebay. This morning I found a copy of “Black Dahlia Avenger” inscribed by Steve Hodel to James Ellroy, who wrote the introduction to the paperback, praising Hodel’s work and endorsing … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Uncategorized | Tagged 1947, black dahlia, cold cases, lapd | 1 Comment

Whats that on your shirt, Phelan?

Posted on June 30, 2006 by lmharnisch

June 29, 1907Los AngelesThrough the jail cell’s bars, the officer asked, “Where did you get that blood on your shirt?”E.H. Phelan, a barber at the Hotel Alexandria, said: “No, I did not beat my wife.” He whispered: “She was drunk … Continue reading →

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Her Own Client

Posted on June 16, 2006 by lmharnisch

June 16, 1907Los AngelesDespite the old saying—a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client—Edith Foulkes is a smart woman, at least in the courtroom. She can’t make the same claim about her trip to the altar, however, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Fashions, Homicide, LAPD, Streetcars | Comments Off

Who Is This Man?

Posted on June 13, 2006 by lmharnisch

I recently obtained an original copy of The Times’ March 28, 1971, story “Farewell, My Black Dahlia,” which includes the account of the “Boy on the Bicycle.” Here’s a color picture of the purported “Bobby Jones.” Here’s a better … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged black dahlia, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, homicide, lapd | Comments Off

A Family’s Curse

Posted on June 9, 2006 by lmharnisch

June 9, 1907Los AngelesOlga Miller was a comely young thing who worked at the Hotel Rosslyn and was considered quite attractive despite the scar on her temple from shooting herself in the head.One day she fell ill and was taken … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Homicide, LAPD, Streetcars | Comments Off

Shout Out

Posted on June 7, 2006 by lmharnisch

General Motors (198.208.251.24) Windows 2000? Upgrade! The Netherlands (212.127.246.72) E! Entertainment (12.46.6.69) “E! Mysteries and Scandals,” my first TV interview, by the guy who did “Real Chases of the Highway Patrol.” Department of Veterans Affairs (152.130.6.194) My pal in Kerkira, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Uncategorized | Tagged black dahlia, donald wolfe | Comments Off

Speed demons

Posted on May 24, 2006 by lmharnisch

May 24, 1907Los AngelesOtis Skinner, the actor starring in “The Duel” at the Mason Opera House,” is under arrest because of a curious regulation in which passengers of a speeding car are charged with breaking the law. Col. Henry Wyatt … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Homicide, LAPD, Streetcars, Theaters | Comments Off

Paul Schrader’s 1971 Notes on Film Noir

Posted on May 11, 2006 by lmharnisch

Paul Schrader’s 1971 essay “Notes on Film Noir” in all its sappy, naive glory, with typos by me. In 1946, French critics, seeing the American films they had missed during the war, noticed the new mood of cynicism, pessimism and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Education, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Music, Native Americans, Photography, Streetcars | Comments Off

A Murderous Sweep

Posted on May 10, 2006 by lmharnisch

All K. Tanimura wanted to do was clean the carpets at the Hotel Angelus at 407-411 S. Spring St. The sweeper, however, was broken so he sought help from the hotel’s carpenter, S.E. Thomas.Thomas was busy and told Tanimura (also … Continue reading →

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Blogging the Wolfe Book, The Two-Minute Executive Summary

Posted on May 1, 2006 by lmharnisch

From Feb. 3, 2006, to April 28, 2006, I devoted a daily blog to Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” In dealing with the 1947 murder of Elizabeth … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged black dahlia, Books and Authors, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, lapd | 1 Comment

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Request Line XXII

Posted on April 28, 2006 by lmharnisch

I have ceased blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe uses the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged black dahlia, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, homicide, lapd | 4 Comments

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Request Line XXI

Posted on April 27, 2006 by lmharnisch

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged #LAPD, black dahlia, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, lapd | Comments Off

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Request Line XX

Posted on April 26, 2006 by lmharnisch

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, History, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged black dahlia, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, lapd | 8 Comments

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Request Line XIX

Posted on April 25, 2006 by lmharnisch

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Request Line XVIII

Posted on April 24, 2006 by lmharnisch

Blogging the Wolfe Book, Notes on L.A. Abortions in the 1940s

Posted on April 23, 2006 by lmharnisch

Let’s have some fun, shall we? Since we’re talking about abortion and abortion rings, protection, etc., here are all the news stories involving arrests or patients’ deaths in Los Angeles between 1940 and 1949 for abortions listed in the Los … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Abortion, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Donald Wolfe, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged abortions, black dahlia, Books and Authors, cold cases, crime and courts, donald wolfe, lapd | 1 Comment