Category Archives: LAPD

Police chief quits; Nazi fears drive Jews to suicide, November 17, 1938

Posted on November 17, 2008 by lmharnisch

Voice of executed man speaks from Tijuana grave. At left, the current film "The Citadel," with Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat. Police Chief James Davis, who figured in the Gordon Northcott "Changeling" case, says he’s stepping down to protect his … Continue reading →

Posted in Changeling, City Hall, Downtown, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, LAPD, Sports | Comments Off

November 12, 1958: Teenage hitchhiker killed

Posted on November 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

Daryle Kelch was one of the most popular seniors at William S. Hart High School. He had a good friend, Douglas Austin, and a girlfriend, Karen Deadmon. And he was a dependable boy, according to the eulogy delivered by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD, Obituaries | 3 Comments

Changeling — Finding Christine Collins

Posted on November 10, 2008 by lmharnisch

Christine Collins’ residences, as shown on Google Earth. Christine Collins’ addresses in Google maps Dick Morris, a regular Daily Mirror reader, is a skilled researcher and passed along some material on Christine I. Collins. It fills in a few details … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | 42 Comments

L.A. kidnappings, June 17, 1934

Posted on November 8, 2008 by lmharnisch

The Times publishes a stern warning to racketeers that kidnapping doesn’t pay, but about the only gangland figure it mentions is Les Bruneman. The story touches on the Gordon Northcott (notice that we call him Gordon Northrop) and William Edward … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia

Posted on November 7, 2008 by lmharnisch

Steve Hodel’s "Black Dahlia Avenger," inscribed to James Ellroy, as listed on EBay for $19.99, in 2006. Steve Hodel is bringing his "Black Dahlia Avenger" presentation to the South Pasadena Public Library at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, books, City Hall, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 3 Comments

Changeling — Part X

Posted on November 6, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo Gordon Northcott ignores his attorneys and argues with the judge, Dec. 5, 1928. Oct. 17, 1928: The Police Commission decides not to punish Capt. J.J. Jones for putting Christine Collins in a mental ward. The … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Changeling, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 50 Comments

Changeling — Part IX

Posted on November 5, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo Gordon Northcott On the eve of Gordon Northcott’s sentencing, a mob goes to the jail where he is being held. One of the leaders is N.H. Winslow, the father of two of Northcott’s victims, Lewis … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Comments Off

Changeling –Part VII

Posted on November 3, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo From left, prosecutor Earl (sometimes spelled Earle) Redwine, Loyal Kelley, A.H. de Tremaudan (sometimes spelled Tremandon), J. McKinley Cameron, David Sokol, Gordon … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Changeling, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 1 Comment

Changeling — Part VI

Posted on November 2, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo In going through the photographs from the Gordon Northcott case, I’m struck by how different Northcott looks from one image to another. Sometimes he appears thoughtful, even bookish. In others, he looks quite demonic. In … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Changeling, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 4 Comments

Movie star beaten to death, November 1, 1968

Posted on November 1, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by the Los Angeles Times Newsmen gather outside Ramon Novarro’s house, 3110 Laurel Canyon, after he was found beaten to death, 1968. View Larger Map The 3100 block of Laurel Canyon, where Ramon Novarro lived, via Google maps’ street … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 5 Comments

Changeling — Part V

Posted on October 30, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photoThe Northcott ranch. Notice the stop sign used as a precursor to crime scene tape. Los Angeles Times file photoDetectives find a gun and an ax in the Northcott home in Los Angeles, but cannot link … Continue reading →

Posted in Changeling, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD | 9 Comments

Changeling stories — Part III

Posted on October 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Tony Rivetti Jr. / Universal PicturesAbove, Colm Feore as Police Chief James Davis, “Changeling,” set in 1928. Los Angeles Times file photoAbove, Police Chief James Davis, 1926. Northcott signs confession. I don’t care much for the press passes … Continue reading →

Posted in Changeling, City Hall, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | 1 Comment

October 28, 1938: Mayor investigates honorary LAPD badges

Posted on October 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, Police Chief James Davis turns over a list of more than 7,800 people who have received honorary badges from the Los Angeles Police Department. Recipients include Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, Louis B. Mayer, Joe E. Brown, King Vidor, Bela … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, City Hall, Downtown, Front Pages, LAPD, Politics | 1 Comment

Changeling stories — Part I

Posted on October 26, 2008 by lmharnisch

Police Capt. Jones and LAPD officers search the lake in Lincoln Park for the body of Walter Collins, Los Angeles Times, April 6, 1928. The boy claiming to be Walter Collins poses with Christine Collins, Aug. 18, 1928 Several regular … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Changeling, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Parks and Recreation | 42 Comments

Check out the Gangster Squad series

Posted on October 25, 2008 by lmharnisch

http://video.latimes.com/global/video/flash/widgets/WNVideoCanvas.swf By Paul Lieberman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Sgt. Willie Burns had a Tommy gun on the bench in front of him when his 18 handpicked candidates arrived at the 77th Street station on the edge of Watts. It … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, LAPD, Mickey Cohen | Comments Off

Pasternak wins Nobel, October 25, 1958

Posted on October 25, 2008 by lmharnisch

Boris Pasternak wins the Nobel for "Dr. Zhivago" and rejects the award under withering criticism from the Soviet government. In Rome, 52 cardinals gather to select the next pope … Arthur Godfrey’s helicopter "crash-lands" when it was a foot … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, LAPD, Nightclubs, Sports, Stage | Comments Off

When the past makes news

Posted on October 23, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by the Los Angeles Police Department, Dec. 4, 1950 D.R. No. 324-936. The photographer didn’t initial his work. Photos give a glimpse into LAPD history An archive of images spanning from the Prohibition era to Woodstock — which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | 1 Comment

Found on EBay — Black Dahlia doll

Posted on October 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

Here’s a disgusting little item on EBay: a more or less anatomically correct Black Dahlia doll–and yes I have cropped the photo. In theory, such objects violate EBay’s policies, but the company rarely takes action on my complaints about Black … Continue reading →

Posted in LAPD | 3 Comments

October 22, 1958: Mob suspected in bookie’s killing

Posted on October 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

Clifford Rue was a man who was ahead of his time and behind on the payments to his bookie. A former Marine who changed his name from Rubenstein for business purposes, Rue had been working at his father’s liquor store … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD, San Fernando Valley | 1 Comment

L.A. firefighter buys job for $600, October 21, 1938

Posted on October 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

A 2,000-acre brush fire burns from Stone Canyon Dam to Beverly Glen and north to Mulholland Drive. A political bombshell explodes in the Los Angeles City Fire Department: The sale of jobs for $600 ($8,745.89 USD 2007). Fire Chief Ralph … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, City Hall, Front Pages, LAPD, Sports | Comments Off