Category Archives: Libraries

Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – Central Library Murals

Posted on June 13, 2022 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2012. Los Angeles was a growing metropolis in the 1920s, looking forward to a prosperous future. As such, newly designed municipal buildings reflected the glory and success of the West’s shining city. Griffith … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Libraries, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 7, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a repost from 2013. Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hugo Ballin, L.A. Muralist

Posted on March 29, 2021 by lmharnisch

Photographs by Larry Harnisch / LADailyMirror.com Mural in the Los Angeles Times Globe Lobby, dated July 19, 1934, by Hugo Ballin Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Hugo Ballin is one of the greatest muralists in Los Angeles … Continue reading →

Posted in 1934, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Libraries, Mary Mallory, Parks, Photography, Preservation, Religion | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 1, 2020 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a repost from 2013. Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Fix Archive.Org Thumbnails

Posted on August 16, 2020 by lmharnisch

One of the annoyances of Archive.org is that thumbnails seem to be assigned randomly instead of properly displaying the cover. If you Google for instructions, you will find them needlessly complex. Here’s the nearly painless way to fix them. After … Continue reading →

Posted in 1976, Libraries | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a repost from 2013. Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 5, 1959: LAPD Suspends Officer for – Uh-Oh

Posted on February 16, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 5, 1959: Chief William Parker suspends Officer Charles Wolf serial No. 4115 for 15 days for … oh dear. Banging “a known prostitute and dissolute person” and letting her get possession of his firearm. This material is from the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, City Hall, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Libraries | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Exploring Historic Photos on Flickr (Yes, Flickr)

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

In 2007, the Library of Congress began putting historic images on Flickr (remember Flickr?) and this was one of my favorites: The first all-woman jury in Los Angeles AND the first all-women jury in California.. Warning, you will see this … Continue reading →

Posted in 2009, Crime and Courts, Libraries, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Black Dahlia: 6 Reasons Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill Elizabeth Short — No. 3 Not Pals With Man Ray

Posted on December 21, 2018 by lmharnisch

The “minotaur love/death cult of Hollywood” is apparently getting a big play in “I Am the Night.” Oh dear. Here are six reasons Dr. George Hodel did not kill Elizabeth Short that you will need to know before watching the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 6, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a repost from 2013. Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Coming Attractions: Celebrating the Reopening of the Central Library

Posted on October 11, 2018 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles Central Library, courtesy of the library. Los Angeles is celebrating one of its great treasures – the Central Library – this weekend on the 25th anniversary of its reopening in October 1993, seven years after a devastating … Continue reading →

Posted in 1986, 1993, Architecture, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Fires, Libraries | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 8, 2017 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a repost from 2013. Glen Creason’s book on maps of Los Angeles shows the many ways people have viewed the city over the years. I interviewed him for The Times in 2012 and fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Books and Authors, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Brand Library

Posted on October 2, 2017 by lmharnisch

“Aerodrome Replacing Country-House Garage,” Illustrated London News, Oct. 29, 1921, Courtesy of Mary Mallory   Note: This is an encore post from 2012 Unique thematic architectural homes stand out all around the Los Angeles area, like Yamashiro and Frank Lloyd … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Hollywood Heights, Libraries, Location Sleuth, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Another Good Story Ruined: Gen. Otis’ ‘Death Car’ Rides Again

Posted on September 24, 2017 by lmharnisch

Photo: Times President Gen. Harrison Gray Otis. Credit: Press Reference Library, 1912 Evidently the folks at Esotouric (nee “The Crime Bus”) have neglected their homework when it comes to the bombing of The Times, judging by a recent story. Which … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Downtown, History, Libraries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Mystery Manuscript

Posted on September 6, 2016 by lmharnisch

If you think the mystery movies are tough – try the British Library’s mystery manuscript.

Posted in Books and Authors, Libraries, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 16 in L.A. History

Posted on January 16, 2016 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1910: The Times recaps Aviation Week.   A Week of Aviation Triumphs, Jan. 16, 1910 Library Officials May Remove Books on Making Alcohol, Jan. 16, 1920  TV Writers Go on Strike Over Residuals, Jan. 16, 1960 Matt Weinstock, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910, 1920, 1960, Aviation, Columnists, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday, Buster Keaton!

Posted on October 5, 2015 by lmharnisch

And in honor of Buster Keaton’s birthday yesterday, here’s a link to Buster’s scrapbook, which is online at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Here’s the link. Happy birthday, Buster!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Historians’ Tools: Archiving Email With MailStore

Posted on September 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

  Much of the research I have done on the Black Dahlia case has been conducted via email, and after almost 20 years, I have quite a lot of it. I have tried to be diligent in backing up my … Continue reading →

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Documentary: Glen Creason and the ‘Map House’

Posted on March 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

Alec Ernest has made a short documentary for the Los Angeles Review of Books about our friend Glen Creason, the map specialist at the Los Angeles Public Library, and the incredible “map house” of John Feathers. I played a very … Continue reading →

Posted in Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Alexa Foreman: Available for Research

Posted on January 5, 2015 by lmharnisch

Alexa Foreman, an early member of the L.A. Daily Mirror brain trust, writes that after 20 years at TCM, she is now available to do research projects. Alexa, a researcher and producer at TCM since it began in 1994,  writes … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment