Category Archives: Music

October 29, 1907: ‘Oh, God, The Bassoon!’ Musicians Union Dispute Becomes Operatic

Posted on October 29, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 29, 1907: A labor dispute forces an opera company’s performance of “Mignon” to use local players, almost entirely unrehearsed, leading the conductor to exclaim: “Oh, God, the bassoon!” Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Labor, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on October 29, 1907: ‘Oh, God, The Bassoon!’ Musicians Union Dispute Becomes Operatic

October 21, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 21, 1957: Comedy writer Sy Miller writes a serious song, throws it in a drawer, but his daughters want to sing it at camp, so he agrees. The song: “Let there be peace on Earth,” Paul Coates says. Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Music, Paul Coates | Tagged , , | Comments Off on October 21, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

1944 on the Radio – NBC Symphony With Marian Anderson, October 15, 1944

Posted on October 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 15, 1944: Marian Anderson performs with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Music, Radio | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio – NBC Symphony With Marian Anderson, October 15, 1944

October 14, 1897: ‘La Boheme’ Receives American Premiere in Los Angeles

Posted on October 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 14, 1897: Puccini’s “La Boheme” receives its American premiere in Los Angeles, performed by the Del Conte Italian Grand Opera Company of Peru. Continue reading →

Posted in 1897, 1947, Comics, Music, Stage, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on October 14, 1897: ‘La Boheme’ Receives American Premiere in Los Angeles

October 12, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 12, 1957: Matt Weinstock profiles Burl Ives as he makes the transition from folk singing to acting. Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Columnists, Film, Food and Drink, Matt Weinstock, Music, Nightclubs, Television | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on October 12, 1957: Matt Weinstock

1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge

Posted on October 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 11, 1944: Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge from the U.S. Naval Air Station at Alameda. Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Music, Radio | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge

1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge: September 27, 1944

Posted on September 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 27, 1944: On the radio: Kay Kyser’s College of Musical Knowledge, with Phil Harris filling in. Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Music, Radio | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge: September 27, 1944

September 26, 1907: Disharmony for Conductor of Long Beach Band

Posted on September 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 26, 1907: Marco Vessella, conductor of Long Beach’s Royal Italian Band, has had nothing but trouble with Special Officer W.D. Cason after firing him from his job as ticket taker. On one September evening, Vessella and a young lady were waiting for a streetcar when Cason taunted him, calling him “spaghetti face” and “a longhaired dago.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, Music, Pasadena | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on September 26, 1907: Disharmony for Conductor of Long Beach Band

September 17:1907: L.A. Celebrates Mexican Independence Day

Posted on September 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 17, 1907: Los Angeles celebrates Mexican Independence Day with speeches, music and dancing. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on September 17:1907: L.A. Celebrates Mexican Independence Day

September 11, 1947: Al Jarvis Replies to L.A. Sentinel’s Charges of Racism

Posted on September 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 11, 1947: KLAC disc jockey Al Jarvis replies to Earl Griffin’s criticisms in last week’s Sentinel. “To knowingly plug a sponsor who discriminates against the Negro race is contrary to every belief I have ever had or ever will have.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Music, Radio | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on September 11, 1947: Al Jarvis Replies to L.A. Sentinel’s Charges of Racism

September 11, 1943: Escaped Soldier Denies Attacking Former Screen Star

Posted on September 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 11, 1943: Pvt. George P. Rimke, who was convicted of “attacking” screen dancer and actress Lina Basquette (d. 1994), escapes from March Field, but surrenders to attorney S.S. Hahn.   Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Music, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on September 11, 1943: Escaped Soldier Denies Attacking Former Screen Star

August 28, 1947: Margaret Harris Debuts in Piano Recital at Age 3

Posted on August 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 28, 1947: Margaret Harris, making her debut as a pianist at age 3, is splashed across the cover of the Los Angeles Sentinel. Harris was the musical director for “Hair” and the first Black woman to conduct the L.A. Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and many other major orchestras. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on August 28, 1947: Margaret Harris Debuts in Piano Recital at Age 3

Aug. 12-13, 1907: Bucket of Blood Is a Den of Drunken Debauchery

Posted on August 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 12, 1907: The L.A. Times describes the Bismark Cafe, known to police as the Bucket of Blood, as “drunken debauchery among girls of tender ages, painted women and men.” It is an “immoral pesthole” where “young girls are enticed nightly do drink and listen to a band concert.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, Crime and Courts, Food and Drink, LAPD, Main Street, Music, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Aug. 12-13, 1907: Bucket of Blood Is a Den of Drunken Debauchery

August 11, 1969: Ritual Killings Terrorize L.A.

Posted on August 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

Here is Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi’s opening statement in the Tate-La Bianca murders of August 9-10, 1969. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Music, Rock 'n' Roll, Television | Comments Off on August 11, 1969: Ritual Killings Terrorize L.A.

Aug. 1, 1907: Swarm of Bees Terrorizes Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on August 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 1, 1907: ‘Naughty’ bees swarm on South Broadway! Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Animals, LAPD, Music, Streetcars | Tagged , | Comments Off on Aug. 1, 1907: Swarm of Bees Terrorizes Downtown Los Angeles

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide: The Harvey Wallbanger

Posted on December 27, 2024 by lmharnisch

A vintage 1972 iron-on transfer of Harvey Wallbanger himself, on EBay for $12. Note: This is a repost from 2013. We have been looking at some historic drinks for this holiday season. To the millennials in the audience: This is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1971, Food and Drink, Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide: The Harvey Wallbanger

Dec. 14, 1907: L.A. Schools Ban Mention of Christ at Christmas (Uh-Oh)

Posted on December 24, 2024 by lmharnisch

Dec. 14, 1907: Los Angeles residents are furious after the school superintendent bans the mention of Christ at Christmas. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Education, Music, Religion | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Dec. 14, 1907: L.A. Schools Ban Mention of Christ at Christmas (Uh-Oh)

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘White Christmas’ Soothes the Home Front in 1942

Posted on December 2, 2024 by lmharnisch

Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale in “Holiday Inn.” Note: This is an encore post from 2015. Recognized today as one of the top selling singles and pieces of sheet music of all time, Irving Berlin’s “White … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘White Christmas’ Soothes the Home Front in 1942

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Carrie Jacobs-Bond, Pioneering Songwriter and Publisher

Posted on March 12, 2024 by lmharnisch

As wildly popular as Taylor Swift in her day, Wisconsin born Carrie Jacobs-Bond became viral the old fashioned way, through the sale of sheet music. Several of her songs became standards employed for years for special occasions. Music wasn’t a … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Music | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Eve Golden: The Amazing Life of Allan Gould

Posted on April 14, 2023 by lmharnisch

Ruth Tester and Allan Gould perform Manhattan in the 1929 Paramount short Makers of Melody. Longtime readers may recall that way back in 2013, Larry and I pondered the career of Allan Gould, whom I had seen in a 1929 … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Music, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments