Category Archives: Obituaries

#film, #history, #museums, 7|26|2011

Posted on July 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Dear Friend Hitler.” Tripti Lahiri writes in the Wall Street Journal about “Dear Friend Hitler.” Based on the previews, the movie is “Gandhi” meets “Downfall“  meets “The Sound of Music,” in Hindi with an all-Indian cast. A less charitable … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Film, History, Hollywood, Museums, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: 1940 Ford Siebert hearse converted to a delivery sedan, $49,000 on Hemmings.com   Queen of the Dead—dateline July 25, 2011   • July 22 saw the death of the first Bond Girl, Linda Christian, 87. Her career was pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Music, Nightclubs, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | 1 Comment

Photos That Make Us Wonder

Posted on July 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

OK, does anyone else wonder about the main picture in the Shalikashvili obituary in The Times?

Posted in Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: New, horse-drawn hearse for sale on EBay, $9,500. Credit: Justin Carriage Works Queen of the Dead—dateline July 18, 2011   • All the silent movie stars are long-gone, now we are down to memorializing their children. Rex Bell, Jr., … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Politics, Queen of the Dead, Television | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

#history, #museum 7|17|2011

Posted on July 17, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Mail sent by airplane from the 1912 Aviation Meet at Dominguez Field.  Credit: New York Public Library   7|17|2011DEATHSArdis Butler James, 85, co-founder of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska. Margalit Fox in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1912, Aviation, Baseball, Books and Authors, History, Museums, Music, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on #history, #museum 7|17|2011

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline July 11, 2011   • Archduke Otto of Austria, pretender to the throne of the late Austria-Hungary, died on the Fourth of July, at 98. I must admit to a schoolgirl crush on his  . . … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

My L.A. Times colleague Elaine Woo has a first-rate obituary on Catherine Mulholland, author of “William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles.” One reason Mulholland took on the biography was to provide what she viewed as a more balanced … Continue reading →

Posted in 1963, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

Z-Boys Skateboarder Chris Cahill Dies at 54

Posted on July 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

My friend and L.A. Times Daily Mirror partner Keith Thursby has an obituary on Chris Cahill, a member of the Dogtown Z-Boys skateboarders. Keith says: The Z-Boys, originally 11 boys and a girl, were the subject of the 2001 documentary … Continue reading →

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Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline July 4, 2011   • Adorable, baby-voiced actress Alice Playten, 63, died on June 25. She was one of those “oh, her!” actresses whose face and voice are more familiar than her name. She did zillions … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Stage, Television | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline June 25, 2011 • Wheelchair-bound actor and male stripper Lee Kemp, 39, died of cancer on April 11. The British actor became a paraplegic after a 1990 motorcycle accident and—against all odds—continued his career, even winning … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead, Religion, Stage | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Quote: Fred Steiner, 1923 – 2011

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Randy Lewis of The Times has a nice obit on Fred Steiner (1923-2011), who composed the famous theme for the “Perry Mason” show: Steiner said he wanted to create music for Mason, writer Erle Stanley Gardner’s legal-eagle lawyer, that projected … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Music, Obituaries, Television | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Quote: Peter Falk’s ‘Columbo’ Should Have Failed

Posted on June 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

Peter Falk, 1927 – 2011 Watching CBS’ new savior, Jeff Sagansky, hold his first press conference this week, I kept wondering whether he’d ever heard William Link, co-creator of “Columbo,” describe the origins of that classic Peter Falk detective show. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1927, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Television | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +++]

Posted on June 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

Steven Bibb, a member of the Daily Mirror’s Brain Trust, has graciously shared some of his pictures as mystery photos. Thanks Steven! [Update: This is Dorothy Dell in a 1934 photo from “Wharf Angel.” Please congratulate Eve Golden for identifying … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Architectural Rambling – The Van Griffith Estate

Posted on June 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Times Sunday Business section featured the former home of Van M. Griffith (d. 1974), the son of Griffith Park donor Colonel Griffith J. Griffith.  (For some reason, the early stories in The Times refer to him as “Dan Griffith” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Architecture, City Hall, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Obituaries, Politics, Real Estate, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Memorial for Fallen Officer

Posted on June 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Larry Harnisch / LADailyMirror.com The South Pasadena Police Department set up a memorial for Officer Kevin A. Sandoval, 23, who died after he collapsed and hit his head during training at the Burro Canyon Shooting Park on June … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries | 1 Comment

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Reinvention [Updated]

Posted on June 19, 2011 by lmharnisch

[Updated June 21, 2011: Photographer Eddie Caraeff says: [Larry certainly was crazy! [I think Frank was just making a PG rated gesture w/ his hand,  however that was many, many years ago. [Not sure you know that my Grandmother is … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

From the Reference Desk: Movie Star’s Mother Dies in Car Crash

Posted on June 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s a lesson in what to do if you don’t have access to ProQuest. Stacia of She Blogged by Night had a question the other day about car a accident involving Vera Steadman, Al Christie and Marie Prevost’s Mother, Mrs. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1926, Film, From the Reference Desk, Hollywood, Libraries, Obituaries, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

LAPD End of Watch, June 16, 1935

Posted on June 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

The daily NewsWatch of the Los Angeles Police Protective League honors the anniversaries of LAPD officers killed in the line of duty. For June 16,the union honors Alfred C. “Scotty” Madon, a motorcycle officer who was fatally injured on June … Continue reading →

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LAPD End of Watch, June 15, 1920

Posted on June 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

Dec. 23, 1915: LAPD motorcycle officers take delivery of 37 new Indian motorcycles, capable of 75 mph. The daily NewsWatch of the Los Angeles Police Protective League always honors the anniversaries of LAPD officers killed in the line of duty. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, 1915, 1920, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , | Comments Off on LAPD End of Watch, June 15, 1920

Queen of the Dead by Eve Golden

Posted on June 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

You’ll recognize Eve Golden as one of the Daily Mirror regulars. Now that I’m no longer at latimes.com I’m free to use outside writers and Eve is my first addition. She describes herself as: a biographer, show-business historian, photo archivist … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Photography, Queen of the Dead, Religion, Stage | 9 Comments