Category Archives: Obituaries

Former Mirror Writer Beaten to Death – Update

      Roby Heard, 1921 – 1960   This is something I wrote in 2002 at the request of Det. Rick Jackson of the LAPD’s cold case unit. Jackson said that the “murder book” for 1960 was missing and … Continue reading

Posted in Homicide, LAPD, Obituaries | 4 Comments

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 17, 1960

    Nov. 17, 1960: Matt Weinstock discovers “2,000 Years With Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks.” “A wildly creative ad-libber who wrote for Sid Caesar for 10 years, Brooks could well become the hottest satirist in town,” Weinstock says. DEAR … Continue reading

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Nightclubs, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Paul Coates, Nov. 17, 1960

        Nov. 17, 1960: Clark Gable dies in Room 209 of Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital at the age of 59… Paul Coates reports on impressions of President-elect Kennedy in the Soviet Union … and the Mirror publishes Part … Continue reading

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Jimmie Fidler, Nov. 11, 1940

    Nov. 11, 1940 — Growl: Has Hollywood completely forgotten John Boles? Jimmie Fidler asks. On the jump, a classic example of tombstoned headlines, one of the worst I have ever seen. 

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Dino De Laurentiis, 1919 – 2010

      Oct. 6, 1968: Jane Fonda and David Hemmings in “Barbarella,” produced by Dino de Laurentiis.   De Laurentiis PRODUCER'S PICTURE DARKENS Sunday August 30, 1987 By WILLIAM K. KNOEDELSEDER Jr., Times Staff Writer Since he moved to … Continue reading

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Hollywood Mourns Mack Sennett — Updated

        Nov. 9, 1960: Mack Sennett dies at the age of 80. “He took a farce situation and gave us the occasion and opportunity to indulge in that best of tonic — laughter," said the Rev. Harold … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 3 Comments

Art Exhibit Features Paul Revere Williams

      Los Angeles Times file photo   The Art Museum at the University of Memphis has opened an exhibition on the works of Los Angeles architect Paul Revere Williams, above left, with champion prizefighter Joe Louis in 1960. … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Obituaries, Photography, Richard Nixon | Comments Off on Art Exhibit Features Paul Revere Williams

Voices – Ingrid Bergman

        Oct. 26, 1980: Roderick Mann interviews Ingrid Bergman on the release of her autobiography, “My Story.” Mann writes: Yesterday's scandal is tomorrow's yawn, and young people today, let alone future historians, may well marvel that Ingrid … Continue reading

Posted in books, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 2 Comments

Tom Bosley and the Black Dahlia

      Beverly Lafayette “Bevo” Means, 1971.   Most people associate the late Tom Bosley with his role as Howard Cunningham in “Happy Days.” But not at the Daily Mirror HQ, where we think of him in his cameo … Continue reading

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Voices – Joan Sutherland, 1926 – 2010

    Nov. 22, 1966: Times music critic Martin Bernheimer interviews Joan Sutherland … in his Volkswagen? Yes, it’s true. She and Ricky (her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge) are getting ready to do “Lucia” at the new Met, which will … Continue reading

Posted in #opera, classical music, Music, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Voices — Martin Aguirre

      Meet Martin Aguirre, one of the most fascinating figures I have come across in quite a while. He was a bailiff in courtroom of Judge George Hutton in the Clarence Darrow trial, and led a most interesting … Continue reading

Posted in #courts, Obituaries | 2 Comments

‘A Terrible Roar’—Updated

Courtesy of University of Southern California, on behalf of the USC Special Collections. Oct. 1, 1910:  The Times Building in flames, as seen from Broadway just south of First Street. Notice The Times Eagle outlined by the fire. El Alisal, … Continue reading

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, Obituaries | 5 Comments

Voices – Tony Curtis

  April 3, 1977: Tony Curtis tells the late Roderick Mann, “I've put nearly 30 years into acting, and it would be nice to have got back a little respect from the profession. Bit I never got it, never.”

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Buddy Collette — ‘Shotgun Freeway’

Amid the tributes to Buddy Collette, Daily Mirror readers should remember that he appears in “Shotgun Freeway,” one of the great documentaries about Los Angeles. The trailer is here.

Posted in #Jazz, Film, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Voices – Roderick Mann

    Here are two of the hundreds of profiles done for The Times by Roderick Mann, who died Friday at the age of 87. His first byline in The Times was a 1975 interview with Ava Gardner (d.1990), in … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Roderick Mann | 2 Comments

Barry Goldwater, Aug. 30, 1960

Aug. 30, 1960: Perhaps you saw David Klinghoffer’s recent piece about changes in the conservative movement (“From neocons to crazy-cons”) or Jonah Goldberg’s rebuttal. If so, you might like to read some of Barry Goldwater’s thoughts for yourself, from 1960. … Continue reading

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Florence Nightingale Dies

Aug. 15, 1910:  Florence Nightingale dies in London at the age of 90.

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Movieland Mystery Photo

 Los Angeles Times file photo Los Angeles Times file photo March 18, 1929: Robert Ober to direct at MGM. Update: Our weekend mystery guest is Robert Ober (d. 1950). Saturday’s picture shows him in “A Reno Divorce” with May McAvoy … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Obituaries, Photography | 6 Comments

Workers Save Children From Fire at Jewish Orphans Home

  Mission Road via Google maps’ street view. Aug. 1, 1910: A short circuit in the attic starts a fire that destroys the Jewish Orphans Home at 535 Mission Road. Disregarding their own safety, Rabbi Sigmund Frey and Emma  Rives … Continue reading

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Eric Malnic and ‘Con Air’

   One of the late Eric Malnic’s more remarkable experiences was his involvement in “Con Air.” Here’s his original story, which inspired the film. When Jailbirds Fly, They Always Use 'Con Air' Travel: The amenities are few and the passengers … Continue reading

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