Category Archives: Obituaries

Voices – Tony Curtis

Posted on September 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

  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’

Posted on September 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted on September 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

    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

Posted on August 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

Posted on August 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

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

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Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on August 1, 2010 by lmharnisch

 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

Posted on August 1, 2010 by lmharnisch

  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’

Posted on July 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

   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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Eric Malnic

Posted on July 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Rick Meyer / Los Angeles Times Among Eric Malnic’s many accomplishments at The Times was becoming a specialist on airplane crashes and he was proud of getting a pilot’s license as part of the beat. Former Times city … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries | 5 Comments

Voices — Edith Shain and ‘The Kiss’

Posted on June 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Photograph by Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times   Celebrating the V-J Day Kiss Seen 'Round the World * The 60th anniversary of the end of World War II focuses new attention on the joyful smooch between two exuberant … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries, Photography | 5 Comments

Voices — Jerry Clark, 1940 – 2010

Posted on June 5, 2010 by lmharnisch

   KTLA’s Stan Chambers, left, Times reporter Nieson Himmel, center, and Jerry Clark.   Note: Jerry Clark, who died Tuesday, was a longtime newsman who ran an informal group of retirees called the “Old Farts of The Times” (or in … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries | 2 Comments

Pomona Boys Die in Crash of Stolen Plane

Posted on June 3, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 3, 1960: James A. McDonald, 14, and his 12-year-old brother, Thomas, of Pomona took their dog and ran away from home, determined to steal a plane – destination unknown. Several months before, someone had caught them hot-wiring a … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries, Transportation | 2 Comments

William A. Fraker, 1923 – 2010

Posted on June 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

William A. Fraker In my two-story career as a freelancer for American Cinematographer, I interviewed the late William Fraker on location in Florence, Ariz., for the 1985 James Garner-Sally Field movie "Murphy's Romance," directed by Martin Ritt. For my previous … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Photography | 1 Comment

Fantasia!

Posted on June 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 2, 1980: Yes, young persons, “Fantasia” came back in 1980 as a “head film” (note the smoke and mushrooms).  In 1982, in an attempt to improve the audio quality, Disney had a pickup orchestra and conductor/composer Irwin “Chitty … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, classical music, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and ‘Easy Rider’

Posted on May 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Aug. 10, 1969: Charles Champlin on “Easy Rider.” "Fonda and Hopper, it should by this time go without saying, give immense performances: Hopper as the more traditional 'Hey, man' Rider impatient, self-indulgent, fearful of anything that looks like … Continue reading →

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Voices, Gary Coleman, 1968 – 2010

Posted on May 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

  “Diff’rent Strokes” premieres, Nov. 3, 1978 March 2, 1979: "It's always the same. Three minutes. And me and George Carlin was just gettin' into it," Gary Coleman tells Howard Rosenberg about an appearance on "The Tonight Show With Johnny … Continue reading →

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Aly Khan Killed in Car Crash

Posted on May 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

  May 13, 1960: Prince Aly Khan, former husband of Rita Hayworth, is killed when his Lancia sports car crashes into a Simca at Suresnes, France. Khan, who was driving, was accompanied by French model Bettina (Simone Bodin), who suffered … Continue reading →

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Voices – Lena Horne, 1917 – 2010

Posted on May 10, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 13, 1968: Lena Horne discusses her return to Hollywood after 12 years for “Patch,” which was apparently released as “Death of a Gunfighter.” "I left because I got sick and tired of being a Negro woman leaning against … Continue reading →

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British Commandos Rescue Embassy Hostages

Posted on May 6, 2010 by lmharnisch

  May 6, 1980: Times Pulitzer Prize winner William Tuohy writes that British commandos stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, freeing 19 hostages, killing three terrorists and capturing two others. The attack was ordered after the terrorists, opponents of the … Continue reading →

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Lynn Redgrave and ‘House Calls’

Posted on May 3, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 20, 1981: Universal Studios says Lynn Redgrave left “House Calls” over her salary “demands,” The Times says. A transcript of a phone call between her husband/manager John Clark and Universal’s Pete Terranova tells a different story.

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 1 Comment