Category Archives: Photography

Rediscovering Los Angeles – The Photo Studio

Posted on November 19, 2013 by lmharnisch

Jan. 6, 1936: In this installment of Rediscovering Los Angeles, Times artist Charles Owens and columnist Timothy Turner visit Borgia Studio, on Sunset Boulevard near the Plaza. This is a particularly nice post by Turner about the way photo studio … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on November 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

Several weeks ago, the Daily Mirror asked for suggestions about mystery photos. Writer and novelist Christopher McPherson responded with a large number of photographs, which he shared with us. Here’s the first one.  The annoying black box to the left … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Hartsook Photographs Jack Pickford

Posted on November 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

This Fred Hartsook portrait of Jack Pickford, the brother of actress Mary Pickford, has been listed on EBay. Hartsook (d. 1930) was one of the leading photographers in the silent era. There is more about him in Mary Mallory’s “Hollywoodland: … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Photography | Comments Off on Hartsook Photographs Jack Pickford

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — A. L. “Whitey” Schafer Simplifies Portraits

Posted on November 4, 2013 by lmharnisch

“Thou Shalt Not,” “Whitey” Schafer’s most famous image. In the very early days of the motion picture industry, stills photographers meant nothing to the moving picture companies. They asked their feature cameramen to work double duty, shooting scene stills after … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Time to Turn the Clocks Back

Posted on November 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

On behalf of the L.A. Daily Mirror, Pier Angeli and friend remind you that Daylight Saving Time is o-ver. Or as William Safire used to say: “Fall is the time of year that conservatives like best because they get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Through Witzel’s Lens: Edward Everett Horton

Posted on October 23, 2013 by lmharnisch

A portrait of Edward Everett Horton by the Witzel studio has been listed on EBay. Witzel was one of the leading portrait studios in Los Angeles in the early part of the 20th century and took many publicity photos for … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Photography, Witzel | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

L.A. Traffic, 1915 Edition

Posted on October 21, 2013 by lmharnisch

My Los Angeles Times colleague Scott Harrison does wonderful work going through The Times photo archives. Here’s his latest post on a “new”method of directing traffic in which police stopped using whistles. This is Officer F.M. Wilson at Broadway and … Continue reading →

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Through Witzel’s Lens: Jackie Saunders

Posted on October 15, 2013 by lmharnisch

A Witzel studio photo of what appears to be silent film actress Jackie Saunders has been listed on EBay. Witzel was one of the leading portrait studios in Los Angeles and took many publicity photos in the early days of … Continue reading →

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Times Building Bombed by Labor Radicals – 1910

Posted on October 13, 2013 by lmharnisch

A photograph showing the bombed-out ruins of the Los Angeles Times Building has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $5. By the way, I am tardy in writing about Lew Irwin’s book on The Times bombing. Lew is a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910, Broadway, Downtown, Found on EBay, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Captured Through Witzel’s Lens

Posted on October 8, 2013 by lmharnisch

A couple of Witzel photos have turned up on EBay. As you may recall from Mary Mallory’s recent post, Witzel was one of the leading portrait studios in early 20th century Los Angeles and took many movie publicity photos. At … Continue reading →

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LAPD Photo on EBay From 1884 – To Collect and to Serve

Posted on October 2, 2013 by lmharnisch

An EBay vendor has listed this collection of cabinet cards dated 1884 showing LAPD officers. The vendor is also offering other clippings and ephemera linked to William  Ernst Stoermer. Stoermer, who died in 1932, was also a firefighter and a … Continue reading →

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Great White Fleet Visits San Pedro, 1908

Posted on September 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

This postcard of the Great White Fleet entering San Pedro Harbor during its around the world cruise in 1908 has been listed on EBay. I wrote quite a bit about the Great White Fleet’s visit to Los Angeles when the … Continue reading →

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Mystery Photo – Historic L.A. Edition

Posted on August 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

L.A. Observed has reposted this image, which was posted by Michael Beschloss, who identifies it as Broadway as it looked about 1902.

Posted in 1906, Broadway, Downtown, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Random Shot — Drawing Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on August 15, 2013 by lmharnisch

This young woman attracted several observers as she stood on 6th Street just west of Spring — near the Starbucks — on  Wednesday evening to sketch the streetscape. I didn’t want to interrupt her to ask her name. All I … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013, Architecture, Art & Artists, Downtown, Photography, Spring Street | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Albert Witzel, Early Glamour Photography Pioneer

Posted on August 12, 2013 by lmharnisch

Albert Witzel, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Deadwood, S.D.-born Albert Walter Witzel possessed a dead-on knack for capturing the public’s eye with his vibrant, elegant portrait photographs. Witzel became one of the premier portraitists in the teens and early 1920s, influencing … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography, Witzel | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Virgil Apger, MGM’S Classic Portrait Photographer

Posted on July 22, 2013 by lmharnisch

  Virgil Apger, photo courtesy of Mary Mallory Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios excelled in most areas of film production, including that of still portrait photography. Several of its head portrait photographers, like Ruth Harriet Louise, George Hurrell and Clarence Sinclair Bull, are … Continue reading →

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

A Night at the Florentine Gardens, 1943

Posted on July 15, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s another item from the Florentine Gardens: A 1943 photo of people that has been listed on EBay for 99 cents.

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Anne Knudsen Memorial

Posted on July 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

A celebration of the life of Anne Baldwin Knudsen, the former Herald Examiner photographer who died of cancer in May, is being held at 10 a.m. July 28 at Huddart County Park, 1100 Kings Mountain Road in Woodside, Calif. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Obituaries, Photography | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

C.C. Pierce — Found on EBay

Posted on June 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

C.C. Pierce, one of our favorite photographers, not only sold photos and glass lantern slides – he also produced postcards, like this one, which has been listed on EBay. It’s listed as Buy It Now for $5.99.

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Anne Knudsen — Photographer

Posted on May 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

Note: Herald Examiner photographer Anne Knudsen’s sister shared this obituary with the Daily Mirror. Anne Baldwin Knudsen, 57, passed away on Mothers’ Day, May 12, following a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family and … Continue reading →

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