Category Archives: Politics

December 1, 1938: California prepares to execute two killers at San Quentin

Posted on December 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 1, 1938: California prepares to use the new gas chamber for two executions rather than the previous method of hanging. Continue reading →

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November 26, 1904: UFO over Los Angeles

Posted on November 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 24, 1906: No, this isn’t a flying saucer on a stick. It’s an early attempt at carbon arc street lighting. Continue reading →

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October 28, 1938: Mayor investigates honorary LAPD badges

Posted on October 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 28, 1938: Mayor Fletcher Bowron calls for an investigation into so-called juice badges given to celebrities and others by the LAPD. This eventually resulted in an overhaul of the badge to its current design. Continue reading →

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October 27, 1968: Wilt Chamberlain and Richard Nixon

Posted on October 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 27, 1968: “I’ve never gotten involved in politics before. But you have to get off the fence and declare yourself sometime and this is the time for me. I’ve known Nixon and been impressed by him for 10 years and I decided to join him. It’s intriguing to know that I might have some hand in shaping the future of this country,” Wilt Chamberlain says. Continue reading →

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October 19, 1947: Times Political Editor Kyle Palmer Waves the Banner for Earl Warren

Posted on October 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 19, 1947: Kyle Palmer was an institution at The Times for many years, the embodiment of a reporter as backstage powerbroker and kingmaker, and his front-page story and opinion column were the opening salvos of his campaign to put Earl Warren in the White House. Continue reading →

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September 25, 1959: Paul V. Coates — Confidential File

Posted on September 25, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 25, 1959: Paul Coates on the tragic story of Barbara Burns, the daughter of entertainer Bob “Bazooka” Burns. Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Front Pages, Paul Coates, Politics | 1 Comment

September 5, 1944: Left in Car While Mother Goes Dancing, Boy, 6, Drinks Fatal Shot of Whiskey

Posted on September 5, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 5, 1944: Maria Fierro goes dancing with Robert Fierro and Robert Gomez. Her children weren’t allowed in the cafe, so she left them in the car. Her daughter, Stella, went to get a bottle of soda, but her son, Rudolfo, found a bottle of whiskey and drank enough to kill him.
Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Life Magazine, August 21, 1944

Posted on August 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 21, 1944: Life magazine has Alfred Eisenstaedt’s photo essay on European immigrants arriving in America. Continue reading →

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August 11, 1941: Van Nuys Plane Crash Kills 2

Posted on August 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 11, 1941: Two men are killed when their plane goes into a spin during a flying lesson and crashes into a bean field. Plus Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood. Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Lee Shippey, Politics, San Fernando Valley, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on August 11, 1941: Van Nuys Plane Crash Kills 2

Flying Saucers Over L.A.!

Posted on August 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 2, 1960: Newspapers are full of stories about flying saucers over Los Angeles! Continue reading →

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Republicans Expand Policy on Civil Rights

Posted on July 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 27, 1960: At the Republican National Convention, Vice President Richard Nixon wins some – but not all – of what he wants on a civil rights plank for his 1960 presidential campaign.

Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater says: “If a liberal civil rights plank is adopted, the South will leave the party this year. I don’t know what Nixon is thinking of. I don’t think he can get elected if he keeps on doing what he is doing.” Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Committee for the First Amendment Defends Free Speech

Posted on January 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

In this week’s encore post, Mary Mallory looks at Hollywood’s Committee for the First Amendment, formed in 1947 in response to the House Un-American Activities Committee. Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Upton Sinclair’s EPIC Race for Governor vs. the Studios and News Media

Posted on July 30, 2024 by lmharnisch

Epic Answers: How to End Poverty in California. 90 years ago, author and former Socialist Upton Sinclair entered the race for Governor of California as a Democrat, hoping to better the lives of common people and the unemployed. Upset at … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 11, 2021 by lmharnisch

Gladwin Hill’s “Dancing Bear: An Inside Look at California Politics,” published in 1968, is a new addition to my annual holiday gift suggestions. I’m generally cool toward books on California politics (the result of reading a zillion stories out of … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 4, 2020 by lmharnisch

Gladwin Hill’s “Dancing Bear: An Inside Look at California Politics,” published in 1968, is a new addition to my annual holiday gift suggestions. I’m generally cool toward books on California politics (the result of reading a zillion stories out of … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Motion Pictures Promote Suffrage

Posted on August 17, 2020 by lmharnisch

Women began campaigning for universal suffrage in the United States at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention. Over the next seven decades, they would patiently and persistently push the message of enfranchisement through ridicule, patronization, and insults from their opponents. Moving … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Committee for the First Amendment Defends Free Speech

Posted on September 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

Herbert Biberman, one of the Hollywood 10, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Note: This is an encore post from 2014. In times of social uncertainty and economic malaise, those in fear often turn to discriminating, finger pointing, blame and stonewalling, claiming … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

News Quiz, 1947: How Many Stories of the Year Do You Know?

Posted on December 30, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. I think of it as a report card from the past. For the last few months, the 47P has explored stories that seemed important or unusual, … Continue reading →

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October 1947: Idaho’s Singing Cowboy Senator, a Future Toupee Tycoon, Saddles Up for Cross-Country Ride

Posted on October 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

  Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Sen. Glen H. Taylor (D-Idaho) gave up his cross-country trip after three days, arriving in Phoenix by car with the admission that “he bit off … Continue reading →

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Oct. 19, 1947: Times Political Editor Kyle Palmer Waves the Banner for Earl Warren

Posted on October 19, 2018 by lmharnisch

  Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. RIVERSIDE, Oct. 18.—Gov. Earl Warren was formally and officially called on here today by the executive committee of the California Republican State Central Committee to … Continue reading →

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