Category Archives: San Fernando Valley

Deputies Raid Spahn Movie Ranch; Booed by Fans, Wills Hits Grand Slam

Posted on August 17, 2009 by lmharnisch

Aug. 17, 1969: I suppose we at the Daily Mirror HQ should be talking about "Amerika" and how the military-industrial complex sucks the blood of the Woodstock Nation. But we're not. The only thing up against the wall here are … Continue reading →

Posted in #gays and lesbians, @news, Comics, Current Affairs, Dodgers, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Music, Nightclubs, Politics, Rock 'n' Roll, San Fernando Valley, Science, Television, Transportation | 1 Comment

L.A. Prepares for Olympic-Size Traffic Nightmare

Posted on July 1, 2009 by lmharnisch

July 1, 1984: Will subways work in Los Angeles? "But others say Metro Rail will not be heavily used by poor people because it will not take them where they want to go–to jobs scattered throughout the Los Angeles area," … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Environment, Freeways, San Fernando Valley, Sports, Transportation | Comments Off on L.A. Prepares for Olympic-Size Traffic Nightmare

Streetcar Kills Motorcycle Officer

Posted on June 16, 2009 by lmharnisch

June 16, 1920: Motorcycle Officer E. Peter Bradley is killed when he ignores crossing signals and is hit by an inbound streetcar at Ventura and Lankershim boulevards.

Posted in LAPD, San Fernando Valley, Transportation | 2 Comments

Nuestro Pueblo: The Pershing Square Mystery

Posted on June 8, 2009 by lmharnisch

"The Last Argument of Kings" Sept. 20, 1953: The cannon was moved to Travel Town in Griffith Park. This simple post about a cannon at Pershing Square has become ridiculously complicated. All I want to know is what became of … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Parks and Recreation, San Fernando Valley | 1 Comment

Love Triangle Killings at Burbank Trailer Park

Posted on May 29, 2009 by lmharnisch

"Everything's Okay, Honey, Go Back to Sleep, Huh?"  

Posted in #courts, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Politics, Religion, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Love Triangle Killings at Burbank Trailer Park

Nuestro Pueblo: Pumpkin Church

Posted on May 26, 2009 by lmharnisch

Below, Strangler Lewis vs. Toots Mondt at the Philharmonic, Aug. 14, 1924. Notice the byline: Braven Dyer, who retired from The Times in 1964 and died in 1983 at the age of 83.

Posted in Architecture, Nightclubs, Nuestro Pueblo, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Nuestro Pueblo: Pumpkin Church

Enemy Agents Kidnap Book Publisher, May 14, 1939

Posted on May 14, 2009 by lmharnisch

  Publisher George Putnam, former husband of the late Amelia Earhart… … releases a book titled "The Man Who Killed Hitler" … … and some mysterious men with German accents don't like it …  … They grab him at his … Continue reading →

Posted in books, LAPD, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Enemy Agents Kidnap Book Publisher, May 14, 1939

Jordan’s King Hussein Visits L.A.; Rams to Play Night Game, April 4, 1959

Posted on April 4, 2009 by lmharnisch

The Times' art department retouched Neil Clemans' photo of Marlon Brando giving the finger to photographers. Let's see if we can get a copy of the original. At left, King Hussein of Jordan waves to photographers in Palmdale after flying … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Homicide, San Fernando Valley, Science, Transportation | 1 Comment

Body of Girl, 16, Dumped at Burbank Hospital

Posted on March 22, 2009 by lmharnisch
Posted in Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, San Fernando Valley | 2 Comments

February 5, 2009: Burbank Time Capsule Revisited

Posted on March 17, 2009 by lmharnisch

Cinda Cates, Burbank public information specialist, passes along the images that were recovered from the 1959 time capsule placed in the Magnolia Boulevard Bridge. The anonymous photographer recorded the city’s civic buildings (City Hall, a fire station, etc.) and took … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Architecture, City Hall, Education, Environment, Film, Freeways, Real Estate, San Fernando Valley, Science, Transportation | 3 Comments

Nuestro Pueblo — March 1, 1939

Posted on March 1, 2009 by lmharnisch

Above, a quirky sentinel welcomes visitors to Sylmar. Below, a 1949 feature on the Olive Festival.    

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February 5, 1959: Burbank Finds 1959 Time Capsule

Posted on February 6, 2009 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times The 50-year-old time capsule about to be freed from the Magnolia Boulevard Bridge. Jia-Rui Chong Times Staff Writer With a hammer and a chisel, a Burbank city worker this morning carved out … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Film, San Fernando Valley | 2 Comments

February 5, 2009: Burbank to Open Time Capsule!

Posted on February 5, 2009 by lmharnisch

A representative from the city of Burbank says: On Thursday, February 5, 2009, at 10:30 a.m., the city of Burbank will be opening a time capsule that was placed in the Magnolia Boulevard bridge when it was built in 1959. … Continue reading →

Posted in San Fernando Valley, Science, Transportation | 3 Comments

Rock Stars Die in Plane Crash, February 3, 1959

Posted on February 3, 2009 by lmharnisch

Ritchie Valens’ Roots Los Angeles Times, July 19, 1987 By GREGG BARRIOS WATSONVILLE, Calif. — “I still remember the first time we heard Ritchie sing on the radio,” the mother of the late Latino rock ‘n’ roller Ritchie Valens recalled … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Rock 'n' Roll, San Fernando Valley, Television, Transportation | 4 Comments

Burbank Installs Time Capsule; Wilt Chamberlain Debuts in L.A., February 1, 1959

Posted on February 1, 2009 by lmharnisch

The people living in 1959 had noble expectations for Burbank: Atomic power! Monorails! I wonder if anyone plans to actually pop it open this week. This is the bridge that spans the Golden State Freeway, the railroad tracks and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Freeways, Front Pages, San Fernando Valley, Sports, Transportation | 1 Comment

Jewish Home for the Aged — Ida Mayer Cummings

Posted on January 29, 2009 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Ken Dare / Los Angeles Times Ida Mayer Cummings, Dec. 15, 1957. Alicia Mayer Beverley writes from Australia: I ran across your blog entry on the 1957 Women of the Year. My great-grandmother Ida Mayer Cummings is one … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, health, Religion, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Jewish Home for the Aged — Ida Mayer Cummings

Grocery store of tomorrow, January 4, 1959

Posted on January 4, 2009 by lmharnisch

Hey, look! It's the 7-Eleven from "The Jetsons!" Actually, it's not. Instead, The Times published an artist's concept of grocery shopping in the years ahead. The "futurism" of the past always fascinates me. Notice that cars will still have tail … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, @news, broadcasting, Film, Food and Drink, Front Pages, Hollywood, Politics, San Fernando Valley, Sports, Television | 1 Comment

Movie comedian Stan Laurel accused of planning to bury wife in backyard

Posted on January 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

Stan Laurel and wife No. 4 Illiana (or, according to a revised count, wife No. 3) They drank, they fought and they got arrested. Such was the whirlwind year of marriage for Stan Laurel and Tovera Ivanova Shuvalova, a Russian … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Film, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Movie comedian Stan Laurel accused of planning to bury wife in backyard

Cult members describe bombing, December 11, 1958

Posted on December 11, 2008 by lmharnisch

"Venta will return and be resurrected." Known as "the barefoot people." Above, followers of Krishna Venta describe life at the Fountain of the World religious compound and the bombing that killed 10 people. "A tower of blue and white flame … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Current Affairs, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, Religion, San Fernando Valley, Suicide | Comments Off on Cult members describe bombing, December 11, 1958

Cult leader killed in bombing of religious compound, December 10, 1958

Posted on December 10, 2008 by lmharnisch

American history presented as a lavish pageant, the only film directed by Anthony Quinn, who took over from the ailing  Cecil B. DeMille. With a great score by Elmer Bernstein. An ad published in The Times shortly before the explosion. … Continue reading →

Posted in Front Pages, Homicide, Religion, San Fernando Valley, Suicide | 2 Comments