Category Archives: San Fernando Valley

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

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.    

Posted in Nuestro Pueblo, San Fernando Valley | Comments Off on Nuestro Pueblo — March 1, 1939

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 ChongTimes Staff Writer With a hammer and a chisel, a Burbank city worker this morning carved out a … Continue reading →

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

Burbank to Open Time Capsule!

Posted on February 5, 2009 by lmharnisch

A representative from the city of Burbank says: On Thursday, Feb. 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

Arsonists set fire to university offices, Colts win over Rams, December 9, 1968

Posted on December 9, 2008 by lmharnisch

  The Rams were supposed to beat the Chicago Bears and then face the Baltimore Colts to determine the division championship. But a series of mistakes — and the Bears — got in the way as the Rams lost, 17-16. … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Education, Front Pages, Politics, San Fernando Valley, Sports | 2 Comments

Barbara Graham case revisited, November 28, 1958

Posted on November 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo. Murder victim Mabel Monahan. “As you went in the front door, what was the first thing that attracted your attention?” “Mrs. Graham was striking Mrs. Monahan in the face with a gun. She was standing … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Homicide, San Fernando Valley | 3 Comments

I Want to Live — The Barbara Graham murder case, November 16, 1958

Posted on November 16, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above: Barbara Graham, one of four women to be executed in California, along with Juanita “the Duchess” Spinelli, Louise Peete and Elizabeth Duncan. The trailer–dig those bongos! Gerry Mulligan! Five years after the execution of Barbara Graham in the Mabel … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, San Fernando Valley | 10 Comments

October 22, 1958: Mob suspected in bookie’s killing

Posted on October 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

Clifford Rue was a man who was ahead of his time and behind on the payments to his bookie. A former Marine who changed his name from Rubenstein for business purposes, Rue had been working at his father’s liquor store … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD, San Fernando Valley | 1 Comment

Los Angeles history — Valley dining

Posted on September 27, 2008 by lmharnisch

I loved going to the Samoa House as a youngster growing up in the Valley inthe ’60s.  The rib dinners were great.  I loved the blue cheese saladdressing.  I recall there were several different rib dinners and the priceswere probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and Drink, San Fernando Valley | 1 Comment

Los Angeles history — noir

Posted on September 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles Conservancy is sponsoring a one-day tour of sites titled "L.A. NOIR-chitecture, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 9. The locations have become famous in noir fiction and film and include the Formosa Cafe (James Ellroy’s "L.A. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, books, Film, Hollywood, San Fernando Valley | 1 Comment