Category Archives: UFOs

The Daily Mirror Is Moving

Posted on June 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

I’m moving to LADailyMirror.com Henry Fuhrmann, one of the assistant managing editors at The Times, likes to say: “Always take the high road. The view is nicer up there.” Henry is my friend, as well as my supervisor, and he … Continue reading →

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, UFOs, World War II | 23 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 7

Posted on March 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

        These days, many of The Times photos and negatives are held at UCLA. Here’s one of two negatives that Scott Harrison of our photo department got from the archives. As I said at the beginning, the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, Photography, UFOs | 4 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 6

Posted on March 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

        July 8, 1947: The first links between the searchlight photo, the Battle of Los Angeles and flying saucers seem to have emerged in the late 1940s.  A Times editorial dismissing UFOs compared them to the mystery … Continue reading →

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Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 5 [Updated]

Posted on March 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

    [Update: The Times published this photo with a story about the Battle of Los Angeles, but the photo was actually taken another time and used in error, according to Scott Harrison, who researched it for The Times'  Framework … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, Photography, UFOs | 1 Comment

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 4

Posted on March 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Oct. 29, 1945: The Times publishes the searchlight photo to accompany a story about the Air Force account of the incident. Almost as soon as the shooting stopped, people began arguing over whether the 1942 air … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, UFOs | 1 Comment

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 3

Posted on March 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Photographs by Larry Harnisch/Los Angeles Times   The original 1942 print of searchlights over Los Angeles.     The back of the print, showing editors’ notations and the publication date Feb. 26, 1942.     Feb. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, Film, Hollywood, Photography, UFOs | 2 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 2

Posted on March 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

           Feb. 24-25, 1942: Two days before the so-called Battle of Los Angeles, a Japanese submarine shelled the Elwood oil fields,  12 miles north of Santa Barbara, according to The Times, which added that the attack … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, Film, Hollywood, Photography, UFOs | 4 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined: Saucers Over L.A.! — Part 1

Posted on March 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

          Los Angeles Times file photo   Searchlights rake the nighttime sky over a blacked-out city on Feb. 25, 1942, in the so-called Battle of Los Angeles. A powerful image, to be sure. But is it … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Film, Hollywood, Photography, UFOs | 1 Comment

Another Good Story Ruined — Saucers Over L.A.!

Posted on March 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

      Los Angeles Times file photo   I have been working with The Times’ historic photos for years and I know how the newspaper’s art department used to retouch pictures, so the moment I saw this image last … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Film, Hollywood, UFOs | Leave a comment

Another Good Story Ruined — The Battle of Los Angeles

Posted on February 21, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo I haven’t talked to a movie publicist since Brian De Palma’s ghastly “The Black Dahlia” came out, but I was recently bombarded with pitches to do some sort of story about the rather comical February … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Another Good Story Ruined, Film, Hollywood, Photography, UFOs | 11 Comments

Paul Coates and Matt Weinstock, Dec. 3, 1960

Posted on December 3, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Dec. 3, 1960: Matt Weinstock says: "People are warming up to our town's pro basketball team, the Lakers. But something will have to be done about that name, which derives from their former home state, Minnesota, with … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Paul Coates, UFOs | Leave a comment

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 28, 1960

Posted on November 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Nov. 28, 1960: Are American children lagging behind their Soviet counterparts? Matt Weinstock (who admits he was lousy in geometry) doesn’t think it’s so important.  “I thought it was a ridiculous waste of time, effort and money … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Education, Matt Weinstock, UFOs | Leave a comment

Oh, Tin-enbaum!

Posted on November 24, 2010 by lmharnisch

           Nov. 24, 1960: Yes, the aluminum Christmas tree is back again, in all its shimmering majesty, at Sears! The 7-foot tree with 153 branches cost $178.73 in 2009 dollars. ALSO Aluminum Christmas trees on the … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, UFOs | Leave a comment

Matt Weinstock, Nov. 23, 1960

Posted on November 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Nov. 23, 1960: Joseph J. Cracchiolo traces a flaming object in the sky and watches it land in the 1200 block of West 120th Street. The space object turned out to be a plastic dry-cleaning bag, "with … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, UFOs | 2 Comments

Flying Saucers Over L.A.

Posted on August 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 2, 1960: Oh they didn’t really do that, did they? Yes, they did.   Aug. 1, 1960: Only a portion of a front-page story about UFOs was saved in the microfilmed edition of The Times.  Aug. 9, 1960: … Continue reading →

Posted in JFK, Politics, Richard Nixon, UFOs | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Aug. 2, 1960

Posted on August 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

  A  cargo of stolen Caltechium? Aug. 2, 1960: What do you suppose is in Caltechium? Matt Weinstock looks at one family’s problems in having a swimming pool.

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Science, UFOs | 2 Comments

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, June 28, 1960

Posted on June 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 28, 1960: Former hotel clerk Otis T. Carr has a plan to send a man to the moon and back – and Paul Coates has the story.

Posted in Columnists, Front Pages, Paul Coates, UFOs | Leave a comment

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, June 22, 1960

Posted on June 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 22, 1960: In case you missed it, Earth was invaded by spacemen on Dec. 6, 1957, and Paul Coates has the story. And the Mirror has added what must be one of the most forgettable slogans in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Front Pages, Paul Coates, UFOs | Leave a comment

From the Vaults: ‘First Spaceship on Venus’ (1960)

Posted on June 7, 2010 by lmharnisch

Well, "First Spaceship on Venus" is quite the odd little movie: a vintage space epic filmed in East Germany and co-produced with Poland. It features an international team of characters and a strong anti-nuclear message! Released in German as "Der … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood, Science, UFOs | 2 Comments

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, March 19, 1960

Posted on March 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

     Mash Notes and Comment     (Press Release)  "John Mason Brown is a conversationalist critic whose verbal outpourings since birth have never ceased  to be witty and original, as well as readily and steadily forthcoming . . . " … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasting, Columnists, Comics, Paul Coates, Television, UFOs | Leave a comment