Category Archives: World War II

Scientists to Build Computer From 1830s Drawings

Posted on November 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: The lobby of La Concha Motel, designed by Paul Revere Williams. Credit: The Neon Museum The first in a planned series of monthly lectures in the newly reopened Globe Lobby is sold out. The next lecture is Dec. 8, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Authors, Chicago, Crime and Courts, Museums, Music, Preservation, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Scientists to Build Computer From 1830s Drawings

Roosevelt Declares Early Thanksgiving

Posted on November 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 9, 1941: Amid the gathering clouds of World War II, President Roosevelt declares what will be the last peacetime Thanksgiving. Noting American aid to nations fighting the Axis, Roosevelt says: “Let us ask the divine blessing of our decision … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Columnists, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

L.A. Detectives Meet New York Mobster’s Plane at Burbank Airport

Posted on November 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 8, 1941: Waxey Gordon, whose real name was Irving Wexler (d. 1952, Alcatraz), lands at Lockheed Air Terminal (now Burbank Airport), where he is greeted by detectives from the district attorney’s office, the LAPD and airport police. Gordon, accompanied … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Aviation, Chicago, City Hall, LAPD, San Francisco, Suicide, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Coming Up on the Daily Mirror: Pearl Harbor

Posted on November 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Dec. 8, 1941: Pearl Harbor is about a month away, so I thought it would be illuminating to focus on the days leading up to the U.S. entry into World War II. Hope you like it. Ready for the swing … Continue reading →

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Test Pilot Dies as P-38 Crashes Into Glendale House, Nov. 5, 1941

Posted on November 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Witnesses said the twin-engined, double fuselaged ship was booming westerward at near-maximum speed (unofficially reported to be between 400 and 500 mph) when the duralumin tail assembly “simply floated away.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Aviation, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Theaters, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

Posted on November 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 3, 1941: Tom Treanor goes to a dance at the Glendale Civic Auditorium for swing shift workers, about 5,000 of them, from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Most of the couples are married, he says, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Dance, Film, Hollywood, Music, Obituaries, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Wingy Manone Puts the Swing in Swing Shift — Nov. 3, 1941

L.A.’s Traffic Nightmare Threatens Downtown’s Future! Oct. 28, 1941

Posted on October 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Oct. 28, 1941: Lee Shippey writes about Los Angeles’ congested streets (no, traffic is not a new problem – it’s a very old one that we are still trying to solve). Notice that Shippey says streetcars and automobiles do not … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Freeways, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Obituaries, Streetcars, Tom Treanor, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 14

Posted on October 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Cover letter on the June 22, 1943, report on the Zoot Suit Riots. Credit: National Archives at Riverside. To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which I saw this summer … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, African Americans, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Latinos, Theaters, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 13

Posted on October 19, 2011 by lmharnisch

May 4, 1995: Portions of the June 10, 1943, report on the Zoot Suit Riots have been redacted and placed in a parallel file. This is due to privacy concerns because the individuals may still be alive, an archivist explained. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, African Americans, Fashion, Film, LAPD, Latinos, Stage, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Shakespeare, ‘Anonymous’ and Nonsense

Posted on October 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Trailer for “Anonymous.” In a New York Times op-ed piece, Columbia English professor James Shapiro challenges the premise of Roland Emmerich’s upcoming film “Anonymous,” which presents Edward de Vere as the true author of (wait for it) all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Libraries, Museums, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 12

Posted on October 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which I saw this summer in the Last Remaining Seats series.  The Times ignored the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots for several days, in what … Continue reading →

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‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 11

Posted on October 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Harry Arnheim of the Hollywood Tropics, 1525 N. Vine St., protests being placed off-limits by the Navy. Credit: National Archives at Riverside. To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, Food and Drink, History, Hollywood, Stage, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coming Attractions: This Week on the L.A. Daily Mirror

Posted on October 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

On Monday, Eve Golden has a roundup of unusual obituaries in Queen of the Dead, and in Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory takes a look at the Clover Club, a 1930s casino on Sunset Boulevard. On Tuesday, there’s another installment of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1931, 1942, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, LAPD, Latinos, Libraries, Mary Mallory, Queen of the Dead, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Coming Attractions: This Week on the L.A. Daily Mirror

Gangster Kills Tribune Reporter, 1930

Posted on October 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Ken Burns’ series on Prohibition has brought a reexamination of the era. John McCormick of the Chicago Tribune looks at the tawdry end of the Trib’s Alfred “Jake” Lingle, who was shot to death in 1930, revealing a secret life. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930, Chicago, Museums, Music, World War II | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 10

Posted on September 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Racial incidents between servicemen and African Americans in San Diego.   Credit: The National Archives at Riverside. To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which I saw this summer in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1943, African Americans, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Latinos, Libraries, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on ‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 10

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 9

Posted on September 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Isadore Bernstein’s name appears on a list of  undesirables.  Credit: The National Archives at Riverside. To recap briefly, I have been digging into the historical basis of the movie “Zoot Suit,” which I saw this summer in the Last … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1943, African Americans, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Latinos, Libraries, Stage, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on ‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 9

Heiress Beaten to Death in Silver Lake

Posted on September 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

2153 Moreno Drive, via Google’s street view. Sept. 15, 1941: The murder house is on one of those narrow, curving streets above Silver Lake Reservoir, 2153 Moreno Drive. Her husband came home from work and found her beaten to death … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Cold Cases, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, World War II | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on September 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: “One of a kind” customized 1993 Cadillac hearse with satellite dish  for sale on EBay at $6,000 with reserve. Queen of the Dead – dateline September 12, 2011 •  The restoration of the Habsburgs becomes less likely (OK, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, History, Queen of the Dead, Television, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Revolution in Research

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Image: Rohwer Camp #23. Credit: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

Posted in Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Libraries, Native Americans, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A Revolution in Research

Zoot Suit Files: Intelligence Report on Subversives

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 24, 1942: Intelligence officer B.L. Canaga compiles a report on subversives that might be active in the 11th Naval District. His list includes communists, Japanese, Falangists, Sinarchists, Italians, Germans and acts of sabotage: “Many prominent and wealthy motion picture … Continue reading →

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