Category Archives: World War II

Month at the Museum

Posted on July 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is holding a competition to select someone who will live at the museum for a month. The museum’s website says: From Oct. 19 to Nov. 17, 2011, this person’s mission will be to experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Museums, World War II | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Lost and Found: Patek Philippe

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

Last Thursday’s New York Times had a terrific story by Austin Considine about Charles B. Woehrle, who received a Patek Philippe watch while imprisoned at Stalag Luft III (he ordered the watch and promised to pay for it after the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Fashion, World War II | Tagged , | 2 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Part 2

Posted on June 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

May 9, 1943: Al Capp satirizes zoot suits in a series about “Zoot-Suit Yokum.” In Part 1, we saw that in 1942, The Times originally portrayed zoot suits as a youthful fad, but that attitudes hardened toward them once the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Fashion, Film, LAPD, Latinos, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb. There’s a closer look on the jump. [Update: This is Dorothea Wieck (d. 1986), known for “Maedchen in Uniform,” arriving in Los Angeles, April 13, 1933. She returned to Germany because she … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Architectural Rambling – The Van Griffith Estate

Posted on June 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Times Sunday Business section featured the former home of Van M. Griffith (d. 1974), the son of Griffith Park donor Colonel Griffith J. Griffith.  (For some reason, the early stories in The Times refer to him as “Dan Griffith” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1925, Architecture, City Hall, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Obituaries, Politics, Real Estate, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Los Angeles Tattoo Shops, 1943

Posted on June 17, 2011 by lmharnisch

This is one of my favorite discoveries from the city archives, a description of tattoo shops in Los Angeles by an anonymous citizen. Los Angeles City Council File 15670 September 2, 1943 Dear Sir, I recently made an investigation of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, City Hall, Crime and Courts, Downtown, Libraries, Photography, World War II | 5 Comments

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

From the Reference Desk

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

My childhood heroes: The Lookies! They don’t guess, they look it up in their new World Book Encyclopedia! Dr. Michele K. Troy of Hillyer College writes: Rob Wagner (Red Ink, White Lies) recommended I contact you with an odd research … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Columnists, From the Reference Desk, Lee Shippey, Libraries, World War II | 2 Comments

Immigrants Overwhelm San Diego!

Posted on June 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

San Diego has everything a family might want: A moderate climate and jobs in the expanding defense industries. But there’s no place to live.  Rep. John H. Tolan (D-Oakland) is holding hearings in San Diego on the plight of migrants … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Environment, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Immigration, LAPD, San Diego, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

Posted on June 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 10, 1941: Bill Henry files a color story on soldiers using rifles with bayonets to herd strikers away from the North American Aviation plant. Unfortunately, my new optical character recognition software can’t handle these old clips, so I have … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Transportation, World War II | Comments Off on Army Clears Strikers at North American Aviation

North American Aviation Strike

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by the Los Angeles Times Labor activists picket the North American Aviation plant in a photo published June 6, 1941. One of the first challenges in studying the 1941 North American Aviation strike is using The Times as source … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, 1941, LAPD, Transportation, World War II | Comments Off on North American Aviation Strike

North American Aviation Strike

Posted on June 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

  June 7, 1941: The strike at the North American Aviation plant, in which Army troops dispersed union activists and took over an essential American defense facility,  is one of the landmark events in Los Angeles history. Because of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | 1 Comment

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 31, 1941

Posted on May 31, 2011 by lmharnisch

        May 31, 1941 – Arthur Hohmann, the LAPD’s reform police chief, will step down in June, citing the deaths of his son and his mother. He was replaced by Clemence C.B. “Jack” Horrall, who served as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, City Hall, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 31, 1941

Memorial Day, 1941

Posted on May 30, 2011 by lmharnisch

                        Memorial Day, 1941: “The crowd rose to its feet in acclaim to two troops of Boy Scouts marching along behind their unit banners and the national ensign. “The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, 1941, Cemeteries, Hollywood, World War II | Comments Off on Memorial Day, 1941

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 28, 1941

Posted on May 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

        May 28, 1941: LONDON, May 27 (AP) — The 35,000-ton German battleship Bismarck, one of the newest and most powerful in the world, was smashed and sunk today by British warships and aerial bombers on the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Nuestro Pueblo, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 28, 1941

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 27, 1941

Posted on May 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

             LONDON, May 27 (Tuesday.) (AP) — British warships apparently were engaged in a mighty duel with a German battle squadron, including the 35,000-ton Bismarck, in the North Atlantic early today after a British naval … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 27, 1941

Jimmie Fidler, May 26, 1941

Posted on May 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

           May 26, 1941: PITTSBURGH, May 25 (AP) — A man's leg was found along the Ohio River at suburban Moon Township tonight and detectives seeking the remainder of the body said it was probably "another … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler, May 26, 1941

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 25, 1941

Posted on May 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

           LONDON, MAY 24 (AP) — The 42,100-ton battle cruiser Hood, largest warship in the world, was blown to bits in the waters between Greenland and Iceland today by the new German battleship Bismarck during a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 25, 1941

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 24, 1941

Posted on May 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

        May 24, 1941: HOLLYWOOD AFTER DARK: The Mocambo orchestra hailing Jimmy Stewart home on leave with "Till Reveille" … Maureen O'Hara at the Beverly Tropics, giving the waiter an involved order in French — and escort … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, World War II | Comments Off on Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, May 24, 1941

March 30, 1938: Times Opposes U.S. Haven for Jewish Refugees Fleeing Hitler

Posted on March 30, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, The Times editorial page opposes allowing wholesale immigration of German and Austrian Jews to America. The Times notes that they would be penniless and that many of them would either go on welfare or take jobs from Americans. Instead, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1938, City Hall, Downtown, Front Pages, LAPD, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on March 30, 1938: Times Opposes U.S. Haven for Jewish Refugees Fleeing Hitler