Jan. 13, 1969: Jets and Broadway Joe Namath Win Super Bowl

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

 

image Jan.13, 1969, L.A. Times

 

Jan. 13, 1969: The first Super Bowl – and it doesn’t make Page 1 of the Los Angeles Times. Kicked back to sports. I would love to have been sitting in the news meeting that day…

Jim Murray says:  “On Sunday afternoon, the canary ate the cat. The mailman bit the police dog. The minnow chased the shark out of its waters. The missionaries swallowed the cannibals. The rowboat rammed the battleship. The mouse roared, and the lion jumped on the chair and began to scream for help.”

Newspaper layout trivia note: Notice the two-column stories on either side of the Page 1 index. Those are the famous “corner stories,” giving rise to Keith Thursby’s famous saying: “Everything is a corner story.”

The post originally appeared in 2009 on latimes.com and is available via Archive.org.

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Black Dahlia: A Warning About Hollywood and the Black Dahlia

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Who Is the Black Dahlia?
Lucie Arnaz in “Who Is the Black Dahlia?”

“Inspired by a true story?” A painful lesson about Hollywood and the Black Dahlia.

In 1975, the murder of Elizabeth Short was the basis for the TV movie “Who Is the Black Dahlia?”

Under American law, dead people have no reputation and can’t be libeled, so the production could do whatever it wanted with Elizabeth Short.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 1975, Black Dahlia, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Television | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 12, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Taxing Times’

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Matt Weinstock, L.A. Mirror, 1959

Jan. 12, 1959: Matt Weinstock offers a light way to end the day. A little story about a taxpayer’s travails with the IRS, a poem, an honest panhandler asking for a dime for a bottle of wine. And yes, he coined “Only in L.A.”..

And a British reporter and an Australian correspondent get into a fistfight at a press party for Laurence Olivier. “He insulted my wife,” one of them said. The other replied “I merely commented on one of the magazines for which she works.”

The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. It is available via Archive.org.

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Jan. 12, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File — East L.A. War Hero Plotted to Kill Batista

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

L.A. Mirror, 1959, Paul Coates

Jan. 12, 1959: Paul Coates has the story of Guy Louis Gabaldon, a war hero raised in East L.A. who claimed to have plotted to assassinate Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista.

Gabaldon was raised by the parents of a Japanese American friend and when he enlisted in the Marines, used his language skills in Japanese to win a Silver Star on Saipan. His story was made into the movie “Hell to Eternity.”

Paul Coates’ column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was published on latimes.com in 2009. It is available on Archive.org.

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Paul Coates, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Are There Any Good Black Dahlia Sites on the Internet? Part 2

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

John Gilmore's Severed 25% mistakes and 50% fiction

John Gilmore’s “Severed” was once the most popular book on the Black Dahlia case, although it was eclipsed by Steve Hodel’s seemingly endless series of “Black Dahlia Avenger” books.

You may Google “Black Dahlia” while you’re watching “I Am the Night.” Here’s more of what you should avoid.

The late John Gilmore (d. 2016) was a conman, grifter, b.s. artist and pathological liar. Nobody seems to remember him with anything but disgust and disdain aside from Anthony Mostrom, the author of a glowing eulogy in the L.A. Review of Books.  (Note: I had my own turn at Gilmore in LARB that made the exactly opposite point).

“Severed” is 25% mistakes and 50% fiction, as I have said countless times – always incurring Gilmore’s wrath. I was told that Gilmore hated me and I take that as a great compliment. The hatred of a pathological liar is the highest praise for a conscientious researcher.

Since BethShort.com was a repository for Gilmore’s Black Dahlia photos and writings, it’s most efficient to take them as a whole.

ALSO

Are There Any Good Black Dahlia Sites on the Internet? Oh Dear!

Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Wikipedia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jan. 12-13, 1959: Soviet Leader Mikoyan Visits L.A.

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

Mikoyan visits L.A.

Jan. 12-13, 1959: Protests force the plane carrying Deputy Soviet Premier Anastas Mikoyan to divert to Burbank!

Mikoyan did a grip and grin with L.A. Mayor Norris Poulson, but Norrie would not be so friendly during Nikita Khrushchev’s time in Los Angeles. Later in the year, Poulson created an incident with Khrushchev that was apparently intended to put Poulson on the national stage, like Richard Nixon in the “kitchen debate.” Instead, it ended any further political ambitions he might have had.

The post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org.

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Jan. 12, 1959: East Wins Pro Bowl 28-21 in L.A.

Posted on January 12, 2019 by lmharnisch

L.A. Times, 1959
Keith Thursby says of the 1959 game: The Pro Bowl in its current format has been held in Hawaii since 1971, so that must mean at some point Los Angeles was considered an exotic getaway to lure the players for an all-star game. Interesting that the ’58 game drew a then-record 72,250, another sign that L.A. once was a pretty fair pro football town..

The post originally appeared in 2009 on latimes.com and is available via Archive.org.

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Black Dahlia: Are There Any Good Black Dahlia Sites on the Internet? Oh Dear!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

BlackDahliaSolution.org

So you may not read any Black Dahlia books before watching “I Am the Night.” But you may turn to Google. You should be warned.

BlackDahliaSolution.org may be the worst of the websites on the Black Dahlia case simply because it is still online and causing problems. BethShort.com, an outlet for the late John Gilmore, went dark a few years ago (more about that later).

BlackDahliaSolution.org was run by an oddball named John Frederick “Jack” Kohne Jr., who died in 2016. His obituary says:

Deeply introspective and complicated, Jack lived his life true to himself and his beliefs and accepted and embraced anyone and everyone’s truth of their unique perspective of the world around him.

Kohne gave us supposed killer “Ed Burns,” some crudely retouched photographs and a scenario that will sound weirdly familiar, especially if you are a fan of the “Black Dahlia Avenger” franchise.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Jan. 11, 1959: ‘Who Shot Duke Snider?’

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

Duke Snider
Jan. 11, 1959: Keith Thursby looks at the fledgling acting career of Duke Snider. If it worked for Chuck Connors….

The entire piece appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available at Archive.org..

image

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Victor Segno: How to Live 100 Years – Don’t Boil Water!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

L.A. Times, 2009

For a while, I thought it would be amusing to run advice of A. Victor Segno, my favorite Los Angeles charlatan. Like this item on not boiling water. Look out for the decaying carcasses of dead germs!

This item originally appeared on latimes.com and is available via Archive.org.

Posted in 1903, Medicine | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Jan. 10, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Chinese Puzzle’

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959, Matt Weinstock


Jan. 10, 1959: And we close the day with a lighthearted column from Matt Weinstock. A bit of poetry, an amusing story. Maybe one sentimental yarn. That’s what afternoon papers were all about. Features, news updates, late stock market reports and race results. Weinstock frequently wrote about bookies..

The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. It’s available at Archive.org.

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Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File – Mash Notes and Comments

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

L.A. Mirror, 1959

Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates runs a letters column – and has an interesting item about Herman Hover’s efforts to reopen Ciro’s (Coates covered L.A. nightlife and restaurants before he became a columnist)..

The entire column appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. It’s available via Archive.org.

Posted in 1959, Columnists, Food and Drink, Nightclubs, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Jan. 10, 1959: Paul Coates Confidential File – Mash Notes and Comments

Black Dahlia: Here’s Some More Bad Books on the Black Dahlia Case

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

corroborating_evidence In compiling my list of bad books about the Black Dahlia case, I neglected to mention William T. Rasmussen’s fringe publication “Corroborating Evidence,” which I had forgotten, mainly because it’s so nutty that I won’t even let it in the house.

Executive summary: The Black Dahlia case is utterly unrelated to any other killing. Not the Cleveland Torso killings. Not the Georgette Bauerdorf case. Not the Suzanne Degnan killing. And not the Jeanne French murder.

In “Corroborating Evidence,” Rasmussen tries to tie them  together. Apparently there is a “Corroborating Evidence” franchise with “new evidence.” Funny thing about crackpot books: There is always “new evidence” to support some bogus claim, while never addressing the fundamental weakness of the theory.

its_me_cover There’s also “It’s Me,” by John A. Cameron. Cameron claims that Elizabeth Short and Suzanne Degnan were killed by Edward Wayne Edwards, who would have been 13 when he killed Elizabeth Short and 12 when he killed Suzanne Degnan. Edwards also supposedly killed another victim when he was 12 and still another at the age of 11, and my head is going to explode if I don’t stop.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Here’s Some More Bad Books on the Black Dahlia Case

Jan. 10, 1959: Dodgers Move Outfield Fence

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

L.A. Times, 2009

Jan. 10, 1959: The Dodgers are playing in the Coliseum and decide to cut the distance to the outfield fence. It was a victory for Duke Snider, Keith Thursby writes.

The post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org..

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Jan. 10, 1959: Nixon Was Born … in a Hospital?

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959

Jan. 10, 1959: This was a fun, strange story. Art Ryon claimed that Richard Nixon’s mother said he was born in a hospital, not at home. Later this was strongly denied and Bela Kornitzer, in “The Real Nixon,”  went out of his well to disprove the story..

Also, a grieving father commits suicide on the grave of his 4-year-old son, who was killed in a traffic accident.

The complete post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org.

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Jan. 9, 1959: Matt Weinstock ‘Rugged Fisherman’

Posted on January 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 9, 1959, Matt Weinstock

Jan. 9, 1959: Boats in Santa Monica harbor break from their moorings under high winds and Weinstock has a story. Also poems. Weinstock loved to run little poems. And Sports Illustrated holds a dinner to honor UCLA’s Rafer Johnson..

One fun item:

NEW YEARS 33 years ago — Jan. 1, 1929 — a young ensign named Edward V. Dockweiler drew the midwatch (midnight to 4 a.m.) aboard the USS Idaho, anchored off San Pedro. This was before the present nine-mile breakwater was completed.

An unwritten rule required that midwatch entries in the log be in rhyme and Dockweiler wrote, “We are anchored in Pedro Harbor, though there isn’t much of a fee, and why they call it a harbor, is something I never could see.”

The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. The entire column is available at Archive.org.

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Jan. 9, 1959: Confidential File ‘Madame Guillotine,’ Alias Pierre Coates

Posted on January 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 9, 1959, Paul Coates

Jan. 9, 1959: Paul Coates helps his daughter with her homework. Make that “help.”.

This column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in 2009. It’s available via Archive.org.

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Black Dahlia: Are There Any Good Books on the Black Dahlia Case? Oh Dear!

Posted on January 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

severed_02
“Severed”  by pathological liar John Gilmore (d. 2016) was once the go-to book on the Black Dahlia case, but it’s 25% mistakes and 50% fiction.

Are there any good books on the Black Dahlia case? No. But there are a lot of really, really bad ones and you should avoid them all or you will just have to unlearn everything. And your head may explode from all the nonsense.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Black Dahlia: George Hodel – ‘One of the Evilest Men in History?’ Says Who??

Posted on January 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

MEAWW, 2019

MEAWW, 2019

One thing you know about evil sociopaths is that they like to treat impoverished people of color. Yep. That’s what evil sociopaths do, fer sure.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Jan. 9, 1945: The Making of ‘The Blue Dahlia’; Paramount Signs Raymond Chandler for Original Film

Posted on January 9, 2019 by lmharnisch

New York Times, 194

New York Times, 1945
Jan. 9, 1945: The New York Times reports that Paramount signed Raymond Chandler to write a script. Contrast this with John Houseman’s account of making the film in “Lost Fortnight,” originally published in Harper’s magazine, August 1965, and reprinted with the published screenplay in 1976.

(Raymond Chandler wrote “The Big Fleet?” Oh dear, oh dear.)

Continue reading →

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