Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 60 — Deuteronomy 33:24

Posted on April 2, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story when Elizabeth Short’s body has been identified by her mother, Phoebe, sister Virginia and brother-in-law Adrian. The inquest is next.

Note: Because this project is incredibly time-consuming, I have decided to end my page-by-page blogging of the book once I reach the funeral, which I presume will be soon. After that, I will take requests for specific pages. Mary Pacios and Regular Anonymous Correspondent have already given me enough to keep me busy for a week and I invite anyone else to submit their favorites. I will take them in numerical order to maintain some semblance of chronology.

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywoodland Opens

Posted on April 2, 2018 by lmharnisch

Hollywoodland ad

Note: This is an encore post from 2013.

By the early 1920s, real estate development was booming all around Los Angeles. For decades, the city had boldly advertised itself as a mecca in which average citizens could earn their share of the American dream under glorious sunshine and surrounded by beauty.

Los Angeles expanded west and north as the population exploded, and homes evolved from simple bungalows into elegant abodes. Neighborhoods such as Whitley Heights and Windsor Square catered to more prosperous Angelenos: movie stars, bankers and oil men. Streetcar tycoons and real estate moguls Eli P. Clark and Moses H. Sherman seized the moment to begin selling a long-held piece of property above Hollywood.

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on April 2, 2018 by lmharnisch

April 7, 2018, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1939 Paramount picture “The Cat and the Canary,” and yes, we did the 1927 version as a mystery movie in March. With Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, John Beal, Douglass Montgomery, Gale Sondergaard, Elizabeth Patterson, George Zucco, Nydia Westman and John Wray. The screenplay was by Walter DeLeon and Lynn Starling from the play by John Willard. Photography was by Charles Lang, art direction by Hans Dreier and Robert Usher, costumes by Edith Head, music by Ernst Toch, Andrea Setaro musical advisor, and interior decorations by A.E. Freudeman. The producer was Arthur Hornblow Jr. and the director was Elliott Nugent.

“The Cat and the Canary” is available on DVD from Amazon.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 59 — Pleas and Thank-Yous

Posted on April 1, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large Image
Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles. Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous, butchered body is found and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks.

In response to my decision to stop page-by-page coverage once I reach Elizabeth Short’s funeral, several people, including Mary Pacios and Regular Anonymous Correspondent, have urged me to continue this blog. Given the demands on my time—this blog takes several hours every day—it’s impossible for me to do the entire book, so I will take requests. Mary has already filed a long list of pages she’d like me to cover, including:

Pages 119, 121-122, 131, 167, 197-198, 218, 277, 278-281, 284, 296, 311

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 58 —The Countdown Begins

Posted on March 31, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous, butchered body is found and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We are at the point in the story when police and reporters have discovered Elizabeth Short’s trunk and suitcases, events that occurred on separate days.

Note: I am now on Page 86 and will conclude this exercise whenever we get to Elizabeth Short’s funeral. I am roughly 25% through the book and have made whatever points I am going to make—and believe me, this tome is not going to suddenly mend its ways and become scholarly.

Thereafter, if someone wants to query about specific points in the book, I’ll entertain them.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 57 — Lines of History

Posted on March 30, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is found and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story when police have questioned Robert M. “ Red” Manley, the last person known to have been with Elizabeth Short.

I took another vacation from the Dahlia to attend a lecture at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens by Terrence Roberts, one of the “Little Rock Nine.”

During his presentation, Roberts noted that there is no concrete dividing line between what is the present and what is history; it’s continuous. A lo-fi version of his lecture is here.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 56 — The Lady in Red

Posted on March 29, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story when police are questioning Robert M. “Red” Manley, the last person known to have been seen with Elizabeth Short.

I took a holiday from the Dahlia last night to attend a lecture at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens by Elliott Gorn on John Dillinger. Given the pouring rain, it was a fairly small crowd, but we were rewarded with an interesting portrait of the famous Depression-era bank robber. Gorn’s lecture was quite a change of pace from the Huntington’s usual fare, especially the long discourse on the myths about what precisely is (and is not) in the Dillinger archives at the Smithsonian.

For those who are interested, here’s a lo-fi version of Gorn’s presentation.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 55 — Evil Genius

Posted on March 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is found and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We are at the point in the story when police have detained Robert M. “Red” Manley, the last person known to have been with Elizabeth Short.

Regular Anonymous Correspondent submitted a comment yesterday about an appearance at the Pompidou Centre by Steve Hodel, author of “Black Dahlia Avenger.” Now really, can’t we all just try to be happy for Steve Hodel? Obviously, his book is junk, but if the French want to spend money to bring him over and listen to his mumbo-jumbo about “flashing red lights” and “thought prints,” more power to him. What do you expect from a nation that considers Jerry Lewis a comic genius?

In truth, I would be far more indulgent of the ridiculous claims of “Black Dahlia Avenger,” “Mogul” and “Severed” to name but a few, if they didn’t inflict uncountable grief on the loved ones of Elizabeth Short—as well as the rest of the Hodel family (“Avenger” was written in total secrecy, remember. Even relatives didn’t know), along with the survivors of George Hodel’s alleged co-conspirators.

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Princess Rajah

Posted on March 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

I don’t want to say anything to spoil the surprise. Another snip of film from Edison, c. 1904.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Black L.A. 1947: Wealthy Coronado Couple Charged With Holding Black Woman in Slavery

Posted on March 27, 2018 by lmharnisch

March 27, 1947, Lounge Suits
March 27, 1947: Alfred W. Ingalls, an attorney and former Massachusetts legislator, and his wife, Elizabeth, of Coronado are indicted on charges of holding Dora L. Jones as a slave.

Testifying before a federal grand jury, Jones said she was living in Alabama in 1905 when she met Elizabeth Kimball as a teacher at Jones’ missionary school. Elizabeth moved to Washington, D.C., and married Walter Harmon. Elizabeth sent for Jones to work as a domestic, news reports said.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 54 — Tell It to the Marines

Posted on March 27, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We are at the point in the story when police are questioning Robert M. “Red” Manley, a traveling salesman who gave Elizabeth Short a ride from San Diego to Los Angeles in January 1947.

The two-minute executive summary:

We have seen that although this book is titled “The Black Dahlia Files” half of it is taken from Will Fowler’s “Reporters,” John Gilmore’s “Severed” and the Los Angeles Examiner. The district attorney’s files account for 8% of the book so far. In relying on “Severed,” Wolfe picks up and embellishes Gilmore’s ruthless smear of Elizabeth Short as a lazy tramp. Wolfe also reduces the vast number of detectives working the case to three: Homicide Capt. Jack Donahoe and Detectives Harry Hansen and Finis Brown, forcing them to be supposedly be in San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Lompoc at the same time. A neat trick, you must agree.

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Ida May Park Finds Direction in Films

Posted on March 26, 2018 by lmharnisch

 

Ida May Park, Photoplay Ida May Park in Photoplay.

Virtually forgotten today, Los Angeles-born Ida May Park earned the distinction of being one of the first women to direct feature films in early Hollywood, as well as write and produce, before being pushed aside as Wall Street money took over film production. Her long career acting on stage enhanced her film career, one in which she focused on creating strong women characters around which stories revolved.

Born December 28, 1879, to laborers Charles and Martha Park in Los Angeles, Ida seemed drawn to entertainment at a young age, appearing with the Alcazar Acting Company in San Francisco by 1897, perhaps after her family moved to Sacramento, where her father later served as a postman. Within a few years, Ida became an itinerant actor, performing with troupes around the United States.

Mary Mallory’s latest book, “Living With Grace: Life Lessons from America’s Princess,” will be released June 1.
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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 53 — Imagine My Surprise

Posted on March 26, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Crime That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story when police have arrested Robert M. “Red” Manley, the last person known to have been with Elizabeth Short.

I was, I have to admit, skeptical of the claim by former Officer Vincent A. Carter that he was at Hollenbeck Station when Manley was interrogated. But I found a picture of him in October 1947 teaching youngsters how to shoot. So that part of the story holds up. Of course, while Carter says Elizabeth Short wouldn’t sleep with Red, Wolfe turns this into:

“According to Administrative Vice officer Sgt. Vincent Carter who was at Hollenbeck when Manley was interrogated, the story Manley told [Aggie] Underwood for public consumption wasn’t exactly the same story he had told detectives and Brown during the interrogation. Desperately trying to save his marriage, Manley publicly denied having an affair with the murder victim, while privately admitting that he had indeed been intimate with Elizabeth Short.”

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 26, 2018 by lmharnisch

 

March 31, 2018, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1948 Warner Bros. picture “Romance on the High Seas,” with Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don De Fore, Doris Day, Oscar Levant, S.Z. Sakall, Fortunio Bonanova, Eric Blore, William Bakewell, Franklin Pangborn, Avon Long and the Samba Kings. The screenplay was by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein with additional dialogue by I.A.L. Diamond, from a story by S. Pondal Rios and Carlos A. Olivari. Photography was by Elwood Bredell, art direction by Anton Grot, special effects by David Curtiz, special effects photography by Wilfred M. Cline and Robert Burks, set decorations by Howard Winterbottom, wardrobe by Milo Anderson, makeup by Perc Westmore, musical direction by Leo F. Forbstein, musical numbers orchestrated and conducted by Ray Heindorf, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn, musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley, produced by Alex Gottlieb and directed by Michael Curtiz.

I don’t usually do mystery films with a time peg, but on a recent trip to the Monterey area, I was reminded of Doris Day’s birthday (April 3), which is being celebrated this weekend in Carmel.

“Romance on the High Seas” is available on DVD from Warner Archive.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 44 Comments

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 52 — The Numbers Game

Posted on March 25, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We are at the point in the story when Elizabeth Short has left the French family in San Diego and is with Robert M. “Red” Manley, a traveling salesman who picked her up and is giving her a ride back to Los Angeles. Police have detained Red and are questioning him about the Black Dahlia.

Do you like statistics? No? Good. Let’s have some.

Just for fun (OK, my idea of fun may not be yours), I added up the different citations in Wolfe’s end notes to determine his primary source. Recall that the book is titled: “The Black Dahlia Files.” So they are going to be the main source, right?

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March 25, 1907: Young Bike Messengers a Key Part of L.A. Drug, Sex Trade

Posted on March 25, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

Technology has changed, but people have not. Simply because they lived nearly a century ago doesn’t mean Angelenos were unable to indulge their vices, they simply procured them in a different manner.

One of the main staples was the throngs of young bicycle messengers who traversed the city in packs.

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Posted in 1907, 2006, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, City Hall, Crime and Courts, Food and Drink, LAPD, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 51 — Slinging Hash

Posted on March 24, 2018 by lmharnisch

Large ImageNote: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob (and were are those pesky thugs, anyway?), the Mogul (missing in action so far) and the Murder That Transfixed (fixed, yes, but transfixed, hardly) Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story when Elizabeth Short is in San Diego in the last month of her life and has just met Robert M. “Red” Manley.

Page 70

Wolfe is discussing Manley’s arrest in Eagle Rock after his return from a sales trip to San Francisco. Remember that while Los Angeles police and reporters were madly searching for the mysterious red-haired man last seen with the Black Dahlia, he had left his car in the garage of a friend and driven up to San Francisco.

The usual source for this episode is Will Fowler, who claimed to have witnessed the arrest. I would imagine Wolfe lifts this more or less from “Reporters.” It is amazing, isn’t it, that although the book is called the “Black Dahlia Files” it consists mostly of an embellished rehash of “Reporters” and John Gilmore’s “Severed,” which is 25% mistakes and 50% fiction. With a bit of garnishing from Jim Richardson’s “For the Life of Me” and Mary Pacios’ “Childhood Shadows.”

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Dec. 4, 1911: Man Arrested for ‘Masquerading in Female Attire’

Posted on March 24, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

Dec. 4, 1911

Clarence Westfall, 22 years old, was taken into custody at San Pedro yesterday afternoon when a boat from San Diego docked. He was arrested for having masqueraded in female attire and was taken to the Central Police Station, where he told a story that nearly resulted in his being liberated. When the police received the report from the station at San Pedro, however, that Westfall, in posing as a woman, had endeavored to be assigned to a woman’s stateroom, he was locked up.

He said he was frequently obsessed with the desire to don women’s clothing, do fancy work and generally “act like a girl.” He had about convinced the detectives that he was a fit subject for alienists to examine when he was recognized as a former prisoner. He was locked up on a charge of vagrancy.

A random discovery too good not to share.

Posted in 1908, 1911, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Fashions, LAPD, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Streetcars | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 50 — Trying to Make It Real Compared to What

Posted on March 23, 2018 by lmharnisch



Large ImageNote: This is an encore from 2006.

I’m blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format, in which the anonymous, butchered body is discovered and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. We are in the last few weeks of Elizabeth Short’s life, in which she met Robert M. “Red Manley,” a traveling salesman from Los Angeles who picked her up on a trip to San Diego.

Imagine my surprise—no, my shock—to read this in L.A. Weekly. Here’s a screen shot to show I’m not making this up.

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March 23, 1907: At L.A. Orphanage, a Page From Dickens

Posted on March 23, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

For some time, the teachers at the Casco Street School had been concerned about the pupils from the nearby Christian Orphanage. But finally the problems became too great to ignore.

“One small boy, an especial pet and a delicate child, was found, one cold, rainy morning, filling his blouse with the filthy scraps of bread from the garbage pails in the rear of nearby residences. He was so hungry. ‘Aunt Ada’ had sent him to bed without any supper because he was naughty and she had slapped him in the morning because, like Oliver Twist, he had asked for more mush,” The Times said.

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Posted in 1907, 1912, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Education, Food and Drink, LAPD, Pasadena, Religion, Streetcars | 3 Comments