Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 42 — The Face Is Familiar

Posted on March 15, 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 is told in flashbacks. We’re at the point in the story where Elizabeth Short has left Los Angeles for San Diego in December 1946, about a month before she was murdered.

Page 60

Wolfe is talking about Elizabeth Short’s stay at the Chancellor on North Cherokee. Everything seems to be lifted more or less from newspaper accounts.

Holmes, I don’t even need to ask. The end notes.

 

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March 15, 1907: In Which We Begin

Posted on March 15, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is the beginning of the 1907 blog, which I began March 15, 2006. This followed the original cycle of the 1947project, begun by Nathan Marsak and Kim Cooper on March 13, 2005.

As I began to write my grand opening about Los Angeles in 1907, I felt a ghostly hand pluck ever so gently at my sleeve.

“Promise me, dear boy, you’ll remember to say that women couldn’t vote in 1907.”

“Yes, of course.”

Now where was I? Ah yes. The street names are deceptively familiar: Broadway, Spring Street and Main. But stand up on Bunker Hill and look at the city below and you might pick out the Bradbury Building and the Alexandria Hotel. Maybe the Pan American building at Broadway and 3rd Street, kitty-corner from the Bradbury and currently undergoing loft conversion, and the Rosslyn Hotel on Main.

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Posted in 1907, 1908, 1911, 1914, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, City Hall, Freeways, LAPD, Streetcars, Theaters | Comments Off on March 15, 1907: In Which We Begin

March 15, 2007: The Bridge Is Still Standing

Posted on March 15, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2007.

March 15, 2007
South Pasadena

Here’s the Gold Line, its passengers mercifully unaware that they are zipping along to Pasadena in the “Gorge of Eternal Peril” beneath “The Bridge of Death.”

Here’s a close-up of a patch made to fix one of the 1907 cracks in the bridge. And yes, the darn thing is still standing. Hm. Maybe I should call it “The Bridge of Hope” instead.

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In Which a Ghostly Visitor Returns

Posted on March 15, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This post and the next were the finales of my crawl through 1907. Keep on reading because we will circle around with posts from 2006.

March 15, 2007
Los Angeles

“Well, dear boy, I suppose you thought you were through.”

“Yes, I did.”

“And?”

“Good grief! Do you see this bridge over the Gold Line? It looks like it’s held up with hairpins and spit!”

Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 41 — The Whole Nine Yards

Posted on March 14, 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 is told through flashbacks.

At this point in the story, Wolfe is exploring Elizabeth Short’s time in Hollywood in late 1946, about a month before the murder.

Continue reading →

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March 14, 1907: A Now-Forgotten ‘Carmen’ Passes Through L.A.

Posted on March 14, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2007.
March 14, 1907
Los Angeles

Harry C. Carr, future author of “Los Angeles: City of Dreams,” visits Fely Dereyne, who is starring in the San Carlo Opera Company’s touring production of “Carmen.”

Accompanied by Times artist Harold R. Coffman, who sketched the singer, Carr conducted a backstage interview with Dereyne with the help of two opera company members who served as translators. As an interview, it is disjointed, poorly organized and frustratingly incomplete; the early work of a green but talented writer who is somewhat smitten with his subject. And yet it is fresh and immediate.

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Posted in 1907, 1908, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Columnists, LAPD, Streetcars, Theaters | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Black L.A. 1947: Bert McDonald Dies; First Black Deputy City Atty.

Posted on March 13, 2018 by lmharnisch

March 13, 1947, L.A. Sentinel
The latest records by Jimmy Rushing, Duke Henderson and King Perry are at 1065 N. Fairfax Ave.

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1065 N. Fairfax Ave., where you got the latest hip 78s in 1947, via Google Street View.

March 13, 1947: The Sentinel publishes the obituary of former Chief Deputy City Atty. Bert McDonald, the first African American to serve in that position.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 40 — Who Was That Masked Man?

Posted on March 13, 2018 by lmharnisch

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

I am 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 telling the story in “Laura” format with the discovery of the anonymous, butchered body and the narrative proceeding in flashbacks. At this point, Elizabeth Short is in her late teens and living at Camp Cooke, Calif., after an argument with her father.

The two-minute executive summary: We have caught Wolfe in a nasty bit of literary fraud. In order for his story to work, he has to ignore a crucial document in the Los Angeles County district attorney’s files (remember, the title of this book is “The Black Dahlia Files”).
June 1, 1946” and “After June 1, 1946,” demolish
He writes that “little is known about Elizabeth Short’s time in Miami,” despite having access to documents that spell out her actions precisely. He does this because the documents “Movements of Elizabeth Short Prior to
the remainder of his book. On the other hand, he wants to use some of the juicy material in them, so he attributes the information to other documents. The bottom line: Wolfe’s maneuver in quoting from the documents while failing to disclose their existence proves conclusively that this book is deliberately concocted with ruthless disregard of the facts.

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on March 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

March 17, 2018, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1927 Universal film “The Cat and the Canary,” with Laura La Plante, Creighton Hale, Forrest Stanley, Tully Marshall, Gertrude Astor, Flora Finch, Arthur Edmund Carew, Martha Mattox, George Siegmann and Lucien Littlefield. Adapted by Robert F. Hill and Alfred A. Cohn. Scenario by Alfred A. Cohn, with story supervision by Edward J. Montagne. Titles by Walter Anthony, photography by Gilbert Warrenton, art direction by Charles D. Hall. Directed by Paul Leni.

“The Cat and the Canary,” in a restored version, is available on DVD from Kino.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 42 Comments

Mary Mallory: Hollywood Heights – ‘Human Wreckage’

Posted on March 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

July 6, 1923, "Human Wreckage"
July 6, 1923: “Human Wreckage” opens in Los Angeles.

Human Wreckage
Photo: Mrs. Wallace Reid, left, and Bessie love in “Human Wreckage.” Credit: The Bioscope.

Jan. 19, 1923, Wallace Reid Note: This is an encore post from 2011.

There are many lost silent films desired by film historians because of their casts, history, and story, and the film “Human Wreckage” is one of the most eagerly sought after. The first film to seriously deal with the issue of addiction, “Human Wreckage” was created by actress/writer/director Dorothy Davenport Reid as a tribute to her late husband Wallace Reid’s struggle with the disease. Like Betty Ford over 50 years later, Davenport wanted to show how universal the problem was and the steps to be taken in overcoming it. She intended to show that addiction was an illness, not a mental defect.

Dorothy Davenport, the daughter of actor Harry Davenport (Dr. Meade in “Gone With the Wind”), had acted in films since around 1910. She met young Wallace Reid in 1912 on the set of a Universal film, and they married in 1913. Both worked together until Reid was hired by Famous Players-Lasky in 1915, and Davenport retired to raise a family.  Soon they had two children, a son, and a daughter they adopted.

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Posted in 1923, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 39 — Aiding and Abetting

Posted on March 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. The original post had ads that, as you can imagine, don’t work 12 years later, so they have been deleted.

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 telling the story of Elizabeth Short in the “Laura” format: The anonymous, butchered body is found and the narrative proceeds in flashbacks. At this point he is covering Elizabeth Short’s mid- to late teens and we have just uncovered a nasty bit of work on Page 57.

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March 12, 1907: Brave War Dog Killed by Speeding Car

Posted on March 12, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2007.
Feb. 12, 1907
Whittier

Don had rushed up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders, fearless in the face of enemy fire. But he could not survive a speeding driver on the otherwise placid streets of Whittier.

A present from Teddy Roosevelt to Hamilton Fish, Don was the mascot of Company B of the Rough Riders. Don was given to Col. William Wallace. When Wallace died in Whittier, Don was given to Wallace’s physician, Dr. Hadley.

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 38 — Slasher Flick

Posted on March 11, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

I have my search engines set to scour the Internet for material related to the Black Dahlia and this morning discovered yet another slasher version of the Elizabeth Short case. Think nudity and blood. It is a shame to see such talent wasted, but proves my contention that Hollywood is incapable of telling the story of Elizabeth Short without reducing it to sex and gore.

Where was I? Ah yes. I am blogging in real time as I read Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul and Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles.” Wolfe is using the “Laura” format in which the anonymous, butchered body is found and the story is told through flashbacks. We’re at the point where we are exploring Elizabeth Short’s mid- to late teens, and have found a particularly nasty bit of fiction in which Wolfe has identified Mary Pacios, author of “Childhood Shadows” as “Mary Hernon.”

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Los Angeles Has No History

Posted on March 11, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2007.
Feb. 24, 1907
Los Angeles

Google Earth, 2007

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Otis Chandler Tribute

Posted on March 10, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

These are audio files I made of the in-house memorial to Otis Chandler (at right with his 1937 V-12 Packard, originally owned by Bette Davis), conducted March 7, 2006. These are field recordings and the audio quality isn’t great. But I am offering them for their historic value. Tom Johnson, the moderator, spoke throughout the ceremony. Each segment lasts an hour.

Part 1:

Speakers are Jeff Johnson; Tom Johnson; Harry Chandler; Cathleen and Michael Chandler; Bill Thomas; Anthony Day; Paul Conrad; and Jean Sharley Taylor.

Part 2:

David Laventhol; Richard Schlossberg III; Francis O’Toole; William Niese; Shelby Coffey III; Bill Boyarsky; John Carroll; and Bettina Chandler.


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March 10, 1907: Religious Leader’s Last Words ‘I Will Return in 1,000 Years’

Posted on March 10, 2018 by lmharnisch


Note: This is an encore post from 2007.
March 10, 1907
Los Angeles

Someone who opened the Los Angeles Times on this Sunday might be forgiven for wondering what had become of the world, for Page 1 was full of news about the demise of two religious leaders.

The first was the death of John Alexander Dowie, the founder of Zion, Ill., who considered himself the reincarnation of the biblical prophet Elijah. The second was the decline of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science.

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Black L.A. 1947: Late-Night Streetcar Service Captures the Heartbeat of the City

Posted on March 9, 2018 by lmharnisch

Feb. 27, 1947, the Owl Service

Feb. 27, 1947: I missed this ad for Los Angeles Transit Lines in my previous pass through the Sentinel and I just had to run it. Militant Angeleno: This is for you!

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Black Dahlia: Blogging ‘Black Dahlia Files’ Part 37 — Mystery Woman

Posted on March 9, 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 has begun with the butchered, anonymous body and is telling the story in flashbacks—at this point, we’re at Elizabeth Short’s mid- to late teens and she’s about to be reunited with her father, Cleo, who abandoned the family years earlier.

So far, the vote on continuing the blog is entirely favorable, with one request for information about my theory (sorry, I don’t want to mix that with the Wolfe material) and one suggestion for an ad revenue stream. Thanks crime buddy!

Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

March 9, 1907: Man Says It’s Worth a $25 Fine to Beat His Wife

Posted on March 9, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2007.
March 9, 1907
Los Angeles

The Insanity Begins

Led by I. Newerf and J.B. Dudley, the automobile owners of Los Angeles are fighting a new city ordinance that bans parking within 40 of downtown intersections. Newerf, the West Coast representative of Goodyear Tire Co., and Dudley, a car salesman, received citations for violating the law and have pleaded not guilty.

In April 1909, Dudley pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter after hitting street inspector Woodman J. Thomas on Broadway near 5th Street. He was sentenced to five years’ probation in March 1910.

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Posted in 1907, 1909, 1910, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Downtown, LAPD, Streetcars | Tagged | 3 Comments

Comments, Please

Posted on March 8, 2018 by lmharnisch

 

Large Image

Note: This is an encore post from 2006.

I’m waiting.

The vote so far:

Keep going: 10 (1 via e-mail).

Stop the insanity! 0

Disclaimer: I’m not a Susan Powter fan. In fact, she drives me crazy.

Special note: Comments are moderated. In other words, nothing gets posted without my prior approval. Anything off-point or extraneous isn’t making the cut.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments