Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 30, 2015 by lmharnisch

Dec. 5, 2015, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery film has been the 1941 Alexander Korda film “Lydia,” released through United Artists, directed by Julien Duvivier, with Merle Oberon, Alan Marshal, Joseph Cotton, Hans Jaray (“Yaray” in the screen credits), John Halliday, George Reeves, Sara Allgood and Edna May Oliver. The film was based on an original story by Duvivier and L. Bush-Fekete, with screenplay and dialogue by Ben Hecht and Samuel Hoffenstein. The production was designed by Vincent Korda and the photography was by Lee Garmes. The makeup (all the leads were heavily aged for the film) was by the House of Westmore. Music was by Miklos Rozsa.

Aug. 21, 1941, Lydia

The movie opened in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, 1941, and received a tepid review from Times critic Edwin Schallert, who said: “This reviewer found the production tedious in the telling. Especially, it would seem, cutting could be invoked in the later scenes…. How men will like the film, one can hardly say. Many will undoubtedly be bored by it.”

It is available on a Region 2 DVD from Amazon for $20.78.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 38 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywoodland Sign Arises November 1923

Posted on November 30, 2015 by lmharnisch

Hollywoodland Ad 1924


When I began researching and writing my Arcadia Publishing book “Hollywoodland” almost five years ago, standard gossip stated that developers constructed the giant Hollywoodland sign in July 1923 as a billboard promoting the development, all with no documentation or backup. Neither the Los Angeles Times nor the Los Angeles Examiner ran such a story at the time, nor did any book. I even fell into the trap of believing something without legitimate sources backing it up.

Hollywoodland Sign Night

After examining the subject over many years, I can safely say that Hollywoodland developers created their massive billboard in late November and early December 1923, thanks to multiple sources placing its construction at that time. There was no story in any newspaper the day it was completed, but Hollywoodland publicity chief L. J. Burrud immediately employed the mass media to publicize it and the development in big ways. Copying tactics from his past, adman Burrud developed stories of interest to newspapers, magazines, and newsreels, spreading the story of the glamorous hillside development across the United States.

“Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory is now available at Amazon and at local bookstores.

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 23, 2015 by lmharnisch

Nov. 28, 2015, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1949 MGM feature “The Great Sinner,” starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Melvyn Douglas, Walter Huston, Ethel Barrymore, Frank Morgan and Agnes Moorehead, with Ludwig Donath, Curt Bois and Ludwig Stossel. The screenplay was by Ladislas Fodor and Christopher Isherwood from a story by Fodor and Rene Fueloep-Miller. The music was by Bronislau Kaper and conducted by Andre Previn. It was directed by Robert Siodmak.

I chose “The Great Sinner” because it was photographed by George Folsey,  who also filmed last week’s mystery movie, “Kind Lady” and I wanted to take another look at his work. The film opened Aug. 26, 1949, in Los Angeles at the Fox Wilshire, Egyptian and Los Angeles theaters.

It is available from Warner Archive for $15.49.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 52 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Weegee, Weegee, Tell Me Do’

Posted on November 23, 2015 by lmharnisch

Weegee Weegee Tell Me Do
“Weegee, Weegee, Tell Me Do,” courtesy of Mary Mallory.

 

What we know as the game of Ouija evolved out of spiritualism practices into a major fad of the early twentieth century. While some denounced it as a form of devil worship, others enjoyed its entertaining qualities or ties to their spiritualism practices. Its ability to answer questions or possibly foresee the future were employed as gimmicks to sell popular entertainment to audiences in a variety of fields.

Born out of a need to connect with the souls of departed loved ones and friends, spiritualism helped its practitioners feel at peace and ease in the world by asking questions of these spirits. It sprung out of potentially supernatural events at a Hydesville, New York farmhouse in 1848, when the Fox family experienced mysterious raps in the night. Youngest daughter Kate Fox challenged the ghostly spirit to repeat in raps the number of times she flipped her fingers; thus establishing a form of communication, these raps were employed as a way to answer questions.

“Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory is now available at Amazon and at local bookstores.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s Up at TCM?

Posted on November 21, 2015 by lmharnisch

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TCM’s showing of “At Sword’s Point” on Friday, part of its tribute to the late Maureen O’Hara, was preceded by what may be the oddest Robert Osborne introduction I have ever seen. Bob was taped against a black background and filmed from above, as if he were in a black hole. I do know that Bob has been taping his segments in New York in recent years rather than in Atlanta and perhaps there was some problem in getting his set ready – or something. But this was very strange indeed.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

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This week’s mystery movie has been the 1935 MGM picture “Kind Lady,” starring Aline MacMahon, Basil Rathbone, Mary Carlisle, Frank Albertson, Dudley Digges, Doris Lloyd, Nola Luxford, Murray Kinnell, Eily Malyon, Justine Chase, Barbara Shields, Donald Meek and Frank Reigher. It was directed by George B. Seitz. The script was by Bernard Schubert, adapted from a successful play by Edward Chodorov, based on a story, “The Silver Mask,”  by Hugh Walpole. The remarkable photography was by George Folsey.

The film opens with Christmas music and you might be expecting a holiday tale – but you would be terribly wrong. “Kind Lady” is suspense-thriller about what happens when woman’s charity is misplaced. Judging by the clips in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times, the film was eclipsed by the Broadway play, which ran for 82 performances in 1935 and was revived for 107 performances in 1940.

“Kind Lady” was remade in 1951 with Ethel Barrymore and Maurice Evans. Doris Lloyd is in both versions, but in different roles. As far as I can determine, “Kind Lady” is not currently available on DVD and was not released on VHS.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 64 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: The Case of the Clicking Heels, Part 2

Posted on November 16, 2015 by lmharnisch

 

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Hazel Glab		 image
In later life as Hazel Stoddard

This is Part 2 of the story of Hazel Glab, flamboyant flapper, whose husband, John, died under mysterious circumstances June 18, 1928, at 12744 Ventura Blvd., in Studio City. Murder charges against her were dropped for lack of evidence.

The Case of the Clicking Heels, Part 1.

Hazel Glab disappeared from the scene until tragedy once again brought her name into newspaper headlines in 1935. Wealthy Los Angeles manufacturer Albert Cheney, 65, died of a heart attack March 13, 1935, in Las Vegas, only 10 days before he and his fiancee, Hazel, who was 36, were to wed. Newspapers reported on April 22 that the former Mrs. Glab would return to Los Angeles to enter into probate a will handwritten in purple ink on hotel stationery, which left almost his entire $400,000 estate to Hazel, with only his home and furnishings at 15 Berkeley Square left to his daughter, Mrs. Taylor.

“Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory is now available at Amazon and at local bookstores.

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Biltmore Hotel Appears in 1931 Film

Posted on November 12, 2015 by lmharnisch

Nov. 12, 2015, Cracked Nuts

TCM recently aired several Wheeler and Woolsey films and we were happily surprised to see this establishing shot at the opening of the 1931 RKO picture “Cracked Nuts.” It is our old friend the Biltmore Hotel.

Let us also recall that the Biltmore makes an even earlier appearance in the 1930 Paramount film “For the Defense.”

Posted in 1931, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Golfing in the Crenshaw District, 1940s

Posted on November 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

 

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crensaw_fairways

A matchbook from Crenshaw Fairways, 3901 S. Crenshaw Blvd., has been listed on EBay as Buy It Now for $1.25.

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

 

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This week’s mystery movie has been the 1949 RKO picture “The Woman on Pier 13” (originally released as “I Married a Communist”)  starring Laraine Day, Robert Ryan, John Agar, Thomas Gomez, Janis Carter, Richard Rober, William Talman, Paul E. Burns, Paul Guilfoyle, G. Pat Collins, Fred Graham, Harry Chesire and Jack Stoney. It was written by Charles Grayon and Robert Hardy Andrews from a story by George W. George and George F. Slavin. It was photographed by Nicholas Musuraca, with art direction by Albert S. D’Agostino and Walter E. Keller, music by Leigh Harline, set decoration by Darrell Silvera and James Altwies, gowns by Michael Woulfe and hairstyles by Larry Germain. It was directed by Robert Stevenson.

“The Woman on Pier 13” is available from Warner Archive for $15.49.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 69 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: The Case of the Clicking Heels, Part 1

Posted on November 9, 2015 by lmharnisch

Hzel Glab mugshot
Hazel Glab’s mug shot.

This story arises from Linda Hammonds asking for further information regarding a 1920s Spanish home that sits at 12744 Ventura Blvd. on the Facebook page SoCal Historic Architecture. While I found virtually no information on the house itself, the story about what happened there proves that truth is stranger than fiction.

Pretty, blonde Hazel Belford was born in Oklahoma circa 1900, becoming orphaned at the age of 4. Her early life was full of adventure: friends with cowboys and Indians on the plains, and befriended by Al Jennings, bank robber. She dreamed of fame and fortune for herself, which many felt possible, with her delicate frame and long blonde hair.

“Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory is now available at Amazon and at local bookstores.

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Karie Bible and Mary Mallory Book Signing

Posted on November 8, 2015 by lmharnisch

Nov. 7, 2015, Book Signing
Mary Mallory, left, and Karie Bible spent years tracking down photos for their project.

 

 

We stopped off at Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard on Saturday afternoon for the authors’ presentation and book signing of “Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays,” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory.

“Hollywood Celebrates” is a handsomely produced, glossy paper book with beautifully reproduced images accompanied by their original captions from the studios, some of which are literate and others no so much.

Mary gave some background on the history of movie stills and publicity shots while Karie talked about the treasure hunt of finding vintage pictures. They noted that Greta Garbo hated doing publicity shots and that finding anything of her was extremely challenging (alas, a Garbo valentine was the closest they could get).

The seasonal images include Thelma Todd (New Year’s), Jack Mulhall (St. Patrick’s Day), Gail Russell (Easter), Lizabeth Scott (the Fourth of July), Clara Bow and Veronica Lake (Halloween) and Gloria Swanson (Christmas).

Karie and Mary gave effusive praise to author and photographer Mark Vieira for working wonders with the old and sometimes battered prints to make them pristine. Mark is one of those rare people who is a scholar, writer, artist and technician and he does gorgeous work, which is on display throughout the book.

“Hollywood Celebrates” is available from Amazon for $28.34. In addition to Larry Edmunds, the book is available for $29.99 at Book Soup, Skylight Books and Vroman’s.

If you missed the appearance at Larry Edmunds, you still have a chance for another signing:

Nov. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Orange County Public Library in Cypress, 5331 Orange Ave.

Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

Dec. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. at Hollywood Heritage Museum, 2100 Highland Ave, Los Angeles.

Also on Dec. 5, Karie Bible will be signing books between films at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, 429 Castro St., San Francisco.

Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. Mary Mallory will speak at the Will and Ariel Durant Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, 7140 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

Feb. 11 at the Art Deco Society of California, with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and a talk by Karie Bible at 7:30 p.m., Hotel Rex, 562 Sutter St., San Francisco.

Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m., at a silent film screening and book signing, Niles Film Museum, 37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont, Calif.

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Dalton Trumbo Praised by Hedda Hopper!

Posted on November 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

Trumbo, Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, Diane Lane

When I was doing the Daily Mirror at latimes.com, I wrote several posts on Dalton Trumbo, the subject of the new movie starring Bryan Cranston as the blacklisted screenwriter.

Here are some links:

Hedda Hopper praises Dalton Trumbo for “Kitty Foyle,” Feb. 3, 1941. 

James Cagney is negotiating with RCA Victor over rights to his monologue recordings of “Johnny Got His Gun,” Jimmie Fidler,   April 15, 1940.

Jimmie Fidler on Dalton Trumbo earning more money from Hollywood than from “Johnny Got His Gun,” Jan. 13, 1941.

Christmas 1950 in Prison With Dalton Trumbo, March 2, 1974.

Paul Coates — Another Claimant to ‘Brave’ Oscar, Jan. 22, 1959.

Posted in 1940, 1941, 1942, 1950, 1959, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Aggie Underwood and Women City Editors on the Frontiers of Journalism

Posted on November 6, 2015 by lmharnisch

Newspaperwoman Cover
Underwood’s autobiography, “Newspaperwoman,” written with Foster Goss. It is full of colorful stories, but like all autobiographies it should be taken with a grain of salt.

It’s probably a good time to bring a little clarity to the Aggie Underwood narrative before it spirals too far out of control.

It is often said (erroneously) that Underwood (d. 1984) was the first woman city editor of a major U.S. newspaper. It’s even in her obituary.

But it’s wrong.

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Posted in History | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

John Bengtson on Silent Films and Hollywood History

Posted on November 3, 2015 by lmharnisch

Silent Echoes

John Bengtson, who does so much amazing research into tracking down the sites where early films were shot, is giving a luncheon talk and book signing Nov. 16 at the Ebell of Los Angeles, 741 S. Lucerne Blvd. The event begins at 11:30 a.m., with lunch at noon. The program begins at 12:45 p.m.

John will discuss the filming of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Idle Class” and “The Kid” at Fremont Place near the club and Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd filming in the neighborhood on Larchmont.

Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members.

Posted in 2015, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo: Brain Trust Guest Edition (Updated + + +)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

Nov. 7, 2015, Mystery Photo

This week’s mystery photos are courtesy of guest host Earl Boebert, who says: I was laid up for a bit recuperating from some heavy-duty dental work, and being constitutionally incapable of sitting idle I worked up this mystery photo series for you to enjoy, chuck, or use as you see fit. Don’t feel obligated — it already served its purpose by getting me on the other side of an aching jaw 🙂

This is Season Three, Episode Four of “Perry Mason” — “The Case of the Blushing Pearls.(1959)” One of the more obscure episodes, seldom syndicated because the already convoluted plot was rendered unintelligible by the cuts to accommodate extra commercials. It does have an interesting array of 30s – 40s character actors and one subsequently famous cast member, and is distinctive amongst the early Perry Masons in that the victim is a sympathetic character.

It was the first original Perry Mason story by Jonathan Latimer, an ex-Chicago crime reporter and ex-pulp fiction author who had already adapted two Erle Stanley Gardner stories. Latimer had previously written the screenplays for “The Glass Key” and “The Big Clock” and may have been used to the longer form — his plot could have benefitted by another 20 minutes to tie up all its loose ends. He improved, though, and ended up writing a total of 32 episodes.

The episode occupies an interesting spot in the evolving portrayal of Japanese Americans in mass media. 1959 was as close to the closing of the internment camps as 9/11 is to us today, anti-Japanese sentiment was still strong among veterans of the Pacific War, and it was just one year after the Kingston Trio’s notorious “U.C.R.A” quip on their debut album.

In this environment, and writing for the 10th-rated show that year, Latimer depicts Japanese Americans as something other than houseboys and gardeners — in this case, owners and professionals in the pearl trade. But it pretty much ends there, as he lays on just about the all of the rest of the stereotypes: a submissive female, the threat posed by an interracial marriage, hara kiri, and Charlie Chan Confucianism.

 

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James Curtis: William Cameron Menzies — The Shape of Films to Come

Posted on November 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

WilliamCameronMenzies_JamesCurtis_Front
We had lunch recently with James Curtis, who showed us a copy of his upcoming biography: “William Cameron Menzies: The Shape of Films to Come,” to be released Nov. 17.

James is justly proud of his book, which is the culmination of many years of work. The book features color plates of some of Menzies’ remarkable artwork, which has remained in the family’s possession since Menzies’ death in 1957.

James has a number of public appearances scheduled to publicize the book, and in January, he will be co-hosting four nights of Menzies’ films on TCM with Robert Osborne.

He scheduled appearances so far are:

Introducing showings at Film Forum in New York, Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 1.

Rizzoli bookstore in Manhattan, Dec. 4.

A night of UCLA archival restorations at the Billy Wilder Theater, March 26.

And the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Oct. 1-8, 2016.

Posted in 2015, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Margaret Bourke-White, Motion Picture Photographer

Posted on November 2, 2015 by lmharnisch

motionpictureher129unse_0794
Margaret Bourke-White and Michael Curtiz during filming of “The Adventures of Robin Hood.”

Renowned photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White fearlessly documented battles on land, air, and sea, surviving combat zones, strafing during a bombing run, torpedoing at sea, and the bombardment of Moscow. Always hungry for new experiences, Bourke-White traveled the globe to observe, to learn, and make sense of the world. To that end, she would work briefly in Hollywood learning the art of moviemaking, an area little covered in her career.

Born Margaret White in New York, the young girl quickly grew interested in the field of photography through her father’s enthusiasm for cameras, continuing to work with practitioners and study the field while taking classes in college, before switching her focus to lenswork. White worked for the campus newspaper at her alma mater, Cornell, snapping shots of the area around the school, before establishing a commercial photography studio in Cleveland, Ohio in 1927, specializing in industrial and architectural photography. It was here she combined her parents’ last names to form her professional moniker, Margaret Bourke-White.

“Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays,” by Karie Bible and Mary Mallory is now on sale.

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Black Dahlia: Halloween 2015

Posted on October 31, 2015 by lmharnisch

Oct. 31, 2015, Halloween

Judging by Instagram, there are some people in the world who see nothing wrong with dressing up as the victim of a vicious, brutal murder.

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Posted in 1947, 2015, Black Dahlia, LAPD | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Daylight Saving Time Ends — A Reminder From the Daily Mirror

Posted on October 31, 2015 by lmharnisch

Pier Angeli

Pier Angeli and her little friend remind you that once again it’s time to turn back your clocks tonight.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments