Black Friday Special — An Aluminum Christmas Tree From 1959!

Posted on November 28, 2014 by lmharnisch

Oct. 11, 1959, Aluminum Christmas Tree

To all who long for a “kinder simpler time” and say that today’s retailers start their Christmas sales too early, here is the May Co. ad for aluminum Christmas trees, which was published Oct. 11, 1959, well before Halloween. (You see, nothing has really changed, has it?)

And for $39.98 on sale, you could buy “A wonderfully gay musical tree stand in white or gold.”

Adjusted for inflation, that aluminum Christmas tree cost $300 in 2014 dollars. The tree stand was $326.21.

From 2010: “Oh Tin-Enbaum.”

Posted in 1959 | Tagged , | 2 Comments

An 1890s Thanksgiving in the Kitchen

Posted on November 27, 2014 by lmharnisch

Everyday Cook-Book

Note: This is a repost from 2011. Happy Thanksgiving!

Here’s a traditional roast turkey recipe from the “Every-Day Cook-Book and Family Compendium,” written about 1890 by Miss E. Neill. Be sure your fire is bright and clear and watch out for the gall-bag.
Continue reading →

Posted in 1890, Food and Drink, From the Stacks | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 28

Posted on November 26, 2014 by lmharnisch

Georgette Bauerdorf car
Garner Brown and John Schilling examine the Bauerdorf car for fingerprints, courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library.

So far we have been looking at the behavior of the man who killed Georgette Bauerdorf to see if we can distill something about him. And rather than going in chronological order, we have taken it from least speculative to most speculative. The last two posts examined the killer’s behavior in “undoing” the crime: putting Georgette’s body in the bathtub, turning on the hot water, cleaning up the bloodstain on the bedroom rug and trying to remove the piece of fabric that he had had rammed down her throat.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 27

Posted on November 25, 2014 by lmharnisch

Oct. 20, 1944, Daily News
Oct. 20, 1944: Garner Brown examines the piece of crepe tetra used to kill Georgette Bauerdorf, Daily News.

In an attempt to distill the character traits of the man who killed Georgette Bauerdorf, we have been looking at his unusual and unnecessary behavior at the crime scene: Putting the body in the bathtub, turning on the hot water and  trying to clean up the blood on the bedroom rug. And rather than taking the phases of the crime in chronological order, we are going from least speculative to most speculative.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Helpful Holiday Gift Suggestions From the L.A. Daily Mirror (Updated)

Posted on November 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

Fatty Arbuckle’s 1919 Pierce Arrow, via Hemmings Motor News.

As the countdown to the holidays begins, the L.A. Daily Mirror will offer occasional gift suggestions. Here’s an item that is sure to surprise your favorite car buff or vintage film fan. This is Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle’s 1919 Pierce Arrow. According to the vendor, the chassis for this vehicle was delivered to Don Lee Coach and Bodyworks in Los Angeles in 1918 and customized in a design by Harley Earl.

Price? You’re going to ask about the price? It’s listed as “inquire.”

Note: I didn’t notice before, but the car seems to have right-hand drive. How curious.

May 2, 1920, Arbuckle's Pierce Arrow

And here is Arbuckle at the wheel of his machine, in a photo published in The Times on May  2, 1920.

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Posted in 1919, Film, Hollywood, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

Nov. 20, 2014
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1934 Universal film “One More River,” starring Diana Wynyard, Frank Lawton, Colin Clive and Mrs. Patrick Campbell. It was directed by James Whale with a script by R.C. Sherriff, adapted from the novel by John Galsworthy. Art direction was by Charles D. Hall, photography by John J. Mescall and music by W. Franke Harling.  Special effects by John P. Fulton and edited by Ted Kent.

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

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: George Ali, World’s Greatest Animal Impersonator

Posted on November 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

 

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George Ali in “Peter Pan.”


Best remembered for portraying Nana the dog in Herbert Brenon’s 1924 film adaptation of “Peter Pan,” George Ali excelled at playing all types of animal characters in vaudeville and the stage for over thirty years. His realistic, animated portrayals of four legged creatures earned him the moniker, “world’s greatest animal impersonator” in many reviews. Wearing an oversize animal costume, Ali’s expressive, whimsical performances touched children and adults alike, giving dignity and human like qualities to pets or service animals.

Not much is known about Ali’s early years prior to working on stage. A 1925 issue of Photoplay, describing his wonderful work in “Peter Pan,” states that Ali “was trained as an acrobat in his youth by a troupe of strolling Arab gymnasts. His non-professional name is George Edward Bolinbroke.” Searches under both names, however, fail to turn up any evidence of his true name and background.

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

World War II Militaria — Who Can Spot the Mistake?

Posted on November 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

 

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oviatt_army_uniform_01_ebay
This Army uniform has been listed by an EBay vendor as being from the 1st Infantry Division.

Have you spotted the mistake yet?

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Posted in Fashion, Found on EBay, World War II | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Nov. 22, 1963: Remembering JFK, That Day in Dallas and Baby Boomer Nostalgia

Posted on November 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

Nov. 22, 1963, JFK Assassinated

Nov. 22, 1963: The Times publishes an extra.

Note: In case you are wondering, this is a repost from 2013.

I recently attended graduation exercises for a local college and the commencement speaker spent quite a while talking about how the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy was a watershed moment in her life.

As she was speaking, I studied the faces in the audience — the family and friends of people in their early 20s who were graduating from college —  and wondered: “What on Earth do these kids make of this? Does it resonate at all?” Actually, no. Not in the least. And why should it?

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Posted in 1963, History | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

On the Frontiers of Costume Design — ‘Twentieth Century’

Posted on November 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

"Twentieth Century"

I watched “Twentieth Century” for the first time the other night and was more than a bit surprised to see Carole Lombard clearly braless in this scene. It’s not as apparent in a frame grab as it is in the film, but she jiggles mightily.

Posted in 1934, Fashion, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 26

Posted on November 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

Aug. 19, 1940, B-girl killing

We don’t know much about the man who killed Georgette Bauerdorf, but let’s see what we can infer. The way he killed her was quite unusual (more about that later) and his behavior after the killing was also somewhat unusual. But rather than trying to take the phases of the crime in chronological order, let’s go from least speculative to most speculative.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1940, 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 25

Posted on November 19, 2014 by lmharnisch

Oct. 19, 1944, Bauerdorf Case
Oct. 19, 1944: Los Angeles Herald-Express

Before trying to theorize about what might have happened on the night of the killing, let’s sum up everything we know about our victim, Georgette Bauerdorf, and then take a look at what little we know about the killer.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 24

Posted on November 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

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The front door of the Bauerdorf apartment, photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library.

In the previous post, we examined the scenario about the light fixture in the entryway to the Bauerdorf apartment. At the time of the killing, there was intense speculation that the killer disabled the light so that Georgette Bauerdorf would be unable to see who was at the door and thus admitted the killer.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Found on EBay — Oviatt’s Overcoat

Posted on November 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

oviatts_overcoat_ebay

oviatts_overcoat_ebay_label oviatts_overcoat_ebay_label_02

This overcoat, size 46, from Oviatt’s has been listed on EBay with bids starting at $4.99. There appears to be some moth damage and some less than expert repairs. Oviatt’s was among the leading men’s stores in Los Angeles its wares are prized by collectors of vintage clothing. (Sorry to miss the latest tweed crawl, chaps. I was working, but I was with you in spirit).

Posted in Fashion | Tagged , | Comments Off on Found on EBay — Oviatt’s Overcoat

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on November 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

image
This week’s mystery movie has been the 1935 Fox film “Black Sheep,” starring Edmund Lowe and Claire Trevor (Friday’s mystery guests), Tom Brown (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Eugene Pallette (not shown), Adrienne Ames (Monday’s mystery guest), Herbert Mundin (Thursday’s mystery guest) and Ford Sterling (not shown). It was directed by Allan Dwan from a screenplay by Allen Rivkin based on a story by Dwan. Music by Oscar Levant!

I recorded “Black Sheep” several years ago from cable and I’m not sure it is generally available.

Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 33 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Bryson Apartments ‘The Finest Apartment Building West of New York City’

Posted on November 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

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The Bryson Apartments, via Google Street View.


Considered by many to be one of the most attractive apartment buildings in Los Angeles, the regal Bryson Apartment Building at 2701 Wilshire Blvd. stands as a lovely example of 1910s high end apartment living, a stately survivor reflecting the optimistic, go-getter attitude of early Los Angeles residents. Combining superb construction, elegant looks, and luxurious decoration, the Bryson stands as a glorious monument to its builder, Hugh W. Bryson.

Community leader Bryson believed in constructing affordable large scale residential developments filled with beauty and taste. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, August 1, 1868, ambitious Bryson strove for excellence from a young age. After graduating from high school, he worked as clerk for a cotton brokers, working in banking, and selling real estate, before arriving in Los Angeles in 1902. Bryson joined leading contractor, F. O. Engstrum Co., and within a few years, married the owner’s daughter, Blanche. He was named a general manager and director of the company in 104, focusing on major projects. Recognizing the large migration of East Coast and Midwest residents to sunny LA, Bryson began financing and his own projects under his Concrete Appliances Company.

Mary Mallory’s “Hollywoodland: Tales Lost and Found” is available for the Kindle.
Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Bryson Apartments ‘The Finest Apartment Building West of New York City’

Just in Time for Christmas — Amazon Price Checker

Posted on November 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

camelcamelcamel.com

Here’s a fun toy I just discovered.

CamelCamelCamel.com tracks price fluctuations on Amazon (in case you haven’t noticed – and I hadn’t —  the hardcover price of James Ellroy’s “Perfidia” has been dropping slightly every day). Handy for the holidays, no?

Here’s what it looks like:

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Posted in Books and Authors | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

L.A. Becomes New York: ‘Three on a Match’ (1932)

Posted on November 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

"Thee on a Match"

After I posted a photo of Ann Dvorak’s Duesenberg in the 1932 film “Three on a Match,” John Bengtson noted that the school scenes were filmed at Los Angeles High School on Fort Moore Hill. “Three on a Match” is, of course, set in New York.

Los Angeles High School
A postcard showing Los Angeles High School, listed on EBay as Buy It Now for $5.19.

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Posted in 1932, Architecture, Downtown, Education, Film, Hollywood, Location Sleuth, New York | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 23

Posted on November 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

Georgette Bauerdorf

A photo (possibly hand-tinted)  of Georgette Bauerdorf, National Police Gazette, August 1946, courtesy of Steven Bibb. 

And now we enter the realm of speculation in the Georgette Bauerdorf case. We have looked at all the evidence as it was reported in the newspapers, but without access to the autopsy report or the Bauerdorf apartment, everything remains tentative at best.  We can only theorize as to what might have occurred.

Let’s examine several scenarios that were suggested by the original investigators.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31

Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 36 Comments

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder, Part 22

Posted on November 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

Georgette Bauerdorf, L.A. Public Library

Georgette Bauerdorf in a photograph courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library.

So far in our examination of the Georgette Bauerdorf killing, we have looked at almost every aspect except the way the investigation was conducted.

Georgette Bauerdorf, an Unsolved Murder:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 |  Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments