1944 in Print — Life Magazine, June 19, 1944

Posted on June 19, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 12, 1944, Life Magazine

June 19, 1944

Gen. Eisenhower is the cover story in this week’s Life magazine.

Life covers the D-day invasion….

And the Hollywood feature is the artwork of director Jean Negulesco.

Courtesy of Google Books.

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Black Dahlia: Donald Wolfe, ‘The Black Dahlia Files’ and a Faked Document (Revisited)

Posted on June 19, 2014 by lmharnisch

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Page 198 of Donald H. Wolfe’s “The Black Dahlia Files.”

Someone asked about the fake a document in Donald Wolfe’s “The Black Dalia Files.” Here’s a post I wrote about it on April 14, 2006. Eight years later, I’m still waiting for a response from Wolfe about this.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, June 19, 1944

Posted on June 19, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 19, 1944, Comics

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June 19, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 18 — (INS) Bing Crosby gets his way — meaning an “unknown” plays the title role in “The Great John L.” Greg McClure is the lucky gent. He’s a 26-year-old Irishman, built like an “ad” for a physical culture training course, two-fisted and good looking.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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Too Modern Times

Posted on June 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

Charlie Chaplin Modern Times

It is really sad when a certain hometown newspaper makes this sort of mistake, especially in a section that covers films. Not only is this famous horizontal photo run as a vertical; it’s also flopped.

 

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, June 18, 1944

Posted on June 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 18, 1944, Camels

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June 18, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 17 – On June 21, Leo the Lion will have roared for 20 years, carrying many glamorous and popular stars to fame. When I came to Hollywood 19 years ago, this company was making itself known with Norma Shearer, who had only lately come from New York. Later she was to fall in love with and marry Irving Thalberg, brilliant executive, who had a great part in creating screen productions that were to give M-G-M an enviable place in the amusement world.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, June 17, 1944

Posted on June 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

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June 17, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 16 — My old friend Ralph Wheelright, whom I have known since he was in the MGM publicity department and before that, when he was one of the Los Angeles Examiner’s star reporters, takes another jump up the ladder. From here on Ralph is a producer on the MGM lot, and it is a promotion he has earned the hard way. Far be it from me to say Ralph ever stopped to dreaming up good publicity stories, but he did author two of Metro’s best originals, “Blossoms in the Dust” and “Thunder Afloat.”

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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People Who Write in Library Books Should Be Shot

Posted on June 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

Don't Write in Library Books

I mean really.

Posted in Books and Authors | Tagged | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on June 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 21, 2014, Mystery Photo
This is “Shield for Murder,” requested by Julie Merholz, who says that she watched some of the filming when she was a student at Beverly Hills High (scene of the swimming pool sequence). Thanks, Julie!

 

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Preston Duncan Shoots for Artistry

Posted on June 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

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Buddy Rogers, photographed by Preston Duncan.


Motion picture still photography grew rapidly from the early teens through the mid-1920s, becoming the main publicity staple of Hollywood film studios. Begun merely as a record for film scenes, shot by camera operators and cinematographers, stills also quickly expanded into the artistic realm.

At the turn of the 20th century, stage and vaudeville performers personally hired New York studio photographers to shoot images they could employ to promote themselves in newspapers and magazines. David Shields, in his book, “Still: American Silent Motion Picture Photography,” notes that many studios at this time began experimenting with visual language to create what we now know as glamour.

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

 

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Black Dahlia: Gloria Swanson Photo Inscribed to Mark Hansen on EBay

Posted on June 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

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Here’s another item that is tangentially related to the Black Dahlia case: A photograph of Gloria Swanson inscribed to Florentine Gardens business manager Mark Hansen. Hansen was a small-time operator of movie theaters and news accounts of the Black Dahlia case describe his home (now demolished) on Carlos Avenue, where Elizabeth Short lived for a time, as being full of photos of movie stars such as this one.

Bidding on this item starts at $350 or Buy It Now for $499.99. As with anything on EBay, an item and vendor should be investigated thoroughly before submitting a bid.

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Black Dahlia: Joseph G. Fickling Memorabilia on EBay

Posted on June 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

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An EBay vendor has listed the pilot wings that belonged to Joseph G. Fickling, Elizabeth Short’s onetime boyfriend. Apparently these items were in a storage unit. The vendor has posted a photo of Fickling’s dog tags (not included in the sale) to prove authenticity.

I interviewed Fickling in 1996 about the case and found him to be a very nice man. After his death, some of Fickling’s other militaria was listed on EBay, including a uniform, as I recall.

Bidding on the pilot wings starts at $59.99. As with anything on EBay, an item and vendor should be investigated thoroughly before submitting a bid.

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U.S. Troops Report Nazi Atrocities During Invasion, June 13, 1944

Posted on June 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 13, 1944, Comics

June 13, 1944

The Times reports the death of pilot Maj. Joseph D.R. Shaffer, 26, of Long Beach, who received the Silver Star and the  Distinguished Service Cross for shooting down a Nazi bomber near Reykjavik — the first German plane downed by an American in the European theater. Shaffer was killed in a plane accident over Salisbury, England, officials say. Pilot Elza Shahan also received the Silver Star for attacking the German plane on the same mission with Shaffer.

Howard Whitman of the New York News files a delayed report on German atrocities during the D-Day invasion. Troops told Whitman that Nazi troops executed captured Americans by shooting them point-blank in the face. Other Americans had their throats slit by German troops.

Columnist Tom Treanor, who will be killed in August in a jeep accident during the liberation of France, files a radio broadcast on the invasion.

One of the sights I saw was a little group of German prisoners walking peaceably down a little side lane guarded by a soldier with a fixed bayonet. They looked tired, dirty and generally without spunk. Here, as elsewhere, they certainly fought hard before they surrendered.

In the theaters: “Are These Our Parents” with Lyle Talbot and  Helen Vinson. Produced by — hey it’s Donald Wolfe’s stepfather Jeffrey Bernerd!

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip By Louella Parsons, June 13, 1944

Posted on June 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

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June 13, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 12 — There isn’t a chance of MGM making the same mistake with 14-year-old Jane Powell they made with Deanna Durbin. Deanna slipped through their fingers and then made “Three Smart Girls” for Charles Rogers and immediately zoomed to stardom. Now, as soon as Jane makes one more picture for Rogers (she has been seen in “Song of the Open Road”)_ she’ll return to her home studio.

And advice to empty-nesters from Dorothy Dix.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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1944 in Print — Life Magazine, June 12, 1944

Posted on June 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 12, 1944, Life Magazine

June 12, 1944

Life’s cover photo shows 500-pound bombs falling on an oil refinery in Leghorn, Italy.

Where does Al Capp get ideas for his characters? Would you believe Veronica Lake?

A feature on Humphrey Bogart says that while filming a dangerous scene in “Action in the North Atlantic” in which he and Raymond Massey were being doubled by stuntmen, Bogart said: “Ray, I’ll bet you $10 my double is braver than yours.”

Courtesy of Google Books.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, June 12, 1944

Posted on June 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

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June 12, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 11 — Right out of New York comes word Jack Warner has added “The Two Mrs. Carrolls” to his list of New York plays. Jack, who has spent money unstintingly for New York hits, is starting with a schedule that is terrific from the standpoint of an investment in screen material.

The price reported paid for this murder thriller is $225,000. It was the play in New York with Elizabeth Bergner and Victor Jory. It’s old-fashioned melodrama but the kind the theatergoing public eats up.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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‘Saving Mr. Banks’ on Heritage Square

Posted on June 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

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I was underwhelmed by “Saving Mr. Banks,” but look what I found! It’s Heritage Square, which (for out-of-town readers) is just off the Arroyo Seco Parkway.

Heritage Square

Here’s Heritage Square as shown on Google Street View.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, June 10, 1944

Posted on June 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

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June 10, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, June 9 — There has been so much talk that Joan Fontaine would take her troubles to court and ask to have her David Selznick contract canceled that I did a little investigating. I talked to David Selznick and learned he met with her agent, a Jules Stein representative, on Thursday and offered to set up a trust fund in addition to her salary. Because of the wage stabilization law, it is impossible to give an increase in money.

Interestingly enough, Parsons mentions a Billy Wilder-Charles Brackett project at Paramount titled “Olympe.” It’s hard to picture that as a working title for “Double Indemnity”  (released in August 1944) or “Lost Weekend.” Imdb and The Times clips are most unhelpful. Anyone in the Brain Trust have more information on this intriguing project?

From the Milwaukee Sentinel.

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Black Dahlia: My Photos of Elizabeth Short Get Around

Posted on June 10, 2014 by lmharnisch

L.A. Daily Mirror, April 25, 2014

Some folks on the Internet are quite casual about where they get images. I always watermark mine so that even if someone swipes it, the url is still visible — unless someone crops it out. Here’s a case in point.

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Movieland Mystery Photo ( Updated + + + + )

Posted on June 9, 2014 by lmharnisch

June 14, 2014, Mystery Photo
This week’s mystery movie was “Black Angel,” as requested by B.J. Merholz. Thanks, B.J. And if you have a mystery movie request, email me here.

 

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Clifton’s Cafeteria Offers Food for Thought

Posted on June 9, 2014 by lmharnisch

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Clifton’s Pacific Seas, 618 S. Olive St.


Long before kitschy was cool and themed restaurants like tiki bars, Planet Hollywoods and Rainforest Cafes existed, downtown Los Angeles sported eclectically decorated and festive Clifton’s Cafeterias. Over the top and lavishly theatrical, Clifton’s operated in Los Angeles’ heart, including Clifton’s Pacific Seas and Brookdale, one sporting an exotic, tropical setting and the other looking like a set from a national park.

Even more remarkable than their lavishly decorated interiors was the generous, lovely operating philosophy behind the chain. From the beginning, Clifton’s operated on the policy of “the Golden Rule,” hoping to treat others as kindly as they themselves were treated. Clifford Clinton, son of missionary Edmond Clinton, was born in China while his parents served the poor after the Boxer Rebellion. Seeing the hungry and homeless, his deep compassion filled him with a desire to take care of those less unfortunate.

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

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