Soldiers of the Press

Posted in 1944, African Americans, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged 1944, African Americans, film, hollywood, Louella Parsons | Comments Off

1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 24, 1944

Posted on March 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 24, 1944, Walter Winchell

March 24, 1944

Soldiers of the Press

Under fire from some members of Congress, Walter Winchell says: Every crusading newspaperman has discovered that his life is just a bed of thorns. Truth is as a red flag to the bull in certain groups … During the Revolution a great American aimed his pungent pen at those who obstructed the battle for freedom. The powerful men he irked launched a campaign of vilification against him and drove him out of the country. He later returned and died in poverty … Now he is remembered as one of the most eloquent voices of American liberty: Thomas Paine.

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When the Nation Pulled Together — Another Good Story Ruined

Posted on March 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 24, 1944

In the popular imagination, World War II was a time of national unity, the era of the “Greatest Generation,” when the nation put aside its differences to defeat a common enemy. Everyone loved President Roosevelt and no one complained about paying their taxes.

Then we turn to the old newspapers, which present a far different picture of the same partisan divisions and bitter political fighting that we have today. As for the myth that nobody complained about their patriotic duty of paying taxes – this story shows it just ain’t so.

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1944 in Print — The Lyons Den, March 23, 1944

Posted on March 23, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 23, 1944, Leonard Lysons

March 23, 1944

When Walter Winchell didn’t file a column, the St. Petersburg Times ran Leonard Lyons’ “The Lyons Den” instead. All of which will be explained in a few days.

At Mrs. Evelyn Walsh McLean’s party in Washington, Rep. Clare Luce discussed some Republican candidates with Henri Bernstein, the dramatist. “Willkie and Dewey will lock horns,” said Representative Luce. “neither will be able to budge the other and then MacArthur will come up as the dark horse.” When Bernstein made no comment, Mrs. Luce asked: “Don’t you think so? Such things have happened before, you know. Don’t you think MacArthur will come up as the dark horse?” … “What I was thinking,” replied Bernstein, “is that if such a thing should happen it will be the first time a dark horse came up on a white horse.”

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Politics | Tagged 1944, film, hollywood, Leonard Lyons, politics, Walter Winchell | Comments Off

1944 on the Radio — Linda Darnell Visits ‘Abbott and Costello,’ March 23, 1944

Posted on March 23, 2014 by lmharnisch

radio_dial_1944

March 23, 1944

It’s Thursday in 1944, which means we have:

— Linda Darnell is the guest on “The Abbott and Costello Show,” with the current popular hit “Speak Low.” Courtesy of Otrrlibary.org via Archive.org.

— “The Dinah Shore Program.” Courtesy of Archive.org.

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged 1944, film, hollywood, OTR, radio, World War II | Comments Off

1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, March 23, 1944

Posted on March 23, 2014 by lmharnisch

“Two pictures that search into the truth behind today’s moral menace!”

March 23, 1944, Louella Parsons

March 23, 1944

MAUREEN O’SULLIVAN’S $2,500 PIN WASN’T intentionally stolen after all. It was all an accident — but it should be a lesson to fans who make a habit of grabbing flowers and handkerchiefs from movie stars. This morning Father Moran of St. Benedict’s church called Maureen to explain what had happened. One of his parishioners, who is a movie fan, had been standing in line when Maureen came out of a broadcasting station. She was wearing a corsage and the little fan reached out and grabbed it for a “souvenir” and then ran. She didn’t realize until she was several blocks away that the valuable pin was dangling on the corsage. She took it immediately to her priest, who returned it to Maureen.

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood | Tagged 1944, film, hollywood, Louella Parsons | 2 Comments

LAPD Scrapbook: Police Crime Laboratory Beats Best Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, March 10, 1946

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 10, 1946

Here’s a feature from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives on police chemist Ray Pinker and the LAPD crime lab, which in those days was at the old Central Police Station on 1st Street.

Bloodstain pattern analysis in 1946? Yes, the LAPD was doing it.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, March 22, 1944

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 22, 1944, A Guy Named Joe

March 22, 1944, Louella Parsons

March 22, 1944

SNAPSHOTS OF HOLLYWOOD COLLECTED AT RANDOM: The Dick Powell–Joan Blondell rift is expected to reach the courts soon; Mrs. John Jacob Astor and her 9-year-old son were in Hollywood for the day en route home after spending the winter in Tucson; Mary Carlisle Blakely expects her baby the middle of June. She will leave as soon as she is able to travel to join her husband in Brazil. Bob Hope reported in a hospital in Porto Rico following a collapse; Judy Garland and Peter Lawford are a dancing twosome; Claudette Colbert has bought Peyton Hall, the apartment house built on the old Joseph Schenck–Norma Talmadge estate. She must have paid a pretty penny for it; Bobby Breen, believe it or not, showed up at the Clover Club with pretty Marjorie Weiss on his arm. He has been studying hard since he left the screen;

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1944 on the Radio — Betty Hutton Visits ‘Orson Welles Radio Almanac,’ March 22, 1944

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

radio_dial_1944

March 22, 1944

It’s Wednesday in 1944, which means we have:

— Betty Hutton is the guest on “Orson Welles’ Radio Almanac.” Courtesy of Archive.org.

— Earl Wrightson is the guest on “To Your Good Health,” a musical program, from the House of Squib. Courtesy of Otrrlibrary.org via Archive.org.

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 22, 1944

Posted on March 22, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 22, 1944

Man About Town

Lyle Talbot is getting used to civilian life with Judy Cook … Vaughn Paul, the ex of Deanna Durbin, is trying to make Joy Barlow his next … The Humphrey Bogarts are gunning for alleged friends who are trying to divide them.

Free Advt: Rep Martin Dies, as announced, will be given radio time next Sunday eve’g (March 26th) to reply to statements by this reporter, which Mr. Dies claims he can refute, etc… Mr. Dies, not long ago, got careless with his remarks (while not enjoying house immunity) and was sued in a libel action for $75,000 — the costs of which the taxpayers had to pay for him. His big humiliation is this: We recently reported that the Dies Committee (which was formed to uncover subversive activities) had nothing to do with the indictments of the 30 persons now waiting trial for allegedly conspiring against the country. The FBI, the Dept. of Justice and newspapers did the job the Dies Committee was supposed to do.

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Politics | Tagged #New York, 1944, film, hollywood, politics, Walter Winchell | Comments Off

LAPD Scrapbook: Los Angeles Crime Down for 1948

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

January 1949

January-February 1949

Here’s another item from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives: Los Angeles records a decrease in crime for 1948 compared to 1947, according to figures in the Pacific Coast International Law Enforcement News.

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1944 on the Radio — Rita Hayworth on ‘Burns and Allen,’ March 21, 1944

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

radio_dial_1944

March 21, 1944

It’s Tuesday in 1944 and today we have:

— Rita Hayworth is the guest on “Burns and Allen.” Courtesy of Otrrlibrary.org

— “Fibber McGee and Molly.” Courtesy of Archive.org.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, March 21, 1944

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 21, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, March 20 — I’d like to give a little argument to the reviewer who recently printed that Humphrey Bogart wasn’t at his best in love scenes. For my money, Bogey has most of the hand kissing boys backed off the boards when it comes to romantic sincerity. At various times Ann Sheridan and Bette Davis have told me they felt the same way about Bogey’s brand of love making (in the movies of course). Now I hear that Bette and Msr. Bogart will get a chance to do some of their most hectic love scenes in a movie they will do, “Lucky Sam McCarver.”

This Sidney Howard play was staged on Broadway about 15 years ago with Claire Ames and John Cromwell in the leading roles. It’s about a gambler with a 5th Avenue lady who fall in love — and how! Henry Blanke will produce.

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 21, 1944

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 21, 1944

Notes of an Innocent Bystander

The Wireless: Cong. Dies, who riles easy, is demagoging at a couple of news broadcasters. Now he intends to ask the stations, he says, if they are willing “to afford maligned persons an opportunity to answer false charges over the same facilities and to the same audience.” Let’s assume, Cong. Dies, that you want to be fair — and that you’re not just hunting for a headline. Would you favor the same fair shake for defenseless citizens who’ve been maligned on the floor of Congress? Would you allow the answerers the same immunity from the consequences of reckless statements that congressmen get? Or are you, after all, looking for a headline?

Can you imagine the shrieks from the part-time defenders of “freedom of the press” if Pres. Roosevelt dared to ask a let-up in the walloping he gets? To date, I haven’t heard a peep from them at Dies’ suggestion.

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, New York, Politics, World War II | Tagged 1944, film, hollywood, politics, stage, Walter Winchell, World War II | Comments Off

1944 in Print — Life Magazine, March 20, 1944

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 20, 1944, Life Magazine

March 20, 1944: The cover story features ballerina Nana Gollner, better known as Golovina. The featured photographer is Carl Mydans, who was held prisoner by the Japanese for 16 months. His essay is on the Tule Lake “Segregation Center,” which may remember was the site of some turmoil in 1943. The week’s movie is “Lady in the Dark.” And yes, Carl Mydans’ son is Seth Mydans of the New York Times. Courtesy of Google.

March 20, 1944, Life Magazine

Courtesy in the air, from American Airlines.

Posted in 1944, Dance, Film, Hollywood, Photography, World War II | Tagged 1944, dance, film, hollywood, Japanese internment, World War II | Comments Off

LAPD Scrapbook: Gangster Squad Abolished, Los Angeles Herald-Express, Oct. 6, 1949

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

20140310_121829

Oct. 6, 1949

Here’s another item from the LAPD scrapbooks at the city archives: The police chief is William A. Worton (are you paying attention, everybody who thinks William Parker was chief in 1949? especially you, Will Beall, writer of “Gangster Squad?”) and he disbands the gangster squad.

Posted in 1949, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged 1949, film, hollywood, lapd | 5 Comments

LAPD Mourns First Latina Officer Josephine Serrano Collier

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

josephine_serrano_collier_lapd

Josephine Serrano Collier, courtesy LAPD.

Nov. 4, 1949, Rich Beggar

The LAPD is honoring the memory of Officer Josephine Serrano Collier, who died last month at the age of 91 in Tucson. The LAPD says she was its first Latina officer. Here she is in November 1949, arresting an 80-year-old panhandler in Pershing Square.

Posted in 1949, Crime and Courts, Downtown, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged #Pershing Square, crime and courts, lapd, obituaries | Comments Off

1944 on the Radio — ‘Lux Radio Theatre’ and ‘The Lone Ranger,’ March 20, 1944

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

radio_dial_1944

March 20, 1944

It’s Monday in 1944, which means we have:

— Franchot Tone, Chester Morris, Anne Baxter and Miriam Hopkins in “The Hard Way” on Lux Radio Theatre. Courtesy of Archive.org.

— “The Lone Ranger.” Courtesy of Archive.org.

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1944 in Print — Hollywood Gossip by Louella Parsons, March 20, 1944

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 20, 1944

HOLLYWOOD, March 19 — Well, it looks like the diaper-washing days of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Terry (also known as Joan Crawford) are over for good or at least for a long time. The Terrys, who have been taking their time about movie jobs, are going back to work. Joan, as we told you, does “Mildred Pearce” for Warners and over the weekend Phil signed for the role opposite Anne Shirley in “Here Comes the Bride” at RKO.

What’s more, the studio is taking an option on Terry, and he may remain on that lot. In addition to Anne and Phil, “Here Comes the Bride” also has Jane Darwell, just back from Broadway and a fling on the stage in “Suds in Your Eye” in the cast. A word about the title — Para had “Here Comes the Bride” tied up, but RKO hopes to clear the title.

SNAPSHOTS OF HOLLYWOOD COLLECTED AT RANDOM: Carole Landis cooked dinner for her bridegroom, Capt. Wallace, Friday night.

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On the Set With Preston Sturges, March 20, 1944

Posted on March 20, 2014 by lmharnisch

Rosalind Shaffer is not byline I recognize. She filed this feature on Preston Sturges, published in the St. Petersburg Times, March 20, 1944.

Here’s a bonus fact: Shaffer helped found the Hollywood Women’s Press Club.