Last Bookstore Is Selling Vinyl

Posted on September 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Erroll Garner

The last time I was buying lots of vinyl, I was concentrating on classical music and soundtracks, so there isn’t much jazz at the Daily Mirror HQ. On Sunday at the Last Bookstore, I stocked up on Erroll Garner and Art Tatum. OK, I pretty cleaned them out.

One young woman was checking prices on the Internet as she went through the racks, oohing and aahing at the low prices. As we can tell young persons, any disc that’s only couple of dollars and doesn’t look like it’s been used as home plate in a game of street baseball is a bargain.

I would recommend to the store folks that they not display records in the windows – unless they want to see what hot sunlight does to plastic.

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Found on EBay – Mullen & Bluett

Posted on September 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Mullen & Bluett

This 1917 postcard from Mullen & Bluett advertising Straw Hat Day has been listed on EBay. For many years, menswear stores in Los Angeles promoted Straw Hat Day or Straw Hat Week at the beginning of summer. And, of course, they promoted Felt Hat Week in the fall.

Bidding on this postcard starts at $9.95.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1917, Fashion, Found on EBay | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated +]

Posted on September 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 12, 2011, Mystery Photo

[Update: This is Nell O’Day (d. 1989).]

Here’s another mystery photo courtesy of Steven Bibb!

There’s another photo on the jump.

Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on September 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

1993 Cadillac hearsePhoto: “One of a kind” customized 1993 Cadillac hearse with satellite dish  for sale on EBay at $6,000 with reserve.

Queen of the Dead – dateline September 12, 2011

•  The restoration of the Habsburgs becomes less likely (OK, it was not really that likely) with the death on September 6 of Archduke Felix of Austria, 95. Known to his pals as “Felix Friedrich August Maria vom Siege Franz Joseph Peter Karl Anton Robert Otto Pius Michael Benedikt Sebastian Ignatius Marcus d’Aviano,” the archduke was the last surviving child of Charles I, and brother of Crown Prince Otto, Austria-Hungary’s last crowned heads. Just a wee archduke of 3 when his family fled their homeland, he went on to fight with the 101st U.S. Infantry Battalion (the “Free Austria Battalion”) in World War II.

Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, History, Queen of the Dead, Television, World War II | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Jesus Unsaved? [Updated]

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Jesus Saves

Jesus Saves

Photo credit: Eric Richardson/Blogdowntown.

Jesus Saves, Sept. 8, 1979 Eric Richardson of Blogdowntown reports the removal on Saturday night of the famous JESUS SAVES neon signs from the former United Artists theater. No word as to their destination.

I have queried Nathan Marsak, our favorite L.A. neon expert, because if anyone knows, he will.  At right, the sign as it appeared in 1979.

[Update: Apparently Los Angeles University Cathedral, the church founded by the Rev. Gene Scott (d. 2005), who salvaged the signs from wherever they had been dumped, is moving from downtown to Glendale — and so are the signs. That raises the question of what becomes of the United Artists theater. The church hasn’t allowed photography inside, so I don’t have any current pictures of the interior. ]

Posted in Downtown, Religion | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Los Angeles City Hall, Sept. 11, 2011

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles City Hall, Sept. 11, 2011

Photo: City Hall, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Credit: Larry Harnisch/LADailyMirror.com

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A Revolution in Research

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Japanese Camp Art

Image: Rohwer Camp #23. Credit: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

Continue reading →

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Zoot Suit Files: Intelligence Report on Subversives

Posted on September 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

1942_0924_subversives_01_pix51

Sept. 24, 1942: Intelligence officer B.L. Canaga compiles a report on subversives that might be active in the 11th Naval District. His list includes communists, Japanese, Falangists, Sinarchists, Italians, Germans and acts of sabotage:

“Many prominent and wealthy motion picture writers (a great majority of them of the Jewish race) continue their activities in CP [Communist Party] front organizations.”

“General dissatisfaction among residents of relocation centers appears to be on the increase.”

This report is one of the items I found at the National Archives in Riverside. I’m posting it before getting into the material on the Zoot Suit Riots to provide some perspective on the attitudes of the era.

“Zoot Suit” and History, Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Continue reading →

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California Raises Speed Limit to 55 mph!

Posted on September 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 10, 1941, Comics

Sept. 10, 1941: California gets ready to raise the speed limit to 55 mph and the Auto Club will be posting new signs. That’s right, the Auto Club posted highway signage.

Jimmie Fidler says: There’s something sadly amiss when an industry that can — and does — spend millions to recruit the world’s best writing brains is still so starved for ideas that it’s forced to remake stories over and over again.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated ++]

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 9, 2011, Mystery Photo

[Update: This is Leon Janney (d. 1980)].

Here’s our mystery fellow, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Database of Slave Names Going Online

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue
Image: “Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue.”

The Virginia Historical Society is compiling a database of slaves and owners. The database, which will go online Wednesday, contains the names of 1,400 slaves and 180 owners, according to Eve M. Kahn in the New York Times.

“Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue” by Girolamo Romano, on loan from the Pinacoteca di Brera museum in Milan to the Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science in Tallahassee, Fla., is being kept in the U.S. over allegations that it was looted from a Jewish family by the Nazis during World War II. A gosh, gee-willikers story from the Tallahassee Democrat is here. | AP via Wall Street Journal.

The L.A. Daily Mirror and L.A. Crime Beat patiently collected from Twitter feeds by the patient bots at paper.li.

Posted in Art & Artists, Crime and Courts, Genealogy, History, Libraries, Museums, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Database of Slave Names Going Online

Hitler Dead Soon, Hungarian Astrologer Says

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 9, 1941, Astrology

Sept. 9, 1941, Comics

Sept. 9, 1941: The Times publishes the amazing predictions of Hungarian “astro-philosopher” Louis De Wohl!

He says Adolf Hitler is mentally ill. Check.

He says Hitler doesn’t have long to live. Well, depending on how you define “long.”

And the golden age of peace will begin in 1948! Uh-oh.

How does he do it? “There’s nothing supernatural or uncanny about it. It’s just cold logic,” he says. “Stars can affect our doings only 40% of the time and wills of humans affect the remaining 60%. But you can’t ignore that 40%.”

The Sacramento Solons meet the Hollywood Stars at Gilmore Field in a double-header. [New readers, Gilmore Field (d. 1950) is now the site of CBS Television City.]

Jimmie Fidler says: That’s an on-the-level tiff between Betty Grable and Carole Landis, with studio workers rooting for the latter.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Art & Artists, Baseball, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

John Wilkes Booth Site for Sale – Civil War Reenactors Not Included

Posted on September 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Cleydael

Photo: Cleydael. Credit: Motley’s Auction and Realty Group.

Three historic buildings in Texas’ Bastrop State Park were lost in the recent wildfire, but many other structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps have survived, according to Ben Wear of the Austin American-Statesman. In case you are wondering, the CCC was a federal work relief project created by President Roosevelt to combat unemployment during the Depression.

Bidders have an opportunity to buy the home of Dr. Richard Stuart, where Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth unsuccessfully sought treatment for his ankle, which was injured when he jumped to the stage of Ford’s Theatre.

According to Linda Wheeler of the Washington Post, the home (plus 12 acres) near Fredericksburg, Va. was put up for auction after owner Kathryn Coombs, who used it as a movie location, died without a will.

As described in the auction listing, the 3,300-square-foot home at 7411 Peppermill Drive, King George, Va., is a two-story Colonial built in 1859. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, tall ceilings and a wrap-around front porch.

The L.A. Daily Mirror and L.A. Crime Beat sifted from Twitter feeds by tireless bots at paper.li

Posted in 1859, Architecture, Crime and Courts, Film, Homicide, Stage, Theaters | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Mystery Film of Los Angeles [Updated]

Posted on September 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

image
Photo: Nathan Marsak tests the latest Ford.

Curbed LA’s link to this 1917 Ford travelogue on Los Angeles has been passed around until I finally saw it. How many of these locations do you recognize? Here’s footage of streetcars and autos downtown. If you look carefully, you’ll see an officer directing traffic.

Continue reading →

Posted in 1917, Downtown, Film, Mystery Photo, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged | 6 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo [Updated]

Posted on September 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 7, 2011, Mystery Photo

Here’s today’s mystery photo, courtesy of Steven Bibb!

[Update: This is Linda Ware, who was billed as the next Deanna Durbin. The fellow imitating President Roosevelt is R.D. Parker, who was elected Chief Grouch of 1939 by the Grouch Club. The Grouch Club was a 1930s radio program created by Jack Lescoulie that aired on KFWB].

Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Nazi Swastika on Hollywood Hills!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 7, 1941, Swastika
Sept. 7, 1941, Pant Pant
Image: “I guess I’m a fool,” she panted. Credit: This Week magazine, Los Angeles Times

Sept. 7, 1941:It’s Sunday in Los Angeles, and although Pearl Harbor is three months away, concern about the impending war is everywhere. Someone even changed a “V” for victory to a swastika  on the hills  over what is now the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, which was then the site of the “Pilgrimage Play.”

There are few recognizable titles among the bestsellers of the day: James Hilton’s “Random Harvest,” William L. Shirer’s “Berlin Diary” and Perhaps A.J. Cronin’s “The Keys of the Kingdom.” The rest have gone to the Zombie Reading Program.

On the radio: the Rev. Bob Schuler at 8:45 a.m. on KMTR; Sister Aimee Semple McPherson at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on KFSG. Then there’s Gene Autry on KNX at 2:30 p.m.; and Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy at 4 p.m. on KFI.

Jimmie Fidler says of a rumored change of management at a studio:

Producers are too afraid of being ousted to attempt anything but carbon copies of proven hit pictures…. Writers are too busy looking about for new jobs to do anything really creative. Directors are too eagerly currying favor with the new sovereign to stand up for their own ideas. Everyone, in short, devotes 90% of his energy to placating the potential head-lopper-offer and only 10% to his job. No one is sure of himself!

Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Music, Radio, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Good Way to Scan Negatives

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

CanoScan

I rarely post non-historic items from EBay, but this one is worth mentioning. It’s a CanoScan 9950F, which handles negatives – and does a good job. These scanners have (of course) been discontinued by Canon, and don’t show up terribly often on EBay, so you might want to think about this one if you have lots of negatives or transparencies to scan. The alternatives made by Epson and Nikon are far more expensive. I got one used on EBay about a year ago and I’m very happy with it.

I should also add that the optical character recognition software that comes with the scanner works well. I use it frequently in preparing posts for the Daily Mirror.

As with anything on EBay, an item and vendor should be evaluated thoroughly before submitting a bid. This one starts at $9.99.

Posted in Found on EBay, Photography | Tagged , | 1 Comment

International Spy Museum Is Hiring!

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Spy Museum

Photo: The International Spy Museum offers “Dinner With a Spy.” Credit: International Spy Museum.

The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., has a job opening for director of guest services (and security!)

The ideal applicant must have excellent team building skills, a focus on guest experience, and will direct the planning, and implementation of all daily activities related to admissions, crowd flow, information services, membership sales, special private programs, security services, and ticketing for groups, general admission, members, and VIPs.

More details in the Washington Post’s want ads.

Aggregating —  in which trolls like me gather relevant (and SEO-licious) items for a discerning audience — has a new and more respectable name: digital curating, according to Dominic Basulto in the Washington Post’s Ideas @ Innovations blog. Dominic, you have just been curated!

The L.A. Daily Mirror and L.A. Crime Beat carefully curated from the finest Twitter feeds by the discriminating bots at paper.li. [Gloria Allred, the Angelyne of the legal profession, has scheduled a news conference, according to TMZ.  Stop the presses.]

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‘Zoot Suit’ and History – Navy Reports

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 6, 1942, Lookse Talk

Feb. 6, 1942: Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox warns against “loose talk.” Credit: National Archives.

I returned from Saturday’s trip to the National Archives in Riverside with more than 200 images of historic documents. It’s going to take some time process them for posting on the Internet. Many of the documents are carbons on onion skin paper or pulp paper; they are in roughly chronological order with the newest documents on top, but they still need to be organized. And I photographed them with existing light, so they are a bit murky and have to be enhanced to be readable.

“Zoot Suit” and History, Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Continue reading →

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Found on EBay – Mullen & Bluett

Posted on September 5, 2011 by lmharnisch
Swimsuit, Mullen Bluett Swimsuit, Mullen Bluett

This vintage swimsuit from Mullen & Bluett has been listed on EBay. Another one was listed in 2009,  also from Mullen & Bluett.

Bidding on this item starts at 99 cents.

Posted in Downtown, Fashion, Found on EBay | Tagged , , | 1 Comment