Matt Weinstock, Dec. 22, 1960

Posted on December 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 22, 1960, Comics  

Dec. 22, 1960: Matt Weinstock has more on job applicants who aren’t hired after taking elaborate tests. One fellow scored too well, according to the test results. 

DEAR ABBY: I am at home all day with three children to take care of. Nothing exciting ever happens. I do the same thing every day. When my husband comes home, I just don't have anything to talk about. He certainly doesn't want to hear that I ironed today, did the dishes or vacuumed. Lately he's been asking why I don't talk to him. Well, I just don't have anything to talk about. We've been married eight years and are both 25.

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Paul Coates, Dec. 22, 1960

Posted on December 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 22, 1960, Mirror Cover  

Dec. 22, 1960: Police are hunting a “werewolf”  and Paul Coates has more on the notorious Brink family, in which William Brink  talks about changing his name to avoid the stigma.

ALSO

Paul Coates on the Brink family

Family with 11 children loses battle for home 

And here

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Location Sleuth — ‘Starsky and Hutch’

Posted on December 22, 2010 by lmharnisch
Starsky and Hutch

Look! They had a two-for-one sale on Volkswagen Beetles!
I’m a respectful researcher. So when someone writes to The Times and asks about the location of a sleazy hotel featured in the “Bounty Hunter” episode of “Starsky and Hutch,” I assume there’s a good reason. Why people at The Times know to pass a question like this to me is an issue that I’m just going to ignore.

Young persons: “Starsky and Hutch” was one of those popular cop shows of the 1970s that your parents probably watched. The program moved between Wednesday nights at 10 and Tuesday nights at 9 and starred David Soul (yes, that’s his name) as Det. Kenneth Hutchinson and Paul Michael Glaser as Det. David Starsky.

Here are screen grabs from Hulu of the sequence in question.

Notice that the top of City Hall is barely visible in the opening frames.

The entire episode is on Hulu. The hotel sequence begins at the 36:26 time mark.

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Posted in broadcasting, Film, Hollywood, Television | 3 Comments

Matt Weinstock, Dec. 21, 1960

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

 
 

  Dec. 21, 1960, Comics  

Dec. 21, 1960: Matt Weinstock says City Editor Hank Osborne is baffled by a congressman's inquiry about the Mirror's deadline. "There are five editions a day, each with a deadline," Weinstock says.

DEAR ABBY: My girlfriend is very jealous. My wife doesn't give me any trouble but my girlfriend checks every move I make. She calls all over town tracing me and hangs around the hall when we have union meetings. I don't know how many people she has watching me. I would like to get rid of her but she sticks like flypaper. I am 37 and she is 24 and a hot-tempered, suspicious Latin-American, if that helps you. She has threatened to kill me if I look at any woman (outside my wife) and I think she would do it. Can I get any help from the law?

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Paul Coates, Dec. 21, 1960

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

 

 
 

  Dec. 21, 1960, Mirror Cover  

Dec. 21, 1960: The Mirror publishes the second part of a profile on Maj. Claude Robert Eatherly, a B-29 pilot whose life unraveled after the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima. Eatherly didn’t drop the bomb, he was reporting on the cloud cover that day. But he blamed himself for the destruction.

And Paul Coates has an update on the Brink family, which was covered in the 1947project way back in 2005!

ALSO

Family with 11 children loses battle for home 

And here

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Grim Sleeper No. 119, Details

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

Grim Sleeper 119, Detail Grim Sleeper 119, Detail

A curtain or some type of fabric can be seen in Grim Sleeper No. 119, which has been identified, according to the Daily Beast, as victim Janecia Peters. I thought it would be interesting to see if I could find a similar background in any of the other photos, but I couldn’t. The LAPD has removed this photo from its website and although it’s still in The Times’ photo gallery, I felt there was no point in reposting it in its entirety. 

ALSO

Grim Sleeper, Interiors
Grim Sleeper, Interiors 2
Grim Sleeper, Interiors 3
Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52
Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49
Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53
Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57
Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labrets
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75 and 77, Kendreay
Grim Sleeper No. 91
Grim Sleeper Nos. 96-96, Maxine
Grim Sleeper No. 139, The Mail Slot
Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142, Deborah B. Cleveland
Grim Sleeper No. 149
Grim Sleeper No. 166, Ms. D. Johnson

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 18, 2010, Mystery Photo  
  Los Angeles Times file photo  

I suppose you thought we would never finish with Thelma Todd! Yesterday’s mystery photo was taken in 1964 and shows Harold Lloyd with his famous “permanent” Christmas tree. His mystery dog was named Pepe.

 

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Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | 17 Comments

Christmas Mystery Photo

Posted on December 21, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Christmas Interior Cincinnati  
  Christmas Interior Cincinnati  

  Chrismas Interior Cincinnati  

I picked up these two photos in a Pasadena thrift store years ago, mostly out of curiosity at the relatively sparse Christmas decorations.  About all that’s clearly visible in the top photo are the wreaths in the windows, although the tree in the second photo gives it away. If you look closely, you’ll notice a few lilies on the furniture.

For years, I assumed these photos were local until I took them out of the frames to scan them. In fact, these pictures are stamped “Moser & Son Cin’ti, O.” on the back, but are otherwise unidentified. The Cincinnati Public Library has some city directories online but they are huge pdf files and the time required to download and examine them in hopes of locating the photo studio is prohibitive.  Given the push-button electric light switches, the Persian carpets, the tiger skin rug and the knobby, uncomfortable-looking (but undoubtedly expensive) furniture, I’d make a ballpark guess that this photo dates from 1900 to 1910.

  Christmas Interior Cincinnati  

And how about this tree? It’s difficult to imagine a spindly specimen like this one strapped to the roof of the family SUV to be carted home and draped with lights and ornaments until the branches sag. I suspect most of us wouldn’t given it a second look at the Christmas tree lot. An interesting contrast to the notions we hold of an elaborate Victorian Christmas.

ALSO

Cincinnati city directories online

Posted in Mystery Photo, Photography | 3 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 20, 1940

Posted on December 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

 

  Dec. 20, 1940, Nazis in American Military  
  Dec. 20, 1940, Oviatt's  

 
Dec. 20, 1940: HOLLYWOOD AFTER DARK: Wally Beery taking 8-year-old Carol Ann to the Movie Parade Revival Theater to see one of his early comedies, made 18 years before she was born, Jimmie Fidler says. 

Also: The Will Hays office is moving to "clean house," in anticipation of a concerted drive by the Legion of Decency after Jan. 1.

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Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Money Given to Families of Times Bombing Victims

Posted on December 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

 

  Dec. 20, 1910, Santa  

 

  Dec. 20, 1910, Bombing  

Dec. 20, 1910: The Times reports on the distribution of money that was donated by the people of Los Angeles for families of The Times bombing victims. Although some modern writers insist The Times was a hated institution in this era, the amount of money collected for the families indicates a fair degree of support and sympathy. For example, $2,992.96 [$68,056.36 USD 2009] was given to Leola Harvey-Elder, the widow of Assistant City Editor Churchill Harvey-Elder, who died of his injuries after leaping from the burning building.

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From the Vaults: ‘The Black Swan’ (1942)

Posted on December 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

Swan The current Natalie Portman film is not, perhaps, technically a remake of this movie. Instead of dueling ballerinas, the 1942 film features dueling pirates. Instead of the "Dying Swan" dance, there is a big battle at sea with cannons. And instead of Portman and Mila Kunis, the 1942 film stars Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara. But everything else is totally the same.

Actually, 1942's "Black Swan" is based on a novel by Rafael Sabatini (I haven't read it, but I loved "Scaramouche") and concerns the uneasy relationships between the English, the Spanish and the non-law-abiding pirates in the glory days of the Spanish Main. Power plays Jamie, a very enthusiastic pirate whose hero Captain Morgan (Laird Cregar) lures him into a respectable non-pirating life as governor of Jamaica. This sits none too well with the feisty Margaret (O'Hara), whose dad was the previous governor, but Jamie finds her an irresistible wench all the same. Sparks fly!

Meanwhile, Jamie and Morgan's former pirating colleague Leech (George Sanders) is continuing to ply his trade off Jamaica in violation of Morgan's wishes. Jamie must use all his old pirating skills to track down his rival and win Margaret's affections! But will the siren song of the high seas lure him back again?

This movie's got a fab cast. In addition to the top stars it's got a sinister Anthony Quinn in an eye patch as Leech's sidekick, and a very lively Thomas Mitchell (yup, Uncle Billy) in a headscarf as Jamie's best friend, Tommie Blue. All the wigs and pirate beards do make it hard to recognize some people — I would never have identified Sanders (whom we last saw thinking about a brick wall in "Village of the Damned").

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Posted in Film, From the Vaults, Hollywood | 3 Comments

Matt Weinstock, Dec. 19, 1960

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

 
 

  Dec. 19, 1960, Comics  

Dec. 19, 1960: Matt Weinstock has the story of a man who cut down a tree that was destroying his sidewalk – but had trouble finding the city-required Melaleuca styphelioides (bottlebrush) to replace it.

Also on the jump: A photo of a few objects swallowed by a patient at a New York mental institution — 258 to be exact. 

DEAR ABBY: There are two men in my life. One I love very much and the other I like only as a friend. My problem is this — the one I like only as a friend is my husband. The one I love is my husband's brother.

I know my feeling for my brother-in-law is a sin, but….

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Grim Sleeper, Interiors 3

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

Grim Sleeper No. 118
Although some images show a window blocked with tinfoil (Interiors, 2) a few photos show windows blocked with what appears to be a paper bag attached with blue masking tape.

ALSO

Grim Sleeper, Interiors
Grim Sleeper, Interiors 2
Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52
Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49
Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53
Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57
Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labrets
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75 and 77, Kendreay
Grim Sleeper No. 91
Grim Sleeper Nos. 96-96, Maxine
Grim Sleeper No. 139, The Mail Slot
Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142, Deborah B. Cleveland
Grim Sleeper No. 149
Grim Sleeper No. 166, Ms. D. Johnson

Grim Sleeper No. 88
Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 3 Comments

Grim Sleeper, Interiors 2

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Grim Sleeper 22  

  Grim Sleeper No. 22  

The backgrounds in some of the photos show what appears to be a window covered with tinfoil. No. 22, above, is a frame from a video that shows this detail.  Some of the images are indistinct and I’m only including the ones in which I’m fairly certain that the background is the same or similar.

It’s interesting to notice that several types of photo technology are involved in this “series,” including video and print or digital cameras. The tinfoil arrangement in Nos. 42 (video) and 103 (still) appears to be the same and shows a small gap between the foil and the top of the window frame.

ALSO

Grim Sleeper, Interiors
Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52
Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49
Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53
Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57
Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labrets
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75 and 77, Kendreay
Grim Sleeper No. 91
Grim Sleeper Nos. 96-96, Maxine
Grim Sleeper No. 139, The Mail Slot
Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142, Deborah B. Cleveland
Grim Sleeper No. 149
Grim Sleeper No. 166, Ms. D. Johnson

 

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Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 1 Comment

Paul Coates, Dec. 19, 1960

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

 
 

  Dec. 19, 1960, Mirror Cover  

Dec. 19, 1960: Paul Coates has the story of William Gossett, who was scraping along on skid row one week and a street corner Santa Claus the next.

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Posted in Columnists, Front Pages, Paul Coates | 1 Comment

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 19, 1940

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 19, 1940, March Field Crash  
  Dec. 19, 1940, Crash  

Dec. 19, 1940: Hedy Lamarr never uses red nail polish, Jimmie Fidler says.

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Grim Sleeper, Interiors

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

   

Many of the photos show a woman in the passenger seat of a vehicle. The coiled cord visible through the window in Photo No. 156 made me wonder if this was taken at some sort of drive-in.

I’ve tried to collect these photos on the jump. Photos  36 and 87 appear to show the same woman, as do Photos 95 and 175.

There appear to be at least five vehicles involved, based on the interiors. One (No. 36) appears to have gray upholstered seats, one (No. 157) has a blue interior, one (No. 95) has been stripped down to the body and shows white metal, one (No. 150) has a plain interior of metal painted white. The interior shown above in Photo 156 doesn’t seem to be in any other picture.

ALSO

Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52
Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49
Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53
Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57
Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labrets
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75 and 77, Kendreay
Grim Sleeper No. 91
Grim Sleeper Nos. 96-96, Maxine
Grim Sleeper No. 139, The Mail Slot
Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142, Deborah B. Cleveland
Grim Sleeper No. 149
Grim Sleeper No. 166, Ms. D. Johnson

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Grim Sleeper No. 91

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Grim Sleeper, No. 91  

  Grim Sleeper 91, Detail  

When I first looked at this photo, I thought the item in the background might be a calendar. In fact it’s a page of display ads for a sporting goods store that has been placed over some sort of opening,   like a window covered with a heavy screen.

That’s something of a pattern in these photos. Many pictures have a window in the background that has been covered up, either with tinfoil, or cardboard and blue masking tape.

ALSO

Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52
Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49
Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53.
Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57
Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labrets
Grim Sleeper Nos. 75 and 77, Kendreay
Grim Sleeper Nos. 96-96, Maxine
Grim Sleeper No. 139, The Mail Slot
Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142, Deborah B. Cleveland
Grim Sleeper No. 149
Grim Sleeper No. 166, Ms. D. Johnson

 

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 1 Comment

Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays

Posted on December 19, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 21, 1889, Season's Greetings

Dec. 21, 1889, Season's Greetings

  

  Dec. 25, 1915, Season's Greetings

  
  Dec. 25, 1915, Season's Greetings  

  Dec. 25, 1919, Happy Holidays  

One of the more annoying political pinatas of our era, in which every facet of life is subjected to a “red litmus test” of partisan correctness, is notion that “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays”  are trendy euphemisms to keep Christ out of Christmas.

Not in the least. 

Here’s an excerpt from the Dec. 21, 1889, Times, two display ads from Christmas 1915 and an ad from 1919 that dispel such ideas.

More on the jump, including a 1933 ad promoting gift subscriptions to The Times with a card that said “Season’s Greetings.” There are many more examples, but I think I’ve made my point.

Please note: ProQuest’s search engine is far from perfect and rarely reads elaborate lettering, so there may be earlier examples that I have missed.

Bonus facts:

First appearance of “Merry Christmas” in The Times, Dec. 25, 1881.
First appearance of “Merry Xmas” in The Times, Dec. 25, 1886.
First appearance of “Happy Holiday” in the Times, Dec. 25, 1890.

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Posted in Religion | 2 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Dec. 18, 1940

Posted on December 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 18, 1940, Lend Lease

 
 

image

  

Every lady attending the New Year’s party at the Cocoanut Grove gets a baby panda! Wouldn’t it be great if we could visit the Ambassador? Oh, wait. We let L.A. Unified tear it down.

Dec. 18, 1940: Movie producers should study closely the pictures of 1940's leading box office stars and note that sex and risque scenes or dialogue are nonexistent in those films, Jimmie Fidler says.

[Corrected at 1:23 p.m. A previous version of this post and headline gave the date Dec. 18, 1960. We're in 1940 … for the moment at least!]

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