Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, March 30, 1960

Posted on March 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

A Condemned Man Wants to Give an Eye

Paul Coates    The question now before the California Supreme Court is an eerie one, with no easy answer.

    How much control — it asks — does the state have over a condemned man's body, mind and soul?

    The written appeal on which the court must act is a stilted, dull, highly technical legal document.

    But, with the conscience of a condemned killer and the sight of a young missionary at stake, the story behind it can hardly be discarded as uninteresting.

    Yesterday, the Rev. Floyd K. Gressett — the man to whom Luis Moya confessed his part in the slaying of Olga Duncan — told me the beginning of that story.

    After Moya's conviction in Ventura, Rev. Gressett requested and was granted permission to accompany the 21-year-old killer on the trip to San Quentin.

   

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Jury Duty

Posted on March 30, 2010 by lmharnisch
Nov. 1, 1961, Mickey Cohen
Photograph by Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times

Nov. 1, 1961: Mickey Cohen reports to court on a murder indictment, accompanied by bail bondsman Abe Phillips, left, and attorney A.L. Wirin, center.

Note: Jury duty is over but it's taking me a while to get caught up. Thanks for your patience.

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Matt Weinstock, March 29, 1960

Posted on March 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

Here's Unsqueezed Juice

Matt Weinstock     The moans are low and constant from the civic Center.  Our leaders have squeezed every drop of juice out of the turnips, oops, I mean taxpayers, and still there isn't enough.  Unless new sources of revenue are found, the city could go broke — that is, operate under a deficit.  This would be awful, I'm told, although it's doubtful if most people could tell the difference.  They're broke too.

    Well, let us give our leaders another chance to face reality and not try to tax parked cars, the beds of innocently sleeping apartment dwellers, or the clear blue sky.  It happens there's a red hot revenue-producing idea kicking around.

    Why not, some people are asking, use some or all of the closed or rarely used movie theaters as an extension of the racetrack setup?  The actual running of the races can be shown over TV with Joe Hernandez calling them.  There could be pari-mutuel machines in the lobby and track odds could be paid.  Admission $1.

 

 

   

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Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, March 29, 1960

Posted on March 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

Dollar-Down Crowd Gangs Up on Kiddies

 
Paul Coates    Yesterday, I got the latest pitch on "friendly credit buying."
 
    By mail, I received a circular from a jewelry store chain which is spread across Southern California.
 
    It had a switch to it.  It didn't lull us oldsters, over 21, with a feeling of false financial security with its claims of no money down, easy payments.  No one questions our susceptibility to this kind of soft talk anymore.
 
    Instead — alongside its specials on watches, diamond rings, transistor radios and stereo phonographs — it carried the notice in bold, black type:
 
    "YOUNG ADULTS . . .
    "TEEN-AGERS . . .
    "WE GIVE YOU CREDIT!
 
    "We believe you are trustworthy and will honor your obligations," the ad continued.  "Therefore, if you have a part-time job or an allowance, come in and open a confidential account on your own honor pledge card and signature alone.  Pay on the same terms as your parents."
 

   

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Voices – June Havoc, 1912 – 2010

Posted on March 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

Jan. 5, 1981, June Havoc

Jan. 5, 1981: “This is what I wanted since I was 3,” June Havoc says of her home in Connecticut.

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Jury Duty

Posted on March 29, 2010 by lmharnisch
Nov. 23, 1957, Caryl Chessman
Photograph by Dan McCormack / Los Angeles Times

Nov. 23, 1957: Caryl Chessman appears in court in a hearing to determine whether the state of California owned the manuscript of his unpublished book "The Kid Was a Killer,"  which was seized under the theory that it was “prison labor.” From left,  Deputy Atty. Gen. William Bennett; San Quentin Warden Fred Dickson, who confiscated the manuscript in 1955; attorney A.L. Wirin of the American Civil Liberties Union; and attorney Paul N. Posner. Leaning on the counter at right is Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. William B. McKesson. 

Note: Jury duty is over but because I work several days in advance, it will take me a while to get caught up. One of my most unusual jury experiences was having a deputy slip one of his ammunition magazines into my belongings as they were going through the courthouse scanner. Evidently he was testing one of the screeners to see if she would find it. I understand the need for vigilance but it was a bit unsettling to be a guinea pig.

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From the Vaults: ‘The Golem’ (1920)

Posted on March 29, 2010 by lmharnisch

Golem Actually, this is the second sequel to Paul Wegener's “The Golem” (1915), now lost. In that movie, the golem – a mythical clay creature built and brought to life by Jewish rabbis – is brought back to life in modern times, only to fall in love and go on a murderous rampage when his love is unrequited.

In its first sequel, “The Golem and the Dancing Girl” (1917), a regular modern guy puts on a golem costume to scare the girl he loves. Wacky! But this film, originally titled “The Golem: How He Came Into the World,” is set in medieval times and is essentially the golem's origin story. Wegener, who wrote (with Henrik Galeen), directed (with Carl Boese) and stars as the title character, intelligently keeps the golem out of the love story this time.

Rabbi Loew (Albert Steinruck) of 16th century Prague, learns from consulting the stars that his people are in danger; to protect them, he decides to build a golem. His assistant (Max Kronert) helps, which requires some time out from romancing the rabbi's daughter Miriam (Lyda Salmonova, Wegener's frequent collaborator, and eventually his widow). This proves disastrous for him, since a foppish fellow named Knight Florian (Lothar Muthel) quickly takes his place in Miriam's affections.

Unaware of all this, the rabbi and his assistant take the golem to the emperor, who is threatening to expel all the Jews from Prague. With the help of the golem and his own “magic arts” (as the emperor dubs them), the rabbi turns the tables, threatens everyone in the castle, and gets the emperor to rescind the expulsion. While the Jews celebrate, the rabbi's assistant catches Miriam snogging with Florian and, enraged, sets the golem on them. Mayhem ensues!

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Found on EBay – Batchelder Vase

Posted on March 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

Batchelder Vase Batchelder Vase

What appears to be a vase by E.A. Batchelder of Pasadena has been listed on EBay. Batchelder tile turns up somewhat often, but I don’t recall seeing anything this finely made. Bidding starts at $145, or Buy It Now at $250. As with anything on EBay, items and vendors should be evaluated thoroughly before making a bid. 

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Still on Jury Duty

Posted on March 28, 2010 by lmharnisch
Aug. 11, 1937, Albert Dyer Case
Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

Aug. 11, 1937: Jury selection in the trial of Albert Dyer, who was hanged for molesting and killing three young Inglewood girls.  
Note: I’m still on jury duty, so posting will be light until it’s through.

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Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

Posted on March 27, 2010 by lmharnisch

Bow Tie, Oviatt's
This bow tie from Oviatt’s has been listed on EBay. Oviatt’s was one of the leading menswear stores in Los Angeles and the items are extremely collectible. Bidding on this tie starts at $25. As with anything on EBay, the item and the vendor should be thoroughly evaluated before submitting a bid.

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Still on Jury Duty

Posted on March 27, 2010 by lmharnisch
June 20, 1957, Ray Pinker, Grand Cooper, Linda Mintz
Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

June 20, 1957: Police chemist Ray Pinker, left, attorney Grant Cooper and Linda Mintz, charged with beating her employer to death with a vacuum cleaner.

Note: I’ve spent the week on jury duty so posting will be light until I get caught up.

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Found on EBay – Williams and Walker

Posted on March 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

George Walker I’ve been searching for items of Bert Williams and George Walker on EBay since I wrote about the vaudeville team in 2008. Sheet music turns up somewhat often but this is the first time I’ve seen souvenir postcards for sale. According to the vendor, the six Williams and Walker postcards being sold individually are part of an album collected by an African American serviceman – evidently a Buffalo soldier – about the time of the Mexican Revolution.  Bidding on this postcard starts at $8.
Posted in Music, Stage | 1 Comment

Next Stop for Garvey: Third Base

Posted on March 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

 
March 26, 1970, Dodgers

March 26, 1970: Finding a third baseman was the story of the spring for the Dodgers, who believed they discovered a long-term answer in Steve Garvey.

"We can hardly keep Garvey's bat out of the lineup," a Dodger executive told The Times on March 25. It's hard to dispute that, although one wonders why the reporter couldn't get the source to say something so obvious on the record.

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Movie Star Mystery Photo

Posted on March 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

 
image

Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: This is Barbara Kent, above, in an Aug. 18, 1926, photo. 

image

Dec. 26, 1926: Barbara Kent in “The Flesh and the Devil.”

 
Just a reminder on how this works: I post the mystery photo on Monday and reveal the answer on Friday … or on Saturday if I have a hard time picking only five pictures; sometimes it's difficult to choose. To keep the mystery photo from getting lost in the other entries, I move it from Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday, etc., adding a photo every day.

I have to approve all comments, so if your guess is posted immediately, that means you're wrong. (And if a wrong guess has already been submitted by someone else, there's no point in submitting it again).

If you're right, you will have to wait until Friday. There's no need to submit your guess five times. Once is enough. The only reward is bragging rights. 

The answer to last week's mystery star: Anne Nagel!

There’s a new photo on the jump!

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Eight Women Graduate From Police Academy

Posted on March 26, 2010 by lmharnisch
March 26, 1960, Policewomen 
March 26, 1960: Eight female officers graduate from the Police Academy. In a reflection of the way policewomen were used at the time, four were assigned to the Juvenile Division and the other four were sent to the main jail. On the jump, an update in the 1957 killing of two El Segundo police officers. 

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Artist’s Notebook: L.A. Marathon

Posted on March 26, 2010 by lmharnisch
 March 21, 2010, LA Marathon

“L.A. Marathon,” by Marion Eisenmann

Marion Eisenmann and I decided to try something different from our exploration of local landmarks by going to Santa Monica to see the finish of the 2010 L.A. Marathon. I found a good viewing spot at the base of a light pole on Ocean Avenue just beyond the finish line, while Marion looked for interesting images to combine in a collage of the race.

The shouts from the crowd, growing louder and closer, announced the arrival of each contestant. The first were the wheelchair competitors on their exotic vehicles, and next were the bicyclists.

As the seconds ticked away, the area behind the finish line filled with photographers, security officers, police and marathon workers, all of them anticipating the runners. Edna Kiplagat was mobbed by photographers after she finished. Then Teyba Naser and Silvia Skvortsova came in.

The shouting for Wesley Korir started a long way off and built until he crossed the finish line. Photographers and TV cameramen swarmed around him so that all I saw was his hand, reaching above them and pointing, not as a victory sign showing that he was first but as a symbol of his Christian faith.

I always think of hard-core runners as lean, hard and leathery; raw and wrinkled from the sun with veins bulging like strands of rope under their skin. These elite African runners are nothing like that. Korir is a slight fellow, rather small and finely proportioned. I wouldn’t call him delicate, but you would never mistake him for someone who spends hours at the gym.

In the same way, the top two women, Kiplagat and Naser, were small and slight, and if you were to see Naser in a swimsuit at the beach, you might mistake her for a college student who goes running a few times a week. Only Skvortsova, with thick, muscled legs, looks more like my traditional idea of a runner.

After congratulating each other and giving a few TV interviews, Korir and Kiplagat were chauffeured away in motorized carts, along with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Although Marion originally thought of combining different visual elements like the Santa Monica Pier, sketches of the crowd and the runners, she settled on Korir crossing the finish line. 

Note: In case you just tuned in, Marion and I are roaming Los Angeles in a project inspired by Joe Seewerker and Charles Owens’ Nuestro Pueblo.

Anyone who’s interested in Marion’s artwork should contact her directly.

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Found on EBay – Angel City in Turmoil

Posted on March 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

Angel City in Turmoil Guy Finney signature
This signed copy of Guy Finney’s “Angel City in Turmoil,” one of the more collectible books about Los Angeles history, has been listed on EBay.  According to The Times’ clips, Court Lytton was a real estate salesman. Bidding starts at $39.95.
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Jury Duty

Posted on March 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

July 27, 1936: Mary Astor
Photograph by the Los Angeles Times

July 27, 1936: Mary Astor in court. 

Note: I’m on jury duty, so posting will be light until it’s over.

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Found on EBay – Brenda Allen

Posted on March 24, 2010 by lmharnisch

Brenda Allen EBay This Aug. 9, 1949, AP photo of Hollywood madam Brenda Allen has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $9.99.
Posted in #courts, LAPD | 1 Comment

In Support of Libraries and Librarians

Posted on March 24, 2010 by lmharnisch
arroyo_seco_branch
The Arroyo Seco branch library via Google maps’ street view.

Wednesday’s story by Maeve Reston on a proposal to cut hours in the Los Angeles Public Library system mentioned several branches that could be affected, including the Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library in Highland Park.

One might assume, given the Daily Mirror’s emphasis on history, that I would rely exclusively on the Central Library. Not so. Although I have already written in support of the Central Library, I would like to add my voice in support of the regional branches, specifically Arroyo Seco. A library official has defended closing Arroyo Seco on Sundays, citing relatively light patronage. Although the figures may be accurate, they don’t tell the entire story.

Because I live in South Pasadena, which has a small, single library, I regularly request books on interlibrary loan to be delivered to the Arroyo Seco branch, just across the border in Highland Park. When I began using Arroyo Seco, it was in an old, 1950s-style institutional building that was worn, tired and unappealing. Several years ago, the library built a wonderful new building on the site.

The Arroyo Seco branch may be near South Pasadena, but this area of Highland Park is a world away. On the other side of the Arroyo Seco, the upscale homes and boutiques of South Pasadena give way to the muffler shops, discount stores and fast-food restaurants of Highland Park.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Arroyo Seco library is an outpost of learning – a essential gateway to a bigger world — in this gritty, urban neighborhood. Many of the patrons are Spanish-speaking and are at the library not merely to study or check out books, but for classes and programs offered by the staff and visiting teachers.  For example, “Cómo Utilizar el Internet” and “Songs for the Very Young / Canciones para Niños Chicos.” 

And I must express my strong support of interlibrary loan, which allows any patron to request local delivery of any book within the library system. For example, as part of my research I’m reading “The Girl With the Swansdown Seat,” (welcome to the quirky Daily Mirror reading list) an obscure book that would be difficult to obtain on the open market but is easily available via interlibrary loan.

And interlibrary loan is free.

I would like to remind people weighing cutbacks that the regional branches are an essential part of the library system and offer far more than is reflected in patronage numbers.

Posted in books, City Hall | 2 Comments