A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movies

Oct. 18, 1946, Brief Encounter

Oct. 19, 1946: “Brief Encounter” is playing at the Esquire.

Oct. 19, 1946, Brief Encounter

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Errol Flynn’s Body Arrives in Los Angeles


Oct. 19, 1959, Errol Flynn
Oct. 19, 1959: Errol Flynn’s body arrives at Union Station.

Oct. 19, 1959, Errol Flynn

No mourners or crowds greeted the arrival of Errol Flynn’s body, just the folks from Forest Lawn and a few reporters.

Oct. 19, 1959, Errol Flynn

Oct. 19, 1959, Beverly Aadland

Beverly Aadland was groomed for show business starting at the age of 2.
Posted in Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Judge Bars Gambling on Ships

June 5, 1939, Rex
June 5, 1939: A full-page ad for the S.S. Rex.

Oct. 19, 1939, Gambling Ships

Oct. 19, 1939: A judge grants a preliminary injunction barring gambling on ships beyond the three-mile limit.

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An Unlikely Film Idol

Oct. 19, 1919, Ben Turpin  

Oct. 19, 1919, Ben Turpin

Oct. 19, 1919: What actor is setting ladies’ hearts aflutter? Why it’s Ben Turpin, who says: “Never let your right eye know what your left is doing.”

Posted in Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment

Doctor Charged With Illegally Prescribing Drugs

Oct. 19, 1909, Dope Fiends 

Dr. G.W. Finch is arrested on charges of illegally prescribing morphine to drug addicts.

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Lunch With the Daily Mirror

 Oct. 17, 2009, Daily Mirror Philippe

Photograph by Navid Nonahal / Los Angeles Times

Oct. 17, 2009: We had a festive time on Saturday at Philippe, discussing Los Angeles history, vintage movies, the true origin of the French dip sandwich and tips on blogging.  I think we have enough material for someone to do a doctoral dissertation analyzing the enduring influence of car dealers’ TV ads on the vernacular culture of Los Angeles.

Above, from left, Robert Daeley (Trolley Dodger), Larry Harnisch, Bruce Swanson (a second- generation LATer), Ed Fuentes (View From a Loft), Alex Justice (Loyola Marymount) and James Curtis (biographer of Preston Sturges, W.C. Fields and Spencer Tracy). Not shown, Miles Corwin (“Homicide Special”) and Navid Nonahal, who is interning with the Daily Mirror this semester. 

I hope to have another lunch in early December. Stay tuned for details.

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Location Sleuth – ‘Double Indemnity’


The Home Section featured the “Double
Indemnity” house, now owned by Mae Brunken. I thought it would be
interesting to compare the actual home with the way it was re-created
as a set.

The script describes it as " Spanish craperoo in style, as is the house throughout. A wrought-iron staircase curves down from the second floor. A fringed Mexican shawl hangs down over the landing. A large tapestry hangs on the wall. Downstairs, the dining room to one side, living room on the other side visible through a wide archway. All of this, architecture, furniture, decorations, etc., is genuine early Leo Carrillo period."

Read more here>>>

Double Indemnity Home
Photograph by Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

Above, the actual interior of the “Double Indemnity” house.

Double Indemnity Still

A screen grab from the film. Notice that in duplicating the home, art directors Hans Dreier and Hal Pereira added a window on the staircase.
Double Indemnity Home Staircase
Photograph by Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

Above, the staircase in the “Double Indemnity” house.

Double Indemnity Still

A screen grab showing the staircase in the set built for “Double Indemnity.” Notice that the delicacy of the original has been replaced with a heavier style of work. Also notice that the plaster is finished much more roughly than in the actual home, presumably so that the texture would be evident on film. 

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October 17, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Earthquake Weather

Matt WeinstockThursday, when a pink gloom caused by the brush fire and the smog engulfed the city, a man on Broadway remarked, “Hey, this is almost like earthquake weather!”

It’s a phrase rarely heard these days, and evoked memories of March, 1933, when the big one hit, centering in Long Beach.

    Of course, there’s no such thing as earthquake weather.  Quakes remain unpredictable.  The term has come to describe a certain eerie, end-of-the-world atmospheric stillness, perhaps something like the aftermath of an atom bomb explosion.
Continue reading

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Tent Revival in El Monte

Oct. 17, 1959, A.A. Allen, Revival

A.A. Allen stages a tent revival in El Monte, with faith healing.
Oct. 17, 1959, Dear Abby

Oct. 17, 1959: Dear True Love, wait until the Shangri Las release “The Leader of the Pack.

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Errol Flynn Called Teenage Lover ‘Little Wood Nymph’

Oct. 17, 1959, Mirror Cover

Oct. 17, 1959, Errol Flynn letters

Oct. 17, 1959: Florence Aadland releases Errol Flynn’s love letters to her teenage daughter, Beverly. Flynn called her his "little wood nymph” and “Woodsie.”

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movies

Oct. 17, 1944, Screen Kiss  

Oct. 17, 1944: A screen kiss between Paul Henreid and Hedy Lamarr in “The Conspirators” lasts for 42 feet of film, according to Rudi Fehr, a man who keeps track of such things.

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Lunch With the Daily Mirror – Oct. 17

philippe_2008_0214 

Our lunch gatherings at Philippe have been so enjoyable that I thought it would be fun to have another. We’re shooting for Saturday, Oct. 17, at noon in the mass transit/clown alcove. Stop  by and discuss mystery photos, old Los Angeles, classic  movies and whatever else we think up.

Philippe is at 1001 N. Alameda near Union Station.

Posted in Downtown, Food and Drink | 2 Comments

Errol Flynn’s Body En Route to Los Angeles

Oct. 17, 1959, Beverly Aadland  

1959_1017_flynn

Oct. 17, 1959, Errol Flynn

Oct. 17, 1959: Errol Flynn’s teenage girlfriend Beverly Aadland collapses in tears upon arriving in Los Angeles while Flynn’s secretary threatens reporters and photographers with a cane. 

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Artist’s Notebook: ‘Chocolate Factory’

Glenarm Station, Marion Eisenmann
“Chocolate Factory,” Marion Eisenmann, March 28, 2009
Marion Eisenmann writes of this week’s sketch:

"When I  first came here, I didn't know what kind of factory this is, the Gold  Line is traveling through it close to the 110 Freeway. It is a rusty building with a lot of pipes and iron construction, visually interesting. I called it the chocolate factory, until I found out what it really was."

As Marion discovered, this is the old Glenarm Power Plant, located between the Pasadena Freeway and Fair Oaks in Pasadena. The old storage tanks have been cleared from the property, which is being prepared for the expansion of the Art Center College of Design, across the street on Raymond Avenue.

Note: In case you just tuned in, Marion and I are visiting local landmarks in a project inspired by what Charles Owens and Joe Seewerker did in Nuestro Pueblo. Check back next week for another page from Marion's notebook.

By the way, Daily Mirror readers have asked about buying copies of Marion's artwork. Naturally, this is gratifying because I think Marion's work is terrific, and one of my great pleasures is sharing it with readers every week. We have decided that the project is a journey about discovering Los Angeles rather than creating things to sell. Marion is busy with other projects and says she isn't set up to mass-produce prints but would entertain inquiries about specific pieces. For further information, contact Marion directly.

Posted in art and artists, Marion Eisenmann, Nuestro Pueblo | 2 Comments

October 16, 1959: Matt Weinstock

October 16, 1959: Feature on Eugene Vale's "Thirteenth Apostle." Above, Eugene Vale discusses his novel “The Thirteenth Apostle,” which received good notices at the time and is completely forgotten today. Out of curiosity, I picked up a copy on EBay. I may give it a little writeup if it’s worthwhile. — lrh


Horrible Splice

Matt WeinstockFilm editors are among the most important, if unsung, factors in movie making.  After the producer finishes producing, the writer finishes writing, the actors finish acting and the director finishes directing, the editors put the pieces together smoothly.

A veteran film cutter was hired recently to edit a highly unlikely horror movie designed for the teen-age trade.

He did what he could against impossible odds but after the final cutting the desperate producer and director summoned him to give the film another run through in the hope further revision might improve it.

It was a frustrating session and after ward the film cutter said with a shudder to a colleague, “It was like putting a  Band-Aid on a leper.”
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Paul V. Coates, Confidential File – Oct. 16, 1959

Oct. 16, 1959, Paul Coates  
Paul is still on vacation …

Oct. 16, 1959, Abby

Oct. 16, 1959: A paperboy wonders what to do with stale gifts from one his clients … and the plight of a 67-year-old bachelor.

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Fight Over Errol Flynn’s Body

Oct. 16, 1959, Mirror  

Oct. 16, 1959: Errol Flynn’s teenage companion, Beverly Aadland, says he hated Los Angeles and wanted to be buried in Jamaica, but his wife, Patrice Wymore, wins the dispute and has him buried at Forest Lawn. 

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A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movies

Oct. 16, 1943, Movies 

Oct. 16, 1943: Claire Trevor and Edgar “Petticoat Junction” Buchanan? No way.  Way.

And “The Phantom of the Opera” with Claude Rains.

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Movie Star Mystery Photo

2009_1012_mystery_photo
Los Angeles Times photo

Sept. 25, 1945: Lina Romay photographed by Harmon D. Toy of the Los Angeles Times.


1945_1223_lina_romay

Update: Our guest star is Lina Romay!

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: Jobyna Ralston!

Oct. 13, 2009, Mystery Photo
Los Angeles Times file photo
Update: Lina Romay in "Adventure," Dec. 23, 1945.

Here's another photo of our mystery star. Please congratulate Gerald McCann, Jeff Hanna, Paul Cardinal, Nick Santa Maria, Steven Bibb, "Laura" fan Waldo Lydecker and Mike Hawks for identifying her.


Oct. 14, 2009, Mystery Photo

Los Angeles Times file photo

Update: Lina Romay, March 10, 1949.

Here's another picture of our mystery guest! Please congratulate Mary Mallory and Amy Richardson-Brown for identifying her.

Oct. 15, 2009, Mystery Photo Photograph by Tony Barnard / Los Angeles Times

Update: Lina Romay, at Hollywood Park, provides racing results in Spanish for Spanish-language radio stations. 

Here's another photo of our mystery star! Please congratulate Steffi Sidney for identifying her.

Oct. 16, 2009, Mystery Photo

Los Angeles Times file photo

Bandleader Xavier Cugat with a caricature of Lina Romay, April 8, 1943.

Please congratulate Christa, Thom B, Christine Bamberger, Carmen and Randy Skretvedt  for identifying her.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | 39 Comments

Residents Flee Big Tujunga Fire, Oct. 16, 1959

Oct. 16, 1959, Cover

Oct. 16, 1959: Mae West is censored … and Gov. Pat Brown hints that he may show mercy to Caryl Chessman.

Nun's Story
Audrey Hepburn in “The Nun’s Story.”

Oct. 16, 1959, Sports Local freeways would need "major surgery" to handle the traffic from Dodger fans heading to Chavez Ravine, the general manager of the city's traffic department told the traffic commission.

S.S. Taylor said at least 65% of fans attending Dodger games at the yet-to-be-built ballpark would be using freeways. His report was based on studying traffic patterns used by fans at two Dodger games against the Giants in August.

The traffic problems were of great magnitude but not insurmountable, Taylor said. Well, I knew there was some good news to be found.

— Keith Thursby

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