Tag Archives: 1947

September 22, 1947: Avak the Healer Comes to Los Angeles

September 22, 1947: Hundreds of people throw themselves at his feet to kiss the hem of his robes or simply to occupy the chair where he had been sitting. And then Avak the Healer was gone; nothing but a memory. Continue reading

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Sept. 21, 1947: Los Angeles Leads U.S. in Burglaries, Ranks 3rd in Killings After New York, Chicago

September 21, 1947: Los Angeles leads American cities in burglaries in the first half of 1947. For the first half of 1947, Los Angeles ranked third in the U.S. in homicide at 63, following Chicago (95) and New York (168). Continue reading

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September 20, 1947: Marie ‘The Body’ McDonald Marries Karl the Shoe Man

September 20, 1947: The clip file of Marie “The Body” McDonald is like a Russian novel of nightclub brawls, Reno divorces, Las Vegas elopements, car crashes, run-ins with the police for drinking and drugs, lawsuits over broken contracts, suicide attempts, unexplained hospitalizations and every once in a while, a movie. And then there’s the kidnapping. Continue reading

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September 19, 1947: L.A. OKs Right Turn on Red Light!

September 19, 1947: A deep dive to Californians’ ability to make a right turn on a red light, taken for granted now, but controversial once upon a time. Continue reading

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September 18, 1947: Navajo Teenagers Arrive at Sherman Institute

September 18, 1947: A contingent of 369 Navajo Indian boys and girls from New Mexico and Arizona has arrived at Riverside’s famed Sherman Institute. Continue reading

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September 16, 1947: Stanley Beltz, Colorful Lockheed Test Pilot

September 16, 1947: Colorful Lockheed test pilot Stanley Beltz is in trouble again. Beltz died in 1955 testing a F-94B Starfire and his despondent fiancee killed herself less than two weeks later. Continue reading

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September 15, 1947: On Rosh Hashanah, a Call to Mobilize for Peace

September 15, 1947: For Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Ernest Trattner tells the congregation that “New beginnings come, not in new seasons, but in new attitudes. Solutions of life’s problems come, not in the passing of time, but in self-discipline and self-dedication.” Continue reading

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September 14, 1947: How Many HR Violations Can You Spot in One Ad?

September 14, 1947: Union Pacific posts a “help wanted” ad. How many violations can you spot? Continue reading

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September 13, 1947: The Light Rail That Failed — Transit Plan Calls for Trains on Freeway Medians

September 13, 1947: A committee studying Los Angeles’ transportation issues recommends high-speed rail arteries, including tracks down the medians of express highways. Continue reading

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September 11, 1947: Al Jarvis Replies to L.A. Sentinel’s Charges of Racism

September 11, 1947: KLAC disc jockey Al Jarvis replies to Earl Griffin’s criticisms in last week’s Sentinel. “To knowingly plug a sponsor who discriminates against the Negro race is contrary to every belief I have ever had or ever will have.” Continue reading

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September 11, 1947: Driver of Beer Wagon Gets Revenge on Streetcars

September 11, 1947: Joseph P. Johnston is a career safecracker who gave up his trade during World War II, considering it unpatriotic, but is up to his old ways. And a flashback to 1905, when a beer truck driver gets revenge on L.A.’s sainted streetcars by blocking the tracks. Continue reading

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September 10, 1947: In Love but Unable to Marry First Cousin, 17, Man Shoots Himself

September 10, 1947: David Everett, a 30-year-old mechanic, is in critical condition at Torrance General Hospital after shooting himself in the head and neck in despondency over his frustrated love for his 17-year-old first cousin Janet. And yes, she lives in a trailer park. Continue reading

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Black Dahlia: William J. Mann’s ‘Murders, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood’ — Not a Better Answer in the Dahlia Case, Just a Different One

Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, by William J. Mann, Simon & Schuster, 464 pages, January 27, 2026, $31.   Like a game of Clue with an actual cold case to solve, a well-worn list of suspects … Continue reading

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September 7, 1947: May Co. Offers Credit Plan With 1% Interest

September 7, 1947: The May Co. offers a charge account where you don’t have to pay off the full balance every month. Continue reading

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September 7, 1947: The Comics Pages

September 7, 1947: A stroll through the comics pages. There’s Dick Tracy, Red Ryder, Aggie Mack and, of course Nancy and Sluggo. Continue reading

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September 6, 1947: Mexican Workers Essential as Americans Refuse Stoop Labor, Ranchers Testify

September 6, 1947: Ranchers tell Congress that they cannot survive without importing Mexican workers. Americans won’t do “stoop labor,” the ranchers say. Continue reading

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September 5, 1947: L.A. Turns 166, Becomes Third-Largest City in America

September 5, 1947: As Los Angeles celebrates its birthday, Mayor Fletcher Bowron says it’s now the third-largest city in the U.S., passing Detroit. Continue reading

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September 4, 1947: Red Influences in Hollywood!

September 4, 1947: Hedda Hopper lists movies with Red influences: “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Meet John Doe,” “The Farmer’s Daughter” and “A Song to Remember.” “What recent picture can you recall in which a member of Congress has been presented as an honorable, intelligent, patriotic public servant? In what picture has an industrialist been shown as a straightforward, decent human being?” she asks. Continue reading

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September 2, 1947: Miss Muscle Beach of 1947

September 2, 1947: Vivian Crockett is chosen as Miss Muscle Beach of 1947 in the annual Labor Day contest in Santa Monica. Continue reading

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September 1, 1947: 1,000 World War II Veterans Now in LAPD Uniforms

September 1, 1947: More than 1,000 new LAPD officers are World War II veterans. “We’re going to have a young and strong Police Department,” Assistant Chief Joe Reed says. Continue reading

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