Tag Archives: Books and Authors

January 20, 1947: ‘Good Night. Sleep Peacefully With Compliments of Jacks’

Posted on January 20, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 20, 1947: Florabel Muir recounts the murder scene of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. TW: graphic contents. Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia Book Club for January 2026

Posted on January 20, 2026 by lmharnisch

The first session of the Black Dahlia Book Club is on YouTube.com/LMHarnisch. This time, I discussed the October 1948 issue of True Detective, which led to the Leslie Dillon debacle. Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia Book Club–Coming Next Week

Posted on January 13, 2026 by lmharnisch

Three quick reminders: The anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s murder is Thursday — be respectful. The Black Dahlia case is not solved, regardless of what you may hear elsewhere. And the Black Dahlia Book Club begins a week from today at YouTube.com/LMHarnisch Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Drinking Guide: A Brief History of the Tom and Jerry

Posted on December 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

Retro Drinking Guide: A brief history of the Tom and Jerry, and no, the drink came before the cartoon characters. Continue reading →

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December 20, 1947: Pulp Author Rob Eden Dies | Author of ‘Short Skirts: A Story of Modern Youth’

Posted on December 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 20, 1947: Pulp writer Robert F. Burkhardt dies at the age of 55. Writing as Rob Eden, Burkhardt and his wife, Eve, produced dozens of novels and countless short stories. Continue reading →

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Holiday Gift Suggestion – ‘California Against the Sea’

Posted on December 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline, by my former Los Angeles Times colleague Rosanna Xia, has won a number of awards since it was published in 2023, and would make an excellent gift for anyone seeking to … Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

Retro Shopping Guide: “The Los Angeles Book” (1950) featuring wonderful photographs by Max Yavno, who was responsible for so many iconic shots of L.A. Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

Another of my favorite books on Los Angeles is Leo Politi’s “Bunker Hill Los Angeles: Reminiscences of Bygone Days.” Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

Another standard gift suggestion is Glen Creason’s “Los Angeles in Maps,” a great resource for seeing the way depictions of Los Angeles have changed over the years. Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

Today’s retro holiday shopping suggestion in Don Normark’s excellent book “Chavez Ravine, 1949.” Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 10, 2025 by lmharnisch

One of my favorite books on Los Angeles is the 1940 Nuestro Pueblo, collected from pieces in the Los Angeles Times, with artwork by Charles Owens and text by Joseph Seewerker. Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Film Books for the Holidays

Posted on December 8, 2025 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory has suggestions for holiday books for film fans. Continue reading →

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L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Shopping Guide

Posted on December 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

A Daily Mirror gift suggestion: Mary Mallory’s latest: First Women of Hollywood. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, September 24, 1944

Posted on September 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 24, 1944: Why is young Van Johnson the idol of the bobby sox brigade and at this moment crowding Frank Sinatra and Alan Ladd for top honors? Van isn’t handsome, he hasn’t a striking physique and he hasn’t Frankie’s ability to sing, Louella Parsons says. Continue reading →

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September 24, 1907: A Poem on the First Day in L.A.

Posted on September 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 24, 1907: Walter Adolf Roberts writes a poem about his first day in Los Angeles. Continue reading →

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September 23, 1947: Janet Flanner, The New Yorker’s ‘Genet,’ Visits L.A .

Posted on September 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 23, 1947: Janet Flanner, European correspondent for the New Yorker, says: “The carpetbagging of our American soldiers went on for two years until the Army stopped it. It made cigarettes legal tender. American money still rates high, but our morality rates low….Just now we Americans are trying to run a checkbook empire. It can’t be done.” Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, September 17, 1944

Posted on September 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 17, 1944: All her life Vivian Blaine will be grateful to Victoria Elizabeth James and Phyllis Faye Harris for starring parts, for if these young ladies hadn’t elected to be born Vivian would still be just one of the bevy of pretty girls on the 20th lot, Louella Parsons says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, September 3, 1944

Posted on September 3, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 3, 1944: Phil Terry, the tall bespectacled young man whose career took a terrific nose dive just before and after his marriage to Joan Crawford, is on the beam again, Louella Parsons says. Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, August 20, 1944

Posted on August 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 20, 1944: Hedy Lamarr hates the word “beautiful,” Louella Parsons writes. “History of Rome” and “I Never Left Home” top the bestsellers list. Continue reading →

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August 18, 1947: John Steven McGroarty, California Poet Laureate, Honored in Memorial Tribute

Posted on August 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 18, 1947: John Steven McGroarty, California’s poet laureate, is remembered with poems and stories. Continue reading →

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