Tag Archives: film

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Building Promotes Great Architecture

Posted on February 15, 2016 by lmharnisch

  The Hollywood Chamber of commerce in an undated pamphlet. I n 1925, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recognized the need for a stylish permanent home in which to promote the business and life of their fair city. Said headquarters … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 8, 2016 by lmharnisch

  This week’s mystery movie has been the 1945 RKO picture “The Enchanted Cottage,” starring Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke, Richard Gaines, Alec Englander, Robert Clarke and Eden Nicholas. The screenplay was by … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 69 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Jack Freulich, Universal Still Man

Posted on February 8, 2016 by lmharnisch

Laura La Plante in a photograph by Jack Freulich, Motion Picture Classic.  History is written by survivors, so those who die young often seem to recede into memory, forgotten or ignored as time passed them by. While often great artists, … Continue reading →

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Mystery Movie Plot

Posted on February 1, 2016 by lmharnisch

Here’s a question for the Brain Trust: Many years ago, as a young kid watching movies on TV, I saw a film set in the Depression. In one scene in a hobo camp, one of the main characters takes his … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on February 1, 2016 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1921 picture “Seven Years Bad Luck,” starring Max Linder, sometimes called “the Charlie Chaplin of France,” who died in a double suicide with his wife on Oct. 31, 1925.  The movie was his … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Republic Pictures Honors ‘The Little Girl With the Golden Heart’

Posted on February 1, 2016 by lmharnisch

Mabel Normand in a Hartsook portrait, courtesy of Mary Mallory.     Hollywood’s public acts of charity often come with an ulterior motive. Such is the case with Republic Picture’s magnanimous naming of its gigantic new sound stage in December … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 53

Posted on January 26, 2016 by lmharnisch

Note: This is the last of the “Laura” posts I had in reserve from last year, when I went on sabbatical. It was a fun project, but my focus on the Dahlia project prevents me from doing any more. Reading … Continue reading →

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 25, 2016 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1961 MGM picture “Ada,” starring Susan Hayward, Dean Martin, Wilfrid Hyde White, Ralph Meeker, Martin Balsam, Frank Maxwell, Connie Sawyer, Ford Rainey, Charles Watts, Larry Gates, Robert S. Simon and William Zuckert. Music … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 54 Comments

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 52

Posted on January 22, 2016 by lmharnisch

One important aspect about the script for “Laura,” beyond the filming of the movie, is the complicated agreement that Twentieth Century-Fox had with David O. Selznick in sharing the contract of Jennifer Jones, who was originally cast in the lead … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 51

Posted on January 21, 2016 by lmharnisch

The final shooting script for “Laura,” dated April 18, 1944, with additions as late as July 1944. On Monday, Nov. 1, 1943, Twentieth Century-Fox head of production Darryl F. Zanuck issued his stinging critique of Jay Dratler’s draft of “Laura.” … Continue reading →

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‘Hail Caesar’ and E.J. Fleming’s ‘The Fixers’

Posted on January 20, 2016 by lmharnisch

Josh Brolin as Eddie Mannix in “Hail, Caesar!” the Coen brothers’ fanciful tale about MGM’s purported “fixer.” We’re reluctant to write too much about the upcoming film “Hail, Caesar!” the Coen brothers’ comedy scheduled for release Feb. 4. It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 50

Posted on January 20, 2016 by lmharnisch

“Memo From Darryl F. Zanuck,” edited by Rudy Behlmer. On Nov. 1, 1943, Darryl F. Zanuck, the Twentieth Century-Fox head of production, issued a stinging critique of Jay Dratler’s first draft of “Laura.” In this post, we will look at … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 49

Posted on January 19, 2016 by lmharnisch

“Memo From Darryl F. Zanuck,” selected and edited by Rudy Behlmer.   Jan. 19, 2016, update: When I began my “sabbatical” last year, I had a backlog of a few unpublished posts on the making of “Laura.” At the time, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 18, 2016 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1946 picture “Cloak and Dagger,” starring Gary Cooper, Robert Alda, Vladimir Sokoloff, J. Edward Bromberg, Marjorie Hoshelle and Ludwig Stossel, and introducing Lilli Palmer.  The screenplay was by Albert Maltz and Ring Lardner … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 30 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: The Priscilla Dean Tam – Fashion Statement and Marketing Ploy

Posted on January 18, 2016 by lmharnisch

Priscilla Dean and her tam, Photoplay, January 1921   The entertainment industry mastered the use of publicity and cross promotion from its very beginnings, creating elaborate ballyhoo campaigns to build word of mouth and huge box office receipts. It quickly … Continue reading →

Posted in 1921, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Brain Trust Mourns a Loss

Posted on January 13, 2016 by lmharnisch

We were saddened to learn from B.J. Merholz that his wife, Julie, has died. B.J. writes: “Julie was a long-time fan of the Mystery Photo and determined contributor who followed it as long as her health permitted. After a recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystery Photo, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo (Update + + + +)

Posted on January 11, 2016 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1952 MGM picture “Above and Beyond,” starring Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker, with James Whitmore, Larry Keating, Larry Gates, Marilyn Erskine, Stephen Dunne, Robert Burton and Hayden Rorke. The screenplay was by Melvin … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 43 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Stand-Ins Honor Themselves With the Elmers

Posted on January 11, 2016 by lmharnisch

William Hoover, left, doubled for Edward Arnold, Silver Screen, August 1939. Since 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized best acting performances in motion pictures by male and female stars. They began recognizing best supporting performances … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Ambassador Theatre Entertains Hotel’s Guests

Posted on January 4, 2016 by lmharnisch

The Ambassador Theater, as shown in the Exhibitors Herald, 1921. On February 9, 1919, the Los Angeles Times reported that the California Hotel Company would soon begin construction on a luxurious hotel on twenty one acres adjoining Wilshire Boulevard between … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Theaters | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

Posted on January 4, 2016 by lmharnisch

This week’s mystery movie has been the 1931 RKO picture “Way Back Home,” which was based on a popular radio program starring Phillips H. Lord, who later created the radio shows “Gang Busters” and “Mr. District Attorney.” It was directed … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 47 Comments