Tag Archives: film

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Charlie Chaplin Comes to Hollywood

Posted on January 21, 2013 by lmharnisch

Oct. 16, 1917: An architect’s rendering of Chaplin’s studios in The Times Ninety-five years ago, comedian Charlie Chaplin constructed the first beautiful studio lot in Hollywood, the first to offer style to filmmaking. What had been merely an industry housed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1917, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

TCM: Fail

Posted on January 19, 2013 by lmharnisch

Hobart Bosworth’s previously unknown role as Bob the Tomato.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Happy Birthday, Mack Sennett!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory notes that today is Mack Sennett’s birthday. Read Mary’s post on Sennett here.

Posted in 1880, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 17, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Thanks, Mary! This is Gloria Dickson, who burned to death in a fire in 1945.

Posted in 1945, Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Deadly LAPD Beating: Officer Describes Arrest

Posted on January 17, 2013 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1943: District attorney’s investigators question Police Sgt. James F. Martin about the arrest of Stanley H. Beebe, who died after being beaten by LAPD officers. Martin said that he got a bloody nose and two broken ribs in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Columnists, Comics, Downtown, Film, Hill Street, LAPD, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 16, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s another mystery photo, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Thanks, Mary! Nobody guessed our fellow — let me see if I can find more photos of him before revealing the answer.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Ferdinand Earle – Found on EBay

Posted on January 16, 2013 by lmharnisch

A lot of material belonging to Ferdinand Earle (d. 1951) has been listed on EBay. Earle was an art director, writer and director in the silent era. The photo above is from “Womanhood,” on which he was art director. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Ferdinand Earle – Found on EBay

Movieland Mystery Photo

Posted on January 14, 2013 by lmharnisch

Here’s a mystery chap courtesy of Mary Mallory. Thanks, Mary!! This is Felix Knight. Please congratulate Mike Hawks and Bob Hansen for identifying him!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo, Photography | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Jerry Giesler, Miracle Man

Posted on January 14, 2013 by lmharnisch

Photo: Walter Wanger, left, and Jerry Giesler. Courtesy of Mary Mallory. Long before Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, or F. Lee Bailey hit the scene, soft-spoken, circumspect Jerry Giesler iced his competition as Los Angeles’ top criminal defense … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

How Not to Wear a Hat, Gangster Squad Edition

Posted on January 12, 2013 by lmharnisch

How to look like a hayseed just off the farm in really expensive clothes, as demonstrated by Sean Penn in “Gangster Squad,” costume design by Mary Zophres. Why does Hollywood have such a difficult time with men’s hats?

Posted in Fashion, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

‘Gangster Squad’ a Thumbnail Review

Posted on January 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

“Gangster Squad” is bad. It’s very bad. It’s even very, very bad. I laughed several times in fact, despite my best efforts not to. I’ll write more later but here’s a start: I should say something about a spoiler alert … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: There Is a Lake in Toluca Lake

Posted on January 7, 2013 by lmharnisch

Photo: Janet Blair sits on the little platform off the banks of the Lakeside Golf Club. Courtesy of Mary Mallory Surrounded by homes and the Lakeside Golf Club, Toluca Lake is all but obscured from view by the public. Like … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

China Bans Traditional Clothing for Western Fashions

Posted on January 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

Jan. 3, 1913: The Chinese government issues an edict against traditional clothing in favor of Western fashions. Women were called upon “to abandon their trousers for the occidental skirt and men to give up their comfortable loose clothes for the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1913, Crime and Courts, Education, Fashion, Film, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on China Bans Traditional Clothing for Western Fashions

Eve Golden / Queen of the Dead: Mae Murray

Posted on January 1, 2013 by lmharnisch

I hope you don’t mind if I use my column to plug a friend’s book, Michael Ankerich’s new Mae Murray biography, The Girl With the Bee Stung Lips (OK, so he did dedicate it to me. But you needn’t dedicate … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated +++)

Posted on December 31, 2012 by lmharnisch

Here are some mystery folks in a mystery movie.

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Mystery Photo, Nightclubs | Tagged , , , | 38 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Pickford Headlines 1933 Rose Parade

Posted on December 31, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: Mary Pickford in the 1933 Rose Parade. Credit: Courtesy of Mary Mallory Tomorrow sees the 124th annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena,  welcoming the new year with magnificent garlands of fresh flowers. It also acts as the 80th … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Pasadena | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Eve Golden / Queen of the Dead – Betty Grable

Posted on December 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

A 1938 publicity photo of Betty Grable listed on EBay with bids starting at $25. Betty Grable Betty Grable is so damned adorable. Her oft-repeated self-assessment does not do her justice: “As a dancer I couldn’t outdance Ginger Rogers or … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries, Queen of the Dead | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated +++)

Posted on December 24, 2012 by lmharnisch

This will be a bit different… A mystery location.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Celebrities in Bloom

Posted on December 24, 2012 by lmharnisch

  Photo: Mary Pickford admires a namesake orchid. Courtesy of Mary Mallory. Flowers, like actors, sometimes have short-lived celebrity. Once their aura of uniqueness fades, many languish or fall by the wayside. Some disappear. Others continue to thrive because of … Continue reading →

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Eve Golden / Queen of the Dead – Polly Walters

Posted on December 18, 2012 by lmharnisch

A photo of Polly Walters that has been listed on EBay at $49.95.   Polly Walters My friend Mel Neuhaus and I have been singing the praises of the Say Girls lately—those wise-cracking dames who flourished in the pre-Code era … Continue reading →

Posted in Eve Golden, Film, Hollywood, Queen of the Dead, Stage | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments