Tag Archives: Libraries

Black Dahlia: 6 Reasons Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill Elizabeth Short — No. 3 Not Pals With Man Ray

Posted on December 21, 2018 by lmharnisch

The “minotaur love/death cult of Hollywood” is apparently getting a big play in “I Am the Night.” Oh dear. Here are six reasons Dr. George Hodel did not kill Elizabeth Short that you will need to know before watching the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Coming Attractions: Celebrating the Reopening of the Central Library

Posted on October 11, 2018 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles Central Library, courtesy of the library. Los Angeles is celebrating one of its great treasures – the Central Library – this weekend on the 25th anniversary of its reopening in October 1993, seven years after a devastating … Continue reading →

Posted in 1986, 1993, Architecture, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Fires, Libraries | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sept. 28, 1947: City Librarian Althea Warren Announces Retirement

Posted on September 28, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. “Now I can catch up with my reading!” So does Miss Althea Warren—surrounded by 1,811,000 books—regard her retirement next Wednesday as city librarian of Los Angeles. … Continue reading →

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Mystery Manuscript

Posted on September 6, 2016 by lmharnisch

If you think the mystery movies are tough – try the British Library’s mystery manuscript.

Posted in Books and Authors, Libraries, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 16 in L.A. History

Posted on January 16, 2016 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1910: The Times recaps Aviation Week.   A Week of Aviation Triumphs, Jan. 16, 1910 Library Officials May Remove Books on Making Alcohol, Jan. 16, 1920  TV Writers Go on Strike Over Residuals, Jan. 16, 1960 Matt Weinstock, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910, 1920, 1960, Aviation, Columnists, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday, Buster Keaton!

Posted on October 5, 2015 by lmharnisch

And in honor of Buster Keaton’s birthday yesterday, here’s a link to Buster’s scrapbook, which is online at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Here’s the link. Happy birthday, Buster!

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Alexa Foreman: Available for Research

Posted on January 5, 2015 by lmharnisch

Alexa Foreman, an early member of the L.A. Daily Mirror brain trust, writes that after 20 years at TCM, she is now available to do research projects. Alexa, a researcher and producer at TCM since it began in 1994,  writes … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Books, Reading and Lending Libraries

Posted on August 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Note to millennials: This is an example of a book from a lending library. These were generally small  businesses that rented books for pennies a day and specialized in current literature and somewhat racy material that wasn’t available at the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Books and Authors, Found on EBay, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Another Wikipedia Hoax Exposed

Posted on July 30, 2014 by lmharnisch

A regular reader forwarded the following post to me, regarding our go-to source for misinformation: Wikipedia. Writing in The Daily Dot, E.J. Dickson describes surprise in discovering that a 2009 edit made to a Wikipedia entry as a college prank … Continue reading →

Posted in Libraries, Wikipedia | Tagged , | 6 Comments

‘Laura’ — People Who Write in Library Books Should Be Shot

Posted on June 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

In researching “Laura,” I borrowed Gerald Pratley’s “The Cinema of Otto Preminger” from the Los Angeles Public Library, only to discover that some idiot had scrawled through the entire book. The individual who committed this crime spent lots of time … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, Libraries | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

‘Laura’: The Making of a Classic Film Noir – Adventures in Research

Posted on May 15, 2014 by lmharnisch

Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as the director of “Laura” has inspired a long detour into the production of the film – beginning with Vera Caspary and her 1942 novel. Given the typical state … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Coming Attractions – Honoring CBS Studio Center Oct. 19

Posted on October 12, 2013 by lmharnisch

Mary Mallory and Marc Wanamaker will be speaking at this event on Oct. 19 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Studio City Library, 12511 Moorpark St., Studio City.

Posted in Coming Attractions, Film, Mary Mallory, San Fernando Valley, Television | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

L.A. Archives Bazaar – Coming Tomorrow

Posted on October 11, 2013 by lmharnisch

The annual Archives Bazaar snuck up on me this year. It’s tomorrow at USC! The annual bazaar will be held at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featured sessions include the Archives Roadshow, from 10 a.m … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming Attractions, History | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Woman in Stolen Car Shoots Gun at LAPD Officers

Posted on September 25, 2013 by lmharnisch

Sept. 25, 1933: How did the Los Angeles Public Library fare in the Great Depression? Here are some answers. The library was forced to make painful cutbacks due to a 24% drop in tax revenue, including shorter hours, layoffs, reductions … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, LAPD, Pasadena, Suicide, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

N.R.A. Frees Workers to Visit the Library

Posted on August 28, 2013 by lmharnisch

August 1933: In my journey through years ending in “3,” I have neglected 1933, when the National Recovery Act took effect  Aug. 1. President Roosevelt’s plan was to put people back to work by raising the minimum wage to $12 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1933, Comics, Hollywood, Libraries, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

When Hollywood Tries to Get It Right

Posted on July 5, 2013 by lmharnisch

July 5, 1983: Calendar writer Judith Michaelson has a most enjoyable story about De Forest Research, founded in 1952 by Kellam de Forest and located on the Paramount lot in Hollywood. At that time, the company had seven researchers, 16,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1983, Film, Hollywood, Libraries, Television | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Answering Michael Rosenblum: What IS a Library?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by lmharnisch

A fellow named Michael Rosenblum, whom I have never encountered before, has written a Huffington Post essay on libraries and meanders about on the idea that Google has made them obsolete. Mind you, this is not a direct point — … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Libraries | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Coming Attractions: Los Angeles Archives Bazaar

Posted on October 17, 2012 by lmharnisch

The annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar will be held Oct. 27 at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library. The bazaar is an excellent way to become acquainted with the astounding number of libraries and historical societies across the city and their amazingly … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, Coming Attractions, History, Libraries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Reading Los Angeles: Glen Creason

Posted on September 26, 2012 by lmharnisch

Photo: “Murder at the Sleepy Lagoon” by Eduardo Obregón Pagán. In interviewing Los Angeles Public Library map librarian Glen Creason, I asked about his favorite books on Los Angeles. There wasn’t space to include the list with the story, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, History, Libraries, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

One for the books

Posted on July 13, 2007 by lmharnisch

  July 14, 1957 Los Angeles At 95, Mary Foy has the formula for longevity: Watch your health, keep mentally active and be Irish.  The Times catches up with Foy and her "double cousin," Ella Foy O'Gorman, as the women … Continue reading →

Posted in 1957, books, Cemeteries, City Hall | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment