Tag Archives: stage

Julian Eltinge and Trixie Friganza!

Posted on January 30, 2015 by lmharnisch

Look what we found on YouTube! It’s a brief clip that shows two of our favorites: Julian Eltinge, above, with Gloria Jean, and Trixie Friganza in “If I Had My Way.”

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Movieland Mystery Photo — Tennessee Williams’ Edition

Posted on September 8, 2014 by lmharnisch

A member of the Brain Trust has called my attention to a gent appearing in the film of Tennessee Williams’ “Suddenly, Last Summer,” a movie I have never seen. Apparently this fellow, who plays Sebastian Venable, is unidentified and I … Continue reading →

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

Guest Review: B.J. Merholz on ‘The Selected Letters of Elia Kazan’

Posted on August 6, 2014 by lmharnisch

After we wrote our post on “The Selected Letters of Elia Kaza,” we passed it on to longtime reader B.J. Merholz (try doing that with an e-book). He writes: Howdy, Jim! Just a line to let you know I’m dipping … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 5

Posted on June 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944,  item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as director of “Laura” to do a bit of digging into the production of this film noir classic – however one … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 27, 1944

Posted on March 27, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 27, 1944 Broadway Alien She was once taken to a New York nightclub on New Year’s Eve and didn’t enjoy herself … She believes everything she reads in the movie mags… The only time she stays up all night … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 21, 1944

Posted on March 21, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 21, 1944 Notes of an Innocent Bystander The Wireless: Cong. Dies, who riles easy, is demagoging at a couple of news broadcasters. Now he intends to ask the stations, he says, if they are willing “to afford maligned persons … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 18, 1944

Posted on March 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 18, 1944 Broadway Ballad Novelette: Irving Berlin arrived the other day from England with messages for kin and loved ones of members of “This Is the Army.” Berlin phoned parents, wives, sweethearts and pals, and took down messages to … Continue reading →

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1944 on the Radio — ‘Duffy’s Tavern’ and ‘Fibber McGee and Molly,’ March 14, 1944

Posted on March 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 14, 1944 It’s Tuesday night in 1944, which means we have “Duffy’s Tavern” and “Fibber McGee and Molly.” — Gertrude Lawrence is this week’s guest on “Duffy’s Tavern.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — Fibber McGee and Molly hire Beulah. Courtesy … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 14, 1944

Posted on March 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 14, 1944 Notes of an Innocent Bystander The First Nights: Of which the week had none. The current season is one of the wackiest on record, crazier than some of the shows, but not much. There are 30 attractions … Continue reading →

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1944 in Print — Walter Winchell on Broadway, March 13, 1944

Posted on March 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 13, 1944 Memos of a First Nighter One of the strange quirks about the acting profession is that anecdotes about stars are remembered long after their most thrilling performances are forgotten … Theatrical historians have devoted more space to … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Fanchon and Marco Face the Music and Dance

Posted on March 3, 2014 by lmharnisch

Marco, left, and Fanchon, courtesy of Mary Mallory. Movie-going experiences today offer little bang for the buck, offering mostly commercials, advertisements and loud trailers before the films. In the 1920s and 1930s however, moviegoers enjoyed a smorgasbord of entertainment before … Continue reading →

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Manhattan Mystery: ‘Makers of Melody’

Posted on November 21, 2013 by lmharnisch

Ruth Tester and the mysterious Allan Gould sing “Manhattan” in “Makers of Melody.”   The mysterious Allan Gould with Inez Courtney in “The Girl Friend.” We have the illustrious Eve Golden to thank for this mystery. The other day, Eve … Continue reading →

Posted in 1929, Film, Hollywood, Music, Stage | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

‘The Clansman’ Comes to Los Angeles – Part 2

Posted on October 30, 2013 by lmharnisch

A photo from an ad for “The Clansman” in the Los Angeles Herald, 1908. Several weeks ago, I stumbled across a program from the Mason Opera House, announcing the upcoming production of “The Clansman,” the play by Thomas Dixon Jr. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1908, African Americans, Animals, Broadway, Downtown, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles Star, Stage | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bill Would Bar Japanese From Owning Land

Posted on April 10, 2013 by lmharnisch

April 10, 1913: The Times seems to be featuring a woman artist, but it’s difficult to make out her elaborate signature. Is it N. Tanaga? V. Tanaga? V. Kanaga? Aha! she was Neva Kanaga. Further research indicates she was Neva … 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 →

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Millennial Moment – Nick Stewart’s Ebony Showcase Theater

Posted on November 28, 2012 by lmharnisch

Nov. 28, 1982: Times staff writer John L. Mitchell profiles Horace “Nick” Stewart, who opened the Ebony Showcase Theater with his wife, Edna, in 1950. Stewart used the money from playing Lightnin’ in the 1950s TV series “The Amos n’ … Continue reading →

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Eve Golden / Queen of the Dead – Charlotte Greenwood

Posted on November 27, 2012 by lmharnisch

  Charlotte Greenwood Usually I regale you with harrowing stories about people who die early, grisly deaths, but today we are going to put on our happy faces and talk about Charlotte Greenwood. You probably know her from the film … Continue reading →

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June 9, 1908

Posted on June 9, 2008 by lmharnisch

Dolly Graham, actress, shows off the directoire gown on the streets of Los Angeles. Shocked citizens report the garment to prosecutors as "indecent" and "not nice." Email me

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April 7-8, 1908

Posted on April 7, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, David Belasco’s play, which closed on Broadway in 1906 after 224 performances, is staged in Los Angeles. Sadly, leading lady Alice Treat Hunt will die of pneumonia June 8, 1908, in her apartment on 9th Street near Figueroa. Below, … Continue reading →

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Jan. 8, 1908

Posted on January 8, 2008 by lmharnisch

Oil at 40 cents a barrel ($8.36 USD 2006), overcrowded jails,  a road from the San Gabriel Valley to Long Beach (the stirrings of a freeway, perhaps?), a near-lynching and a lady of the stage who had led a colorful … Continue reading →

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