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Today Is Jan. 15 — The Daily Mirror Sabbatical Begins
As I wrote in 2014, this year I’m taking a sabbatical from blogging. The mystery photos will continue and Mary Mallory will be writing Hollywood Heights as usual. But the anniversary of Elizabeth...
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Black Dahlia: Time Magazine and the Death of Research
Time magazine, more than a bit late to the party, jumps on the Dr. George Hodel bandwagon on the anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s death. Time was once famous for having an extensive research...
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Black Dahlia: Wikipedia Fail
Here is what’s wrong with Wikipedia: “The Black Dahlia” was a nickname given to Elizabeth Short … Short acquired the moniker posthumously by newspapers in the habit of nicknaming crimes they found...
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On the Radio: 1947
I’m trying to immerse myself in the period (remember we have been doing 1944 and the 1947project was 10 years ago, so I listened to a few radio programs from January 1947. Jan. 17, 1947: “The Lone...
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An Update From 1947
I have been immersing myself in 1947 and for those readers who don’t follow my Twitter feed (@LATDailyMirror) or Facebook page, here’s what I have been up to. From January 1947: The American Mercury...
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Black Dahlia: From the Archives, 1998
One of my projects while on sabbatical is digitizing my old videotapes. And look what I found! And yes, it’s Sinbad. Remember E! “Mysteries & Scandals?” With A.J. Benza?
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Minus the Black Dahlia and George Hodel: ‘Man Ray and Human Equations’
The Washington Post has published an interesting review by Philip Kennicott of an exhibit at the Phillips Collection of Man Ray’s works. And yes, there isn’t a single mention of the ridiculous...
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Vintage Slides of the Black Dahlia? Probably Not
A scan of one of the transparencies being offered on EBay. This is from an unidentified Western. A vendor has listed a lot of about 500 transparencies that were owned by a “Hollywood filmmaker.” A bit...
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Black Dahlia: There Are Some Very Sick People in This World
This purported “tribute” to the Black Dahlia has been listed on EBay. Who makes this junk? Apparently it’s an outfit appropriately called Dreadful Dolls. Who buys it? For $325? There are some very...
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Black Dahlia: Don’t Waste Your Money on Her FBI File (Updated)
Some enterprising EBay vendor has listed Elizabeth Short’s FBI file for $20. Don’t waste your money. First of all, the FBI had no jurisdiction in the Black Dahlia case, so it’s mostly newspaper...
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Black Dahlia: Re-Creating Elizabeth Short’s Final Meal Puts the Ghoul in Goulash
An image of the Black Dahlia crime scene sets the mood for dinner. How about some pinot extra noir? It takes a special sort of person to think it’s a swell idea to have a pricey meal ($65 per) while...
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Black Dahlia: ‘Black Dahlia’ Composer Bob Belden Dies at 58
Adam Parker of the Post and Courier is reporting the death of composer Bob Belden, who wrote the orchestral suite “Black Dahlia,” which was released on CD in 2001. If you’re not familiar with the...
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Black Dahlia: When Murder Inspires Art
This amazing “objet d’art” has been listed on EBay for $39. I mean, really?
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Black Dahlia: Tamar Hodel in Hospice
The ever-vigilant Eve Golden forwarded an article by Sheila Weller from Dujour.com reporting that Tamar Hodel, who accused Dr. George Hodel of molestation in the 1940s, is in a hospice. Tamar Hodel is...
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A Wartime Fourth of July: Los Angeles, 1942
Years ago, in researching Camp Cooke, I bought the diary of a soldier named Harry A. Rankin, who was stationed there in 1942 and early 1943 (and no, he doesn’t mention Elizabeth Short). Here’s his...
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California Bans Women as Toll Collectors on Bay Bridge – They Are Unstable
Feb. 1, 1947: I’m going through my clips on the Black Dahlia case and here’s an unrelated story from the Santa Barbara News-Press. The state personnel board prohibits women from taking the Civil...
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Black Dahlia: Hack Writing and the Birth of Urban Myths
Hollywood Citizen-News, Jan. 15, 1947. I’m slowly digitizing my files on the Elizabeth Short killing for easier access, and yesterday I was going through the Hollywood Citizen-News, which is one of...
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Black Dahlia: Will Fowler on South Norton Avenue, October 1996
As I mentioned previously, I am slowly digitizing my Black Dahlia files. Here’s a frame grab from a video I shot of Will Fowler on South Norton Avenue in October 1996. Like many people who have...
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Black Dahlia: Portrait of ‘Not Elizabeth Short’ for Sale on EBay
An EBay vendor has listed this portrait by Eleanor Merriam Lukits, stating that it “looks like Black Dahlia Elizabeth Short.” Actually, no. The work appears to be skillfully done, but it’s not...
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Historians’ Tools: Archiving Email With MailStore
Much of the research I have done on the Black Dahlia case has been conducted via email, and after almost 20 years, I have quite a lot of it. I have tried to be diligent in backing up my email and...
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