Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Feb. 20, 1941

Feb. 20, 1941: Sam Yorty drops out of the mayor’s race – but he’ll be back in 20 years!  NO BELLS to Katharine Hepburn for wearing slacks to a reception given in her honor by the governor of North Carolina and his lady, Jimmie Fidler says.   Note: Tom Treanor has the day off. He will soon begin a new column titled “The Home Front.” ALSO Yorty Runs for Mayor!

Found on EBay -- Oviatt's

This trench coat from Oviatt’s has been listed on EBay. Oviatt’s was probably the leading menswear store in Los Angeles and was known for superior quality. As with all things on EBay, an item and vendor should be evaluated thoroughly before submitting a bid. Bidding on this item starts at $24 or Buy It Now for $165. ALSO Oviatt’s on the Daily Mirror Belted trench coat from Oviatt’s listed on EBay

Matt Weinstock, Feb. 16, 1961

Feb. 16, 1961: One lesson a person learns over and over in this business, but never accepts entirely, is not to get overly playful with words. If he does, he's likely to lose or confuse people, even on what seem simple, self-explanatory matters, Matt Weinstock says.  CONFIDENTIAL TO "LOVE IN KOREA": DO NOT MARRY HER! If it is really "love" it will last until you get back to the States and are able to think it over. Fashion note: Women who wear tight, short skirts shouldn’t cross their legs, Abby agrees.

Found on EBay: Bullock's Collegienne

This black silk chiffon lingerie bra and bloomers combination from Bullock's Collegienne department has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $44.99.

USC Fraternity Pledges Stealing Hotel Spittoons!

Jan. 13, 1911: The population of Los Angeles is 319,198, The Times says. In our bustling city, USC fraternity pledges are caught stealing spittoons from hotels …  a post office official is accused of taking items from the mail to give to women …. some Mission Indians come to Los Angeles to search record books for information on their tribal lands… and The Times reports on an ailing city employee hidden away in a small room in the tower of City Hall. The Times’ slogan is: The Best Paper, Read by the Best People.   ALSO USC fraternity pledge dies during hazing, 1959

Man Poses as Woman Golfer

Jan. 4, 1921: Well isn’t this an awkward moment on the golf course!  Miss Eleanor Fox, a tall and dashing brunette, drives a ball 200 yards and loses her tam – and her luxurious tresses – revealing that she is William E. Donahue. On the jump, LAPD statistics for 1920, and crime is up in almost every category. Arrests for intoxication are increasing and remember, this is during Prohibition. Homicides rise from 37 to 48. And despite the rise in crime the LAPD hasn’t added any officers, The Times notes. Also on the jump, Alexander and Oviatt is having a sale!

On the Frontiers of Fashion

Jan. 3, 1936: Los Angeles County Superior Court judges begin wearing robes  at the suggestion of California Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Waste. Not all judges like wearing robes and some continue to appear on the bench in business suits, The Times says.  Bonus fact: The first woman judge appointed to Los Angeles County Superior Court was Georgia Bullock, 1931. Bullock, who died in 1957, was the first woman judge in California, The Times said.

Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

This unusual Oviatt item has already been sold but it’s worth noting because it’s quite unusual. Marc Chevalier says: The elusive "Alexander & Oviatt" Swiss clock. I've seen three others identical to it: all were once owned by James Oviatt's nephews, who worked as managers of the store. I was told that they were commissioned by James Oviatt in 1928 or '29 as gifts for his nephews. Each clock is faced in ivory, and the images are hand-painted. Oddly enough, the artist has painted a completely fictional carillon of bells on the top. This item sold on EBay for  $200.

Movieland Mystery Photo [Update]

Los Angeles Times file photo

Isn’t this a great picture? More details on the jump.

Thelma Todd’s Wardrobe sold for $229

Los Angeles Times file photo

Oct. 12, 1936: Thelma Todd’s 40 dresses, 57 pairs of gloves, 13 hats, 36 pairs of shoes, 35 bags and other items were sold to dress shop owner Blanche T. Wright for $229 [$3,507.31 USD 2009], The Times says.

Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

A box from Oviatt’s has been listed on EBay. As most Daily Mirror readers know, Oviatt’s was a men’s store but there was a woman’s hat in the box and the vendor has inferred that the hat is from Oviatt’s. I suspect not. The box is fairly battered, but if you are an Oviatt’s completist …. Bidding starts at 99 cents. ALSO Oviatt’s on the Daily Mirror

Nixon’s Neckties

Huntington Library

Every Friday, Natalie Russell, a library assistant at the Huntington, e-mails several photos from the Jack Smith collection to a group of old-timers in hopes that someone can identify the people in the pictures. [Note: Make it a New Year’s resolution to label all your old photographs!]  Although I couldn’t identify anyone besides Jack and Richard Nixon, I was able to narrow the date the photo was taken to about 1950, based on Nixon’s necktie.   Nixon, May 26, 1950     Nixon, L.A. Press Club, election night, Nov. 9, 1950   I don’t suppose anyone, except for a complete research drudge like me, has ever made a study of Nixon’s neckties – a future dissertation subject, perhaps? Anyway, I was only able to find two photos in The Times archives (and we have lots of Nixon pictures) showing him with this tie. Nixon was consistently conservative in his choice of neckwear, preferring small, repeated patterns like this one, and he didn’t seem to wear his ties more than a few times.