June 11, 1947
Los Angeles
“That’s not a pot pipe—it’s a trick back scratcher!”
This was the novel defense provided by Carole June Norell, 20, girl photographer, who with her 18 year-old-model pal Carolyn Vine Fraser was arrested by Det. Sgts.Ed Walker and D.P. Rikalo at their digs at 1810 N. Serrano Ave. after the object and a tobacco tin half-filled with marihuana were discovered in their room. Norell said that while she had purchased the offending weed for $20, she hadn’t put it in the so-called pipe and smoked it.
The two itchy dames are presently in City Jail on suspicion of violating the State Narcotics Act.
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Hillary Brooke
Tries Out Job
as Reporter
She’s going to play the role of a woman police reporter in her next film and she wanted some realism, so Hillary Brooke, blond actress, popped into the city room of The Times.
The city editor promptly assigned her to the police press room. Among other things Miss Brooke learned while covering the police beat was that the Police Department has so tightened its communication system that only 58 seconds elapse from the time a crime is reported until it is relayed to radio car or motorcycle officers in the crime area.
“Very comforting,” the actress declared.
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Somehow I’d like to think that Brooke wrote the marijuana bust story as she was studying for her role in “I Cover Big Town” (apparently not yet out on DVD). I can’t say I’ve ever seen it, but I love the title. One interesting note: The price of marijuana in 1947 ($20) equals $189.28 in USD 2005.
The other note is that I was lucky enough to know one of the arresting officers, Ed Walker, who retired with the rank of inspector and headed the LAPD’s public information office. Ed was the officer who arrested Errol Flynn on statutory rape charges and told Khrushchev that he couldn’t go to Disneyland. He was a wonderful man.
Bonus factoid: Shirley MacLaine worked as an elevator operator at The Times when she was preparing for her role in “The Apartment.”
www.lmharnisch.com
Bonus factoid:
On March 8, 1920, the city of Los Angeles opened a drug clinic, offering morphine at 10 cents a grain ($1.07 USD 2005) with the idea of cutting down on crimes by addicts and weaning them from drugs. The Los Angeles Examiner opposed the clinic while it was favored by The Times, which noted that it had treated 364 addicts as of May 2, 1920. It was located on the Temple Block, now the site of City Hall.
www.lmharnisch.com
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