JANUARY 22
1885
I am gaining very slowly and walking, and I’m still on crutches, and I fear likely to be so for months. But if one must be helpless I know of no place in the world where one can bear it better than in Southern California. The hills are already green, as velvet, the barley many inches high, and some volunteer patches in full head, larks and linnets singing all along the roads, and all sorts of flowers in full bloom in the gardens; nevertheless it is cool enough to make a fire welcome, indeed needful, at night and in the morning; the perfection of weather.
I hope you have read my story Ramona and become converted by it (if you needed conversion) on the Indian question. I have, in this book, flung my last weapon! If this does not tell, I know nothing more to do. In my Century of Dishonor I tried to attack people’s consciences directly, and they would not listen. Now I have sugared my pill, and it remains to be seen if it will go down.
HELEN HUNT JACKSON, to her editor
1989
Dear former President Reagan,
Welcome back to Los Angeles, to be sure from a design and development point of view, a very different Los Angeles from the one in which you and Nancy once lived.
In your waning days as president, one of your more popular lines was to ask people whether they were better off now than they were 8 years ago. No doubt a select portion of L.A.’s population is, judging from the over-subscription of the pricey-per-plate testimonials honoring you; the sizes and costs of the custom-designed houses rising here like souffles.
SAM HALL KAPLAN
JANUARY 23
1930
Of all the Christbitten places and businesses in the two hemispheres this one is the last curly kink on the pig’s tail. And that’s without prejudice to D. W. Griffith. I like him and think he’s good. But, Jesus, the movies!
STEPHEN VINCENT BENÉT
1936
I do not look forward to their [my children’s] future with pleasure, not even with confidence. I see only war and taxes.
HAMLIN GARLAND
1987
While driving through Beverly Hills with Julie today, saw an RTD bus pulled over next to some park. The driver was outside practicing his golf swing with a club. Only in Beverly Hills. Also walked by Andy Rooney shooting a piece in Westwood. Weird Thursday morning.
CAROLYN KELLOGG
JANUARY 24
1826
Some of the men are kept employed [breaking] wild horses. Daniel Ferguson, one of our men, when leaving the mission on the 18th hid himself, and we could not find him; the corporal who commands at the mission promised to find him, and send him on to us. But I expect we shall not see him again. The weather continues fine.
HARRISON ROGERS
1940
While I was seated and drinking a boy brought a piece of paper on which was written: “Mr. Dreiser—would you honor me by having a drink with me—John Stemtuck” or some such name. My near reading sight is not much without eye glasses and they weren’t handy. Anyhow, without thinking more about it (I took it to be from a total stranger—someone not known to me in any way) I decided, if you please, to go over and be as pleasant as possible and get it over with.
How it came off, what you thought (and now I am wondering) I can only guess. Somewhere along the way I must have stuck the note in my pocket and forgotten it. And I know now (perhaps 6 weeks later) that you did not trouble to enlighten me. And right you were. But what a boor you must have taken me to be!
And today, 6 weeks later, I’m regretting it all so much. I’m so truly sorry for myself. For today I upset my ink well and spilled ink on a crumpled piece of paper lying on my desk. How it got there I don’t know. Anyhow I picked it up to throw it into the waste basket….
And then—Christ—what a dunce! The one man I’ve been truly wanting to meet since I read Of Mice and Men, not to mention your beautiful and powerful Grapes of Wrath. And there I sat and then walked away without saying anything!—trashy formalities. My God!
Well, anyhow, here I am. And that is my story. And tears won’t collect and bottle spilled milk. But maybe they’ll dissolve the righteous and yet mistaken opinion you’re holding concerning me. I hope so. For, although you’ve met me, you’re still the one man I want to meet—and talk to—and will—your gracious and far-reaching charity permitting—
THEODORE DREISER, to John Steinbeck
2009
Mis dreams. Bubbling up, también—con el tarry viscosity and regularity de ese glug glug glug que se escucha at the La Brea Tar Pits—from the primeval swamp sine qua non: el subconsciente. My dream/journal. Working on, working out tantas cosas.
SUSANA CHÁVEZ-SILVERMAN
JANUARY 25
1962
2457 Folsom St.
Boyle Heights
I wish I had time to tell you some of my latest dreams….I hope you dig this, man!!! I am going to try this on my own….by the time I get to Hanford I may be forced to take a hard look at the situation and decide to latch on to the dear old paycheck for all its worth and continue here in the little office and really enjoy it. What I need is an accomplice to go along with me.
CESAR CHAVEZ, to his mentor
2004
Whenever I come to L.A. I feel as though I have left my real world and stepped into a parallel universe. It is familiar the way a movie is but the lawns are greener, the colors of the bougainvillea more intense, the sun glinting off windshields seems brighter and people wear clothes I’ve only seen on TV.
Last night we attended a Hollywood party for cast and crew to celebrate the five Golden Globe nominations Lost in Translation received. I learned about the party at the last minute….
At midnight there was a stir as Bill Murray and his wife arrived directly from a European flight. Bill is in Wes Anderson’s film The Life Aquatic, shooting in Rome. When I greeted Bill I’d forgotten how tall he is, how far he had to bend down to kiss me on the cheek, and I stumbled backwards. It was the first time I’d seen him with grey hair and a beard. He introduced me to his wife. I’d heard he was very devoted to his family. I asked her about her children. She said, “We have six boys. Two boys seventeen and nineteen from Bill’s previous, ah, earlier marriage and four ages two to ten.” Her eyes grew dark and I thought I saw pain in them as she took a big gulp of wine. I imagined how difficult it could be, home with four school-aged children while your charismatic actor husband is being catered to on a movie location in Rome.
As the evening wound down and we walked out through the big carved door I was glad to be alone with just Francis.
ELEANOR COPPOLA
JANUARY 26
1847
This morning the Indians were busy in burying their dead.
HENRY STANDAGE
1932
My Constance Bennett scenario wasn’t passed by the Constance Bennett section of R.K.O. They had about twenty stories to choose from and they chose another. As a matter of fact, I am learning a tremendous lot of what is required in motion pictures, not only the angles but the interests that the public want, and when I get back I’ll be able to give British Lion a real rip-snorter….
At twelve o’clock to-day I presented myself at the Biltmore Hotel to address the Los Angeles Advertising Club. There were about two hundred people present—one of the biggest gatherings they have had since Will Rogers addressed them, and Will is a star turn.
I talked upon “Crime and the Law,” and my speech was broadcast. I discovered this after I had got down there, and it was a little disconcerting.
EDGAR WALLACE
JANUARY 27
1940
We didn’t reply to those last letters of yours and Ruth’s out of a combination of growing desperation and the mañana fever that grips one after being out here a few weeks; though strictly speaking there is no such thing out here as a fe
w weeks, it’s just one lifeless eternity.
S. J. PERELMAN
1977
Life is cloudless here in every sense.
KENNETH TYNAN
JANUARY 28
1940
This part of California seems to me completely loathsome, but I like San Francisco.
ALEXANDER WOOLLCOTT
1947
I have been led by strange ways indeed, and in my youth could never have dreamed that I would spend my latter days as an American on this palm-grown coast. But at bottom destiny has always been well-disposed to me, and I cannot but marvel at the way the individual always triumphs over the general, wins through against circumstances. I live here and do my work as I used to in Munich’s Herzogpark, and my “de-Germanization,” to use Nietzsche’s word, has not progressed very far after all. On the contrary, I find that in these happier foreign parts I have become all the more conscious of my Germanism. Especially during the past two and a half years I have been occupied with a novel [Doktor Faustus]—or whatever the thing should be called—which I hope to complete within a few days and which is something so utterly German that I have the greatest fears concerning its translatability.
THOMAS MANN
1982
Saw L. at [the Los Angeles County Museum of Art] today. It was very pleasant. He was very helpful. Offered to introduce me to everyone I should meet.
Went across the street to [the Craft and Folk Art Museum] and Edith Wyle was as friendly as a cat. Gave me a personal tour of the annex (I can’t believe all the beautiful women in that office—)
AARON PALEY
JANUARY 29
1882
We arrived in Los Angeles at eight this morning and went immediately to the Pico House, which is on the Plaza, or town square, in the lower part of the town. We were hungry and enjoyed a delicious breakfast of fried chicken, eggs, chocolate, strawberries, oranges and griddle cakes. For supper tonight we had hot tamales, made by Mexican women, of beef, corn meal and red peppers, stuffed into a corn husk and then boiled….
The nights of Los Angeles are always cool and one can sleep under blankets the year round. Few persons are troubled with sleepless nights, or wake in the morning feeling more tired than they retired the evening before, which we all know is a common occurrence in the East….
Blizzards or sand storms are rare; the only one of importance took place April 2, 1872, and almost obscured the sun’s light. The number of perfect cloudless days averages about two hundred in the year. During the summer the city is favored with a sea breeze in the afternoon, which is very pleasant and relieves the intense heat of the sun. Foliage remains green until several months after the last rain; in fact, the sun does not seem to have the same power that it does east of the Rockies. Sunstrokes are unknown, and there have been but two cases of rabid dogs reported in the whole State of California.
Through East Los Angeles there flows what we in the East would call a brook, but here it is designated as Los Angeles River.
L. VERNON BRIGGS
1928
Writing is next to impossible—what with the purling of fountains, the drawling of mockingbirds, the roaring of surf, the blazing of movie stars, the barking of dogs, the midnight shakings of geraniums, the cruising of warships, etc., etc….
The peculiar mixtures of piety and utter abandon in this welter of cults, ages, occupations, etc., out here make it a good deal like Bedlam. Retired schoolmarms from Iowa, Kansas and all the corn-and-wheat belt along with millions of hobbling Methuselahs, alfalfa-fringed and querulous, side by side with crowds of ambitious but none-too-successful strumpets of moviedom, quite good to look at….
Our house, a large U with patio and fountain, rambles all over the place, and is almost vertical to the observatory on Mt. Wilson. Plenty of roses, camellias, oleanders, acacias, etc., as well as a good wine-cellar. I’ve just been interrupted by the butler bringing in a makeshift for champagne, composed of carbonated apple-juice with a sling of gin; so all attempts at epistolary consecutivety are hereby and henceforth abandoned!
HART CRANE
JANUARY 30
1848
I was on guard—It was Sunday and crouds of persons were walking on the heights, the day was beautiful, our band was present playing some beautiful airs I had a visit from a number of ladies among whom was the fair Isadora—I invited them in to the guard room and shewed them all the attention I could
LIEUTENANT JOHN MCHENRY HOLLINGSWORTH
1936
Rollo the Whale is having a picnic off Laguna Beach these days.
Maybe Rollo isn’t his name, but it ought to be. He is a jolly, friendly mountain of blubber, coming just as close inshore as he can to play.
He was late arriving this year—he’ll turn around and go north again next month—but he’s having a grand time while he’s here.
Rollo can be seen every day off the rocks of Three Arches. He comes to the top and spouts a huge column of water in the air, flips his tail, threshes around in the sea, dives, reappears and spouts some more.
It is like a fountain with St. Vitus dance….
ED AINSWORTH
JANUARY 31
1867
Up pretty early & baked grub and afterwards we all posted off to town. Passed a few low flat-roofed whitewashed & solitary looking Mexican houses on the right & left. Passed over the Los Angeles river on a narrow foot bridge & followed a very winding street up into the central part of the town. On the right & left were large gardens filled with grape vines, lime trees, oranges & many curious trees that were strange to me. Most of the buildings on this st (Aliso) were Spanish. Even at the business center were a large number of the limed one story, flat-roofed buildings. Most of the merchants were Germans, Jews & Mexicans or Spaniards. Passed up to the P.O. first thing. All letters as they were received were posted in a small book. Didn’t find my name. Bill got two.
WILLIAM HENRY JACKSON
1937
Since the 9th of November I have been sitting in the most terrible construction mess, with winter storms during which I have to go up on the roof at 4 in the morning to direct the water into another channel so that my gallery does not flood. There’s not been such a cold winter like this in 23 years, therefore construction had to be stopped, and that with open doors and walls and windows. I sit with all my earthly belongings in the picture storage room. At the same time there’s the lack of trained workmen and everything gets done wrong, so that I, who pay every penny, have to supervise everything, because if one is going to create something, it must happen with intelligence and for that even the gods search here in vain. If I had kept a diary of my contractor’s stupidity, no one would believe it. I have no problem dealing with the workers. Then there are my other commitments and playing girl Friday. Am I still alive? Yes. I will survive and my thanks will be the enthusiasm of my friends.
GALKA SCHEYER
FEBRUARY 1
1928
The notable hour of the day was sunset on the Palos Verdes Hills: not a gorgeous sunset,—but exquisite in rose and grey of water, clouds and hills. I realized how much one misses living in an ugly, squat, city like Glendale, surrounded by box-like abominations in brick,—or worse, stucco and cardboard pretensions.
EDWARD WESTON
1945
Our second preview, which seemed to play better to a sparser and graver audience, but had rather a high percentage of bad cards. We have a stunning picture [Sunset Boulevard] which it’s going to be hard to get people to see.
CHARLES BRACKETT
FEBRUARY 2
1942
My husband and I went to the Alien Registration Office. There were four policemen on guard. It is only a little after opening hour of eight, but there are many people there. There are Germans and Italians, but Japanese make up the majority.
AOKI HISA
1962
I had dinner last night with the Attorney-General of the United States, Robert Kennedy, and I asked him what his department was going to do about Civil Rights and some other issues. He is very intelligent, and besides all that, he’s got a terrific sense of humor….he was the guest of honor and when they asked him who he wanted to meet, he wanted to meet me. So, I went to the dinner and I sat next to him, and he isn’t a bad dancer either.
MARILYN MONROE, to her stepson
1962
Marilyn would have been a terrible problem, though I am crazy about her. The studio is beginning to view her as Marat must have regarded the lethally-poised Charlotte Corday. Of course, Marilyn can’t help her behavior. She is always in terror. Not so different from you and me, only much prettier!
DOROTHY PARKER
1968
Dear Los Angeles Page 4