Terry McGinnis, professional wrestler

Image: Carroll Photo Service on file at Los Angeles Times newspaper library.

This blogger could find virtually no information about McGinnis but he was important enough to have a photo on file in 1939 and be in the newsreel of a match (at link below) believed to have taken place circa 1939 in Los Angeles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-d8y373eUY?rel=0&w=560&h=315

“For the first time online, here is Cowboy (Killer Krippler Karl) Davis vs Terry McGinnis from Los Angeles. The match is from the 16mm film titled Through the Ropes and was issued in 1940. Both Davis and McGinnis were mainstays in the Los Angeles territory for many years.” Excerpt from the youtube posting.

The video at the link shows the violence of the sport. Watch the 8 minute 41 second video to the end to see what happened after the winner was declared.

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Call for Philip Morris!

Images: from Outwitting Handicaps magazine. Per the inside cover, it was founded “as a non-profit publication dedicated to the best interest of the physically handicapped. It is the offical organ of Chair Warmers, Inc., an incorporated association without capital stock, chartered under the laws of Michigan.”

So, while it is not a southern California story, the Philip Morris cigarette brand was the CBS radio sponsor of the 9 p.m. time slot on Fridays in 1939-1940 featuring the Russ Morgan Orchestra. So, we can presume that local listeners heard Johnny Roventini make that famous “Call for Philip Morris!” yell many times.

Lana Turner window shopping

Image: Life magazine photo by Peter Stackpole via https://blog.johannaost.com/2012/08/01/lana-turner-in-hollywood .

This appears to be in southern California based on the Los Angeles city style streetlights. Click on the image link to see more 1939-1940 photos of the actress.

Heinz 57 — fortune for a pittance

Although it’s an east coast company, some of the H. J. Heinz descendants were in southern California.

Image of text: from 1974 Los Angeles Times article at http://articles.latimes.com/2004/oct/27/nation/na-teresa27/3 .

The family’s story is complicated. Click on the link to learn more about them.

Image: selections from 1939 Heinz brochure commemorating 70 years of company history.

 

 

Burbank filling station

Image: source unknown.

Everrett E. Sterling filling station and tire shop. Burbank 1939.

Dude ranches

Images: Front cover and details from a 14 page fold-out brochure published by the Santa Fe to promote travel on their trains. Courtesy of the Western Archives, Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society.

Listings for four of the eight southern California ranches are shown.

 

 

X-raying of fruit

Images: from brochure distributed at 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.

“…in the past it has been impossible to detect certain kinds of imperfection by external appearance alone. Frost damage and granulations in oranges…leave no indications on the surface…”

“This X-ray inspection unit permits the operator to look right through the fruit instead of at its surface only.”

Excerpts from the brochure.