Tag Archives: Blackjack Jerome

Sinister Cinema: Greeks in Hollywood

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Don

Paging through Greeks in Hollywood: In the Silent Movie Era, I was stopped in my tracks when I saw the clipping of Jack Pierce, legendary makeup artist, working on Boris Karloff. If you dig the original Universal Monsters, Pierce pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Film, Frisco, News | Tagged Alaxander Pantages, Blackjack Jerome, Boris Karloff, Fondas Ladis, Greeks in Hollywood, Ioannis Pikoulas, Jack London, Jack Pierce, Marlon Brando, Nikos Theodosiou, Thanasis Lyberis, Universal Monsters |

Mort: Gus Konstin

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Don

And Brian Wallace just popped me the sad news from the San Francisco Chronicle that Gus Konstin — owner of John’s Grill — has died. Under Gus’s tenure, the grill set up the various tributes to Hammett, in celebration of … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Frisco, News | Tagged Blackjack Jerome, Brian Wallace, Fondas Ladis, Gus Konstin, John's Grill, San Francisco Chronicle |

Tombstone: Phil Geauque

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Don

Image above: another shot from the Mechanics’ signing, Nathan Ward inscribing a copy of his Hammett bio while I look on; standing to left, Vince Emery in blue, John Law — of The Suicide Club, Cacophony Society, primal Burning Man, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Frisco, SFSC | Tagged Blackjack Jerome, Burning Man, Cacophony Society, Colma, John Law, Kendallville Indiana, Leo Grin, Mechanics' Library, Nathan Ward, Phil Geauque, Vince Emery |

Tombstone: Blackjack Jerome — or, What I Did on Hammett’s 121st Birthday

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Don

Earlier this year Fondas Ladis from Greece was in the burg, researching a biography of John “Blackjack” Jerome. Blackjack was a Greek, who among other activities became famous as a strikebreaker, in San Francisco and around the country. Tradition has … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, DMac, Frisco, News | Tagged Alcatraz, Blackjack Jerome, Colma, Creepy Karpis, Doc Barker, Fondas Ladis, Golden Gate Bridge, Gus Konstin, Hammett Tour Book, John's Grill, Lambro's, Ma Barker, Measures of Poison, San Francisco Noir 2: The Classics |

Frisco Beat: And an “Adios” to the Powell Hotel. . . .

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Don

On May 19 I made my way to the bar in John’s Grill for a meeting with the Greek writer Fondas Ladis, in the burg doing research on a biography of Blackjack Jerome. As I hiked up the first block of … Continue reading →