Murder at Collinwood

[LdyAnne]

I found this interesting web site when looking for more information on Greystone.
It seems that the original owner of the mansion one Edward L. Doheny, Jr. was murdered 6 months after moving in with his family by his male secretary.
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/scandals/greystone.html

LdyAnne

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The Doheny case is one of those famous (or maybe "infamous") Hollywood murders. There's a murder story associated with Seaview too. I don't recall the details of it off the top of my head right now, but it's written about in the book Haunted Newport.

Some interesting photos of Greystone on that site. I particularly like the one from the gatehouse that was taken in 1929 before all the trees and foliage became so large. Now one can barely see the house at all from that angle.

Too bad the Quicktime movie is no longer available...

[MsCriseyde]

In the past, they've actually done performances at Greystone based on the murder there. I posted an article about this in a thread called

Murder Play at Greystone Mansion in Calendar Events/Announcements '03.

Click on the quote link to read it.

[LdyAnne]

In my browsing I ran across that play.  Also it was used a background for a Raymond Chandler novel (he had actually been in the LA oil business at the time this took place) He may have had inside knowledge that did not make the paper.

I have always been drawn to real murder mysteries. I am especially interested in old (late 19 and early 20th C) unsolved murders. Throw in Hollywood and I am enthralled.
Anyone read about the William Desmond Taylor murder or Thelma Todd?


LdyAnne

[TERRY308]

I read about William Desmond Taylor murder.  I though it was very interesting.  I think that Mabel Normand's mother had pull the trigger in that one.
Of course Mabel was a cocaine junkie....but..Hollywood never changes.

[LdyAnne]

I read about William Desmond Taylor murder.  I though it was very interesting.  I think that Mabel Normand's mother had pull the trigger in that one.
Of course Mabel was a cocaine junkie....but..Hollywood never changes.

I believe that was the conclusion King Vidor (the director)  came to in a book he did on the murder.

[Philippe Cordier]

I wonder what it is about mansions and murder.  I've written before (on VantageBoard, at least) about a mansion not far from where I grew up.  My aunt lived nearby and knew someone there.  We sometimes visited and my sister and I played on the grounds, including peering through wrought iron gates into an old cemetery.  The interior has a lot of dark paneling, leaded glass, etc., and would make an authentic Collinwood.  While we were still children, the heiress living there was murdered.  I don't really want to say more because of maintaining privacy of families, although certain people here do know the specifics.