Horrorwood: True Crime in Tinseltown

A Shooting at the 'Peanuts' Headquarters

When you think of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy, "homicidal rage" probably isn't the first thing to pop into your head. Yet, that's exactly what went down at Charles Schulz's studio one summer morning in 1995. Five shots were fired, leaving two people clinging to life and the famous cartoonist being questioned by police.
 
Episode Sources:
“Charles Schulz's Manager Shot” by Ramon G. McLeod, SF Gate, Jul. 6, 1995
"Peanuts' business manager shot at cartoonist's offices” by Ray Delgado, SF Gate, Jul. 6, 1995
“Shirley Anne Nelson dies at 78” The Press Democrat, Feb. 13, 2008
"'I only dread one day at a time!'” By Laura Miller, Salon, Oct. 13, 2007
“'I Hope He's Dead': Woman Attempts Murder-Suicide At 'Peanuts' Headquarters” by Benjamin H. Smith, Oxygen True Crime, Jul. 17, 2022
“The Attempted Murder at Peanuts Headquarters” by Jake Rossen, Mental Floss, Mar. 15, 2016
Oxygen True Crime: Snapped, Season 33, Ep. 1
“1995 ‘Peanuts’ Office Shooter Dies” by Clark Mason, The Press Democrat, Feb. 14, 2008
 
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Tragedy on Set: "Across the Border"

The deaths of Grace McHugh and Owen Carter on the set of "Across the Border" are two of the earliest - if not the first - human deaths to occur on set while filming...and they never should have happened. In fact, filming had already wrapped on the production. There was just one problem: one of the scenes had been damaged in the development process so they had to reshoot it. No big deal, right? Wrong. What was meant to be a quick afternoon turned into tragedy, ending the lives of two rising stars.
 
Episode Sources:
“Accident on 1914 film set spurs camera man to attempt rescue of actress”  Carnegie Hero Fund Commission
“Grace McHugh, Golden Girl is Drowned” Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, July 2, 1914
“'Hollywood of Colorado': Canon City's boom in silent moviemaking” by Tracy Harmon, The Pueblo Chieftain, Feb. 15, 2014
“Across the Border (lost silent western film and footage of fatal filming accident; 1914)”  Lost Media Wiki
“Thomas Edison: The Unintentional Founder of Hollywood” by Garrett O’Brien, The Saturday Evening Post, Mar. 29, 2021
“Back In Time: Cañon City was once the best in the West for filming Westerns” by Brooke Johnson, Cañon City Daily Record, Nov. 14, 2020
“Thrilling Story of ‘Across the Border’ and of Miss Grace McHugh, the Beautiful, Brave, and Daring Girl, Who Lost Her Life in Its Production” Press Democrat, Sep. 20, 1914
Royal Gorge Region: Motion Picture Production
Selig Polyscope Company, Chicagology
“Back in Time: Fremont County was the backdrop for many historical movies” by Lindsey Larsen, Cañon City Daily Record, Nov. 2, 2020
Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1914) by New York, Chalmers Publishing Company, p. 438
“Voices in the Waters” by Gary Shoe and Tony Ortega, 2017
 
For further reading: HOLLYWOOD, COLORADO by David Emrich, HOLLYWOOD OF THE ROCKIES by Michael J. Spencer
 
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The Unfathomable Death of Robert Lees

When Helen Colton went to pick up her longtime partner Robert Lees, a once prominent screenwriter, for a gala at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, she anticipated an evening of fun and laughter. However, when she arrived at his home to find his newspaper still sitting on the porch and a door to his house ajar, her body immediately filled with dread. Nothing could prepare her for what she was about to uncover.
 
Episode Sources:
“Trusting, to the end” by Martin Miller, LA Times, Jul. 5, 2004
“Double Hollywood Murder: Producer and Doctor BEHEADED By a Go Go Boy” - a conversation between Helen Colton and Scott Michaels (Dearly Departed Tours), Nov. 27 2015
“Man gets life for beheading screenwriter, killing second man” LA Daily News, Apr. 4, 2008
Scott Michaels’ Find a Death - Robert Lees
“SUSPECT IN GRISLY MURDERS HAD TROUBLED HISTORY” by Ryan Oliver, Hermiston Herald, Jun. 18, 2004
“Transient Is Arrested in Slayings of 2” by Regine Labossiere, Andrew Blankstein & Nikki Usher, LA Times, Jun. 15, 2004
“In Memoriam to My Cousin Bobby Lees” by Karin Badt
"The outlaws” by Tom Dewe Mathews, The Guardian, Oct. 7, 2006
“Voices of the 60s and 70s” - Sex After the Sexual Revolution by Helen Colton, May 5, 2013
“Ex-Marine Pleads Guilty In Beheading, Murder” CBS2, Feb. 26, 2008
“Relatives express rage at killer of 2” by Jack Leonard, LA Times, Apr. 5, 2008
“Man admits guilt in two gruesome killings in 2004” by Tiffany Hsu and Andrew Blankstein, LA Times, Feb. 27, 2008
“Keven Lee Graff Murders 2 Hollywood Men In California” Jun. 8, 2015
“Blacklisted Screenwriter Murdered” CBS/AP, Jun. 15, 2004
Robert Lees obituary as printed in “The Independent,” by Dick Vosburgh, Jun. 17, 2004
Helen Colton Obituary, orig. published in LA Times, Jan. 5, 2014
 
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Ramon Novarro: Hollywood's Hidden Heartbreak

It's Pride Month! Join us as we explore the captivating life and tragic end of Mexican silent film icon Ramon Novarro. From his seductive dagger dances to his rise as a silver screen sensation, we delve into how this silent movie heartthrob captivated Hollywood. But beneath the allure of fame, Novarro's life was marked by hidden struggles, including his sexuality. After his shocking murder, the trial sensationally put his private life in the spotlight.
 
Episode Sources
“The Murder ofRamon Novarro”by J. J. Maloney from Crime Magazine: An Encyclopedia of Crime on Crime Magazine via Web Archive
“The Violent Death of Ramon Novarro” by John Harding,posted in: Hollywood history, John W. Harding
“Forgotten Hollywood: Ramon Novarro, a Bona  Fide Silent Movie Idol by Noel de Souza, Golden Globe Awards
“A star is killed: Hollywood’s deadly secret” by John Rechy on August 24, 2003, Los Angeles Times
“Ramon Novarro - Nominee” by The Legacy Project, Legacy Project Chicago
“Ramon Novarro Slain on Coast; Starred in Silent Film 'Ben-Hur'; Ramon Novarro, Silent Era Star, Slain” by Special to The New York Times, November 1, 1968: The New York Times
“Ramon Novarro Slain on Coast” by Special to the New York Times, November 1, 1968, The New York Times
“Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” TRIVIA on imdb.com
“He was the hottest lover in Hollywood but Ramon Novarro was tortured by his demons” by Troy Lennon, February 6, 2019, The Daily Telegraph
“Scandalous Facts About Ramon Novarro, The Tragic Idol” by Dancy Mason, October 13, 2020, Factinate
“The Hustlers and the Movie Star” by William Van Meter, May 23, 2012, Out.com
“Samuel-Novarro Residence” from Historic Place in L.A., Los Angeles Conservancy
Live Journal Entry about Ramon Novarro by tim1965, Live Journal
 
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Haunted Theatres: The Belasco in New York City

We're feeling a little pre-pre-pre-pre October up in here, so we've got a spooky episode for ya! We've got the ghost of a theatre owner who insists on dressing like a Catholic priest (uh, he was NOT a priest nor was he even Catholic), and just wait 'til you hear who - or what - Laura Linney saw when she was performing at the Belasco, said to be the most haunted Broadway theatre in NYC.
 
Episode Sources:
"The Untold Stories of Broadway, Volume 3" by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, 2016
“A Broadway Haunt” by Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, Jun 25, 2006
David Belasco Obituary - The New York Times, May 15, 1931
“The Last of Belasco’s Legendary Duplex” - The New York Times, Jul 17, 1980
Eulogies of David Belasco
“AT THIS THEATRE: The Newly Renovated Belasco Theatre” - Playbill
 
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MTV's "Buckwild" & the Tragic Death of Shain Gandee

We're delving into the wild world of MTV's controversial reality show, "Buckwild." In this episode, we explore the highs and lows of the series that captivated audiences with its portrayal of carefree youth in rural West Virginia. We'll discuss the show's instant popularity, the intense backlash from locals, and the real-life consequences that followed. Central to this story is the tragic and untimely death of Shain Gandee, a beloved cast member whose accidental passing shook fans and castmates alike.
 
Episode Sources:
“‘Buckwild’ Star Died of Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning” by Krishnadev Calamur, April 2, 2013, NPR
“Buckwild star Shain GAndee died from carbon monoxide poisoning, tests show” by Dominic Rushe, April 2, 2013, The Guardian
https://web.archive.org/web/20130730181737/http://www.mtv.com/shows/buckwild/cast_characters.jhtml
“MTV Gets ‘Buckwild’ with New Series Premiering on Thursday, January 3 at 10:00 P.M. ET/PT” on November 29, 2012, from a Press Release from MTV, The Futon Critic
“New reality show follows W.Va. teens” by Mackenzie Mays, December 6, 2011, The Daily Athenaeum, thedaonline.com
“Buckwild Trailer 1 (2013) HD - MTV” from TVShowTrailerTVSpot on YouTube
“Buckwild” on MTV.com
“MTV’s ‘Buckwild’ - Where Are They Now?” by Anonymous, July 12, 2017, UWM Post
“Inside the MTV show ‘Buckwild’” by Lisa Respers France, April 3, 2013, CNN
“MTV Cancels ‘Buckwild’ Following Star Shain Gandee’s Death” by Lacy Rose, April 9, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter
“Shain Lelyn Gandee” obituary on Legacy.com
“‘Buckwild’s Shain Gandee: 10 Best Quotes” by E! Online
“Manchin asks MTV to cancel ‘Buckwild’” from Joe Manchin, December 7, 2012, Joe Manchin (manchin.senate.gov)
“Feeling Dragged Through the Mud, as MTV Comes to West Virginia” by Trip Gabriel, January 1, 2013, The New York Times
“On MTV’s Buckwild: A Rebuttle from a true West Virginian” by Kelsey Thomas, January 24, 2013, College Magazine
“‘Buckwild’ Star Shain Gandee Was Found By A Friend” by Katie Atkinson, April 1, 2013, MTV.com News
“Buckwild producer attacks MTV’s decision to cancel show” by Mark Sweney, April 10, 2013, The Guardian
 
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The Life & Murder of Ron Goldman - Part 2

When Ron Goldman saw Nicole Brown Simpson being brutally attacked, he could have saved himself and run away...but that's not who Ron was. He jumped in a tried to help her, and tragically it cost him his life. In Part 2 we'll talk about how each of Ron's family members found out about his death, the media circus going on all around them, and some aspects of the trial that you might not have heard about before, like Judge Lance Ito's "trial rules."
 
Episode Sources:
“His Name Is Ron: Our Search for Justice” by the family of Ron Goldman, with William and Marilyn Hoffer
Confronting O.J. Simpson: The Life and Death of Ron Goldman
Who Was Ron Goldman? | 20/20 Barbara Walters Interview | 16 September 1994
Ron Goldman's Autopsy Report
The O. J. Simpson Trial: The Jury
The Plaintiffs' Witnesses in the Civil Trial
Kim Goldman's website
 
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The Life & Murder of Ron Goldman - Part 1

Ron Goldman could put a smile on anyone's face; just ask any of the inner-city kids that looked up to him as their camp counselor, or one of the cerebral palsy patients he used to dance with at the residence home where he worked. As the oldest of five siblings, he embraced the role of big brother and couldn't wait to have a family of his own. He was always looking out for others, whether it was giving them a pep talk or bringing them leftover food from Mezzaluna, the restaurant where he waited tables. Tragically, it would be a similar act of kindness that would land him in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 
Episode Sources:
“His Name Is Ron: Our Search for Justice” by the family of Ron Goldman, with William and Marilyn Hoffer
Confronting O.J. Simpson: The Life and Death of Ron Goldman
“Victim Thrived on Life in Fast Lane, His Friends Recall” by Matthew Mosk & Carla Hall, LA Times, Jun. 15, 1994
“Ron Goldman, murdered 25 years ago at age 25 – ‘He was too young’” by Rachel Burchfield, Jun. 17, 2019
“Dreams of Better Days Died That Night : Ronald Goldman: A young man was finding his way through the maze of L.A.” by Carla Hall & Greg Krikorian, LA Times, Jul. 3, 1994
“Who Was Ron Goldman, The Man Who Was Killed Alongside O.J. Simpson’s Ex-Wife?” by Rivy Lyon, Edited by Jaclyn Anglis, Mar. 25, 2024
 
 
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