Episode 94 - Elizabeth Short: The Enduring Legend of the Black Dahlia (Part 1)
Address: 5121 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
In January 1947, Elizabeth Short walked out of the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and vanished. Six days later her body was found in a vacant lot in Leimert Park, and the press rebranded her as "the Black Dahlia." In Part 1, we cover:
- Who Elizabeth really was, beyond the myths the tabloids invented
- The missing week before her death
- How reporters turned America's most notorious cold case into a media circus
- The main suspects: Robert "Red" Manley, Marvin Margolis (the alleged Zodiac connection), Leslie Dillon, and Dr. Walter Bayley
We also tour the John Sowden House, Lloyd Wright's 1926 Mayan Revival "Jaws House" in Los Feliz. It was once home to prime suspect Dr. George Hodel, and is now a prominent filming location.
And, of course, we want to know...would you live there or list it?
Mentions:
- The Blue Dahlia (1946 film noir). This film is the source of the "Black Dahlia" nickname.
- Black Dahlia Avenger by Steve Hodel (2003 book)
- Black Dahlia, Red Rose by Piu Eatwell (2017 book)
- The Aviator (2004): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338751/
- I Am the Night (TNT limited series, 2019): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7186588/. The Hollywood Reporter has a piece on filming there: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/inside-i-am-nights-sowden-house-1178234/
- L.A. Confidential (1997): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119488/
- America's Next Top Model, Season 6
- Crime Estate Episode 15, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin. Link your own episode. https://open.spotify.com/episode/23mYYjbEddAelWiJwwFJhZ?si=34f57a39c0584ee5
- Crime Estate Episode 52, Lizzie Bordon https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uwcIAg2Wf7WIWdn6RbPsi?si=2751296025374ae3
- The Lizzie Bordon House (AirBNB): https://lizzie-borden.com/
Show Notes & Sources:
- House Beautiful, Sowden House article: https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/real-estate/news/a7189/sowden-home-lloydwright/
- Steve Hodel: https://stevehodel.com/
- Sowden House history: https://sowdenhouse.com/history/
- Sowden House Matterport tour: https://sowdenhouse.com/the-property/
- Discover Los Angeles, Leimert Park: https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/discover-leimert-park-in-los-angeles
- PBS SoCal, "The Black Dahlia of Leimert Park": https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/departures/the-black-dahlia-of-leimert-park
- Compass, 3825 S. Norton Ave: https://www.compass.com/homedetails/3825-S-Norton-Ave-Los-Angeles-CA-90008/1KONQR_pid/
- All That's Interesting: https://allthatsinteresting.com/black-dahlia-killer/4
- Larry Harnisch: https://lmharnisch.com/whatnext.html
- A&E, Zodiac/Black Dahlia: https://www.aetv.com/articles/zodiac-black-dahlia-killer-same-person
- People: https://people.com/elizabeth-short-murder-who-killed-black-dahlia-11883954
- History.com: https://www.history.com/articles/who-killed-the-black-dahlia
- Smithsonian: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fresh-look-black-dahlia-murder-180967953/
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/black-dahlia-murder-steve-hodel-elizabeth-short
- Debbie Pisaro, Realtor - LosFelizLiving.com: https://www.losfelizliving.com/los-feliz-historic-homes/sowden-house-los-feliz-hcm-762