BlackHat Mystery BookstoreThe Black Dahlia
Murder Case
Murder Case
 |
The Story
Books Videos & Music Links |
When the Alan Ladd movie "The Blue Dahlia" – original screenplay by Raymond Chandler – was released in April 1946, Beth's friends began calling her the 'Black Dahlia', because she dyed her hair black and had very white skin and wore lacy black clothing. When newspaper reporters heard of this, they knew a hot headline when they heard one.
Reconstruction of Beth's last days put Robert Manley, a hardware salesman, under intense scrutiny. He was not the last to see her alive: Beth was staying in the Biltmore Hotel and was planning to return to Massachusetts with her sister; hotel personnel saw her leave alone on the 9th of January. Her whereabouts over the five days before her body was found has never been determined. Beth's mother identified the body; the burial was in Oakland, California. Soon after the funeral, the police received a package in the mail that contained Beth's belongings: purse, ID, the address book of a local nightclub owner – but everything had been washed in gasoline to remove fingerprints.
Dozens of people confessed to the sensational crime, further straining the resources of the Los Angeles homicide team. The primary real suspect, Jack Anderson Wilson (alias Arnold Smith), was a petty crook and alcoholic, who often fell asleep while smoking a cigarette, setting small fires. The police tracked him down in 1981, only to find that he had finally burned to death, along with any possible evidence that was in his flophouse hotel room.
Eventually the prurient fascination of the newspapers and the public moved on. The case remains on the back burner until some new writer stirs up renewed interest. The ghastly crime-scene photos were finally made public in Kenneth Anger's 1984 book "Hollywood Babylon II". James Ellroy, author of "L.A. Confidential", published his version (see below) in 1987; the murder case also inspired a video game and a Third Stream jazz orchestral work by Bob Belden. Director Brian DePalma has made a feature film based on Ellroy's novel, which was released in September 2006.
"The Black Dahlia" feature film
[Millenium/Signature Sept 2006]
 |
Sepia & b&w-styled period drama of cops and thugs and politicos and a land developer's mad family, all circling the sensational death of a 'wannabe' actress.
Directed by Brian DePalma; script by Josh Friedman, based on James Ellroy's 1987 novel {below}; starring Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart & Mia Kirshner {as Elizabeth Short}; Oscar nom for Best Cinematography, ACE Award nom
Universal widescreen color DVD [12/2006] for $19.99 Universal color DVD [12/2006] for $26.99 full credits at IMDb official movie site |
 |
"The Black Dahlia" [fiction 1987] by James Ellroy Warner 8x5 pb [4/98] for $11.19 Mysterious Press hardcover [9/87] out of print/used BooksOnTape UNABR audio [9/90] out of stock/used |
Books
 |
"The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, The Mogul & The Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles" [2005] by Donald H. Wolfe Regan Books 9¼x6½ hardcover [12/2005] for $17.79 |
 |
"Corroborating Evidence: The Black Dahlia Murder - A True Crime Story" [2004] by William T. Rasmussen Sunstone Press 9x6 pb [10/2005] out of print/used |
 |
"Black Dahlia Avenger: Genius For Murder - The True Story" [2003] by Steve Hodel one possible 'solution' to the Black Dahlia murder case, the accusations of a son Harper 8x6 revised edition pb [7/2006] for $11.64 Perennial 7½x5½ pb [6/2004] for $10.91 Arcade 9½x6¼ hardcover [4/2003] for $19.84 |
 |
"Childhood Shadows: The Hidden Story of The Black Dahlia Murder" [1999] by Mary Pacios wherein the accused murderer is Orson Welles ! 1stBooks Publg 8¼x5 pb [12/99] for $17.15 author's Black Dahlia website |
 |
"Severed: The True Story of The Black Dahlia" [1998] by John Gilmore which makes the case that burglar Jack Wilson was the killer Amok Books 9x6 pb [9/98] for $11.53 |
 |
"Daddy Was The Black Dahlia Killer: Revealed At Last - The Identity of America's Most Notorious Serial Murderer" [1995] by Janice Knowlton [1937-2004] with Michael Newton very unlikely 'solution' to the Black Dahlia murder case, the accusations of a daughter Pocket pb [8/95] for $7.19 |
Videos & Other Media
Jimmy Vargas & The Black Dahlia [band/CD site]
 |
"The Curse of The Black Dahlia" [A.T.I. video release planned for 2006] Sixty years after the Black Dahlia murder, an office building is erected on the site where Beth Short's body was found. An employee disappears, and nightmares & hallucinations haunt co-workers, who must work thru the night to meet a deadline. Written & directed by Dan Goldman; starring Kate Siegel, Laura Penn, Austin Brooks, Roy Werner, Lenora Chu, Daniel Spangler & Geneva Somers video/DVD not yet available; latest credits info at IMDb producer's website movie info |
 |
"Black Dahlia" orchestral suite [2001] by tenor saxophonist Bob Belden EMD/Blue Note music CD [2/2001] for $12.99 |
 |
"Case Reopened: The Black Dahlia" [tv documentary aired Oct 1999] Written/narrated by Joseph Wambaugh no credits available; color/b&w VHS [10/99] for $19.95 |
 |
Black Dahlia video game! [1998] Interplay/Track2 for Windows 95+ [1998] out of prodn/used {shipped within US only} |
Links to Other Sites
Pamela Hazelton's Black Dahlia Website
Kyle J. Wood's Black Dahlia Page
untitled Black Dahlia feature film [2005?] from
Bloodshot Pictures
Black Dahlia Theatre [est. 2000] in Los Angeles, CA
Mary Pacios's Black Dahlia website
Larry Harnisch's website
1950 radio show 'Somebody Knows'
BlackHat Mystery Bookstore Film Noir Festival Pages
Book & tape sales in Association with 
top of this page •
back to BlackHat Mystery Bookstore homepage
