In January 1947, the mutilated body of 22-year old Elizabeth Short was found, literally cut in half, in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Even though hundreds of suspects were investigated and dozens of confessions were made, her murder remains unsolved to this day. In the years since, the case has gotten warm and cold again. Speculation into motive and method has been endless. And the deeper you look, the murkier the case becomes. It’s a case populated by drunks and junkies, syphilitic ex-cons and petty thieves, kingpins of organized crime, and the most corrupt police officers to ever wear a badge – and it still continues to this day.

This episode was originally published on March 17, 2025.








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In January 1947, the mutilated body of 22-year old Elizabeth Short was found, literally cut in half, in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Even though hundreds of suspects were investigated and dozens of confessions were made, her murder remains unsolved to this day. In the years since, the case has gotten warm and cold again. Speculation into motive and method has been endless. And the deeper you look, the murkier the case becomes. It’s a case populated by drunks and junkies, syphilitic ex-cons and petty thieves, kingpins of organized crime, and the most corrupt police officers to ever wear a badge – and it still continues to this day.
This episode was originally published on March 17, 2025.
 To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: <a href="https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy">https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

Hollywoodland is a podcast that takes place at the intersection of Hollywood and True Crime. It's where you'll hear the stories about our most beloved actors, directors, and other icons of movie history through the lens of the crimes that have impacted them. The mysterious death of Brittany Murphy. The obsessive murder of Dorothy Stratten. Woody Harrelson's father's connection to the JFK assassination. The three conspiracies surrounding Marilyn Monroe's death. Steve McQueen's brush with Charles Manson. The indecent arrest of John Waters. Dennis Hopper's easy riding and raging '70s Hollywood. The shocking small town murder that inspired David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Heath Ledger's overdose. Robert Downey Jr. hitting rock bottom, only to stage the greatest comeback in movie history. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to New Hollywood all the way to contemporary moviemakers, Hollywoodland features tales of murder, kidnapping, organized crime, curses, disappearances, prison escapes, and hauntings. You know, the kind of stuff that makes for the best movies.

True to its subject matter, Hollywoodland is a cinematic brand of audio storytelling. Think less of a Ken Burns documentary, and more of a fast-paced, highly transgressive Martin Scorsese film, co-hosted by movie and true crime buffs Jake Brennan and Zeth Lundy. Fully scripted, sound-designed episodes from our archive are released every Monday. These "movies for your ears" are narrated by Jake and feature Double Elvis' edge-of-your-seat audio storytelling. On Wednesdays, we drop brand new "Wrap Party" episodes, a chat-style show in which Zeth responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from listeners, while also talking more about that week's subject and themes (including guest appearances by Jake for weekly recommendations). And then on Fridays, we release new "Screening Room" episodes, in which Zeth deep dives into one film – after which, the audience is encouraged to watch that film over the weekend, and then call or text the show so that we can discuss it further in the following week's Wrap Party.

Hollywoodland is a podcast that takes place at the intersection of Hollywood and True Crime. It's where you'll hear the stories about our most beloved actors, directors, and other icons of movie history through the lens of the crimes that have impacted them. The mysterious death of Brittany Murphy. The obsessive murder of Dorothy Stratten. Woody Harrelson's father's connection to the JFK assassination. The three conspiracies surrounding Marilyn Monroe's death. Steve McQueen's brush with Charles Manson. The indecent arrest of John Waters. Dennis Hopper's easy riding and raging '70s Hollywood. The shocking small town murder that inspired David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Heath Ledger's overdose. Robert Downey Jr. hitting rock bottom, only to stage the greatest comeback in movie history. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to New Hollywood all the way to contemporary moviemakers, Hollywoodland features tales of murder, kidnapping, organized crime, curses, disappearances, prison escapes, and hauntings. You know, the kind of stuff that makes for the best movies.
True to its subject matter,&nbsp;Hollywoodland is a cinematic brand of audio storytelling. Think less of a Ken Burns documentary, and more of a fast-paced, highly transgressive Martin Scorsese film, co-hosted by movie and true crime buffs Jake Brennan and Zeth Lundy. Fully scripted, sound-designed episodes from our archive are released every Monday. These "movies for your ears" are narrated by Jake and feature Double Elvis' edge-of-your-seat audio storytelling. On Wednesdays, we drop brand new "Wrap Party" episodes, a chat-style show in which Zeth responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from listeners, while also talking more about that week's subject and themes (including guest appearances by Jake for weekly recommendations). And then on Fridays, we release new "Screening Room" episodes, in which Zeth deep dives into one film &ndash; after which, the audience is encouraged to watch that film over the weekend, and then call or text the show so that we can discuss it further in the following week's Wrap Party.

HOLLYWOODLAND

The Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short): A Gruesome Murder, a Corrupt Police Department, and an Unsolvable Mystery

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a2f760c6-8598-46e3-adf1-b41a012556e1/transcript