A Murder in Hollywoodland


Suicide. They say it was suicide but the truth is in Hollywood there is no such thing.

The depression had set in by the time she came out west to live with her uncle. Work was scarce but opportunities loomed behind every palm tree along the boulevard under the inviting “Hollywoodland” sign, or at least she thought so. RKO picked her up with an option to sign if the “13 Woman” project landed commercial success. Besides that there wasn’t any reason why she shouldn’t have become a movie star. After all she spoke with as much elegance as an English duchess with striking beauty to boot, skin as smooth and white as the letters on that sign and hair the colour of straw, the colour of a Kansas wheat field. But there isn’t any place that makes as many dreams as it break than Tinsel Town and so her supporting role in “13 Woman” ended up on the cutting room floor, as did her contract, as did her career, and soon her life would follow suit.

There were no stars out that night in ’32, not in the sky or otherwise. The sea of lights from Griffith Park blurred making it impossible to distinguish the gin joints with perverts prowling for fresh eastern meat right off the bus to take advantage of and the ritzy uptown clubs occupied by casting directors with the same on their mind. She only saw this sight for seconds from atop the “H” before letting go, letting it all go and falling to her death.

Between the days she left and before a park ranger found the body her uncle received a call from a nearby playhouse wanting her for the part of a young woman, an actress who commits suicide in the final act. Suicide. They say it was suicide that took her life but there is no such thin in that town. Hollywood killed Peg Entwhistle.

There’s a murder in Hollywoodland
1932
A raising star has died
No one seemed to know quite why
There’s a murder in Hollywoodland
And you can rule out suicide
There’s a murder in Hollywoodland
Peg Entwhistle has died
She's fallen from the Hollywood sign
No one in the town seemed to mind
There’s a murder in Hollywoodland
And you can rule out suicide