December 26, 2018 • 28 mins
Hank finds that gaining access to the most powerful man in Hollywood may lead to more dead ends.
Starring Joe Manganiello, Alfred Molina, Misha Collins, Khary Payton, William Demeritt, Courtenay Taylor, Cree Summer, and Oliver Vaquer.
“Angel Eyes” performed by Desi Dennis-Dylan. Piano arrangement by James Harper. Composed by Matt Dennis. Lyrics by Earl Brent.
Directed by E. Ryan Martz. Written by Oliver Vaquer. Story by E. Ryan Martz and Oliver Vaquer. Sound Design by Joel Raabe. Produced by Vox Populi.
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Oliver Vaquer @Oliver_Vaquer
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
A new to the listener. The following story contains some
adult content and language. This was her last stop before
she was killed, and somebody knows something or somebody saw something.
I will not leave here without their next I would
caution you to be very careful, Mr Briggs. You're over
(00:22):
confidence is skating dangerously close to stupidity. Only one man
has ever spoken to me in that tone of voice
without consequence, and the only reason I let him off
the hook is because each and every word out of
his mouth on screen may be more money than the last,
but your words are worthless. So change of goddamn tone
and fast and without. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to
(00:45):
introduce you to the President of Classic Pictures, Mr Leonard Shaw,
from Vox Popula and the Los Angeles. Harold, this is
the angel A Vine, my old heart, anking and no
(01:08):
ground because my angels. Welcome back to the podcast. Thank
you once again for joining us. Okay, so before I
(01:29):
play you the meeting between Hank and Leonard Shaw, we
have a bit of ground to cover so that we
can understand who Hanks dealing with. And the story starts
farther away from Hollywood than you might think. At one
point in time, Fort Lee, New Jersey, was actually considered
the film capital of the world thanks to a man
named Thomas Edison. You may have heard of him now.
(01:49):
One of his contributions was the invention of the earliest
motion picture viewer, called the kinetoscope. But it's even greater
contribution was his desire for notoriety, control, and ultimately power.
Edison hoarded so many patents over movie making technology and
equipment that it was almost impossible for anyone to produce
(02:11):
or distribute a movie without his say so. He also
went as far as to omit the film's credits in
order to avoid attributing monetary value to any of its players.
What's the saying, power tends to corrupt, absolute, power, corrupt
absolutely something like that. Remember that for later. So, while
(02:35):
the men in New Jersey were fighting over who would
die with the most money, a fifteen year old boy
in Brooklyn by the name of Leonard Schuster sold newspapers
to help his impoverished family. His father worked in a
tobacco processing plant while his mother cared for his two
younger brothers, no doubt, a difficult life made even more
difficult by his father's sudden death. Now the sole support
(02:56):
system for his family. Leonard pulled up his proverbial bootstrap
and went from street corner newspaper salesman to Aaron Boy
and Carl Lemley's first company, located in the Student Baker
Building in Times Square. That production company became what we
now know as Universal Studios. True story, it was at
pre Universal that Leonard met a man by the name
of Daniel Albright, one of the many producers who worked
(03:19):
with Lemley to challenge Edison's stranglehold on the industry. The
story of their meeting goes something like this. One morning,
in the presence of Lemley and Albright, Leonard reacted to
a photograph of Mary Pickford and blurted out, who is that?
I've seen her before, I'd watched that girl do anything.
A light bulb goes off. Lemley and Albright look at
(03:39):
each other. What if it's the actor and not the
movie that the public want? And it was there that
the star system and star power were born. So love
him or hat him for it? The origin of celebrity
culture came from Leonard's lurid adolescent thoughts. Now, Lemley already
(04:01):
had the wonder Kin Thalberg as his assistant so Albright
hired Leonard is his He began grooming Leonard for production,
and even moved his family with them when all Bright
Classic Pictures migrated west. Once in California, Albright suggested that
Leonard changed his last name to something sharp so that
no one will ever forget it, And so Leonard Schuster
(04:21):
of Brooklyn, New York became Leonard Shaw of Hollywood, California.
Shaw was a very quick learner, and Albright encouraged him
and implemented many of his ideas. Shawn knew a good
script when he read one, and recommended projects that garnered success.
He also had an incredible eye for talent and took
an interest in building that talent in creating Albright's movie stars.
(04:44):
Since social hob nobbing was inherent in that process, people
got to know him, and they genuinely liked him, and
because they liked him, they wanted to come work for
the studio. Leonard Shaw made all Bright Classic Pictures more
popular and more profitable than ever for and after only
four years, Daniel Albright made Leonard Shaw his partner. But
(05:09):
power tends to corrupt, remember, so while all Bright sat
happily in his office counting money, Shaw began to position
himself as the face of the studio. This eventually led
to Allbright's downfall. Daniel Albright found himself at the center
of a very public scandal. It involved a sexual encounter
(05:29):
with an actor by the name of Jack Lawrence, who
was under contract at the studio. Now. Back then, in
order to protect their image, almost every studio held their actors, directors,
and producers to what was known as a morality clause.
Among its many restrictions, one caveat specifically stated that you
couldn't be openly gay or bisexual. So in the news
(05:50):
of the affair threatened to derail his efforts. Shaw had
Lawrence banned from the lot, He acquired Albright shares, and
had any trace of the Albright name removed from the studio.
Everything Albright had worked for crumbled, and overnight he disappeared
from Hollywood. Now here's something interesting I found. There may
(06:11):
be a reach, but I don't know. You tell me.
In an interview done shortly after Albright's death, his son
revealed that his father was in fact gay, but had
always vehemently denied the affair with Lawrence. Albright maintained that
he met Lawrence only once and that was the extent
of their contact. His son's theory is that Shaw was
(06:32):
the one who leaked the false story in order to
force Allbright out absolute power, corrupt, absolutely enter Leonard Shaw
the monster. From that point forward, Shaw ruled what was
now classic pictures in proper dictatorial fashion. His employees were overworked, underpaid,
(06:55):
and his for the abusing. I mean, we heard Erwin
Fogelman say himself, h h, he's a prick. Say this.
He's mean just for the sake of being mean, gets
his kicks humiliating people. Shaw appeased only the stars who
made him barrels of money, and threatened to end the
(07:16):
careers of those who didn't. But once he had another
success on his hands, he would turn on the charm
and start doling out praise to make everyone feel important.
And they did feel important, and so they forgot. They
forgot that they were shaking hands with a monster. In
my research, I came across a quote of Shaws which
(07:38):
I think represents his values perfectly. When Casa Blanca won
the Academy Award for Best Picture, the studio had Jack Warner,
who had nothing to do with the making of Casablanca,
rushed the stage ahead of the movie's producer Halby Wallace,
and accepted the award himself at the Governor's Ball that evening.
Shaw told head A Hopper, That's the only time I've
(08:01):
agreed with anything Jack Warner has ever done. That's said.
If I'm Wallace, Warner's getting a couple of teeth knocked
out tonight. Hey, I'm just here for the circus. I'm
pretty sure that Hank Briggs didn't have any interest in
the circus. All he wanted was to know who Marlene
was with the night of Shaw's party, the night that
(08:24):
she was murdered. This next tape I'm about to play
for you has not been edited in any way, shape
or form. It is in its entirety exactly as I
heard it the very first time. Testing to three, testing,
(08:48):
testing one to three. H It's Friday night, twenty past three.
Drivers early, Okay, off to meet Leonard Shaw. Here goes
(09:25):
Beverly Glen high Good. Oh, Beverly Glenn. I'll tell you
the houses on St. Pierre Sherard, tucked away, tucked away
on Cpierre Beverly Glenn. St. Pierre Nimes Road. Hey, thanks,
(09:46):
you didn't have to get that for me. Imagine if
I couldn't open my own doors. That is a big house.
Oh yeah, you got me here, But am I gonna
get lost once I'm inside there? Wh are you sure? Eyes?
And how it doesn't live here? I am running the
wrong racket. Hey, I didn't catch your name. Nice to
(10:12):
meet you, too, penal Admer. You do not know he's sick.
You got it, got it? And you only have ten
minutes with him? Okay, Jesus, everyone is so friendly around here.
(10:34):
I'm serious. Yeah, that's what I was implying. I already
told you I'm not gonna take up his time. Now
you're gonna let me in? Or do I have to
yell at him from here ten minutes? I was told
Lois two staircases will look better than one, but she
didn't go for it. Oh come on, doc, not even
(10:57):
a smile. It's been a long day, all right, suit yourself.
Follow me. He's waiting for you in the great room.
The great room. Do you tell him how we met?
Not exactly. I told him that you waiting for me
outside the lock. What you tell him about me? Nothing? Nothing? Nothing.
(11:22):
I gave him your card, assuming that that would be
the end of Itding Yet here you are yet here?
I am can't for you look at all that green
must take him forever to Moa. How big is this place?
Nine acres na for what? Come on? Keep walking? Well?
(11:45):
Thanks for making this out, but Adler, I do appreciate it. Yeah,
I don't think me yet, Mr Shaw. This is private
investigator Hank Breaks. It's nice to meet you. Mr Shaw.
Thank you for take off the fucking trench coat. Pardon me?
You look like an idiot? Well, who do you think
(12:06):
you want? Bogart? You're not he died in January? Is
I show some respect? Take the coat off and sit
down an get him something to drink. What do you drink? No? No, wait,
let me guess. Scotch whiskey man, Adla, get him a
scotch neat you know what? Make it too? His nose
looks a little red. Idler, don't be rude. Just get
him one, Adler. This is a very nice home you
(12:30):
have here, A very nice home. What is that Betty
Crockers Ship of cards? It's a nice home. It's goddamn lavish.
Did you expect less? No? I just are you nervous?
You look nervous? Is it my size? My cane? I
hope it's not this old cane of mine disregarded. It's
only the discipline to help, Hank. I'm kidding. Lightening up
(12:54):
that second scotch might help, after all, are you pouring
it at this filling? At Jesus Sorry, bottle is almost empty.
Handle put a new one. That shut up? I just
give him a drink already. Thanks Seddler. You've got some
very interesting pieces of art here, Mr Shaw. Thanks which
(13:18):
that No, that's not art, that's called the kinetoscope, a
peep show machine and antiquity of the film world. That's
from a friend with a bent's sense of humor. Anything
else you'd like to add mind before you tell me
why you're here, The books, the piano, actual art, not specifically. No, no,
he didn't strike me as much of an officiado. So
(13:42):
what brings you here today? Mr Hank Briggs? What the
hell is so interesting about? Little on me? First off,
Mr Shan, thank you for Jesus Christ. What is this?
Thank you? Ordship? That's the second thank you I heard.
The first one I just ignored it. Not so bright
this one. Let me be I don't care why you're here,
(14:02):
only you do, so we either spit it out or
get the funk out. A woman by the name of
Marlene Murray Evans, the Angel of Vine, worked here the
night of March seventeenth, nineteen fifty six. It was the
last time she was seeing alive. The Angel of Vine
worked here. No, I don't think that's right. I'm fairly
(14:23):
certain it is, Mr Show fairly certain. Wow. Well, if
that's the case, then why are you asking the questions
and not the police? Because no one knew she was here?
No one. Nope. Let me give you a little hint.
Mr Briggs called the caterers. They're the ones who do
the hiring. She wasn't with the kids. Yeah. I was
told you had a few questions, and you still haven't
asked anything. I think the person who killed her may
(14:45):
have been one of your guests. Still not a question.
Who was at your party that night? God? Dare it is? You? See?
That wasn't so hard, now, was it? So? You want
to know who was a party in this house a
year and a half ago, and I know it was
a long time. What a colossal waste of my time?
(15:06):
Are you insane? Obviously? I don't expect you to remember.
And what is your suggestion. I don't know. A copy
of the guest list maybe or a guest list. No,
there's no guest list. What do you think goes on here?
That we announced people as they enter, that I have
I have servants who break out the silver and fine china.
(15:28):
What what? What? Place cards? Seating arrangements? People come when
they want, They eat with their hands. There's booze and
music and sometimes more than one. Somebody falls into a
pool with all their clothes on. That's a hell of
a good time. Well then just tell me the regulars.
Everyone everyone attended my parties. I'm let it, fucking shaw.
You're a woman is just a needle in a haystack.
(15:50):
I'm sure she was here. Yeah, then how'd she get here? Huh?
Who'd she come with? You said it wasn't the caterers,
So who the hell would she working for? I can't
tell you that. You can't got the funk out of
my eyes, not until you give me some names. This
was her last stop before she was killed, and somebody
knows something or somebody saw something, and I will not
(16:13):
leave here without their necks. I would caution you to
be very careful, Mr Briggs. You're over confidence is skating
dangerously close to stupidity. Only one man has ever spoken
to me in that tone of voice about consequence, and
the only reason I let him off the hook is
because each and every word out of his mouth on
screen made me more money than the last. But your
(16:35):
words are worthless, So change you goddamn tone and fast.
Mr Sherman. You know what. You don't have to change
a thing, silly me. I do remember now, there wasn't
a party, Not March seventeenth, anyway, maybe March sixteen, or
maybe the eighteenth, but definitely not the seventeen. I must
(16:57):
have been out of town that day. No party, no guests.
You see nothing to be concerned about. You think this
is funny, sit down. A woman is dead. Becure me
have been in this house and you think there's something
that said over laughing out said yet goddamn mouth adler.
Nobody asked for your opinion, and I certainly don't meet
(17:17):
him in order to shut your yap. I didn't bring
you here to answer any of your questions. I brought
you here to show you just how insignificant you are.
But she was here. But she was here, or show
me some fucking proof otherwise I can only assume that
you're just another dick searching for Hollywood dirt in the
want place here, Dan Will shouldn't be that I'd be
(17:38):
dumb enough to give you any you accidental detective. Oh oh,
that's a good stair hack. Yeah, that's an angry stare.
I love it. And since you're still standing, why don't
you get that cheap coat off my furniture and the
adler's show you to the door, Because if I had
to tell you to get the funk out of my
house again, you will do so. In the back of
a squad car my draw. It will return you to
(18:01):
wherever it is that you came from. Let's go ahead.
You're welcome. Thanks so much for the Scotch leo. Oh
of course, now it makes sense. Two pains in my ass.
You tell Rwin Fogelman. I said to take a dive
up an overpass, and it doesn't matter which one. Don't
(18:23):
go make it waves and not in this water. It
will be better for you if I don't remember you
after today. Oh my god, damn door. Is that your
plan to get hot under the collar and insult the
man in his own home. Don't you lecture me? You
have any idea. What's construction? He knows something? All right?
(18:45):
You are delusion on the open called worse. Just give
me the help back to my office and don't think
for a second. Excuse me, frank right, m hm. What
can I get for you? Just the water for now?
Slow night. Yeah, it's all right. Nice fish in the back.
(19:12):
He's expecting me. Yep, should it be? Keep the change.
It's cool, man, water is free. I know. Thanks, Come
(19:42):
on in. What is it? Oh? Hell no, don't this time?
I brought mine too. Now show me your hands so
I can put this away. Man, what are you doing
back here? Didn't answer all your questions already? You did.
I just didn't ask enough. That's not my problem. You're right,
it's mine, and there are people I need to answer to.
(20:05):
I couldn't get the show. No, I got to the
son of a bitch. Let me guess. He said there
wasn't no party. No, he said there was a party,
and he said you were there me. He's lying. He
says you picked the girls up after they were done.
That's a lie, it's what he said. Man. I ain't
never been up Beverly Hills or Belle Are whatever the
hell these people are from. You're kidding me. I'll be
(20:27):
arrested before I got passed Western Maybe what do I know?
But if there's even a chance that you were the
last person to see here before she died, then I
got to report it to the people in charge. Man,
it's a bullshit. You don't want to lose this club,
do you? Fish? It's a nice club. Goddamn it, storeship,
That's what this is right here. I can't have nothing nice,
(20:47):
can't leave nothing to hell along here, take that and
get your damn proof or whatever the hell it is.
You need to leave me alone. Virginia Hanley worked the
party with her that night. She'll tell you I wouldn't
to win near the Viginia. Are we done here? Hey? Yeah,
(21:10):
yes we're done. Thank you? No? Oh, now you polite?
Why don't you just let me get back to my business.
I should shoot this man in the back. Guy, nothing,
(21:32):
that's nonsense. You're not so good at a job, are
you me? Me? You're looking at me? Would I just
come say? Oh, you sign a bitch? Who you're working for? Shan?
You're telling me for sean row window down, run it down?
Look at me? You want to smash it? In. I
look at me now, now, okay, go ahead, keep it out.
(21:53):
I think a good look. Go on? Look? Fuck what
you shy all of a sudden. You've been following me
some last night. You don't want to get a good
long look at my pretty face? See cheese, you yellow bastard. Now,
I don't cheese looks like I think a good look
at this? You see it? I see you again. I
(22:14):
swear to God, I'll use it. Get out of here.
You is it? Okay? Yeah, it's excuse me, excuse me,
(22:39):
miss Virginia Hamley. No, no, no no, please wait, do you
have a minute. Can you slow down now? I just
need to My name is Hank Briggs. Oh my god,
it's you. Sorry, you must have me mistakes. You're a
cigarette girl. Didn't I already tell you? Just told me
(23:00):
you were a friend. Hey, I really need your help.
I know about Fish Shaw. You were at the party
with her? Yeah? Yeah, I was. Were you together the
(23:24):
whole night until around eleven o'clock? What happened? She wouldn't
get on the bus? What bus? The bus? Fish arranges them.
They took us to and from the parties with the musicians.
They were all left back to Hollywood, that they were
always different. That scar on your arm, it's nothing. Did
(23:46):
you get that from? When it shows? Why did you
leave her that night? I didn't leave her. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say you. You left her?
Why did she choose to stay? I didn't want to stay.
I didn't want her to stay. What do you think
she stayed? When I was ready to go, I found
(24:08):
her near the kitchen. She'd been crying, so I took
her to the ladies room so she could fix herself up.
Why was she crying? Shaw's parties can get a little
out of hand, a little wild. But but she was
a good girl, always was. But he got the wrong idea,
assumed she would I want to join him in the
(24:28):
pool house? Who they had an argument about it that
the argument started days before. But she didn't think that
she would see him that night, so hold of her.
He wasn't worth it. I told her she could stay
with me that night. We would we would get pancakes,
and she could stay with me. And she wanted to
finish it. I told her she was being silly. How
(24:50):
will you get home? I'll get home, I promise. I
made a promise. She wouldn't go to the pool house.
I made a promise she wouldn't leave with him. And
you who who did she promise she wouldn't leave with?
Was it Shaw? No? Not Shaw? Who the doctor? What doctor?
(25:11):
It's from the paper house? Adver Harrison? What was he
doing there? What do you mean he was at all
of Shaw's parties? Are you sure that's where he first
recognized her as the girl from work? I told her
to get on the bus. I made her promise. Why
didn't you go to the police? He was cleared, not
immediately what No, he but he was cleared. They wouldn't
(25:37):
have believed me. They needed to know. I swear to
you that that's where this tape ended. And when I
heard it, I scared the dog, yelling are you kidding me?
So now we know that Marlene was definitely at the party,
and so was Adler. So he lied to Hank? So
(25:57):
did he kill her? After all? We know that they
had an argument that started days before. Perhaps that was
the argument that the security guard told the press about.
Either way, was he the last person to see her alive?
We don't know, but we do know that there's a
(26:18):
mysterious poolhouse and whatever went on in that poolhouse. Marlene
was not meant to see whatever it was. I don't
think Hank is going to get another invitation from Leonard
Shaw in order to ask. The Angel of Vine is
(26:41):
a podcast produced by Vox popular on behalf of the
Los Angeles Herald. Thank you for listening to the Angel
of Vine. If you'd like to support us, please leave
us a review and tell your friends to subscribe. The
Angel of Vine is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
and all major podcast If you can't wait for the
(27:01):
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Go to Stitcher Premium dot com slash angel and use
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Premium free. The Angel Levine is directed by e Ryan Martz,
(27:23):
written by Oliver Vakare, story about e. Ryan Marts, Jason Salmwalt,
and Oliver Vakare. Sound designed by Joel Robbie and Matt Tamarrello.
Produced by Vox Populi in association with Forever Dog Podcast Network.
This episode's performances by Joe Manganello, Alfred Molina, Misha Collins,
Cary Peyton, William DeMeritt, Courtney Taylor, Cree Summer, and Oliver Vacare.
(27:48):
Angel Iz is performed by Desi Dennis Dylan piano and
arrangement by James Harper, composed by Matt Dennis, lyrics by
Earl Brent from downtown Los Angeles. This has been in
the Angel of Vine. You'll hear more from us soon.
Oh well is my ad Joe eyes, excuse me while
(28:27):
I died Sepiace
A new to the listener. The following story contains some
adult content and language. This was her last stop before
she was killed, and somebody knows something or somebody saw something.
I will not leave here without their next I would
caution you to be very careful, Mr Briggs. You're over
(00:22):
confidence is skating dangerously close to stupidity. Only one man
has ever spoken to me in that tone of voice
without consequence, and the only reason I let him off
the hook is because each and every word out of
his mouth on screen may be more money than the last,
but your words are worthless. So change of goddamn tone
and fast and without. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to
(00:45):
introduce you to the President of Classic Pictures, Mr Leonard Shaw,
from Vox Popula and the Los Angeles. Harold, this is
the angel A Vine, my old heart, anking and no
(01:08):
ground because my angels. Welcome back to the podcast. Thank
you once again for joining us. Okay, so before I
(01:29):
play you the meeting between Hank and Leonard Shaw, we
have a bit of ground to cover so that we
can understand who Hanks dealing with. And the story starts
farther away from Hollywood than you might think. At one
point in time, Fort Lee, New Jersey, was actually considered
the film capital of the world thanks to a man
named Thomas Edison. You may have heard of him now.
(01:49):
One of his contributions was the invention of the earliest
motion picture viewer, called the kinetoscope. But it's even greater
contribution was his desire for notoriety, control, and ultimately power.
Edison hoarded so many patents over movie making technology and
equipment that it was almost impossible for anyone to produce
(02:11):
or distribute a movie without his say so. He also
went as far as to omit the film's credits in
order to avoid attributing monetary value to any of its players.
What's the saying, power tends to corrupt, absolute, power, corrupt
absolutely something like that. Remember that for later. So, while
(02:35):
the men in New Jersey were fighting over who would
die with the most money, a fifteen year old boy
in Brooklyn by the name of Leonard Schuster sold newspapers
to help his impoverished family. His father worked in a
tobacco processing plant while his mother cared for his two
younger brothers, no doubt, a difficult life made even more
difficult by his father's sudden death. Now the sole support
(02:56):
system for his family. Leonard pulled up his proverbial bootstrap
and went from street corner newspaper salesman to Aaron Boy
and Carl Lemley's first company, located in the Student Baker
Building in Times Square. That production company became what we
now know as Universal Studios. True story, it was at
pre Universal that Leonard met a man by the name
of Daniel Albright, one of the many producers who worked
(03:19):
with Lemley to challenge Edison's stranglehold on the industry. The
story of their meeting goes something like this. One morning,
in the presence of Lemley and Albright, Leonard reacted to
a photograph of Mary Pickford and blurted out, who is that?
I've seen her before, I'd watched that girl do anything.
A light bulb goes off. Lemley and Albright look at
(03:39):
each other. What if it's the actor and not the
movie that the public want? And it was there that
the star system and star power were born. So love
him or hat him for it? The origin of celebrity
culture came from Leonard's lurid adolescent thoughts. Now, Lemley already
(04:01):
had the wonder Kin Thalberg as his assistant so Albright
hired Leonard is his He began grooming Leonard for production,
and even moved his family with them when all Bright
Classic Pictures migrated west. Once in California, Albright suggested that
Leonard changed his last name to something sharp so that
no one will ever forget it, And so Leonard Schuster
(04:21):
of Brooklyn, New York became Leonard Shaw of Hollywood, California.
Shaw was a very quick learner, and Albright encouraged him
and implemented many of his ideas. Shawn knew a good
script when he read one, and recommended projects that garnered success.
He also had an incredible eye for talent and took
an interest in building that talent in creating Albright's movie stars.
(04:44):
Since social hob nobbing was inherent in that process, people
got to know him, and they genuinely liked him, and
because they liked him, they wanted to come work for
the studio. Leonard Shaw made all Bright Classic Pictures more
popular and more profitable than ever for and after only
four years, Daniel Albright made Leonard Shaw his partner. But
(05:09):
power tends to corrupt, remember, so while all Bright sat
happily in his office counting money, Shaw began to position
himself as the face of the studio. This eventually led
to Allbright's downfall. Daniel Albright found himself at the center
of a very public scandal. It involved a sexual encounter
(05:29):
with an actor by the name of Jack Lawrence, who
was under contract at the studio. Now. Back then, in
order to protect their image, almost every studio held their actors, directors,
and producers to what was known as a morality clause.
Among its many restrictions, one caveat specifically stated that you
couldn't be openly gay or bisexual. So in the news
(05:50):
of the affair threatened to derail his efforts. Shaw had
Lawrence banned from the lot, He acquired Albright shares, and
had any trace of the Albright name removed from the studio.
Everything Albright had worked for crumbled, and overnight he disappeared
from Hollywood. Now here's something interesting I found. There may
(06:11):
be a reach, but I don't know. You tell me.
In an interview done shortly after Albright's death, his son
revealed that his father was in fact gay, but had
always vehemently denied the affair with Lawrence. Albright maintained that
he met Lawrence only once and that was the extent
of their contact. His son's theory is that Shaw was
(06:32):
the one who leaked the false story in order to
force Allbright out absolute power, corrupt, absolutely enter Leonard Shaw
the monster. From that point forward, Shaw ruled what was
now classic pictures in proper dictatorial fashion. His employees were overworked, underpaid,
(06:55):
and his for the abusing. I mean, we heard Erwin
Fogelman say himself, h h, he's a prick. Say this.
He's mean just for the sake of being mean, gets
his kicks humiliating people. Shaw appeased only the stars who
made him barrels of money, and threatened to end the
(07:16):
careers of those who didn't. But once he had another
success on his hands, he would turn on the charm
and start doling out praise to make everyone feel important.
And they did feel important, and so they forgot. They
forgot that they were shaking hands with a monster. In
my research, I came across a quote of Shaws which
(07:38):
I think represents his values perfectly. When Casa Blanca won
the Academy Award for Best Picture, the studio had Jack Warner,
who had nothing to do with the making of Casablanca,
rushed the stage ahead of the movie's producer Halby Wallace,
and accepted the award himself at the Governor's Ball that evening.
Shaw told head A Hopper, That's the only time I've
(08:01):
agreed with anything Jack Warner has ever done. That's said.
If I'm Wallace, Warner's getting a couple of teeth knocked
out tonight. Hey, I'm just here for the circus. I'm
pretty sure that Hank Briggs didn't have any interest in
the circus. All he wanted was to know who Marlene
was with the night of Shaw's party, the night that
(08:24):
she was murdered. This next tape I'm about to play
for you has not been edited in any way, shape
or form. It is in its entirety exactly as I
heard it the very first time. Testing to three, testing,
(08:48):
testing one to three. H It's Friday night, twenty past three.
Drivers early, Okay, off to meet Leonard Shaw. Here goes
(09:25):
Beverly Glen high Good. Oh, Beverly Glenn. I'll tell you
the houses on St. Pierre Sherard, tucked away, tucked away
on Cpierre Beverly Glenn. St. Pierre Nimes Road. Hey, thanks,
(09:46):
you didn't have to get that for me. Imagine if
I couldn't open my own doors. That is a big house.
Oh yeah, you got me here, But am I gonna
get lost once I'm inside there? Wh are you sure? Eyes?
And how it doesn't live here? I am running the
wrong racket. Hey, I didn't catch your name. Nice to
(10:12):
meet you, too, penal Admer. You do not know he's sick.
You got it, got it? And you only have ten
minutes with him? Okay, Jesus, everyone is so friendly around here.
(10:34):
I'm serious. Yeah, that's what I was implying. I already
told you I'm not gonna take up his time. Now
you're gonna let me in? Or do I have to
yell at him from here ten minutes? I was told
Lois two staircases will look better than one, but she
didn't go for it. Oh come on, doc, not even
(10:57):
a smile. It's been a long day, all right, suit yourself.
Follow me. He's waiting for you in the great room.
The great room. Do you tell him how we met?
Not exactly. I told him that you waiting for me
outside the lock. What you tell him about me? Nothing? Nothing? Nothing.
(11:22):
I gave him your card, assuming that that would be
the end of Itding Yet here you are yet here?
I am can't for you look at all that green
must take him forever to Moa. How big is this place?
Nine acres na for what? Come on? Keep walking? Well?
(11:45):
Thanks for making this out, but Adler, I do appreciate it. Yeah,
I don't think me yet, Mr Shaw. This is private
investigator Hank Breaks. It's nice to meet you. Mr Shaw.
Thank you for take off the fucking trench coat. Pardon me?
You look like an idiot? Well, who do you think
(12:06):
you want? Bogart? You're not he died in January? Is
I show some respect? Take the coat off and sit
down an get him something to drink. What do you drink? No? No, wait,
let me guess. Scotch whiskey man, Adla, get him a
scotch neat you know what? Make it too? His nose
looks a little red. Idler, don't be rude. Just get
him one, Adler. This is a very nice home you
(12:30):
have here, A very nice home. What is that Betty
Crockers Ship of cards? It's a nice home. It's goddamn lavish.
Did you expect less? No? I just are you nervous?
You look nervous? Is it my size? My cane? I
hope it's not this old cane of mine disregarded. It's
only the discipline to help, Hank. I'm kidding. Lightening up
(12:54):
that second scotch might help, after all, are you pouring
it at this filling? At Jesus Sorry, bottle is almost empty.
Handle put a new one. That shut up? I just
give him a drink already. Thanks Seddler. You've got some
very interesting pieces of art here, Mr Shaw. Thanks which
(13:18):
that No, that's not art, that's called the kinetoscope, a
peep show machine and antiquity of the film world. That's
from a friend with a bent's sense of humor. Anything
else you'd like to add mind before you tell me
why you're here, The books, the piano, actual art, not specifically. No, no,
he didn't strike me as much of an officiado. So
(13:42):
what brings you here today? Mr Hank Briggs? What the
hell is so interesting about? Little on me? First off,
Mr Shan, thank you for Jesus Christ. What is this?
Thank you? Ordship? That's the second thank you I heard.
The first one I just ignored it. Not so bright
this one. Let me be I don't care why you're here,
(14:02):
only you do, so we either spit it out or
get the funk out. A woman by the name of
Marlene Murray Evans, the Angel of Vine, worked here the
night of March seventeenth, nineteen fifty six. It was the
last time she was seeing alive. The Angel of Vine
worked here. No, I don't think that's right. I'm fairly
(14:23):
certain it is, Mr Show fairly certain. Wow. Well, if
that's the case, then why are you asking the questions
and not the police? Because no one knew she was here?
No one. Nope. Let me give you a little hint.
Mr Briggs called the caterers. They're the ones who do
the hiring. She wasn't with the kids. Yeah. I was
told you had a few questions, and you still haven't
asked anything. I think the person who killed her may
(14:45):
have been one of your guests. Still not a question.
Who was at your party that night? God? Dare it is? You? See?
That wasn't so hard, now, was it? So? You want
to know who was a party in this house a
year and a half ago, and I know it was
a long time. What a colossal waste of my time?
(15:06):
Are you insane? Obviously? I don't expect you to remember.
And what is your suggestion. I don't know. A copy
of the guest list maybe or a guest list. No,
there's no guest list. What do you think goes on here?
That we announced people as they enter, that I have
I have servants who break out the silver and fine china.
(15:28):
What what? What? Place cards? Seating arrangements? People come when
they want, They eat with their hands. There's booze and
music and sometimes more than one. Somebody falls into a
pool with all their clothes on. That's a hell of
a good time. Well then just tell me the regulars.
Everyone everyone attended my parties. I'm let it, fucking shaw.
You're a woman is just a needle in a haystack.
(15:50):
I'm sure she was here. Yeah, then how'd she get here? Huh?
Who'd she come with? You said it wasn't the caterers,
So who the hell would she working for? I can't
tell you that. You can't got the funk out of
my eyes, not until you give me some names. This
was her last stop before she was killed, and somebody
knows something or somebody saw something, and I will not
(16:13):
leave here without their necks. I would caution you to
be very careful, Mr Briggs. You're over confidence is skating
dangerously close to stupidity. Only one man has ever spoken
to me in that tone of voice about consequence, and
the only reason I let him off the hook is
because each and every word out of his mouth on
screen made me more money than the last. But your
(16:35):
words are worthless, So change you goddamn tone and fast.
Mr Sherman. You know what. You don't have to change
a thing, silly me. I do remember now, there wasn't
a party, Not March seventeenth, anyway, maybe March sixteen, or
maybe the eighteenth, but definitely not the seventeen. I must
(16:57):
have been out of town that day. No party, no guests.
You see nothing to be concerned about. You think this
is funny, sit down. A woman is dead. Becure me
have been in this house and you think there's something
that said over laughing out said yet goddamn mouth adler.
Nobody asked for your opinion, and I certainly don't meet
(17:17):
him in order to shut your yap. I didn't bring
you here to answer any of your questions. I brought
you here to show you just how insignificant you are.
But she was here. But she was here, or show
me some fucking proof otherwise I can only assume that
you're just another dick searching for Hollywood dirt in the
want place here, Dan Will shouldn't be that I'd be
(17:38):
dumb enough to give you any you accidental detective. Oh oh,
that's a good stair hack. Yeah, that's an angry stare.
I love it. And since you're still standing, why don't
you get that cheap coat off my furniture and the
adler's show you to the door, Because if I had
to tell you to get the funk out of my
house again, you will do so. In the back of
a squad car my draw. It will return you to
(18:01):
wherever it is that you came from. Let's go ahead.
You're welcome. Thanks so much for the Scotch leo. Oh
of course, now it makes sense. Two pains in my ass.
You tell Rwin Fogelman. I said to take a dive
up an overpass, and it doesn't matter which one. Don't
(18:23):
go make it waves and not in this water. It
will be better for you if I don't remember you
after today. Oh my god, damn door. Is that your
plan to get hot under the collar and insult the
man in his own home. Don't you lecture me? You
have any idea. What's construction? He knows something? All right?
(18:45):
You are delusion on the open called worse. Just give
me the help back to my office and don't think
for a second. Excuse me, frank right, m hm. What
can I get for you? Just the water for now?
Slow night. Yeah, it's all right. Nice fish in the back.
(19:12):
He's expecting me. Yep, should it be? Keep the change.
It's cool, man, water is free. I know. Thanks, Come
(19:42):
on in. What is it? Oh? Hell no, don't this time?
I brought mine too. Now show me your hands so
I can put this away. Man, what are you doing
back here? Didn't answer all your questions already? You did.
I just didn't ask enough. That's not my problem. You're right,
it's mine, and there are people I need to answer to.
(20:05):
I couldn't get the show. No, I got to the
son of a bitch. Let me guess. He said there
wasn't no party. No, he said there was a party,
and he said you were there me. He's lying. He
says you picked the girls up after they were done.
That's a lie, it's what he said. Man. I ain't
never been up Beverly Hills or Belle Are whatever the
hell these people are from. You're kidding me. I'll be
(20:27):
arrested before I got passed Western Maybe what do I know?
But if there's even a chance that you were the
last person to see here before she died, then I
got to report it to the people in charge. Man,
it's a bullshit. You don't want to lose this club,
do you? Fish? It's a nice club. Goddamn it, storeship,
That's what this is right here. I can't have nothing nice,
(20:47):
can't leave nothing to hell along here, take that and
get your damn proof or whatever the hell it is.
You need to leave me alone. Virginia Hanley worked the
party with her that night. She'll tell you I wouldn't
to win near the Viginia. Are we done here? Hey? Yeah,
(21:10):
yes we're done. Thank you? No? Oh, now you polite?
Why don't you just let me get back to my business.
I should shoot this man in the back. Guy, nothing,
(21:32):
that's nonsense. You're not so good at a job, are
you me? Me? You're looking at me? Would I just
come say? Oh, you sign a bitch? Who you're working for? Shan?
You're telling me for sean row window down, run it down?
Look at me? You want to smash it? In. I
look at me now, now, okay, go ahead, keep it out.
(21:53):
I think a good look. Go on? Look? Fuck what
you shy all of a sudden. You've been following me
some last night. You don't want to get a good
long look at my pretty face? See cheese, you yellow bastard. Now,
I don't cheese looks like I think a good look
at this? You see it? I see you again. I
(22:14):
swear to God, I'll use it. Get out of here.
You is it? Okay? Yeah, it's excuse me, excuse me,
(22:39):
miss Virginia Hamley. No, no, no no, please wait, do you
have a minute. Can you slow down now? I just
need to My name is Hank Briggs. Oh my god,
it's you. Sorry, you must have me mistakes. You're a
cigarette girl. Didn't I already tell you? Just told me
(23:00):
you were a friend. Hey, I really need your help.
I know about Fish Shaw. You were at the party
with her? Yeah? Yeah, I was. Were you together the
(23:24):
whole night until around eleven o'clock? What happened? She wouldn't
get on the bus? What bus? The bus? Fish arranges them.
They took us to and from the parties with the musicians.
They were all left back to Hollywood, that they were
always different. That scar on your arm, it's nothing. Did
(23:46):
you get that from? When it shows? Why did you
leave her that night? I didn't leave her. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say you. You left her?
Why did she choose to stay? I didn't want to stay.
I didn't want her to stay. What do you think
she stayed? When I was ready to go, I found
(24:08):
her near the kitchen. She'd been crying, so I took
her to the ladies room so she could fix herself up.
Why was she crying? Shaw's parties can get a little
out of hand, a little wild. But but she was
a good girl, always was. But he got the wrong idea,
assumed she would I want to join him in the
(24:28):
pool house? Who they had an argument about it that
the argument started days before. But she didn't think that
she would see him that night, so hold of her.
He wasn't worth it. I told her she could stay
with me that night. We would we would get pancakes,
and she could stay with me. And she wanted to
finish it. I told her she was being silly. How
(24:50):
will you get home? I'll get home, I promise. I
made a promise. She wouldn't go to the pool house.
I made a promise she wouldn't leave with him. And
you who who did she promise she wouldn't leave with?
Was it Shaw? No? Not Shaw? Who the doctor? What doctor?
(25:11):
It's from the paper house? Adver Harrison? What was he
doing there? What do you mean he was at all
of Shaw's parties? Are you sure that's where he first
recognized her as the girl from work? I told her
to get on the bus. I made her promise. Why
didn't you go to the police? He was cleared, not
immediately what No, he but he was cleared. They wouldn't
(25:37):
have believed me. They needed to know. I swear to
you that that's where this tape ended. And when I
heard it, I scared the dog, yelling are you kidding me?
So now we know that Marlene was definitely at the party,
and so was Adler. So he lied to Hank? So
(25:57):
did he kill her? After all? We know that they
had an argument that started days before. Perhaps that was
the argument that the security guard told the press about.
Either way, was he the last person to see her alive?
We don't know, but we do know that there's a
(26:18):
mysterious poolhouse and whatever went on in that poolhouse. Marlene
was not meant to see whatever it was. I don't
think Hank is going to get another invitation from Leonard
Shaw in order to ask. The Angel of Vine is
(26:41):
a podcast produced by Vox popular on behalf of the
Los Angeles Herald. Thank you for listening to the Angel
of Vine. If you'd like to support us, please leave
us a review and tell your friends to subscribe. The
Angel of Vine is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,
and all major podcast If you can't wait for the
(27:01):
next episode of The Angel Levine, episodes eight through ten
are available right now exclusively on Stitcher Premium, as well
as Angel Levine bonus episodes, extended episodes, and add free episodes.
Go to Stitcher Premium dot com slash angel and use
promo code Angel to get your first month of Stitcher
Premium free. The Angel Levine is directed by e Ryan Martz,
(27:23):
written by Oliver Vakare, story about e. Ryan Marts, Jason Salmwalt,
and Oliver Vakare. Sound designed by Joel Robbie and Matt Tamarrello.
Produced by Vox Populi in association with Forever Dog Podcast Network.
This episode's performances by Joe Manganello, Alfred Molina, Misha Collins,
Cary Peyton, William DeMeritt, Courtney Taylor, Cree Summer, and Oliver Vacare.
(27:48):
Angel Iz is performed by Desi Dennis Dylan piano and
arrangement by James Harper, composed by Matt Dennis, lyrics by
Earl Brent from downtown Los Angeles. This has been in
the Angel of Vine. You'll hear more from us soon.
Oh well is my ad Joe eyes, excuse me while
(28:27):
I died Sepiace
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