Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood Paperback – October 6, 2015

Interesting Look at Old Hollywood

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Gloria Mundi

April 16, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The death of William Desmond Taylor/William Deane-Tanner is among America's most enigmatic unsolved murders. What makes his case somewhat unique is that there were deliberate efforts from people high-up in the movie industry to ensure that the case remained enigmatic and unsolved. It is virtually certain that there were a number of people who knew--or, at least, had a pretty good guess--who shot the film director, but for their own reasons, they launched a conspiracy that allowed someone to get away with murder. Evidence was concealed, misleading rumors were launched, and mouths were kept firmly shut. As all the people "in the know" are now dead, we will never learn for certain who was behind the killing, and why it was done. As very little reliable evidence about the mystery survives, all theories about the case are necessarily based on speculation.

"Tinseltown" is no exception to this rule, but William J. Mann offers the fullest, richest account of the Taylor killing to date, introducing several new details, a novel, intriguing "solution," and--perhaps most valuable of all--offering a fascinating look at Old Hollywood.

The Taylor murder is, in fact, only a plot element in the complex, often sordid, but always exciting history of the film industry's early days. The anti-hero of our story is Adolph "Creepy" Zukor, the ruthless film mogul who likely engineered the Taylor cover-up. Other stars of the show include Mabel Normand (one of the few sympathetic characters in this story,) the sad, tormented ingenue Mary Miles Minter, Taylor's eccentric valet Henry Peavey (depicted much more sensitively and positively than most other accounts of the case,) and a host of grifters, blackmailers, killers, drug addicts, and desperate wanna-be stars.

Mann's scenario of how Taylor died is interesting, but, of course, he necessarily cannot present much hard evidence to back it up. His theory cannot be accepted as the "final word," but it's certainly one of the most plausible "solutions" to date.

As thorough as Mann's book is in most respects, he does make a few odd omissions. He barely mentions the curious fact that Taylor's brother, Dennis Deane-Tanner, also abandoned his family and disappeared. It has been proposed, as a matter of fact, that Dennis was really Taylor's sinister former valet, "Edward Sands." Not long before the murder, Sands robbed Taylor and vanished--yet another puzzling element to this endlessly mysterious case. (Mann states that Sands was never seen again, although other accounts claim that the ex-valet was found dead under suspicious circumstances.) I believe Mann may have made a mistake in dismissing all possibility that brother Dennis and Sands the valet somehow figured in the murder.

Still, this book is wonderfully absorbing reading. Even if you have little interest in true crime, the soap-opera like saga found in these pages is almost certain to draw you in.

9 people found this helpful

Reads like a thriller/mystery!

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Andy Glass

June 24, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book was outstanding! It reads like a thriller-mystery, and Mann does a great job of developing all of the players involved and interweaving all of the story lines. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. If you're into true crime, Hollywood history or the 1920's, this book is for you. I was originally drawn to it as my daughter is currently chasing the Hollywood dream, and as a kid, my parents had the Time/Life books that highlighted each decade of the 20th century. For whatever reason the Fatty Arbuckle story had stuck with me since first reading about in those books. Tinseltown tells his story as part of the whole canvas that is painted in it. Very readable and enjoyed every page!

8 people found this helpful

Great social and cultural history plus a good murder mystery

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Jim Lester

January 1, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Who killed William Desmond Taylor? In answering the question of who murdered the famous movie director in the early 1920s, the author delivers an interesting look at Hollywood in its infancy. The book is a wonderful combination of a business history, a history of entertainment, a whodunit, a true crime story and a social and cultural study of the struggle over which worldview would control America in the 1920s.

The author fills the book with fascinating real life characters--the producer, Adolph Zukor; Will Hays, whose name incorrectly has become associated with censorship in the arts; child star, Mary Miles Minter and the victim himself, William Desmond Taylor.

The murder was never officially solved and Mann gives the reader plenty of suspects, not tipping his hand until the end of the book. It's a satisfying read that richly deserves all of the awards it has garnered. I would highly recommend it to any one interested in the history of the movies or anyone who enjoys a good true crime story.

5 people found this helpful

All that glitters is not gold

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Norm

November 25, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I bought the audiobook and am enjoying it immensely. The narration is well paced and an excellent reading. I've researched the William Desmond Taylor homicide in the past, so most details are familiar to me. What the author does so compellingly is to flesh out news headlines into behind the scenes motivations. The era and characters are richly textured and humanized.

I was surprised to like Will B. Hayes, who had seemed too stern for Hollywood but in reality was a man with empathy for actors and tried to lessen their plight. Mary Miles Minter and Mabel Normand are more interesting than fiction. The studio chiefs come across as paranoid control freaks they are. Everyone has everything to lose.

If you're a fan of the silent film era, murder mystery and the human condition, I recommend Tinseltown highly.

One person found this helpful

was fascinating reading of the life styles of yesteryear- very entertaining

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Most recent customer reviews

Azule Cat

good read

Published 1 day ago

Amazon Customer

Great early Hollywood scandal

I really enjoyed this book. I saw something on the murder on a Buzzfeed Unsolved episode and found this book. Anyone that enjoys early Hollywood stuff will really like this book.

Published 15 days ago

srowlands

Gripping and meticulously researched.

An extremely thorough and compelling account of one of Hollywood's oldest scandals. Anyone who is a fan of the You Must Remember This podcast will love this book.

Published 16 days ago

Clara Bone

For fans of Hollywood, silent film stars, non-fiction murder accounts--or just good writing!

Although I'm interested in silent films, I never really explored the William Desmond Taylor murder before--but who could resist the sub-title, "Murder, Morphine and...Read more

I love Old Hollywood and thisbook didn't let me down.

kathryn stout

Five Stars

1920s Hollywood come to life

Mike Sorohan

If you can get past the complicated back story that consumes nearly the first third of the book, you'll be rewarded with a fast-paced, colorful account of Hollywood and America in...Read more

A story that has interested me for a long time ... finally coming to life.

Ai K.

Five Stars