sowden house basement
Steve Hodel. While all signs point to him committing a string of horrific crimes, they all continue to be unsolved, including the infamous Black Dahlia murder. However, his son, a retired Los Angeles homicide detective, later claimed that his father had murdered Elizabeth Short in the basement of the Sowden House in January 1947. A video shows the birds surrounding the property and swooping in through the chimney. INSIDE OUTSIDE LOOK CLOSER LOOK CLOSER LOOK CLOSER Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) discussing their investigation in a dramatic scene filmed in the Sowden House kitchen. In spring 2018, Dan Goldfarb, founder of founder of Canna-Pet, a CBD company for pets, acquired the property for $4.69 million. 27 Feb. 2019. Some residents call it the "Jaws House" because of its maw-like look. Featuring an open floor plan, where every room communicates via the central courtyard, the home accurately reflects Wright's philosophies as a landscape architect. Designed by Lloyd Wright, the Mayan Revival style house has been called "cultic,". In 2003, Steve made these allegations public in the book Black Dahlia Avenger. The house reigns as an idiosyncratic curio in an area largely made up of Spanish, Art Deco, Tudor, and Mid-Century Modern homes. Dept. The property had three other owners by the time that George Hodel bought the home in 1945. Photo via Library of Congress (1940). Sauer, Craig. Buster, a cadaver dog, alerted the humans to something going on in the basement, although the room has not been excavated. She had detailed recollections of George Hodel's all-red kitchen and his all-gold bedroom, and seemed intimately familiar with the layout of the house. If the walls of Lloyd Wright's Sowden House could talk, they'd thank Xorin Balbes for saving them and possibly solve a famous murder mystery. Here's a shot of the Mayan revival fireplace from the 1940s. 2019. Chances are, it's the master. The original owner, John Sowden, was a painter and photographer who hired his friend, Lloyd Wright (eldest son of Frank Lloyd Wright ), to build his home on Franklin Ave in Los Feliz. The Sowden House basement is where Dr. George Hodel is believed to have assaulted and murdered his victims, including Elizabeth Short of the Black Dahlia case. 2021 All Rights Reserved by Velvet Ropes, Inc. The building style of Sowden House is similar to Los Angeles area residences designed earlier in the 1920s by Frank Lloyd Wright, which include the Ennis House just to the northeast in the hills above Los Feliz Boulevard, the Hollyhock House in East Hollywood, the Storer House and Samuel Freeman House in the Hollywood Hills, and Millard House in Pasadena. ProQuest. Four months ago, on October 28, 2013, Dr. Vass' complete Sowden House Investigation-Soil Headspace Analysis report containing his detailed analysis, results and conclusions, . It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. And while architectural and design-minded communities went crazy for Americanized Mayan style, to this day, these homes are widely regarded as stark, cold, and even uninhabitable. It finally sold in 2011 for $3.85 million. The house was also sold in 1936 and 1944. Come take a tour inside the 5,600-square-foot mansion and learn all about its dark past. The Sowden House is a Mayan Revival style "fortress". The most famous house in Los Angeles has a sordid history. The first interior scene shows Hollywood sex workers dancing with their "johns" in the living room. Confidential (1997). Due to its reputation in the media, Sowden House Los Feliz has become quite a tourist spot for those who visit California. In The Mayan Revival Style: Art Deco Mayan Fantasy, author Marjorie Ingle explores this trend in American architectural and design history: In 1915, the Panama-California Exposition opened in San Diegos Balboa Park to honor the construction of the Panama Canal, and further establish San Diego as an attractive port city. The home is still privately owned, now by Dan Goldfarb and Jenny Landers Goldfarb, who inhabit the house with their eight Persian cats. Memories of whispers and drunken accusations linking his father to many evil deeds flooded back to Steve. The original owner, John Sowden, was a painter and photographer who hired his friend, Lloyd Wright (eldest son of Frank Lloyd Wright), to build his home on Franklin Ave in Los Feliz. A concrete den of sex, scandal, and intrigue. John and Ruth Sowden, for which the house was originally built, were artsy Hollywood folks who liked to party. And it still stirs up mystery. Later that night, the DAs microphone recorded George on the phone with a German friend. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The son of a former owner claimed his father murdered the Black Dahlia at the Los Feliz house in 1947. This bathroom also has been redesigned, although it has a vaguely temple-like design. [18], It was announced[19] on June 21, 2022 that the house was sold for $6.16 million to Nate Daneshgar, of the Grand Central Market[20] in Los Angeles. Many tourists cant resist visiting the Sowden house to view the stunning architectural masterpiece in person. While the current design might not be in line with Lloyd Wright's original intention, how realistic is it to have a home designed around a courtyard for guests and a stage for events? The Sowden House was also once the home of notorious Black Dahlia murder suspect, Dr. George Hodel. There's some connection for me.. Perhaps giving merit to criticisms of Mayan Revival homes not being well-suited for living, the Sowden House has changed hands numerous times over the years, and seems to have found more success in functioning as an event space rather than a private home. Determined to emerge from his father's shadow, Lloyd Wright would go on to a distinguished career, designing avant-garde orchestral shells for the Hollywood Bowl, and creating spectacular buildings like Wayfarer's Chapel in Palos Verdes, the Samuel-Novarro House in Los Feliz, and the Otto Bollman House in the Hollywood Hills. photographer Edmund Teske said of the house in an 1978 interview. Maybe I did kill my secretary. In 2003, the house was listed as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. You're young enough to take Los Angeles. Take Los Angeles Lloyd did. ProQuest. Web. He soon sold the Sowden House and left the country. Ingle, Marjorie I. ProQuest. On a dark February evening, we made our way over to Los Feliz, anticipating what it would be like to finally step foot in the infamous abode. Balbes listed the house 13 months after he purchased it, putting it on the market for $4.2 million. Hand-cast, sand-colored concrete blocks emblazoned with images of the harvest, water, clouds, and sun are stacked in homage to the pyramids of ancient Mayan civilization, while the pillared courtyard closely resembles various Yucatec Mayan temples like the Sayil and Uxmal. Over the next several decades the John Sowden house would have several more owners, including the prestigious Mazur Family who purchased the home in 1974. "CHINESE TABLET VALUED AT $25,000 TAKEN BY BURGLAR." Most Expensive Haunted Mansions in the World. 17 Bathroom Tub Sowden House 5121 Franklin Avenue Los Angeles Los Angeles County Ca Vintage Bathrooms Architect House Bathroom . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. A transcript appeared to record a woman being assaulted in the basement, followed by the sounds of digging. All right reserved. In 2019, the infamous Sowden House continues its legacy as a beautiful space for entertaining and acknowledges, rather than shies away from, the skeletons in its closets. The Gang's All Here Billy Tolley, Jay Wasley, and Aaron Goodwin talk with Zak Bagans inside the Sowden House during their investigation of the role of the house's former owner, George Hodel, in the murder of Elizabeth Short. Family members and old friends then filled in the gaps, suggesting his father may have participated both in the murder of Short and that of an an unidentified secretary.. Then things took an interesting turn in 2001 when a designer named Xorin Balbes acquired the property for $1.2 million and put it through two rigorous renovations worth $1.6 million in 2002 and 2009. There were various suspects and false confessions to being the Black Dahlia murderer over the years, but none were deemed credible. Today, the Sowden House exists as equal parts history and mystery thanks to shocking headlines, crime theories, and on-screen portrayals, not to mention its ominous presence looming high over Franklin Avenue. Related:Most Expensive Haunted Mansions in the World. Eight people say that Hodel had some kind of relationship with Short, although it's not clear what. There was nothing average about Hodel. It was like entering a cave with secret stone tunnels, within which only the initiated could feel comfortable. Right out of Arabian nights. It was also met with some criticism when Balbes unveiled the newly designed home in 2003. He soon became convinced that the photos were of Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, whose unsolved 1947 murder and mutilation had long been the stuff of Hollywood legend. It's an evil place.". "Post Opens New Theater." Those who believe in evil energy and other such things may want to stay away from it. Martin Scorsese's Academy Award Winning Hollywood biopic includes scenes at the Sowden House, here featuring Kate Beckinsale and Leonardo Di Caprio (as Ava Gardner and Howard Hughes). 2019. A security guard waved us through; he wasnt the giant sword-bearing turbaned bodyguard that Steve Hodel had dreamt up as a child, but we quickly understood why he could have pictured that. In addition to being known as the Sowden House, the Los Angeles mansions frightening connection to grisly crimes gives it a reputation as the Black Dahlia House. He earned a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in 1936 and worked for the Los Angeles Board of Health where he specialized in venereal disease and illegal abortions. The Sordid And Possibly Murderous Secrets Of La S Sowden House Famous Houses House Black Dahlia . By 1950, George had become the main suspect in the Black Dahlia murders. Another of what was likely a once-empty room is now a library or sitting area with a large aquarium. Eric Wright felt it was a "mistake" to break up the courtyard space with a pool and spa. Dana Hutt, an architectural historian, said that there were alterations made to the property that suggest an Asian influence, which was "completely wrong" for Wright's Mesoamerican/Southwestern design. Although he was never convicted, there has been substantial evidence pointing to his guilt in the horrific crime, as well as many other murders in the area at the time. After Avenger was published, LA Times reporter Steve Lopez went through long-forgotten police transcripts related to the Dahlia's murder. 1630 Revello Drive was the address of the Summers residence in Revello Drive, Sunnydale. Originally designed for open-air gatherings and musical performances, the Sowden House is a distinctive showplace that evokes a sense of mystery and exoticism. Lloyd Wrights son Eric, also an architect, gave his final verdict on the new, improved structure. The Sowden House is located at 5121 Franklin Avenue in Los Angeles. "[6] The sharp ridges and lines of the facade have been said to resemble the gaping open mouth of a great white shark, resulting in the home's being known in Los Angeles as the "Jaws House. Thirteen miles away from the crime scene is where many experts believe Short's murderer lived and possibly where he killed her. I Am the Night, inspired by true events and the memoir One Day Shell Darken, tells the story of Fauna Hodel, a teenage girl who travels to late-1940s Los Angeles to search for someone in her past. 27 Feb. 2019. It was featured as Ava Gardner's house in "The Aviator" and appeared in "L.A. Situated on a densely-trafficked street running through the heart of Los Angeles, the Sowden House, in part, seems to command so much attention because of its strikingly unusual exterior and its highly-visible location. We stopped in our tracks at the foot of the staircase leading to the front doorit was impossible not to pause and marvel at the beautifully lit concrete facade in the moonlight. To this day, the house lends itself beautifully to entertaining, where guests can move seamlessly throughout the living and dining areas, and from inside to outside with ease. The way the body was severed led investigators to believe that the culprit was someone who had medical knowledge. The case is still unsolved. But this was not the end of the story of George Hodel and the Sowden House. It's a mixed bag, he said, but most of the work he did is very good.. I need to talk to my psychiatrist, but I am afraid he will find something wrong with me.". But aside from the homes scandalized tales that have long been seared into the popular imagination, what do we really know about the Sowden House? Sources: Los Angeles Times (1923-1995), Jul 27 1939, p. 6. The house was sold in 1930 to Ruth Rand Barnett, and again in 1936, 1944 and 1945. Designed and built for artist John Sowden and his wife on a 14,000-square-foot lot on Franklin Avenue. "Lloyd Wright, Architect of L.A. When I walked into this house, I didn't move, he told a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. This one is all metal and modern, which matches the kitchen but is also somewhat of an odd choice, given that it's a clear departure from Lloyd Wright's style of using natural materials and integrating nature. He had returned to the United States and died in San Francisco. In 2013, chemical analysis found that the soil samples contained evidence of human decomposition at the front and rear of the property. The Expo established a new regional standard of design in California, further fueling architectural and design exploration, and leading to the popularization of Aztec and Mayan design elements. During the trial, Tamar said she believed that her father killed Elizabeth Short (pictured), the Black Dahlia. Less than a month after the wiretap, George fled the country, eventually moving to the Philippines where he started and ended several marriages. He and his his wife, Jenny Landers, use it as a venue for fundraisers and parties. Frank Lloyd Wright's first Los Angeles project, Hollyhock House (1921), as well his later Ennis House (1924), laid the groundwork for Lloyd Wright to follow in his father's Mayan Revival footsteps with his Sowden House in 1926. Once inside this remarkable house one found oneself in absolute privacy, invisible to the outside world. Life at the Hodel household was a nightmare for Hodel's children, which included Tamar and Steven (George is known to have fathered 11 children with five different women over his lifetime). Based on the evidence, ample probable cause exists that would allow law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for both the interior courtyard and the . This historical picture from the Sowden House website shows the home during the 1940s. Supposin I did kill the Black Dahlia, the good doctor said. Featuring a distinct Mayan pyramid-inspired facade, a secluded inner courtyard, and four renovated wings, the Sowden House truly is one-of-a-kind. I can't figure out whether someone is hypnotizing me, he insisted, or I am hypnotizing someone. When police raided the home, they seized pornography and questionable objects. Recessed lighting has been added, and the ceiling has a curious glass panel that isn't a skylight. From a strictly legal standpoint, the law is clear. By holding your event at the Sowden House, you can feel comfortable that your money is going towards a wonderful purpose. 2019. On May 9, 1945, Hodel's 27-year-old secretary, Ruth Spaulding, was found dead (not at this home) from a barbiturate overdose. "Doctor Faces Accusation in Morals Case." Wright had been designing sets for Paramount Studios at the time . 's office" were out to get him. Sowden House via Library of Congress (1940), Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner in The Aviator (2004), The Sowden House standing in as Ava Gardners house in The Aviator (2004), The Sowden House fireplace. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. According to author Sheila Weller, writing for Du Jour in 2015, "desperate women sought him out, providing him all sorts of ammunition" against LAPD officers and their hookers. Copper gates, an elaborate staircase, and an immaculate living room space are even more reason to be in awe of this house. Cloudflare Ray ID: 78ba5a4d7f3f6bc9 Web. It's just a simple courtyard, with one stone block pathway crossing the middle and a candelabra tree reaching well beyond the roof. The house was also featured in the television series about the Black Dahlia murder, I Am The Night, starring Chris Pine. The birds eventually vacated the home but damaged many belongings with their poop, KTLA said. It's currently closed, but it's available to book. Google Book Search. George Hodel fled to the Philippines in 1950 until his death in 1999. Sowden House History: Dr. George Hodel and Frank Lloyd Wright. SowdenHouse.com. Construction of Balboa Parks numerous structures began several years prior in 1911, with Bertram Goodhue and Carleton Winslow as principal architects. Various other acquaintances and regular partygoers further confirmed that Hodel participated in sadistic acts while at the home, and in 2013 cadaver dogs discovered that human remains were once present on the property. Hodel also believes a $10,000 payoff may have been involved to secure the not guilty verdict. As soon as your guests pass through the stylized copper gates and ascend the scissor-style stairs to the main entrance of the house, they will know that they are in for a memorable event! Historic Hollywood Sowden House Former Home of Dr. George Hill Hodel and Black Dahlia Crime Scene Listed for Sale by Sotheby's for $4.875 Million - Steve Hodel Historic Hollywood Sowden House Former Home of Dr. George Hill Hodel and Black Dahlia Crime Scene Listed for Sale by Sotheby's for $4.875 Million By Steve Hodel | September 17, 2014 | 13 Los Angeles Times (1923-1995), Oct 03 1938, p. 6. Landmarks, Dies." One of the striking features of the Franklin Avenue structure is the mass of stone and cement which project out from the roof line. This mansion, known as the Sowden House, is an architectural masterpiece designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's son, Lloyd Wright. Most notably, Hodel was the prime suspect of the 1949 murder of Elizabeth Short, also referred to as The Black Dahlia, and name the media used that quickly caught on. The enigmatic Sowden House is an anomaly on otherwise charming and SoCal-bright Franklin Avenue in Los Feliz. It has appeared in a number of films including L.A. Which LA neighborhood do you really live in? About The Sowden House Property | Sowden House The Property CAPTURE MAGIC Old Hollywood glamor comes to life in Lloyd Wright's 1926 architectural masterpiece! ", Then, later, talking again over the phone: "Anyway, now they may have figured it out. The home has been the subject of multiple dark and twisted claims over the years but seems to only add to the publics growing interest in the property. George Hodel died in 1999 at the age of 91. As of fall 2015, there have been no excavations at the house. Frank Lloyd Wrights first Los Angeles project, Hollyhock House (1921), as well his later Ennis House (1924), laid the groundwork for Lloyd Wright to follow in his fathers Mayan Revival footsteps with his Sowden House in 1926. Steve Hodel has written several books attempting to prove that his father was the Black Dahlia murderer. Wikimedia Commons. For three consecutive evenings, Varejos four-channel video installation Transbarroco (2014) played across the facade and in the central courtyard. Featuring an open floor plan, where every room communicates via the central courtyard, the home accurately reflects Wrights philosophies as a landscape architect. "But most of the work he did is very good.". Click to reveal He also has big plans for the property including creating a cannabis oasis in the home and using it to host lavish company events. Sowden House Basement. Much more on that a bit later. The original owner of the house, and the person for which it was named, was John Sowden, an artist and photographer who used the house to host extravagant parties and theatrical displays with his wife, Ruth Sowden. We Recommend Ghost Adventures: Whaley House Pictures 15 Photos Ghost Adventures: Sallie House Pictures 9 Photos Sold: The Mayan Revival Sowden House has been bought for $4.7million. Years later, she would investigate her family and discover her true roots. Hence the reason its often referred to as the Black Dahlia House.. Every room of the house faces the interior courtyard, which shelters a secluded pool and jacuzzi. [14], Sowden House was used as a setting for the video for the song "I Dare You" by The XX.[15]. In 1949, Hodels beautiful teenage daughter Tamar ran away from the house. Its textile block construction and Mayan influence was way ahead of its time and never fully appreciated until years after it was built. Get free estimates from masonry contractors . The particularly heinous murder of Elizabeth Short is a tragic story that continues to be an unsolved crime. Its transformation from private family home into hip showplace had already happened in 2001, when flamboyant real estate entrepreneur Xorin Balbes bought the home from the Mazur family for $1.2 million. National Parks Service. 2019. and regularly beat his children in the basement. Those stairs lead to the hallway which, as you can see, is less of a hallway and more of a covered footpath to tour the mansion's rooms. There are few windows, as most of the light comes in from the open courtyard. The John Sowden house has had a series of owners over the years. Seewerker, Joe and Charles Owens. Hodel was accused of doing a long list of sinister acts inside the confines of the Sowden mansion. They can't talk to my secretary [Ruth Spaulding] anymore because she's dead. Then through the copper gate and up the stairs, we had finally arrived. Google Book Search. George Hodel was a genius and a monster. Fauna Hodel was put up for adoption by Tamar. In 1946, physician George H. Hodel moved his fractured family into the Sowden House for several years. This cultural fair consisted of musical and theatrical performances, and numerous exhibitions relating to agriculture, architecture, and design. In reality, Tamar had an abortion and did not give birth to her father's child. All right reserved. He installed the pool, spa, and made other renovations. Right out of The Arabian Nights. George Hodel filled his Sowden House with artifacts and curiosities from all over the world, further adding to the exotic allure that his children and the homes guests experienced. A month after "the scent of death" was detected in its basement by a trained cadaver dog, the Lloyd Wright-designed John Sowden House in Los Angeles -- a purported site of the Black Dahlia. Tamar was sexually abused by her father at the age of 12. Goodhue and Winslow designed Balboa Park in decadent Spanish Revival and Spanish and Mexican Churrigueresque style, an outright rejection of neo-Classical and Beaux-Arts architectural styles that previously dominated American design projects. John Sowden was a retired painter and photographer who wanted to build a home where he and his wife Ruth could entertain guests by throwing parties and putting on amateur theatrical displays. Steve Hodel lived in the home as a child in the 1940s and recalled how [c]ars driving by would stop and stare at it in astonishment It was a high-walled fortress, private and impenetrable, right in the center of Hollywoods residential district Residents and guests who were allowed to pass through the fortress walked through a (now) heavily patinated copper gate and up an uninviting staircase. The house transferred ownership for years, until 2001 when designer Xorin Balbes purchased the home for $1.2 million. went downstairs to the basement area and sounds of a pipe hitting an object were heard. Image via The Ferro-Concrete Style by Francis Skillman Onderdonk (1928), The magic that the Hodel children associated with the Sowden House in those early years was soon marked by family scandal and later, accusations of murder. But why Elizabeth Short? The alleged killer taunted investigators with menacing phone calls and by mailing them a package of Shorts personal belongings. The center of the home used to house a fountain, but that was torn out before the Hodels moved in. Wrights artist friends, John and Ruth Sowden, were gracious hosts looking for a space that would allow them to entertain their Hollywood friends. The homes original owner was John Sowden, a man who enlisted the help of architect Lloyd Wright to design a one-of-a-kind estate that was built for entertaining. Lloyd Wright even initially built the home with the primary purpose of entertainment. - Dana Hutt. Quiz: Which neighborhood should you live in? 28 Feb. 2019. Web. Chris Pine plays a reporter who helps Hodel in her treacherous journey into Hollywoods dark underbelly. To the Hodel children, the Franklin House, as they called it, was an odd and fascinating place to live and explore. Hodel is one of several enduring theories/suspects, and while we wont begin to add to the theories and speculation of the Black Dahlia murder that has been written about ad nauseum, it at the very least intrinsically ties the Sowden House to the sordid history of one of Los Angelesand the countrysmost riveting unsolved crimes. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Wright delivered a true work of art with his Mayan revival-inspired concept and intricate attention to detail. Hitting an object were heard, 1944 and 1945 Teske said of the and... Raided the home used to House a fountain, but most of the striking features the... Books attempting to prove that his father was the address of the work he did is very good... Owner claimed his father murdered the Black Dahlia murderer the Dahlia 's murder Elizabeth... Los Feliz House in an 1978 interview back to Steve deemed credible cave secret. Starring Chris Pine plays a reporter for the Los Feliz because she 's dead, am... Goodhue and Carleton Winslow as principal architects the basement, followed by the time that George fled. Places, and again in 1936, 1944 and 1945 purpose of entertainment the pool,,! An elaborate staircase, and an immaculate living room space are even more reason to be an unsolved crime ''... Xorin Balbes purchased the home in 2003 also featured in the book Black Dahlia.... Has not been excavated owners over the phone with a pool and spa of Elizabeth Short ( pictured ) Jul! In 1999 away from the Sowden House website shows the home but damaged many with... An odd and fascinating place to live and explore its maw-like look designed by Lloyd Wright dancing their. Out whether someone is hypnotizing me, he insisted, or I am night! Used to House a fountain, but it 's just a simple courtyard, with Bertram Goodhue Carleton. Years later, she would investigate her family and discover her true roots of. 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Theatrical performances, the Mayan Revival style & quot ; book Black Dahlia murderer All Rights Reserved Velvet. Father was the address of the House a cave with secret stone tunnels within... Hodels beautiful teenage daughter Tamar ran away from it of 12 $ 25,000 TAKEN by BURGLAR ''... For the Los Feliz House in `` L.A did not give birth to father! Angeles has a sordid history was sexually abused by her father at the Sowden,! Features of the work he did is very good a fountain, but that was torn out the... Venue for fundraisers and parties by BURGLAR. as of fall 2015, there have no!, but none were deemed credible he purchased it, was an and! Heinous murder of Elizabeth Short is a Los Angeles has a curious glass that! Being the Black Dahlia murderer at 5121 Franklin Avenue Los Angeles Times ( 1923-1995 ), Franklin! Shorts personal belongings tourist spot for those who visit California $ 25,000 TAKEN by BURGLAR. outside World Balboa numerous. 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Agriculture, architecture, and intrigue criticism when Balbes unveiled sowden house basement newly designed home in 1945 Philippines in until..., Dr. George Hodel died in 1999 Barnett, and design way the body was severed investigators! Avenue in Los Feliz House in an 1978 interview called it, was odd... Whether someone is hypnotizing me, he told a reporter who helps Hodel in her treacherous journey into Hollywoods underbelly.