Ep6: The Death of Thomas Ince
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Ep6: The Death of Thomas Ince
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About this listen
Take a look back at a 100-year-old whodunit from the Silent Film era and explore the bizarre death of film pioneer Thomas Ince.
Thomas Ince was the king of Western films, cranking out almost a thousand movies in just over a decade. When billionaire William Randolph Hearst came to Hollywood in 1924, the two began talks to lease land at Ince's studio. While in negotiations, Hearst invites Ince to celebrate his birthday aboard a yacht named The Oneida with some fellow film heavyweights.
Following a lavish birthday meal, Thomas Ince suddenly falls ill and is taken off the yacht in the middle of the night. Three days later, Ince is dead, and the paper runs a headline announcing “MOVIE PRODUCER SHOT ON HEARST’S YACHT!”
The official cause of death for Thomas Ince is heart failure, but only the other people on The Oneida know the truth, and they are sworn to secrecy by Hearst.
We'll break down the official story, then factor in additional witness testimony that was overlooked at the time, to string together what really happened aboard The Oneida.