Today, Judy helps me share the extraordinary tale of an enslaved woman who wins her freedom, the California free Black community who comes together to help her, the white authorities who --- surprisingly --- actually do the right thing when faced with injustice (the bar is on the floor, but these are some of the few white men in history who actually step over it) and how Biddy Mason went from enslavement to becoming the wealthiest woman of color in the West and who used her earnings to improve her community.

Most of the information from this incredible tale comes from an LAist article by the wonderful Hadley Meares called “The Contentious Hearing that Made Biddy Mason a Legend” link in the show notes: https://laist.com/news/la-history/biddy-mason-free-forever-the-contentious-hearing-that-made-her-a-legend-los-angeles-black-history

And also Hadley’s article for LA.curbed.com “Biddy Mason: One of LA’s First Black Real Estate Moguls: https://la.curbed.com/2017/3/1/14756308/biddy-mason-california-black-history

By the way send LAist money because they lost 3.4 million in federal funding recently so we gotta make up the difference. Head over to Support.LAist.org and become a member.

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Want to support me? Buy my YA novel, THE RECKLESS KIND, wherever books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668136/the-reckless-kind-by-carly-heath/

They were glamorous. They were fashionable. They could rock an absolutely fire smokey eye! They’re silent film stars! And many of them were gay men who loved other men and we are here for them.

In today’s episode we’re covering two stories of gay men in silent film. One that’s kind of a messy story -- which we enjoy because we love gay rights and also gay wrongs -- and the second story is so fucking sweet and romantic you will 5tab yourself in the heart and d!3.

Much of the info for this episode comes from The Silent Players by Anthony Slide https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Players-Biographical-Autobiographical-Actresses

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Want to support me? Buy my YA novel, THE RECKLESS KIND, wherever books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668136/the-reckless-kind-by-carly-heath/

The story of LA’s coroners goes all the way back to 1850 when President Millard Fillmore signed a bill making California the 31st state of the US. In its 175 year history, the department that investigates cause and manner of death has seen countless murders --- many of them high profile, all of them with a story to tell. Today on the show, we explore what LA's Medical Examiner has to teach us about human nature, life and death.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode is all about death and the various ways people die.

Much of the info from this episode comes from Death in Paradise by Tony Blanche and Brad Schreiber which was written in 1998. https://www.amazon.com/Death-Paradise-Illustrated-History-Department/dp/157544075X

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Want to support me? Buy my YA novel, THE RECKLESS KIND, wherever books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668136/the-reckless-kind-by-carly-heath/

The fact that Hollywood, California ended up being the home of motion pictures in the 20th Century was never a given. In fact, the motion picture industry in the United States came very close to not being possible at all in the early 1900s. So how did the movies come to Hollywood? And what were the circumstances that allowed American films to dominate cinema as an artform?

Today on Haunted Hollywood Hour, we’re sharing a twisty, surprising tale about an eccentric man who has been forgotten by history but who, one historian argues, was responsible for the American film industry we know today.

Research for this episode comes from the book Col. William N. Selig , the Man Who Invented Hollywood by Andrew A. Erish. https://www.amazon.com/Col-William-Selig-Invented-Hollywood/dp/029275437X

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Want to support me? Buy my YA novel, THE RECKLESS KIND, wherever books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668136/the-reckless-kind-by-carly-heath/

Calese Crowder – arguably the worst person in Southern California (and that’s saying something) – is at it again. He’s a man who has been caught multiple times "sniffing women" in various retail establishments. And, as of July 22, he was caught doing it again.

On this episode, I share all the details we know about the latest incident and Calese's sinister history. When will the public finally be safe from this man?

Sources:

Michaela Witter's original TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michaela.witter/video/7264804547799846187

TizzyEnt's update:

https://www.tiktok.com/@tizzyent/video/7269813921735839022

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Exciting news from Haunted Hollywood Hour!

The pod is preparing for an all new season with improved audio and even more episodes delivered regularly to the feed. But as we get ready to roll out more weird, historical, Hollywood stories, we need to do a lot of behind the scenes podcasting work. So, pardon our dust while you catch up on old episodes and expect all new stories after a short break.

Please make sure you’re subscribed to Haunted Hollywood Hour wherever you get your podcasts so you’ll be the first to be notified when a new episode drops. Also, subscribe to Haunted Hollywood Hour on YouTube because videos! Videos will be happening! And, hey, follow us on Instagram while you're at it at HauntedHollywoodHourPodcast all one word.

Thank you! And we’ll see you soon!

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

And follow us on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedHollywoodHour/videos

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Want to support me? Buy my YA novel, THE RECKLESS KIND, wherever books are sold: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668136/the-reckless-kind-by-carly-heath/

Resurfaced from the archives, this episode originally aired Jan. 23, 2025.

He was part of an ostrich consortium that failed due to an 1880s sex scandal.

He shot his wife in the face.

He was the embodiment of late-stage capitalism.

Today, we're bringing you the story of Griffith Jenkins Griffith — the namesake of Los Angeles' Griffith Park.

Historian Karina Wilson (https://karinawilson.com/) is on the show this week helping us get inside the mind of this Welsh immigrant who had so many dreams but who ruined his life.

Karina has an excellent substack article on Grif at: https://karinawilson.substack.com/p/the-hollywood-dream-6-griffith-park

And a wonderful substack article on the Ostrich Farm at: https://karinawilson.substack.com/p/the-hollywood-dream-7-trouble-at

And she'll be dropping an article on the ostrich farm as well, so be sure to subscribe: https://karinawilson.substack.com/

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com

Resurfaced from the archives, this episode originally aired Jan. 29, 2025.

Love Wicked? This guy probably inspired The Wizard of Oz. This story of a whimsical professor is also a tribute to Altadena, a city recently devastated by the wildfires this month.

Andrea Antony-Morr is on the podcast this week discussing Professor Thaddeus Lowe who, after being a balloon spy (yes, a balloon spy!) for President Lincoln, went on to attempt to build a luxury resort above Altadena that would have been absolutely utopian if it had just lasted a little longer...

Our source material can be found at these links:

https://medium.com/@alysedbeale/historys-most-famous-forgotten-man-professor-lowe-94ee496a12dd

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mount_Lowe/JoS9XJEzaXIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&kptab=getbook

https://search.worldcat.org/title/2524711

https://www.thaddeuslowe.name/BWearlyyears.html

https://henry-ellis-fowler.com/2021/08/05/the-fowler-family-and-the-balloon-landing-of-1861/#:%7E:text=In%20the%20early%20morning%2C%20pre,of%20Union%20County%2C%20South%20Carolina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCQ3F7jzc3E

https://www.thaddeuslowe.name/

Follow Haunted Hollywood Hour on Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedhollywoodhourpodcast/

Want to send us a note? Email: hauntedhollywoodhour@gmail.com