July 4, 1981 L.A. News Update On Wonderland
Re-post… for those who have not seen it. Note: The voiceover lady refers to the massacre as a shooting.
Evening edition – Laurel Erikson reporting from Cedars-Sinai…
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John
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John
The Death Of Allen Collins
As bad as the Lynyrd Skynrd tragedy was, at least they weren’t around to perform during some show with Britney or giving out an award at some ceremony while reading cue cards with Kanye.
The best Allen story is how he was afraid of the Van Zant brothers in school, and how when they we seen coming down his street, Allen climbed up a tree because he thought they were coming there to beat him up. They weren’t; they were looking for a guitar player for their new band. The rest is southern rock history.
From 1990…
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John
How They Caught The EAR/ONS
I’m not into serial killers, but I laughed when I saw websleuths once online trying to discuss how David Lind or Ron Launius could be EAR/ONS.
And that recent news conference sucked. I guess that DA lady will be running for mayor soon.
So here’s what happened, and how they caught the suspect…
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localarts
Yeah, that’s kind of silly. Besides, Launius didn’t have time. He had a drug operation to manage and when he wasn’t doing that, he had contract killing’s to carry out. Ronnie was one busy criminal with a lot of illegal responsibilities.
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criticextraordinaire
This case could have been cracked long ago, if they had assigned it to Detective Johnny Wadd.
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John
The Killing Of America, 1981
A 1981 documentary of the decline of America. Most of the scenes are terrifying, and are exclusive to this film. Viewer discretion is advised.
Original music by Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere & the Raiders).
The film contains many scenes featuring the Los Angeles area and its police. It was so controversial that it was not released in theaters – as had been planned.
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smauge
Ooh this looks like just the sort of thing I’m into. Why? I don’t know, but this blog proves I’m not alone LOL! Thanks for the link!
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swrworkingman
Read somewhere that Mark Lindsay once lived in the Wonderland house, years before the murders
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smauge
Man that is a full on doco. I can see why it wasn’t shown. But nothing has changed in the last 37 years.
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John
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Joe
Hi John, great blog, not even sure if you still attend to this blog – but I was wondering if there are any autopsy photos of the Wonderland victims? I have seen them mentioned a few times, but can’t seem to locate them?
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John
Hi Joe. Yes I am still blogging. Check the main page, I wad in LA in March and posted many W’land related photographs, and other crime related images.
The autopsy photos were on the web at one time or another. I have them all for my book. I also have some rare pics nobody else has ever posted. I won’t post stuff like that here.
But I just checked… bingo!… Do some creative searches on google, they are out there!
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John
1983 Drugs In The Workplace Video
“Oh, this stuff’s dynamite.”
“$100 a gram … for the euphoria of a cocaine high..”
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localarts
LOL!! “They’re other ways to take care of the cost” Selling a stolen computer to feed your coke habit…sounds like somebody we know! Holmes got caught of course but you have to wonder where the producers of this training film got their inspiration.
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Jamie
Correction – Tom Sellick isn’t narrating this segment but if you watch the whole video here (http://texasarchive.org/library/index.php?title=2011_02146) then you’ll hear him.
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John
Thanks J. I was initially going to post other videos from there, but that “image loading” anomaly marred the view. The other drug film on that site about the guy buying weed is funny also.
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John
My Indiana Muse & A Photo Dump
My Indiana Muse is a short movie about artist Robert Townsend and a lady named Helen. It is a cool story of falling in love with a woman after seeing her old vacation photos from some slides he had purchased. Helen reminded me of people in my own family, and I love people who dig into old shoeboxes and dustbins to share this seductive nostalgic imagery.
These images became the inspiration for a new series of retro paintings by Robert. Google “artist robert townsend”, he has a bunch other great stuff.
Also, it’s Photo Friday! Just clearing off my phone…
Tony Ferra was a contemporary of Nash’s, and was the king of the North Hollywood club scene in the 60s. They and 50 others were caught up in a massive police sting in 1968, relating to the world’s oldest profession. The photo at the bottom of apts is where Barbara’s ex Walter lived in Sac-town when she died, and a few years before (she probably lived here too). Walter was a mechanic at the time.
1977 – This epic film starring Holmes had its debut at First Run Theatre in Canoga Park. This era was John’s peak, and he hadn’t discovered crack yet. I could not find a “then” photo, but at least I have the “now”…
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criticextraordinaire
I’ll bet that Eddie was not smiling like that when David Lind pulled a gun on him.
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John
Lewd Behavior In Old L.A.
Just a few lewd cases from the glory days of your. It was such an innocent time. The City of Angels were just discovering how lewd they could be, for who would have thought key-word searching “lewd” would have unearthed such tawdry treasures!
Circa 1950s and 60s… the film ad is from the mid-70s.
(As well as Playboy… combing the high schools for new gatefold girls – 1960s article)
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Gayle
I would never have realized that there was so much lewd behavior going on in my city, especially so close to my current neighborhood back in those wonder years. Great post!
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John
David Lind Gets Shot
Thanks to A~ for her research help.
The following news summary stems from an incident “related to narcotics,” as explained in a subsequent article. Barb had a concealed knife. Maybe Lind’s funny-bone was still bothering him that day, two or three years later, when Ron bumped him and he almost shot Diles.
Like a fine wine, this case keeps getting better. I have a similar incident in my book re: Lind, but jealousy is the motive.
I may release my book serially, old school, one chapter at a time here on the blog, and then later on as a full-size book. I’m not doing this for the money (which btw, new samples from it were posted by me this morning).
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criticextraordinaire
Wow, Butterfly knew how to work a knife. Great stuff John.
Sounds like David just got grazed by the bullet. A “large caliber handgun” would destroy your elbow if it was a direct hit. :-O
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localarts
Maybe Barbara wasn’t the sweet innocent butterfly I perceived her to be? It was Butterfly Richardson who actually tried to cut Diles throat during the Nash robbery and Lind blamed Launius as to cover for Barb, lol.
Unless Lind had some type of reconstructive surgery… yeah, he was probably grazed or they mis identifyied the caliber?-
criticextraordinaire
If it were Ronnie who was shot in the elbow, the bullet would have bounced off of him, out of fear.
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localarts
Launius does seem to have that Chuck Norris underworld mystique.
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Jimi
Its not unusual for a biker chick to carry a knife
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John
Union Station – Kidnap Scene From TLaDiLA
Los Angeles – Union Station
When U.S. Treasury agents, Chance & Vukovich, accidentally kidnap an FBI agent, it leads to the greatest car chase of all time, from the greatest film of all time…
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Also included: Hotel Cecil & the Bradbury Bldg.
My planned post and vintage photo gallery of 1980s SOBs (sexually-oriented businesses) in L.A. County got hijacked since I lost the photos thanks to Samsung’s crappy software. It was a large, beautiful collection of L.A.s seediest (from 1980s). My apologies.
But also included is the site of Jay Sebring’s salon on Fairfax, the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, the small apt house in Galveston TX where Robert Durst (possibly in drag) cut up Morris Black, and the pink Hotel Cortez in Clearwater FL where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote some famous book, I was told 😉
All photos by me, Kato Kaelin.
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Gayle
It looks like you saw some great stuff in DTLA!😉
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smauge 6:13 pm on April 29, 2018 Permalink |
I love old news reports on historic events, but I’ve found reports on this hard to find. This one is a ripper, thanks for posting!
localarts 1:01 pm on May 1, 2018 Permalink |
If we only had some vintage footage of Beder Clifton slapping the cuffs on Launius!