Hollywood may, on the face of it, be the town of glitz and glamour where the who's who of the movie industry all reside in their fancy houses, cars and lavish parties.
But there is a dark side to the city that has seen a string of high profile deaths over the years; some where murdered, other took their own lives whilst the deaths of some are still shrouded in mystery.
Marilyn Monroe was Hollywood's golden girl starring in movies as Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch and her sudden death at the age of thirty six rocked Hollywood.
Monroe was found dead at her Brentwood, California home on 5th August 1962 by her housekeeper Eunice Murray and her death was ruled as 'acute barbiturate poisoning' which was recorded as 'probable suicide'.
However lack of evidence led to her death not being classified as either suicide or murder. But over the years the rumour and conspiracy mill has always rumbled on and John and Robert Kennedy have been implicated in her death, as were the Mafia and the CIA.
Thelma Todd was a star of the screen during the twenties and thirties and was best known for her comic roles in Speak Easily, Monkey Business and Horse Feathers.
But on 16th December, 1935 she was found dead in her car that was inside the garage of Jewel Carmen, the former wife of her business partner Roland West.
While the LAPD suspected that her death was merely accidental carbon monoxide poisoning there have been several theories over the years.
While some suggested that she turned the car on to keep warm and fell asleep there has been talk of murder. Some theories suggested that Roland West, her on off boyfriend, was to blame. Tired of her partying lifestyle he locked her in the garage.
Whilst others suggested that he shut the garage by accident not knowing that she was in there. "Lucky" Luciano, a New York gangster has also been implicated in killing her because she wouldn't allow her club become involved in illegal gambling.
Another theory was she was killed by her ex-husband Pat DiCicco, who had a history of violence against women. But none of these were ever proved and her death certificate states her cause of death as accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
Elizabeth Short was the victim of one of the must gruesome, publicised and unsolved murders in Los Angeles. The starlet was just twenty two when, on January 15, 1947 her body was discovered in Leimert Park.
Her body was severely mutilated, drained of blood and her face was slashed from the corners of her mouth to her ears. She received the nickname of 'Black Dahlia' which was related to the movie at the time The Black Dahlia. The investigation into her death was the largest since the 1927 murder of Marion Parker.
Despite some links to the Cleveland Torso Murders no one was ever charged for her murder but there have been a series of books and TV and movie adaptations of her murder.
Married to Roman Polanski actress Sharon Tate was one of Hollywood's most promising talents in the sixties
In April 1969 the then heavily pregnancy Sharon Tate and four others were brutally murdered in the Polanski's rented home in Hollywood Hills by members of the Charles Manson's 'Family' while Roman was in London.
Tate had been stabbed sixteen times. The only survivor, William Garreston the caretaker, was found by police and questioned.
Despite being out of the country on his return home he was questioned by police but police could find no motive and eventually arrested and charged Manson and his 'family'.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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