Hollywood & Crime

Wondery

About

The Hollywood & Crime series explores notorious true crime stories from the heart of Hollywood, delving into the dark underbelly of fame and uncovering infamous murders, scandals, and unsolved mysteries.


Season 8: The Cotton Club Murder: On June 10th, 1983, the decomposing body of a well-dressed man was found in a desolate canyon near Los Angeles. John Doe #94 would soon be identified as missing variety show producer Roy Radin. He'd last been seen after meeting with a mysterious woman in a gold dress. Her name was Lanie Jacobs.Jacobs and Radin were obsessed with becoming Hollywood movie producers. And when their paths collided, it led them to a tantalizing film deal promising fame and fortune. But then, a twisted script unfolded, plunging them into a million-dollar cocaine and cash heist, a tangled web of lies, and ultimately – murder.The trail led investigators right to Hollywood's doorstep, linking former golden boy producer Robert Evans to the case and dredging up Radin's own troubled past.But the case turned ice cold. It would take more than five years of dogged pursuit by the L.A. Sheriff’s Department detectives, a secret undercover witness, and another murder almost 3,000 miles from Hollywood – to unlock the truth.This is the story of a doomed Hollywood partnership, a grisly murder and the search that stretched across the country for a killer – or killers.


Season 7: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley - The story of the toxic relationship between actor Robert Blake and his wife Bonny, her shocking murder, and the chaotic trial that followed.


Season 6: Billionaire Boys Club - In 1980s LA, a group of prep school boys, led by Joe Hunt, formed the "Billionaire Boys Club" but spiraled into kidnapping, torture, and revenge.


Season 5: The Wonderland Murders - In 1981, a drug-fueled gang and a crime kingpin were involved in a brutal quadruple murder in the Hollywood Hills.


Season 4: Death of a Starlet - The tragic tale of Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten, caught between three men - Hugh Hefner, Peter Bogdanovich, and her husband Paul Snider.


Season 3: The Dating Game Killer - The story of Rodney Alcala, a serial killer who appeared on The Dating Game while in the midst of a cross-country murder spree.


Season 2: Young Charlie - The dark journey of Charles Manson, from his troubled childhood to orchestrating the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.


Season 1: Murder in Hollywoodland - The investigation into the 1922 murder of famed director William Desmond Taylor, revealing scandalous affairs and underground drug dens. (edited) 

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90 episodes

The Cotton Club Murder | Hollywood Ending | 6

The investigation takes a stunning turn when a man is found dead in Okeechobee, Florida, and police discover it’s Lanie’s husband. L.A. Detectives must race against the clock to arrest Lanie before she disappears again. Later, Lanie and three other defendants stand trial for the murder of Roy Radin. Lanie’s attorney mounts a desperate defense, claiming she was terrified of the drug cartel she worked for. But the prosecution paints her as the ruthless mastermind behind Radin's death. Who will the jury believe?  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

48m
Jan 06
The Cotton Club Murder | Friday the 13th | 5

On the night of May 13th, 1983, Roy Radin makes plans for a dinner meeting with Lanie Jacobs, only to be ambushed in the back of a limousine. The chilling details of how Radin was murdered are finally revealed, as detectives get a prime suspect to confess to the grisly plot. But as investigators close in, a shocking new development threatens to upend the entire case. Meanwhile, Lanie Jacobs abruptly relocates to Florida.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

40m
Dec 30, 2024
Listen Now: Suspect

The next episode of  releases 12/30 or you can binge all episodes now on Wondery+. Start your free trial by visiting  http://wondery.fm/Hollywood_and_Crime_ now. Suspect is an investigative series about mislaid justice and the kinds of weighty decisions that detectives, lawyers, and jurors make every day - decisions that, once made, are almost impossible to reverse. Binge all episodes of Suspect exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/suspect/ http://www.wondery.com/links/suspect/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

35m
Dec 23, 2024
The Cotton Club Murder | Slow Boil | 4

Tensions come to a boil as Roy Radin, Lanie Jacobs, and Robert Evans fight over their high stakes film deal. As Lanie pushes for a bigger piece of the action, a furious Roy tries to cut her out entirely. Then cold case detectives get their biggest break in the case so far. They must convince a witness who claims to know who was behind Radin’s murder to go undercover. Will the risky sting operation lead to evidence exposing who killed Radin?  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

41m
Dec 16, 2024
The Cotton Club Murder | The Heist | 3

Lanie Jacobs faces a major crisis when her cocaine stash and money are stolen. She knows the robber’s identity and suspects Roy Radin is involved. Meanwhile Radin isn’t going to let Lanie’s problems get in the way of The Cotton Club. He keeps working with producer Robert Evans to secure financing for the film, but he clashes with Lanie over her expected role. Then, as the investigation into Radin's murder stalls, a new team of detectives takes over the cold case. Evidence emerges that points to Lanie's connection to the killing – but so far no one is talking.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

45m
Dec 09, 2024
The Cotton Club Murder | La Rubia | 1

A beekeeper's grisly discovery in a remote Los Angeles canyon sets off an investigation into the murder of aspiring movie producer Roy Radin. As detectives piece together his final days, they uncover Radin's partnership with a seductive cocaine dealer named Lanie Jacobs. The investigation heats up as they connect both Roy and Lanie to Hollywood royalty – movie producer Robert Evans.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

48m
Dec 02, 2024
The Cotton Club Murder | The Limo Driver | 2

Sheriff's homicide detectives track down a mysterious limo driver who knows Lanie Jacobs and Robert Evans. As detectives dig deeper, they find a new suspect and evidence that links directly to the crime scene. Meanwhile, details emerge about the movie project Radin, Lanie and Evans were involved in to finance Evans' latest film "The Cotton Club" -- a deal that may have been at the heart of Radin's murder.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

48m
Dec 02, 2024
Introducing: The Cotton Club Murder

On season ten of Hollywood & Crime, seductive cocaine dealer Lanie Jacobs and ambitious variety show producer Roy Radin are desperate to break into the movie business. When they forge an alliance with famous power player Robert Evans, it seems they have it made. But a web of deceit and double crosses leads to paying a deadly price. Hosts Tracy Pattin and Josh Lucas guide listeners into the dark underbelly of 1980s Hollywood, where the high-stakes worlds of cocaine trafficking and big-screen dreams were on a crash course with murder.  Listen to Hollywood & Crime: The Cotton Club Murder on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts starting December 2nd. Listen early and ad-free on Wondery+ starting November 11th. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Oct 28, 2024
Listen Now: MrBallen's Medical Mysteries

The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this new series from master storyteller MrBallen, we’re sharing medical horror stories and diagnostic mysteries that are surgically calibrated to make your blood run cold. From bizarre, unheard-of diseases and miraculous recoveries to strange medical mishaps and unexplainable deaths — you’ll never hear the phrase “heart-stopping” in the same way again. MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between MrBallen and Wondery, the award-winning company behind Dr. Death.  Listen to MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries wherever you get your podcasts: http://wondery.fm/MrBallenMedicalMysteries See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8m
Oct 21, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | The Final Verdict | 7

The prosecutions' star witnesses take the stand, but Robert Blake's defense has its own strategy to try and prove Blake is innocent. The final closing arguments lead to a shocking conclusion. Meanwhile, Bonny's family seeks justice in a civil trial, and a new attorney gets involved in their case. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

52m
Oct 13, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | The Trial Begins | 6

Almost a year after Bonny’s murder, Detective Ito finally arrests Robert Blake. Blake pulls off a surprise move to have his side of the story told. The defense discovers a potential bombshell witness. The prosecution begins their case by painting Blake as a cold blooded killer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

47m
Oct 12, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | The Stuntman Cometh | 5

Bonny’s belated honeymoon with Robert Blake takes a strange turn. Meanwhile, detectives learn about a key piece of evidence that could lead to Blake’s arrest. But first they’ve got to find it. Ito gives an old stuntman an offer he can’t refuse. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

41m
Oct 11, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | For Better, for Worse | 4

A retired stuntman claims Blake tried to hire him to kill Bonny. Then another witness comes forward, saying a retired stuntman was approached with the same offer. But when the Homicide Special Squad tries to get him to talk, he clams up. Meanwhile Bonny holds out hope she and Blake can work things out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

44m
Oct 10, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | Double Helix, Double Crossed | 3

A pregnant Bonny tries to convince Robert Blake they belong together. Blake hires a private investigator to dig into Bonny's past and is stunned with what he learns. Detective Ito suspects someone close to the actor is hiding information about the murder. Meanwhile, Blake's lawyer and the LAPD clash over Bonny's image in the press. Is she a cold-blooded con artist or is Blake a cold-blooded killer? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

43m
Oct 09, 2024
Listen Now: Kill List

In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret Kill List targeting hundreds of innocent people on a murder for hire website. When the police decide not to investigate, Carl is thrown into a race against time to warn those in danger and uncover the truth about the people who want them dead. From Wondery and Novel, comes a true story about obsession, control and the price of life and death. Listen to Kill List on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Kill_List http://wondery.fm/Kill_List  You can listen to Kill List and more Exhibit C true crime shows like Morbid early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+. Check out Exhibit C in the Wondery App for all your true crime listening. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5m
Oct 08, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | I’m Not Going Down | 2

The Homicide Special squad finds the weapon that killed Bonny in a dumpster at the crime scene. They suspect her husband Robert Blake. But when they search Blake’s house they don’t find any evidence. Bonny’s sister Margerry reveals shocking details about Blake and Bonny’s relationship. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

44m
Oct 08, 2024
The Execution of Bonny Lee | United Singles Incorporated | 1

Bonny Lee Bakely is found dead in a car in Studio City. When the press learns she is the wife of someone famous, all hell breaks loose. Detective Ron Ito and his team of Homicide Special detectives have their work cut out for them. Bonny Lee was a con artist who had fleeced hundreds of men out of money, but it’s her husband, Robert Blake, who is of primary interest. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

43m
Oct 07, 2024
Introducing: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley

On May 4, 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley was found fatally shot in a car on a dark North Hollywood street. The prime suspect was her husband, famed actor Robert Blake. But Bonny, a longtime con artist, had plenty of enemies. She left behind a trail of men she’d scammed, and she had a volatile relationship with Christian Brando, the troubled son of movie star Marlon Brando.  Not since the O.J. Simpson case had the eyes of the nation been so fixated on a homicide. The search for Bonny’s killer took detectives on an eleven-month odyssey across the country and through Hollywood's underbelly of hustlers, drug addicts, and would-be hitmen. It would be the most expensive murder investigation in LAPD history to date.  This is the story of Robert and Bonny’s toxic relationship, her shocking murder, and his chaotic trial. Did actor Robert Blake kill his wife? Or was the murder someone else's vendetta? From Wondery, and the team behind the hit series Hollywood & Crime (The Dating Game Killer, The Wonderland Murders, Death of Starlet) comes a six-part series about love, obsession and fame gone wrong. Co-hosted by Tracy Pattin and Josh Lucas. You can binge all episodes of Hollywood and Crime: The Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Oct 06, 2024
Billionaire Boys Club | Boy Genius | 1

It’s the 1980s-- the “decade of greed”. Capitalism is king, and young upwardly mobile professionals are on the rise. In Los Angeles a small group of college grads band together to form an elite investment group called The Billionaire Boys Club. They have a simple mission, get to the top no matter what it takes. Their leader, Joe Hunt, is a master of mind games who will stop at nothing on the road to success. But when one of their clients vanishes, Joe and the boys need to scramble to cover their tracks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

42m
Sep 29, 2024
Introducing: Billionaire Boys Club

In 1980s Los Angeles, a group of prep school boys got together to make investments together, get rich quick, and live large. But headed by a handsome and charismatic leader named Joe Hunt, the members of the self-proclaimed “Billionaire Boys Club” get sucked deeper into twisted schemes of kidnapping, torture, and revenge. The boys must stick together, or risk prison - or worse. From the makers of The Wonderland Murders, Young Charlie, and The Dating Game Killer, this six-part series is co-hosted by Tracy Pattin and Emmy-nominated actor Timothy Olyphant. Binge all episodes of Billionaire Boys Club exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/billionaire-boys-club/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Sep 29, 2024
Listen Now - Criminal Attorney

Paul Bergrin is a hotshot criminal defense attorney in Newark, New Jersey. Seemingly unstoppable and with unorthodox methods, he’s built a reputation for getting his clients off the hook. But as Paul's legend grows, so do the suspicions swirling around him.  When FBI Agent Shawn Brokos starts investigating a major drug ring, she makes a shocking discovery: the gang's most powerful player is none other than Newark’s star attorney. Has the ex-federal prosecutor crossed the line and started committing crimes himself? From Wondery, comes a new series about a lawyer who breaks all the rules, the FBI agent determined to take him down at all costs, and the people caught in the middle who paid the ultimate price. Listen to Criminal Attorney on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/Criminal_Attorney http://wondery.fm/Criminal_Attorney now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7m
Sep 23, 2024
Death of a Starlet | Strawberry Sundae Supreme | 1

Seventeen-year-old Dorothy Stratten is working at Dairy Queen in East Vancouver when a man walks in who will change her life. His name is Paul Snider and around town he’s known as a hustler and a pimp. Paul sees Dorothy as his ticket to Hollywood. As their relationship progresses, Paul tries to convince Dorothy to pose nude to enter a Playboy 25th Anniversary playmate hunt.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

44m
Sep 13, 2024
Introducing: Death of a Starlet

Nineteen eighty was going to be Dorothy Stratten’s year. Playboy’s Hugh Hefner thought it might even be her decade. She was just 20 years old, the girl next door with the shy smile and whispery voice who didn’t know her own beauty. But to the men in her life -- magazine mogul Hugh Hefner, director Peter Bogdanovich, and small time hustler Paul Snider -- Dorothy represented the promise of better things -- a centerfold on her way to movie stardom, a muse who could help revive a dying career, and a ticket to the Hollywood dream.   But who was Dorothy really? And how did her rise to fame ultimately lead to her death?  This is a six-part series about love, sex and murder in 1970s Hollywood when glitter pants and roller skates were all the rage, and the Playboy mansion hosted the biggest party in town. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Sep 12, 2024
Listen Now: Empire City

At a time when we’re debating where policing is going, we’re going to tell you where the police came from. Guided by Peabody award-winning host Chenjerai Kumanyika, Empire City will provide the first accessible narrative history of the American police and its place in popular culture. Who are the police? And why were police departments created in the first place? To find answers, we’re going to tell the origin story of the largest police force in the world: The NYPD. We begin in the late 1800’s at a moment when the entire police force was on trial. It’s the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the NYPD, and it all plays out like a high stakes courtroom drama. What follows is the action-packed account of how the NYPD got to this point and what happened next. It involves Black abolitionists fighting slave patrols in the courts of Gotham; two rival police forces duking it out for power at City Hall; the origins of the true crime genre; and how the NYPD spread their tactics worldwide. Listen to Empire City wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Empire_City http://wondery.fm/Empire_City. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8m
Sep 09, 2024
The Dating Game Killer | Tali | 1

Eight-year-old Tali Shapiro is abducted on her way to school. At the crime scene, LAPD officer Chris Camacho finds her attacker’s student ID. His name: Rodney Alcala. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

50m
Sep 05, 2024
Introducing: The Dating Game Killer

In 1978, Rodney Alcala won a date on the popular TV show, The Dating Game. What no one knew was that he was a prolific serial killer in the middle of a cross-country murder spree. In this six-part series, co-hosts Tracy Pattin (Hollywood & Crime) and Stephen Lang (Avatar, Don’t Breathe) take listeners on an unbelievable journey into Alcala’s twisting secret life. He hid behind normal jobs as a typesetter at a prominent newspaper and a summer camp counselor. How did this predatory monster fool employers, prison psychiatrists, and parole boards — all while committing heinous crimes from coast to coast? And how did a one-time appearance as a game show contestant help lead to his capture? From the makers of Dirty John, Dr. Death, and Young Charlie, learn the story of the most famous serial killer you’ve never heard of - The Dating Game Killer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Sep 04, 2024
Young Charlie | The Ketchup Bottle Bandits | 1

On the morning of August 9, 1969, the bodies of actress Sharon Tate and four other people were discovered at the sprawling Benedict Canyon home of Miss Tate and her husband, film director Roman Polanski. The victims had all been brutally murdered. The next day, the bodies of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were discovered at their home in Los Feliz. They had been murdered in a similar, gruesome fashion. In 1939, young Charlie Manson’s mother Kathleen is arrested in Charleston, West Virginia and jailed for robbery. After her release, she is unable to control her son and has him sent to the Gibault School for Boys in Indiana. Charlie runs away after only ten months. Then, after being arrested for burglary, he is given a second chance when a kindly judge sends him to the famous Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska. After just four days, he escapes from there as well. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

37m
Aug 29, 2024
Introducing: Young Charlie

The dark journey of Charles Manson, from his troubled childhood to orchestrating the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1m
Aug 28, 2024
Murder In Hollywoodland | The Crime Scene | 1

The murder of William Desmond Taylor rocks Hollywood. Within hours, everyone has heard the news and is asking the same question: why would anyone want Taylor dead? After examining the crime scene, detectives start narrowing in on the first suspects in this shocking crime. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

49m
Aug 21, 2024
Introducing: Murder in Hollywoodland

On February 1, 1922, William Desmond Taylor, one of Hollywood’s most successful directors was found dead in his home with a bullet in his back. The list of suspects was as long as the line outside one of his premieres, and the search for the killer would take investigators across the country and into the underbelly of downtown Los Angeles tracking down clues. As the case unfolded, famous names like Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, and Mack Sennett would be dragged through the mud. The press published torrid love letters, exposed scandalous affairs, and filed incendiary reports on the drug problem on Hollywood sets. But the bigger questions remained — how much did the studios know about the murder, and why were they covering up evidence? And more importantly, who would have reason to murder one of Hollywood’s most promising directors?  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2m
Aug 14, 2024