A Cast of Killers

by Sidney D. Kirkpatrick

Paper Book, 1986

Status

Available

Call number

364.15230979493

Genres

Collections

Hollywood, Celebs,Entertainment, Fashion, Models, Crime, Law Enforcement

Publication

Dutton (1986), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 336 pages

Description

"In 1967, King Vidor, the esteemed director of such classic films as 'Duel in the Sun' and 'War and Peace' took on his toughest assignment ever: to solve the mystery behind the scandalous 1922 murder of flamboyant director William Desmond Taylor. Despite an intensive investigation, no killer was ever found, although the cast of suspects was impressive indeed. Was it the beautiful drug-addicted actress? An up-an-coming young starlet? The starlet's mother? Could it have been the homosexual houseboy? Or a secretary bearing an uncanny resemblance to Taylor's elusive brother? What Vidor discovered was so explosive, he never revealed the identity of the killer. Now, this mesmerizing account reconstructs the full shocking truth of the murder that was too scandalous even for Hollywood ..."--Cover… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member SunnieB

I am also a big movie fan - especially the classics - and find the early days in movie history an amazing time to read about. These movie pioneers were some fascinating characters! This infamous (?) murder took place in the days of the silent pictures and I don't think that it has been solved in

all these years. William Desmond Taylor, a famous director was found murdered in his California bungalow. Who did it? The not-so-innocent ingénue he was possibly having an affair with? Her difficult and disliked mother? The #1 comedy actress who may or may not have had a drug problem? These are a few of the cast of possible killers who read like a racey Agatha Christie story.

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LibraryThing member corgidog2

The true story of a director's murder, in early Hollywood.

LibraryThing member LibraryCin

3.5 stars

In 1967, movie director King Vidal decided he wanted to make a movie about the 1922 murder of a silent film director William Desmond Taylor. The murder was never solved. So, Vidal started doing his own investigating. Prime suspects, at least in the media, included actresses Mabel Normand

and Mary Miles Minter, as well as Minter’s mother, Charlotte Shelby. Vidal looked at media, police reports, and did many interviews (of people involved who were still alive). Vidal never made his movie, so Sydney Kirkpatrick took a look at Vidal’s notes to write this book.

It was mostly interesting, but there were still dry parts in the book, so I did lose focus occasionally – although that may also be, in part, due to plenty of things on my mind. The book also includes biographical information on many of the main “players”. I’ve only read one other book that included info about this murder – have to admit, I don’t recall if there were any theories in that book, but this one certainly sounds quite plausible to me.

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LibraryThing member colligan

"A Cast of Killers" is an enjoyable true crime story focused on the murder of a prominent director/producer from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The murder received years of media speculation that impacted the careers of many early female film stars. Yet, for decades, no progress was made on the

official law enforcement investigation. The author chronicles the work of the famous director King Vidor in unraveling the complex and conflicting facts. The book starts in a somewhat slow and confusing fashion but, by the end, the author arrives at a fascinating and sad conclusion. A very easy yet rewarding read.

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