by The Killing of the Unicorn- Dorothy Stratten, 1960-1980 (epub)
The
Killing of the
Unicorn
< < < : : : > > >
Dorothy Stratten
(1960-1980)
by
PETER BOGDANOVICH
C O P Y R I G H T
Front cover photo courtesy of Shaplro/Sygma
Copyright © 1984 by Peter Bogdanovich and the Estate of Dorothy Stratten.
Excerpts from Dorothy Stratten's writings copyright © 1980 by the Esrate of Dorothy Stratten.
Grateful acknowledgment is given for permission to reprint:
Lyrlcs from the following songs:
"Someday I'll Find You" by Noel Coward. Copyright 1930 by Chappell & Co., Ltd.
"Love Story" by Karl Sigman and Francis Lai. Copyright © 1970 and 1971 by Famous Music Corporation.
"Dancing in the Dark" by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. Copyright 1931 by Harms, Inc.
"Too Marvelous for Words" by Johnny Mercer and Richard A. Whiting. Copyright 1937 by Harms, Inc.
"Cover Girl," words and music by Bryan Adams and Linsey Mitchell. Copyright © 1980 by Irving Music, Inc. (BM!) and Adams Communications, Inc., and Zoo Music (PROC).
"I Don't Think I Can Take You Back Again" by Earl Poole Bail and Jo-El Sonnier. Copyrigllt © 1977 by Wail to Wall Music and Buttercreek Music.
"One Day Since Yesterday" by Earl Poole Bail and Peter Bogdanovich. Copyright © 1980, 1981 by House of Cash and Moon Pictures Music.
"Unicom" by Earl Poole Bail and Peter Bogdanovich. Copyright © 1981 by House of Cash and Moon Pictures Music.
Excerpts from the following works:
Private Lives by Noel Coward. Copyright 1933 by the Estate of Noel Coward.
The quotation by F. Scott Fitzgerald from ''Winter Dreams" in All the Sad Young Men is used with the permission of Charles Scribners Sons. Copyright 1922 by Frances S. E. Lanahan, copyright renewed 1950.
The quotation by Ernest Hemingway from A Farewell to Arms is used with the permission of Charles Scribners Sons. Copyright 1929 by Charles Scribners Sons, copyright © renewed 1957 by Ernest Hemingway.
Our Town by Thornton Wtlder. Copyright 1938 by Thornton Wilder, copyright © renewed 1957 by Thornton Wilder.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. Copyright 1927 by Albert and Charles Boni, Inc., copyright © renewed 1955 by Thornton Wilder. Reprinted by special permission of Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., and the Estate of Thornton Wilder.
From Reverence to Rape by Molly Haskell. Copyright © 1973, 1974 by Molly Haskell. Reprinted by permission of Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Publishers.
From pages 842-843 of The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara G. Walker. Copyright © 1983 by Barbara G. Walker. Reprinted by permission of Harper & Row, Publisliers, Inc.
Excerpts from the following film reviews:
Jack Kroll, Newsweek. Copyright © 1981 by Newsweek, Inc. All rights reserved.
Carrie Rickey, The Village Voice. Reprinted by permission of the author and The Village Voice. Copyright © 1981
Stephen Schaefer, Us magazine. Copyright © 1982 by Us magazine.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times. Copyright © 1981 by the Los Angeles Times.
Excerpts from the Johnny Carson interview with Dorothy Stratten on The Tonight Shaw, courtesy of Carson Productions, Inc. Copyright © 1980.
When people read of the death of Dorothy Stratten, they shook their heads and talked about the eternal triangle. It’s the age-old story: Play with explosives and they blow up. Even I believed it, as the only living member of that triangle. But as I tried to find the truth, I discovered a fourth side to the figure—hidden and dark. Eventually there would be no doubt in my mind that if the playboy-side of the pyramid had never existed, Dorothy would not have died. She could not handle the slick professional machinery of the Playboy sex factory, nor the continual efforts of its founder to bring her into his personal fold, no matter what she wanted.
—Peter Bogdanovich
In memory of all the Dorothys who have ever lived, under whatever name, this work is dedicated to the ones who are living, and who will live: that their lives may be better because of the life and sacrifice of Dorothy Stratten.
This hope embraces most especially Nelly and Louise, Anna, Antonia and Alexandra, Clementine, and Michelle.
FOREWORD
It would not have been possible to write this book without the extraordinary help and encouragement of several people, chief among them John Dodds, who was the senior editor at Morrow when agreements to publish this memoir were first struck in August 1981, a year after Dorothy Stratten was killed. Most of the royalties are to go to the Stratten Estate and to Dorothy’s family.
Shirley MacLaine recommended her agent, Lynn Nesbit, who was tremendously encouraging about the earliest rough draft, and said immediately that she thought the people at Morrow would be most sympathetic to the project, especially John Dodds, and (then associate) publisher Sherry Arden. Both Sherry and John had recently lost women very dear to them, a daughter and a wife, and Lynn believed correctly that they would appreciate my feelings and intentions. Sherry has been remarkably supportive and dedicated, and so has Lynn; they both have my deepest thanks. As dear Shirley does, too, for steering me at a crucial moment in the right direction.
It was Dodds more than anyone who shaped the book that finally evolved; his contribution has been invaluable and irreplaceable. Without his genius as an editor, the work could never have been finished.
Even after leaving Morrow to become editor of the hardcover line at New American Library, and then to found his own Belvedere Books imprint, John continued on his own time to work closely with me on every phase of the book’s development. Because of the painfully personal nature of the material, John’s sensitive objectivity was essential. Many times he would interpret back to me what he had read, and suddenly an entirely new light would be thrown on the events. He was patient, tactful, and brilliant in his handling of an unusually difficult circumstance, and has my undying respect and gratitude.
Producer Patrick Curtis came forward courageously with personal information that had extraordinary reverberations; for his real friendship to Dorothy and her memory, he has the appreciation of all of us who loved her. Patrick was also instrumental in contacting model Patti Laurman, a protégé of Paul Snider, who was friendly toward Dorothy and who confirmed several key points to me and offered her observations from a viewpoint very close to the crime. I am very grateful to her. As I am to photographer Mario Casilli who was also willing to speak of his own experiences with Dorothy, and of what he witnessed in her battles with Playboy. Much thanks as well to Molly Bashler, Dorothy’s good friend and roommate in Los Angeles, for her valuable observations.
Writers John Riley and Laura Bernstein shared facts and insights with me on the Stratten story they researched and wrote, but which never got published; they invested a great deal of time, energy, and emotion, and received for their effort no fulfillment or praise. Their legwork and help (Riley’s went on for nearly three years) made an invaluable contribution to this book. That Riley had at a young age lost a woman he loved in a plane crash, contributed greatly to his understanding of Dorothy’s tragedy and our loss. John proved to be more than a fine journalist, but a true colleague.
Toward L.A. police detective Richard DeAnda, whose compassion and grace in dealing with me on the horrible details of the crime, and whose personal indignation while handling the case went far beyond his duty, I feel more than indebted. As I do to former F.B.I. agent, Frank Angell, one of the most respected private investigators in the business, who became a valuable and trusted associate as he help
ed me track down leads and information for almost three years after the crime. I wanted to know as much as possible, and Angell’s personal sense of commitment to the truth, like DeAnda’s, is rare.
My warmest thanks to several members of the cast and crew of Galaxina and They All Laughed, each of whom contributed their memories of Dorothy and their own observations: Audrey Hepburn, John Ritter, Colleen Camp, George Morfogen, Linda MacEwen, Sean Ferrer, Sheila Stodden, Douglas Dilge, James David Hinton, Scott Rosenfelt, Teresa Austin, Sally Doyle, Patty Bunch. Linda MacEwen also typed a good part of the earliest drafts of the book which, considering her closeness to Dorothy and me, was a heroic act. In addition, Morfogen, Ritter, Camp, and writer David Scott Milton, four of my dearest friends, read sections from several drafts, as did art critic Michael Peppiatt; their comments and encouragement were important and extremely reassuring.
Thanks are due as well to Dorothy’s business manager, Robert Houston, who loved her as a friend, and to her lawyer, Wayne Alexander; they both cooperated with us fully and diligently and far beyond their jobs. As did attorney Robert Powsner, who never met Dorothy, but was retained by her estate and by me to deal with the seamy aftermath in the media, and who became personally involved in a way much of the legal profession avoids.
To Iris Chester, who most conscientiously typed the great bulk of the manuscript several times, and helped through all its phases not only with suggestions, but with proofreading, wording and punctuation, a very special thank you.
The initial and most extensive line editing of the book, which involved considerable reshaping and reconstruction, was superbly done by Nancy Houghtaling, whose suggestions and ideas were extremely valuable; both John Dodds and I are most grateful to her. Morrow’s senior editor Laurie Lister and her assistant Deborah Baker were particularly helpful and constructive in their questions and evaluations during the book’s final stages; the intelligence and sensitivity they have shown is remarkable.
A number of authors, composers, lyricists, critics (or their estates), and their publishers have kindly granted permission to print excerpts from their work. Though official recognition is given on the copyright page, I would personally like to add my appreciation to them all. And in particular to Graham Payn and Michael Imison of the Noel Coward Estate for allowing excerpts from Private Lives.
Apart from my immediate family, there are several others who, though they had little to do with the making of this book, nevertheless made considerable contributions—in very different ways—toward keeping me going over the three years of its writing; I will always be thankful for their friendship: Stella Adler, Lori and Glenn Camp, Dorothy and Will Camp, Frank Capra, John Cassavetes, Mike Crane, Trammell Crow, Jr., Maria Currea, the late Allan Dwan, Ramon Farron, Dr. John Felice, Graeme Fife, Steve and Dan Foley, Barbara Ford, Samuel Fuller, Charles Glenn, Barbara and Cary Grant, Beryl, Lucia, Tomas, and Robert Graves, Susan and Sam Grogg, Howard Hirdler, Tom Kobayashi, Larry McMurtry, Neil Malamuth, William Peiffer, Dido Renoir, the late Douglas Robertson, Peggy Robertson, Gena Rowlands, Ray Ruff, Cybill Shepherd, Barbara and Frank Sinatra, Marianne Smith, Carlyle Strickland, Dr. Milton Uhley, and Eric Weissmann.
To Dorothy’s beloved family—her mother, Nelly, who will probably never read this book because the pain would be unbearable, her brother, John, and her sister, Louise, the three who have suffered more than anyone else because they knew Dorothy longer and therefore knew more profoundly how much was lost—any expression of gratitude would be too little. Their encouragement, loyalty, and love made it possible to survive the catastrophe that changed all our lives. They gave me the greatest gift imaginable: They took me into their family and taught me a kind of love as selfless as Dorothy’s and, along with hers, unique in my experience.
Because this is their book as much as it is Dorothy’s, the choice of photographs was made with their feelings in mind. Consequently, there are no pictures of Dorothy from Playboy, or with Paul Snider, or with Hugh Hefner. Those images, should the family happen to see them, would carry too many of the darkest memories. The photos we have used are nearly all family snapshots: candids taken by Dorothy herself, or by her relatives and friends. A couple of months before she was murdered, Steve Schapiro took the best professional photographs of her while she was in the happiest time of her adult life. A number of these appear with his kind permission.
A small handful of names in the story have been changed to protect privacy, since knowing the true identities of these people would add little to the reader’s understanding. For Morrow’s fifth printing, and for the first Bantam paperback edition in 1985, several minor corrections or alterations have been made to the text. Two paragraphs were added below, and two more to the end of the last chapter, in order to bring certain events up to the date marked below.
Numerous women, and a few men, have written to me of their reaction to Dorothy’s story, and each letter conveyed its own particular heartbreak. My deepest thanks to them all for sharing their most intimate pain, for showing me that Dorothy and I were by no means alone in our thoughts or feelings.
Two extraordinarily gifted feminists, the writer Andrea Dworkin and the lawyer Catharine A. MacKinnon, were as troubled in 1979-80 as D.R. and I were though we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. The two women did, and drafted the revolutionary antipornography civil rights law which is referred to at the end of chapter seven. Andrea and Kitty MacKinnon also wrote me the two most beautiful letters about the book, for which I thank them again—as well as for their passion, wisdom, and sacrifice to the cause of women’s rights.
P.B.
Los Angeles, California
April, 1985
At this moment the Unicorn sauntered by . . . when his eye happened to fall upon Alice. . . .
'What—is this—?' he said. . . .
'This is a child!' Haigha replied eagerly. . . .
'I always thought they were fabulous monsters!' said the Unicorn. . . .
Alice . . . began: 'Do you know, I always thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters, too! I never saw one alive before!'
'Well, now that we have seen each other,' said the Unicorn, 'if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you. Is that a bargain?'
'Yes, if you like,' said Alice.
—Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass, 1872
The shark is killed for its fin,
The rhino is killed for its horn,
The tiger is killed for its skin,
What price the unicorn?
—Anonymous
C H R O N O L O G Y
February 28, 1960 Dorothy Stratten, born Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten, Vancouver, B.C.
October 10, 1961 Brother John Arthur born, Vancouver, B.C.
August, 1963 Goes with mother and brother to Holland; father deserts family; divorce follows.
August, 1967 First odd jobs; mother Nelly remarries.
May 8, 1968 Sister Louise Beatrice born, Vancouver, B.C. Mother eventually divorces stepfather for cruelty.
June, 1974 Starts Dairy Queen job in Vancouver; has begun to write poetry.
September, 1974 Begins high school.
October, 1976 Goes steady with first boyfriend.
October, 1977 Paul Snider enters Dairy Queen.
January, 1978 After a fight, breaks off with first boyfriend.
February, 1978 Begins affair with Snider.
June, 1978 Graduates high school, starts job at B.C. Telephone .
August, 1978 Submits to naked photos; is summoned to L.A. by Playboy; incident with Hefner.
October, 1978 Meets P.B. for first time; Snider moves to L.A .
January, 1979 Works a s waitress a t Los Angeles Playboy Club .
June 1, 1979 Marries Snider in Las Vegas .
August, 1979 First Playboy layout published; stars in first film, Autumn Born, shot in Winnipeg.
October, 1979 Meets P.B. for the second time.
November, 1979 Begins Playmate of the Year pictorial for Playboy.
February, 1980 Begins Sex Goddess pictorial for Playboy.
March 22, 1980 Flies to New York to begin They All Laughed; moves into Plaza with P.B.
April, 1980 Begins three-week tour in Canada. and U.S. for Playboy
May, 1980 Attends marriage of mother in Vancouver; goes to L.A.; returns to N. Y. to continue film.
June, 1980 Playmate of the Year pictorial published in Playboy.
July, 1980 Completes picture, flies to London with P.B.; returns to L.A., moves into his house.
August, 1980 Travels to Texas and Mojave Desert for Playboy.
August 14, 1980 Tortured and killed by Snider in L.A.
I -The Last Day of the World
A tornado of thought sweeping the mind . . .
Wanting to close your eyes
And open them again to a new beginning,
Or to start again on the right road . . .
Life is a mysterious path
Which no two travel alike.
And once the chosen path is taken,
There is no turning back . . .
—Dorothy Stratten
Vancouver, May 1980
On Thursday, August 14, 1980, between noon and 1:00 p.m. in the bedroom of a West Los Angeles house, Dorothy Stratten, a twenty-year-old Canadian film actress and Playboy magazine’s then-current Playmate of the Year, was tortured and killed by her estranged husband, twenty-eight-year-old Paul Snider. Before murdering Dorothy, Snider put her into a bondage machine of his own design. He then raped and brutally sodomized her. After freeing her, he fired a shotgun point-blank at the left side of her face. She was dead before the sound reached her ears. The tip of her left forefinger had been shot off in the explosion. So it was apparent that the last thing Dorothy did was to raise her left hand to her face.