Morbid - Episode 191: The Horrific Murder of Dorothy Stratten

Episode Date: December 5, 2020

Ash wanted to dive into a vintage Hollywood case this week, and the Dorothy Stratten case stuck out like a sore thumb! Dorothy Stratten was 17 years old working behind the counter at a Dairy Queen in Canada when Paul Snider took notice of her. He was struck by her beauty, and saw her as more of a meal ticket to climb his way up the social ladder in Hollywood. Dorothy became a huge playboy star, becoming Miss August 1979 and later Playmate of the year for 1980, but her steady incline in the world of modeling and acting all came plummeting down in August 1980 when Paul Snider decided if he couldn’t have Dorothy, neither could anyone else.  This pulitzer prize written piece written by Teresa Carpenter is where Ash got a TON of info As always, thank you to our sponsors Better Help: Special offer for our listeners get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/Morbid Skylight: Now, as a special offer, you can get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame when you go Skylightframe.com and enter code Morbid. Upstart: Hurry to Upstart.com/morbid to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate can be. Athena Club: For the smoothest, closest shave all year long switch to Athena Club! Sign up today and you’ll get 20% off your first order! Just go to AthenaClub.com and use promo code mtc See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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That's ANGI, or download the app today. Hey, weirdos, I'm Ash. And I'm Alena. And this is morbid. A true crime podcast. Here we are. Hey there. Thanks for joining us.

I think is this our first episode since the holiday break? Since the holidays? I feel like I said that kind of Australian. I don't know. I don't know. I'm sure we didn't, but we tried. I so there it is.

I said it crazy. Not real sure. But hopefully everybody enjoyed their Thanksgiving. Oh my God, I feel like I'm 20 pounds heavier in the best room. Yeah, I mean, hopefully everybody just ate, drank, spent some time with the family in your house. Was Mary maybe Zoom some people? I did a little Zoom thing with me.

We miss fam. We love a Zoom. We love it. We love it. So we had a good Thanksgiving. I cooked a giant meal and I felt good about it. You felt good about the meal that you read about it. Alina and I are obviously with each other all the time.

So like, don't yell at us for eating Thanksgiving dinner. We're with us right now at the spring moment. Your Thanksgiving dinner, like, there should be like a firework celebration afterwards. So Alina, let's just get into it. Alina makes this like sweet potato, like strudal kind of casserole thing. It's real good.

Unreal. I could eat it every day of my life. Olene also makes stuffing that has sausages in it. So sausage sage. I was literally just going to say assage. A lot of funs is you of bad spirits. It certainly does. What else do you make?

The, oh my god, this bitch has been watching the Great British Bake Off. Oh, shout out to Old Greg. Oh, yes. And she made a Pesto swirl bread. I did, and I felt like I was on the Great British baking show because I was like, at the end of it, I was like pressing the bread, and I was like,

what would the judges say? Like, what would Paul Holley would say about this? With his gleamingly white smile. With his beautiful blue eyes. What would Mary-Berry's not on it anymore, but like, what would she think? What would she think? I think she would like it.

It didn't have a soggy bottom. Guys, I've never made bread from scratch before, and if you haven't, you should give it a try. I know. I mean, it's like the thing to do these days. It's very, it's a long process, but it's very satisfying too. Oh yeah.

And I did it when my like wonderful mother-in-law took the girls out for like most of the day, which was just something I don't experience often. So I was like, I'm gonna make bread. Oh yeah. And it's definitely time consuming, but I suggest everybody give it a try because it's not as hard as you think it's gonna be and it's very satisfying and

I've also found throughout quarantine that cooking is such a stress reliever. It is. It is. Like I have gang. It's gotten so into cooking. Yeah, everybody give it a shot. It's fun. Yeah. My ass showed up late to Thanksgiving dinner because of who I am as a person. But I did bring a pecan pie. You did. And it was phenomenal. Full made. I made it. She braided the dough. of who I am as a person. But I did bring a pecan pie. You did, and it was phenomenal. Full made, I made it. Thank you.

She braided the dough. I actually did. Yeah. And I made Chuck Cruderie, which we technically couldn't eat because I was scared of the heat. It's fine. It's, it's fine. You can't spell trash without ash.

You can't spell late without ash. Ash, fresh without ash. Ash. Without ash. But yeah, so hopefully everybody had a good day. See if I can ate delicious food. And was merry and was feeling good. Now on to some scary stuff. So we've gotten a lot of suggestions lately about covering the nexium cults.

Yes. Which let me tell you, we're going to cover it. But it's a woo boy. It's a woo boy. It's a big one. And also, you know, I think someone has covered it really well. And we don't really wanna even touch. Touch that shit.

Touch that shit because let me tell you about a guy named Spencer Henry. I don't know if you know him. I don't know if you know. But he's the host of Cult Leader. And we love Cult Leader. We are Cult Babes. Part of the morbid network. But he's the host of Cult Leader, and we love Cult Leader. We are Cult Babes. Part of the morbid network. And if you're not a Cult Baby yet, I suggest you become one, because he just covered the

next same cults in his latest podcast. And I don't know if you know by the name of the podcast Cult Leader. He's real good at covering cults. It's kind of this forte. So, I know a lot of people have been wanting to hear this, so it immediately, I just read an email that was like, please cover it. And I was like, you know what? Go listen to Spencer's right now

because I'm telling you he covers it amazingly. And I think everybody's gonna dig it. We'll cover it at some point, but I really think if you're looking for it right now, go listen to Spencer because he's killing it. Killin' it. Yeah. And I think everybody's really into it right now

because of the vow, and I think seduced is the other into it right now because of the vow and I think seduced is the other one it's called. I haven't watched those yet. Did you mean there, I haven't watched them yet, but their documentary is about it and they're supposedly like fascinating and horrifying. I wanna watch them. If you are looking for more on it,

definitely go listen to Spencer's latest podcast on cult leader, it's covering Nexium. So I really suggested it's great. And you're gonna love Spencer. If you don't know him, you're gonna love him. If you don't know him, you're missing now. If you don't know, no, you know. Yeah.

So I just wanted to show him out real quick since I just saw an email being like, please cover Nexium. But yeah, I think, other than that, I think really, the only thing I just wanted to mention was basically just telling our listeners how much I love you. I know. Because you guys just like make me smile sometimes.

So last night I just happened to tweet because I was running out to grab like we got take out last night and I ran out to grab it, which is my one. We got cheesecake factory. Oh, you little bitch. No. And so I got to drive like a little ways away by myself and incredible. So I immediately was like, what am I going to listen to? And I was listening to a 90s playlist of boy bands and girl groups, which, hello, that's a lot,

which is where I am right now. And so it was great. It was very uplifting. I was like jamming out. And I happened to tweet about, which by the way, I was an NSYNC purist when I was a year. But right now I can appreciate the Backstreet Boys which by the way, I was an NSYNC purist when I was a year. Oh yes. But right now I can appreciate the Backstreet Boys a little more than I could back then.

Wow. Because the rivalry is a little far past me now. But I'm still an NSYNC girl. But I think I tweeted something about how Nick is very overrated in Kevin. And it's like why was everyone sleeping on Kevin? And the responses I got from listeners, and like the little comment because I was responding to people just talking,

the responses I was getting and the conversations we were getting into, you guys are so fucking funny, and it made me so sad that quarantine is happening right now because I was like, I just wanna hang out with you guys. I know. Like I was like, I was like, you are also fucking funny and cool.

Like, I love Twitter because I love being able to talk to you guys. So I just wanted to like give you like a big virtual like high five. Like you guys rock. I was the best. I would, you know what that just made me think of that night that we went to that Gallows bar. Yes.

And like met up with some of the listeners. With some of like the Boston weirdos. That was so fucking fun. So much fun. That night, like I think back on that night and I am filled with a warmth. It was just wonderful. It was. I just had to give you guys a pad on the back

because you guys are so funny and you make me so happy that we're all weirdos together because I was like, oh, just wanna hang out with you. I feel like I found my people. So thanks for being so funny and so awesome. Thanks for keeping it weird. Thanks for keeping it weird. Maybe I'm feeling like gooey

because it's the holiday season. I think last night was a full moon, so it's like a reset. So maybe you're just feeling grateful for what I have. It did Maybe I'm feeling like gooey because it's like the holiday season. I think last night was a full moon So it's like a reset. So maybe you're just feeling grateful for it. I'm very grateful. So I'm grateful for you guys So that's awesome me too. Just had to tell you that. I love that. I love love. I just love you. I love love So this is an ash centric episode everybody. Hello. Hello. That's a hey So I wanted to do like an old Hollywood kind of murder. I love your glamorous old Hollywood murders. I know. I love it. It's my, those are like my favorite. That's your little sub genre. Yeah, because I watch like the documentaries and I'm like, oh my god,

what I would give to be you thrive. Dorothy Stratton. Dorothy Stratton. But actually when we get to be into this, what I would give to not be here is a lot. And I know this case, but I don't know, like, details about it, so I'm excited to learn. Uh, brah. I had never heard of Dorothy Stratton. That's crazy. And I did a little intro into the Google machine, and I was like, old Hollywood murders, and she came up like third on a list, of course, with like Natalie Wood and Thelma Todd,

which I'll totally cover those too. Oh, how the hell. But I was like, who's that? And then I looked into it. And I was like, she's playboy bunny. And I was like, oh my goodness. I'm here. Hello.

Hello. So I know this one. This is one of the ones that I remember like reading about a long time ago when it had like, whenever. And I was like, whoa, it's a crazy one. It definitely is. I'm surprised that I hadn't heard of it sooner because you and I used to watch those like

e-true Hollywood things all the time. Yeah, I would definitely one of those. And this is like, primo, like e-true Hollywood. Prime e-holywood story material. Let's get into it. Let's do this Dorothy. Dorothy Hugsstratton was born February 28th and 1960 and Van Coover to parents Nelly loved that name.

Canada and Canada to Nelly and Simon Hoogstratton. Okay. No, she was the oldest of three kids, but even though she was the oldest, she had this really young, innocent way about her, and some might even say she was a little bit naive. Oh, okay. She just had a young era about her.

Oh, Dorothy. I know, I love her. Now, when all the kids were pretty young, Simon actually left the family and they kind of fell on hard times after he left. Not cool, Simon. No, I mean, come on. I guess they like reconnected afterwards because spoiler alert, he came to her funeral. But like, don't leave your family. No, definitely don't do your kids. Right that down. Yeah. So because times were tough, Dorothy and she was the oldest, she helped support the family and she worked at a local dairy queen through high school.

Oh my God, I love it. There's another purist thing ever. That's so pure. I love dairy queen. Give me, what's it? When did they dip it in the hard chocolate? Oh yeah. Oh, so good.

I don't know what that is called. Give me a dipped cone. There you go. Now, so in 1977, she was at dairy queen, doing her damn thing, dipping the thing into the chocolate. Dip in that shit and the shit. Yeah. Dip in all that shit and the shit, make an ice cream cake, I guess. Make it swirls.

And this guy walks in, and his name is Paul Snyder. Okay. Hey, Paul. Hey, Paul, you're a little weird. Uh-oh. Paul was almost 10 years older than Dorothy. All right. Dorothy was 17 at the time, so he was 27.

Okay. Or he was actually 26, so just about 10 years. And as soon as he laid eyes on her, he was like, Oh my God! No, girl! Girl! Can't get your number. That's basically what we were like.

He was in lust, though. I wouldn't necessarily say he was in love. It was lust at first sight. Because Dorothy was drop dead gorgeous, but she was kind of one of those girls who doesn't realize how pretty she is, which then just adds to the whole thing. Yeah. and actually she said herself that she worked behind the counter for like years of just wearing like no makeup and pigtills Because she was like I'm gonna fuck yeah, she's like whatever

But so I she just didn't realize how pretty she was with no makeup and pigtills. So how do I say get it girl? Yeah Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. He drove around a black Corvette and he liked to wear like long mink coats and wow. Or a diamond star of David necklace. Oh, man. Like all encrusted and diamonds. Hate the mink coat. Love the diamond studded star of David. Love the mink coat if it was foe. I was just gonna say. I'm gonna throw a red paint on you. I literally love like a fur coat that's not real fur. Always foe.

Always fur. Always foe. And he also would wear these like button up shirts that were just like completely open and like exposed his very, very hairy chest. Gross. To which I say, yucky. I don't love that look.

Don't love it Not that I'm nothing against the Harry Chess just the the open shirt. Yeah, it's not a good look It gives me I feel like we're talking about I'm an encrusted that why I feel I feel like we're talking about Neve Shulman a lot but it gives me that kind of vibe does if you've If you've seen the first original catfish movie. Yes. When he took his shirt off, I was like, uh, need. Wow. Wow.

Needful. All right, need. But you know, it's fine. Yeah. So, like I said, he was working at auto shows and he was kind of pimping young women out on the side, which is not really a great side hustle. No, it's a real bad side hustle.

Yeah. Let's not even get into that. No. But he wanted to make more money because has side hustle. No, it's a real bad side hustle. Yeah, let's not even get into that. No. But he wanted to make more money because his side hustle of Pimpin and his auto show promotion it just wasn't going as well as he had anticipated. So sad.

I know, right? It's a huge bummer. And he was kind of this guy that wanted this fame and fortune, but he didn't really want to work too hard for it himself. He kind of needed people. He needed somebody by his side to like take him there. Of course. I.E. Dorothy. Yeah. He looked at her and was like, Chicheng, Chicheng.

Literally. Yeah. Like I'm pretty sure that's exactly what every article says. Yeah. It was like a cartoon, the eyes roll over and it's just like, Chicheng. Yes. And it's so funny that you say cartoons because that's totally going to come back later. Huh. But basically she was about to become his meal ticket little did she know. Oh, Dorothy.

I know. So people who knew Paul said that he was definitely somebody who had like an Napoleon complex. He was a small time guy with a massive attitude that showed he kind of thought that he was like better or at least among the most elite people. Big ego. But really everybody just kind of thought

he was like super creepy and like just got this vibe from him. I get that vibe from him and I'm not even seeing him. You can look at a picture of him and you'll be like, oh bad vibes. Yeah. Now very sad, he was orphaned at a young age and he actually dropped out of school in the seventh grade just to start working.

Wow. And he kind of just always felt like he needed to be more. Like he never really felt good enough. He was naturally skinny, so we like to go like do bodybuilding stuff. Because he just needed to feel like he was important. Kind of yeah. And a lot of people who are just like naturally small

and stuff can sometimes develop that complex of like, I need to get bigger and stronger. Right. And I guess he started, like I said, he wore those open shirts with his Harry Chess Expose because at the time, John Travolta from Saturday Night Live. You know, I was gonna say, I just said Saturday Night Live.

From Saturday Night Live. Oh my God. Saturday Night Fever. Yeah, I was gonna say, I'm thinking of it now, but in that time, that was- It was the look. It was the look, so I can of it now, but in that time, that was- It was the look. It was the look. So I can't even get too mad at it.

But it's like, even though it was the look for sure, he took it to this very exaggerated place. Like, cost a me level. And you had just said, like, cartoon. Literally, people said he looked like a cartoon character. A very exaggerated version. Because you think like, you got the open shirt and then you have a mint coat over that.

And the diamond encrusted necklace. Yes. And then you're getting into a black Corvette. And I see him with sunglasses on. I don't know. At night. Yes, me too. I just see a lot of this.

I don't know. But he actually like fun fact. He used to promote John Travolta lookalike contests. I just thought he said. I just feel like everybody needs to know that. Oh yeah. I couldn't find if he had ever entered one or not, but I feel like he did.

I feel like that's where the saw came from. Yeah, I think you might be right. It all stems from John Travolta. It has all the all roads lead back to as your role time. As your role time. As your role time. So, like any creepy predator knows if you're listening out there, you create a...

Oh, God. If you want someone to fall under your spell, you have to start the grooming process. Like early on. I hate it already I know so Paul being the creepy was knew that obviously and he started buying Dorothy like jewelry and clothing and just Doding on her all the time like you're so beautiful Blah blah blah. No good. Now he even went as far as taking her to her prom Now remember he's like about to be 27

and she's about to be 18. You have no business, sir. No, it is totally fine to be in like a relationship where there's like plenty of age difference between you. Yeah. My mom, my stepdad was like 18 years older than my mom, but a 17 year old? It's different when you're younger.

It's still a baby. And like, you have no business being at prom if you can legally drink. Yeah, you don't. I'm sorry, I don't. You just don't. Why? Exactly.

Now, not only did he go to prom with her, he also bought her the dress that she wore to prom. Oh boy. Which was like this beautiful, like, white dress. And it was almost like, you know, like in every movie, like where we've talked about it so much recently She takes off the glasses and she puts the dress on and it's like, oh my god. She's all that moment. How did I never realized this girl was so beautiful? Of course. It was like that. And it sounds to me like he's kind of like

He's he's starting to count up his you oh me's kind of thing because he's like, I bought you your prom dress Yeah, I took you to prom. I bought you this jewelry You owe me is I think the whole. You owe me is literally like the whole. That's the whole point of the story. Exactly. And like I said, Dorothy wasn't used to all this attention because she was like, she didn't know how pretty she was.

Just a small town girl. Living in a loo loo loo loo. But she actually, it's crazy. If you think about this, like looking at pictures of her, it's crazy because she was teased in high school for having like big lips, which is imagine that now. But I feel like that's also a lot of times like people will tease you because they're jealous of you.

Oh, 100%. But you look at pictures of her and you're like, you got teased. Yeah, what? And that kind of thing, you're definitely like, that's jealousy. Oh, I'm trying to tear someone down to make yourself feel better. Mm-hmm totally. Don't be a bully. It's a shitty look It's not cute now. So she put on this dress she transformed and everybody's like

Dorothy. Oh my goodness And she's like oh bitch like I am cute and Paul notice this shift in confidence And he kind of started talking to her about getting into modeling. Oh no. Now, he took her to get professional photos taken of her in that prom dress. So. And of course, he has to be like right by her side in the pictures. Of course. But he was like, oh, you're so good at this.

Like, this could be your job. Like, you should really get into this. You're a natural. Like, the camera loves you. but that was really just the beginning because then he started getting into, oh wow, you would make the perfect playmate. And like posing nude isn't that big of a deal Dorothy, like don't worry about it.

Oh, which it's like you can't, don't put that in someone else's head on someone. Like let someone else decide that for themselves. Exactly. Because there is nothing wrong with that. But it's like you decide that on someone. Like let someone else decide that for themselves. Exactly. Because there is nothing wrong with that. But it's like, you decide that for yourself. You don't let someone else because I assure you into that shit. Everybody has different orals. And older man.

Right. And she, again, remember, she's like 17. She's about to be 18. Yeah. She's a young girl. She's very impressionable. Exactly. And an older man should not be telling you

what is good and what is not about posing nude. No. And older man should never have a stance on your nude adi. No. So, and now the reason why he's kind of starting to be like, oh, you'd make a great playmate, like posing nude is no big deal, is because the great playmate hunt was happening, because it was the 25th anniversary of Playboy. Oh.

It was coming up. Uh-oh. And he wanted Dorothy to win that spot as like that 25th anniversary play. Because that was his payout because opportunist. Mm-hmm. Now, it did take a lot of convincing, but Dorothy finally agreed that she would have

the pictures taken and sent to America, because remember we're in Canada. Oh yeah, I forgot. Now, she actually had to have her mother sign off, the permission sign release form. Of course. To have her photograph, because now, she actually was to have her mother sign off, the permission sign release form, of course. To have her photograph, because no, she actually was 18 at this point, but 18 is still considered underage in British Columbia,

actually to this day. Oh wow. The age of majority there is 19 years old. Okay. So, Dorene makes sense. It does, it makes more sense. I don't want to. If I like couldn't make the decisions that I made

when I was 18, like I wish I was like not legal for me to. Yeah, no, I was some of those decisions probably weren't legal, but my decisions at 18 were were trash. I think about the things that I wanted to tattooed on my body like luckily I didn't get tattooed on my body, but for real. Wow, for real. Even my first tattoo I would get it a lot smaller, but it's fucking huge. So Dorothy convinced her mom she got the signature and the pictures were taken by a really like famous photographer named Ken Honey and he later got this $1,000 finders fee for shooting her because it ended up working out. Now the pictures were sent to Hugh Hefner's team in LA and immediately upon looking at them they wanted to fly Dorothy

out for more pictures and to see what her modeling style was in person. Because she's got it. Because she's got just, now Marilyn Gabrowski was the photo editor at the time, and she told ABC News this about Dorothy. She was a total babe in the woods. I cannot remember another playmate being that. I don't want to say naive, experienced, unused to her surroundings and not used to thinking that she was really beautiful. Wow. I know. A total babe in the woods. I love that. I want to say that about people all the time. You're like, shit, you're a real babe in the woods. You know that? You got a baby in the woods kind of vibe about you. You really do. No. I feel like it's not good. I think it is. It's like, baby the wood. I don't know, man. That's weird.

Like if you're, I think it's like kind of like almost like out to lunch, like a diamond in the rough. Yeah, even the woods. A baby in the woods. Like you just don't realize that you're a babe. Yeah, you don't. Stand in the woods. Yeah.

No, when Dorothy and Paul arrived, Marilyn was impressed with how Dorothy shot and how she came to the mansion the next day, like super bubbly and just ready to do what needed to be done. Marilyn was like, oh shit, wow. She showed up ready to work. Yeah, but she did notice that she really had this like very shy energy about her, but she could push through it. So they were impressed by that. Now Dorothy didn't end up winning the great playmate hunt. She was a runner up to Candy Loving. Oh, you know who that is? She's really pretty.

Candy Loving. I know, I mean, I meant to look up if that was her real name or not. I'm gonna go and do that. I'm gonna look it up right now. And she was like, I guess she was like a college student turned playmate. Good for you, Candy.

Get it, Candy. No, I mean, her first name's probably Candy, so I would assume. But I wonder if Loving is really her last name. That'd be cool. Now, so Candy One, but Dorothy ended up catching half's eye, you have, and I'm just gonna call him half because I watch so much of the girl's next story. We're on a first name basis.

Exactly. And he made her not only a bunny, but he later on made her miss August of 1979. Wow. It's a big deal to get a calendar spread. That's a huge deal. To get a month on the calendar as like a new playmate is a big deal. Whoa, I mean, I know all about it. Just as a side note, her name is Candace Loving. Is it? Yeah. And it's Candace C-A-N-D-I-S. With a name like that, you're essentially destined to be a playboy bunny. You have to be something

like that. Yes. And you're, that's a name. That's your identity. You have to be something like that. Yes. That's a name. That's your identity. You need to be famous. You gotta be. You're a star, baby. You're a star, candy. What if you were trafficked into a cult over shot nine times or fell in love with a vampire or went into a minor surgery and woke up one week later, paralyzed?

What would you do? I'm Whit Missaldine, the creator of this is actually happening, a podcast from Wondry that brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events, told by the people who lived them. From a young man that dooms his entire future with one choice, to a woman who survived a notorious serial killer, you'll hear their first person account of how they overcame remarkable circumstances. Each episode is an exploration of the human spirit and personal discovery.

These haunting accounts sound like Hollywood movies, but I assure you this is actually happening. Follow this is actually happening wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Add Free on the Amazon Music or Wonder app. Hey there, fellow podcast listener, it's Elena. And Ash! And we're taking you back to the days before streaming services. Whoa! You know when you would come home from high school and it was only a few hours until that TV show everyone was watching was about to come on. Well in 1999 that show

was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In our podcast with Wondery, the re-watcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we take it back to 1999. So get out your knee high boots and paste that poster of Angel on the wall. It's time to enter the Buffyverse. Some of you avid morbid listeners already know what we've gotten store. Join us. Join us as we sway our way through Buffy's drama, action, and romance. Episode by episode. Slazy.

Follow the rewatcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and add free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app, where yeah, Norma Jean Baker? Yeah. Isn't it funny how they like, they're like, that doesn't work. I know, and it's so sad. I know. I wonder if Ashkel would work in the land of fame.

It would. I think it would. Oh yeah. It's like pink. Alaina or cart would probably not. I don't think our cart would work. I don't know. I think so.

It's scary. I would make it work. I'd put the hammer down. Work. So, like I said, he made her a bunny and she became misogist. But so the bunnies were girls who worked at the Playboy Club in LA. And basically, they were like cocktail waitresses dressed as bunnies. And there's like this famous bunny dip.

It's like I was supposed to serve the drink. And Dorothy was still 18, like I said. So legally, I guess she couldn't serve alcohol at that time. So she would greet you at the door and kind of like set you up. Oh nice. But the fact that she couldn't even serve alcohol, and he's like, I want you to work in the club anyways.

Like, that's a big deal. Yeah, that's a big deal. He obviously saw something in her. And everyone else at the club saw this like star potential in her, just like everyone at the mansion did. Of course. But the only problem is they weren't super fond of Paul. And Paul was everywhere.

So when Dorothy would go to the mansion, Paul would be right there next to her, just like, trying to, he was always trying to like, schmooze and make a business deal. Of course. And he always wanted like, important people to be friends with him, or like, he would tell half about like his business ideas.

And like, he had, he's like, oh half, I have a talent for recruiting girls. Like I can help you. He's trying to shoot his shot anywhere he can. Always, anywhere he can. We all know that dude too. Which it's like, you have to, and on one side you're like, dude, calm down.

Like stop, you're annoying, but on the other side, you're like, I mean, get it. I get like, give it a shot. I mean, you only have I mean, get it. I get like, give it a shot. I mean, you only have one shot at this earth, you might as well give it a shot. And like you think about it, like you got your job by like literally- I bought the shit out of the head pathologist.

And it's like, a lot of people say that, they'll be like, I wanted this job, so I kept calling back and calling back. I mean, I always say it squeaky wheel gets the grease. And Paul was a real big proponent of that. He was squeaking, but Heff was was like literally get the fuck away from me. Yeah, once that happens, you gotta like back off. You gotta like reevaluate your whole thing.

Yeah, if you're getting like a no message, just sometimes it's important to like back off. If you're getting like back the fuck off, you're annoying me, that's when you're like, all right. Yeah, but if you're sensing a maybe, have at it. As long as there's a chance.

Exactly. So literally according to anyone who saw Heff and Paul interact together, Heff was just not at all interested, and he found Paul very off-putting. He later said, there was just something about him that I did not like. And for Hugh Heffner to say, this guy was creepy. Yeah. It's pretty big. Now here's another thing that I was like, wow, for you to say that. Like, oh, weird.

So he knew that Paul was a pimp and he strangely enough did not like that. There was no quality that he admired. Wow, okay. I don't know a lot about Hugh Hefter. There's people have very varying opinions on him. Yeah, and I will say full on. I don't know a lot about him.

I don't love what I've heard. Yeah. I mean, honey, love John, the girl's next door. Love Jeff, but I don't know a lot about him. I don't love what I've heard. Yeah. I mean, honey, love John, the girl's next door. Love Jeff, but I don't know a lot about that. But to me, that's pretty shocking that he's, that's not something he was a proponent of. I know, I agree, because it's a very similar structure as to what he has going on. Yeah, because it does seem like, you know,

it's like a variation of it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And, but the other thing about Paul was everyone took note of how the dynamic between him and Dorothy was. It was like Dorothy was his property and he was in charge of her. Yeah.

Which is like not a good way to be. And like I said, anywhere Dorothy went, Paul wasn't far behind and he was always kind of trying to like push her into things, like push her into these opportunities. I can see. Yeah. Because he knew that he was gonna benefit to push her into things, like push her into these opportunities. Because he knew that he was going to benefit from it as well. So it wasn't, yeah, it was pushing her into things she probably wasn't ready for and wasn't interested in,

just so he could cash out at the end. Which is not a cool way to be. No, not at all. Now, I mean, the good thing, but also the bad thing, it's like a catch 22 in this story, is that Dorothy didn't see what everybody else saw because she was really smitten with Paul early on. And she fed, this is like a catch 22 in this story is that Dorothy didn't see what everybody else saw because she was really smitten with Paul early on. And she, this is like a problem.

She felt like she owed him for all of her success because he kind of, quote unquote, discovered her. Yeah, and see, that's what I don't like about Paul because it's like, you give him a little bit of like, yeah, like shoot your shot, but you know, yeah, like do what you gotta do to get ahead. Like if it's not hurting other people, but then you look at it and you're like, but you are hurting someone because you're using someone else for your success.

Yeah. One, and two, you set it up so she, she feels like she has no choice. Exactly. It's like it's abusive. And no matter where you go in this relationship, she's always going to feel like you're her superior and that she always do something. Like you're the person in power here and she has to do things to please you and that's not okay. Right. Not at all.

I would never want that to be my relationship dynamic. Fuck off, Paul. I like an equal dynamic. Yeah, it should be equal. Now, so she didn't realize that she always had this potential and like I said, she completely credited Paul for discovering her, but Marilyn again, Marilyn Grobowski said that any time they were shooting Dorothy in between such she would be on the phone with Paul telling him like how great it was going and she was, it seemed like she was constantly making sure that she was doing

okay in his eyes. Yeah. And everybody said they were like, the thing is, like yes, Paul was, Paul pushed her to do these things, but she could have done them without him. Like there was nothing about her success that she could credit him for, other than like telling her that she could do this. And like maybe putting the,

like the feelers out there initially for that. Exactly. But after that, it seems like, like she was on the trajectory or so. Yeah, like she, he didn't give her her personality, he didn't give her her looks or anything like that, like her ability to model and act and all that. Yeah.

So whatever. Paul was happy that Dorothy was doing well, but I don't really think it came from a place of like pride or love or anything. I think he was just like, oh cool, I'm gonna like climb the social ladder and make a lot of money along the way. Chaching, which is that.

Chaching, not cool. Now like I said, hefton like him and neither did any of the people at the mansion, especially the girls at the mansion. So Gina Kio, I don't know if anybody watches Real Housewives of Orange County, but she's never watched that one. Oh my god, that one's so good. She's an OG.

She gets some Tamara like throws wine at her at a pool party. Fun. But she was a playmate, and I had no freaking idea. Wow. Because I didn't watch that like religiously. I'd just watch it if it was on. But anyways, she said that Paul was like super creepy, especially in the pool, like he would always

hit on girls in the pool and like try to get their attention and shit. And he was always trying to just like make a move. And at one point, he was actually caught making out with another girl, and he was kicked off the mansion property. Oh damn. And they were like, you can't come back

unless you're with Dorothy. Oh shit. But. Because was he like dating Dorothy? Like, were they together? Oh yeah, they were dating. Oh, they were together. Yeah.

Like, they had like a romantic relationship. Okay, I didn't know if it was like this weird little thing or like if they were actually dating. They were actually dating. I know it is kind of weird. Because like, it's a strange. But like, he met her at Dairy Queen. He groomed her.

He brought it a problem. And now, they're dating. It makes sense now. And I just like that a picture of him. But like, he met her at dairy queen, he groomed her. He brought it a problem, and now they're taking it. So it makes sense now. And I just like that a picture of him. And he's definitely creeptastic. Yeah. But when you look at him, you're like, I get it.

You can get that Dorisie, especially at that time, would find him attractive, because he's not like this heinous, like, destroyer or anything. So I get it. And also again, he's older. Like, and he seems like the guy that would be able to charm you.

And especially when like, you're, I remember being like 17 18 And like I worked at a bar like people would come and I'd be like, oh my god, old day boy Yeah, so cute, but thank god nothing ever happened because I feel like my life could have been different. Oh, yeah Yeah, so Dorothy didn't realize that Paul was like creepy and shitty and an awful boyfriend Because they ended up getting married Oh, man, so they ended up getting married. Oh man. So they get married on June 1st.

Hey. 1979 though. So okay, a little bit before me. You weren't even born. Hey, finally, finally we reached one. And but this marriage was much to the dismay of like everybody around her. Oh no.

Half-told ABC News that Dorothy came to him, like almost like she was telling like her dad that she was getting married, and she was like, I'm gonna marry Paul, and he was like, I tried to tell her that it wasn't a good idea, but I also didn't want to push it because it seemed inappropriate.

Like, I'm not her dad, I can't tell her what to do, and I don't want her to like feel like I'm trying to do that. Yeah. So he was trying to do the right thing, but he also was like, oh my god, please don't do that. Yeah, but I mean, you can't tell someone at that point. like, oh my God, please don't do that. Yeah. But I mean, you can't tell someone at that point. No, especially it's like your grown-ass woman.

Exactly. Right. Make your own decisions. So after they were married, things kept going well for Dorothy. Playboy actually did two films. And one was the Playboy roller disco, and the other was the Playboy pajama party. All of that sounds amazing. It's incredible.

And it became evident after those films that Dorothy not only had talent for modeling, but also for acting. She's a star. She's a star. She started to get these like small parts in movies and heath especially was really happy about that because not really like not many of his playmates turned into big-time movie stars. Yeah, they went like crossover. No, and that's what he kind of wanted. That was like the goal because he wanted the respective like all the Hollywood big names who would come party with him.

You want to Maryland. Right, and these people would come party with him, but they didn't see him as anything more than just like a party house, like have like actual respect for him. For sure. And he was like, I see potential in these people not only as models, but as stars. And that's the goal here.

And he wants to be part of that Hollywood glamour. Yeah, and he is. And he is. The kind of outskirts of Hollywood glamour. He's like sitting there on the outer edges, I think. So he wanted to be like fully immersed. Totally in it, exactly. So he's super happy that this has happened again.

But Paul wasn't so happy, which is weird, because you think that he would be stoked that she's going to start making more money. Yeah. And he was happy about that part of it. But on the other hand, he felt like he was being kind of like pushed off to the side, because she was starting to become more confident in herself.

And he liked her when she didn't know how great she was. Exactly, like a true product. I was just gonna say like a true abuser. Exactly. Now Dorothy, like I said, she was getting more confident, she's getting these roles in movies. Then she wins playmate of the year in 1980. Good for her.

And so he was like excited and proud of her. And he actually got a vanity license plate on his car that year that said star 80. And actually there's a movie about their whole like relationship together. And it is more from like his aspect of it. And the movie is called star 80. Wow. So he did that. What a choice. So proud of her. Yeah. Then he also wanted to sell everything that she had won from becoming PlayMade of the Year so that he could buy himself a new car.

Oh, that seems right. Cool. So the things that she won included a ton of money, like a shit ton of money, a couple of cars. Wow. A bronze bathtub. Oh, a random. A real random.

A mint for the bronze bathtub. I would not want to bronze it. I knew you were kidding, but I was like, what the fuck? Yeah, that's weird as shit. Why a bronze bathtub? Yeah, that's real weird. It's so weird. And he wanted to sell all that.

And he thought he had a right to sell it for his own gain because he discovered her. Yeah, and he's like, and we're married. And like half of this is mine. What's mine is yours, baby? Oh, fuck that. But he actually went to pole Dorothy off of set at one point to talk to her about it.

And she came back to set, like, visibly upset. Oh, no. Set, set, set. So it was becoming clear that Dorothy, like I said, was growing as a star. But like I said, she's getting more confident too. And it seems like the more she grew, she kind of started to realize that Paul was not who she thought he was.

Oh, for sure. Because as you grow as a human being, you're gonna start seeing people for really who they are. Especially as you're like maturing. For sure. Not only growing up, but like maturing. And it seems like she was. Oh yeah, because I think about the, you know,

the person I dated when I was like 18, 19. Oh, same. Oh, literally. No, thank you. I always say there's such a big difference was like 18, 19. Oh, same. Oh, literally. No, thank you. I always say there's such a big difference between like 18 and 20. It's two years. It's true.

But it's also like a lifetime. It really is a lifetime. And then you look at 20 to 30 and you're like, who boy? I even look at like 20 to 24 right now. And I'm like, who the fuck was she though? Oh, just wait until you're in your 30s. You're gonna be like, wow.

I know. I can only picture right now. Because I look back on things I I said a few weeks ago, and I'm like, I didn't mean that. Honestly, and I'm sure, like, where are my fellow 30s out there? I'm sure everybody can agree. Like when you hit your 30s, it is such a freeing, like I don't give a fuck moment.

Like you get out of your 20s and you're like, oh, I literally don't give a fuck. And it's really excited for you. It's a beautiful feeling. Because I'm one of those people that I mostly don't give a fuck, but I also mostly kind of give some of a fuck. Yeah, you don't even know. Yeah, I can't wait.

I've got about like five and a half years. Got a few years, but you're gonna get there. Terrifying. And you know what? Anybody in their 30s who does give a fuck, don't give a fuck. You're a freak. You're great.

Exactly how you are. You're beautiful. Feel awesome about yourself. You're gorgeous. You're 30s who does give a fuck, don't give a fuck. You're a freak. You're great. Exactly how you are. You're beautiful. Feel awesome about it. You're gorgeous. You're 30s. The Angelista. Your 30s are for just feeling great. Yeah.

So do it. Get it girl. Love you, fan of points. Get it everybody. Get it all, yeah. Get it, people. So she's like, yeah, you're gross. She's not fully like you're gross. Yeah, she's just like, ooh, you're gross. No, no. She's not fully like you're gross.

Yeah, she's just like, ooh, you're a little bit questionable. Yeah, and I'm married to you, uh-oh. So they were living in a house together with like two housemates, Patty, Lorman, and Stephen Kushner. Paul was like doing this whole, oh my God, like you could be a model. Let me help discover you thing with Patty now.

Uh-oh. And Patty was like a younger teenager at the time. I think she was like 17 or something. Oh no. It's like, are we seeing a pattern here? They are being weird. And he also had started working with this man named Somen Bangerie.

I hope I said that right. Who had a club called Destiny 2. Ooh. What happened to Destiny 1? Well, I don't know, but Destiny a club called Destiny 2. Ooh, ooh, what happened to Destiny 1? Well, I don't know, but Destiny 2 is going down the tubes too. Oh shit. Paul had this really unique idea to bring male strippers into the club and dress them in these super unique white

collars and bow ties. Fun. Kind of exactly playboy bunny's dress. I was just going to say. And this club of chip-and-dales became known as chip-and-dales. Oh, OK. I was just gonna say. And this club. Is it like Chippendale's? Became known as Chippendale. Oh, okay. It's like wait a second.

So I had no idea that like when I first got into this that he was one of the people who like basically created Chippendale's. I didn't know that either. Well, you don't know that because he was totally pushed out of this. Like he like helped make this and then was pushed out of it because they were like, yeah, like no.

No. Because I think the thing about him was that he had good ideas but he didn't necessarily have good execution. Yeah, and that's vital. Execution is vital. Because ideas are great, but you can't put them into motion in a way that everybody's happy with. And what he got, nothing.

What he got, just ideas nothing. What do you got? Just ideas. Just ideas. I got a lot of weird ideas, but I can't put an emotion. So, well, I also did Paul. But see, him being pushed out of this whole thing, so he's pushed out of Chip and Dills. He's kind of feeling like he's being pushed out of Dorothy's life. He has an Napoleon complex.

He already feels like he's less than. So this is not good. Uh, that's what you might call a perfect storm. Yes, one might call it that. And again, Chivendale's was like a huge money opportunity for him, so not only is he feeling like, like, like small like in his head, he's also like, well fuck, I'm like losing out on money. Yeah, that's not great.

It's tangible evidence of his shortcomings. Remember he's from Canada Like he technically the only reason that he's allowed to stay in America right now is because of Dorothy Oh, shit. He's like, I can't lose her. Oh, no So he and he like doesn't have control over anything right now So he needs control over something and Dorothy slipping through his fingers and she's like starting to kind of like lose it a little bit Uh-oh slipping through his fingers and he's like starting to kind of like lose it a little bit. Uh oh. So she, Dorothy had managers and agents and like big name accountants handling all her money and investments.

Because at this point, she's making money that needs to be managed by professionals. For sure. And Paul didn't like that it was being managed by somebody that wasn't him. He wanted control of that. And Dorothy started kind of coming up with excuses for why she didn't want to spend her money like he wanted her to. But she was starting to struggle to find an out of this marriage. It seemed like.

E. Yeah. Now, after doing well in some of her smaller roles, Dorothy was approached to do some bigger movies. First was Galaxena, which looks fucking hilarious. It sounds awesome. It's a sci-fi comedy where she plays essentially a sex robot. Yes. Yep.

But she had a bigger break coming around the corner. Cool. So I don't know if you've heard of this guy, Peter Bogdanovich. Oh, no, definitely not. No, never heard of him. No, never. He would call him a director, totally kidding.

We have heard of it. And he was actually pretty good friends with Heff at the time and would come to the mansion for parties every now and then. Now he had met Dorothy back when she shot the roller disco film and he kind of noticed her during that time period. And he noticed more than just her looks, which is really nice. Good for him. He noticed that there was just something about her personality personality that like he was like attractive to him.

Yeah, she had a star quality. She did like we've said this whole time and he was gonna be working on a movie in January 1980 and this movie had Audrey Hepburn and John Ritter and it was called they all laughed. Oh shit. No, but John Ritter. Yeah, and Audrey Hepburn like dance. Now Peter felt like Dorothy would be a really perfect role in the movie, and she wanted her to do the role of Dolores, who's like kind of like this friend of Audrey Hepburn's, I guess, off to the side. Oh, hi. Now, so she went out to his apartment, and she read for him a couple of times for the role, and he was sold, and she got the part.

Oh, shit, good job, Dorothy. Now, the thing is, I have to wonder if Paul was nervous about Dorothy working on this movie, because Peter Bugg Donovich was known especially at this time for leaving his wife, Paulie, for Model Icarl, Cibbl Shepard, during the production. Cibbl Shepard, yes. Wow.

And he left his wife during the production for his last movie, The Last Picture Show. Wow. So you're like, you kind of have this reputation for like leaving your wife for like a hot younger model. For your younger model. And now my hot younger model that I discovered

is gonna go work on your movie. Like, yeah, I'd be a little concerned. A little concerned. So Dorothy is this it girl. And it's like, is he gonna like trying to make a move on her like Paul definitely must have been wondering that. For sure. And he was begging Dorothy to let him come to filming.

And filming was gonna be in New York. And he's like, let me come. Like, I wanna be there with you. Like, I wanna support you. That's the only reason I want to. Of course, I'm not worried. And she's like, no, no, like, there's no point. Cause the set was closed to anybody

who was not working on the movie. And she was like, I need to focus. Like, this is a big deal. Yeah. And I can't have you there. And also, I kind of hate you. So, so please go away. And she totally didn't hate him. But no, she was just like, it was her way out. Yeah. So he dropped her off at the airport and they said they're goodbyes and Dorothy hopped on the plane to NYC. Now she checked into her hotel, her hotel, which was the Wyndham hotel. Yeah. I think that's like a famous hotel, is it?

Yeah. Yeah. And she got to work. She was like reviewing her line. She was showing up to set. So the part that she had in the movie was kind of small, but everyone on set is said to have been in awe of her looks and just how laid back she was. And like, what a good performer she was,

even in this small role. Good for her. I know she's killing it. And the makeup and hair stylist loved her especially, because like, whatever they did to her, she was happy with, and she looked phenomenal. No matter what. She was so happy to be there.

Exactly. And she's just like a dream person. And they were, the cast and crew were happy because she knew her lines. And when she wasn't on set filming, she was kind of friendly, but she like kept to herself. Yeah. So everybody was like, cool, this girl's like quiet.

Easy peasy. She's a good worker, she knows her shit. Awesome. Now Peter Baghdanovich took a little more notice of her while they were on set. Saw that coming. And no one knows like exactly when it started. Like there's no like pinpoint, but in a fair was starting to be rumoured on set. Oh boy. So Dorothy had like I said checked into the window, but in a fair was starting to be rumored on set. Oh boy.

So Dorothy had, like I said, checked into the window, but now she was checking out of the window. Uh-oh. And she moved into Peter's suite. Oh. Honey. So we're not trying that. Well, so they were trying to keep things quiet, and they weren't fans of doing any

PDA or anything like that on set, especially because Peter had split with Paulie and his affair with Sybil was so public. But people started to catch on. For sure. And Peter said that when he met Dorothy, he thought it would be great to have her in the picture, and that the movie evolved when she became a part of it, and he ended up writing more lines for her in the movie, because he just loved how she worked. Wow.

And a lot of people think that John Ritter's character, who falls in love with Dorothy's character, kind of became more and more like Peter, as the movie, like filming went on. Art imitates life. And well, exactly, they were saying like the on-screen love was reflecting the off-screen love. And he said, being in love with Dorothy

is what inspired the picture. Wow. I love, love. Wow. Isn't that like that romantic? Most romantic because the thing you've ever heard. So it was like Dorothy was spreading her wings. She was getting away from Paul.

And now at this point, she's 20 years old. Wow. So this is like a whirlwind story. I was gonna say. It's like Carl, you expect her to be like now at this point, she's 20 years old. Wow. This is like a whirlwind story. I was gonna say. It's like Carl, you expect her to be like 25 at this point. No, this all happened within the few years, which is crazy. But she's 20.

It's like her life is really starting. Yeah. But Paul was not going to have that. Of course he's not. He's not gonna let her go. So he's calling incessantly. And Dorothy was not answering all of his calls and she typically would do that. So he's kind of like what the fuck is going on. And sometimes she'd

have his call screened other time she'd answer, but she would keep it really short and distant and just saying like, I'm tired, like I got to get off. And he noticed that she wasn't always like saying, I love you too. Uh-oh, so that's a big sign. It sure is. And obviously he's gonna notice that because he's an abuser and anybody would notice it. And he's also a theater. I know. Yeah, but also anybody's gonna notice

if their wife stops saying, I love you. Yeah, you'll definitely notice that. I'll give him that. I would. But so he confronted her about it. And Dorothy told him that he needed to quote, let the bird fly. Wow, which I love.

Like, give me my wings. Just let me fly. Just let me fly. So she was on a break from filming at one point and she had to go back to LA for like a few appearances and she was also supposed to go to Vancouver to meet Paul for her mom's wedding. Her mom was getting remarried. And a lot of Dorothy's friends were worried about her seeing Paul because they were realizing, obviously, he's incredibly possessive over her. And like, you're obviously gonna tell him that it's over or like, you're gonna lead up to that

and he's gonna get violent when you do that. Now, one friend that she was traveling with even suggested getting a bodyguard for her. Or a bodyguard. A bodyguard. She was getting full like Dorothy, I think, was a bodyguard. Yeah, so she just needed a bodyguard for her. Or a bodyguard. A bodyguard. You'll skip both. Well, Dorothy, I think was a bodyguard. Yeah, so she just needed a bodyguard.

All right, cool. To make fun. She needed a guard to guard the bodyguard, the god. Yes, exactly. But Dorothy was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, it's fine. Paul's my husband. Yeah. I love him.

He's never hurt me. Of course, you think you know the person that you are married to. Classic. So they did end up meeting and talking and the talk became more of an argument. And eventually they settled the argument and Paul agreed to give Dorothy some space. But they didn't talk about the fact that she was having an affair. Oh, obviously. Yeah. So she headed back to filming early because she was like, get me the fuck away from Paul. And she continued to have Paul's call screened. obviously. So she headed back to filming early because she was like, get me the fuck away from Paul.

And she continued to have Paul's call screened and just like, she just really wasn't interested in the market. She was totally distancing, totally distancing. And it seemed like she was kind of getting all her ducks in a row, especially financially. Yeah. Because shortly after she returned to filming, Paul got a letter, quote, declaring that he and Dorothy were separated physically and financially. So she just sent him a letter and was like, we are separated now. Here we go.

And he's like, I'm gonna let the bird fly. Damn it. So he was furious. And because like I said, without Dorothy, he doesn't have a claim to fame. He has to go back to Canada. And it's control. It's he lost control.

He's going to go from being this guy involved in these like social like higher arcades to just totally falling back down to be a nobody. Absolutely. Which it's fine to be a nobody. In fact, it's kind of fun. Sure is. So everything he tried to do without her didn't work out. Chip and Dale's kicked him out. playboy laughed at him when he tried, because he tried to

present Patty Larmann as a playmate, like the lady that was living with him, the girl. And now his only claim to fame is leaving him in the dust. So he's like really feeling the pressure. Oh yeah. And people who knew Paul, like, and how he was wired, described this whole thing as the ultimate insult. Uh-oh. So he is ultimately insulted, and that's not good. Not good.

And Dorothy did her best to make this split amicable. Like, she wrote him a letter telling him how she didn't want to hurt him. She just felt like their marriage wasn't working, and she's like, I'm growing up. Like, I'm realizing that this isn't exactly what I wanted. Hi, I'm 20 years old. Yeah, I like me into marrying you. Yeah, like I'm just a different person. Exactly. And obviously, it wasn't the best way of going about things to have an affair, but I think in this case, she was just doing the best that she knew how to do.

And again, she was 20 years old. Right. Like, we've all, like, anything was over 20. Think about the shit you did when you were 20. You're not in the same kind of head space as you are later. And especially she's, I mean, she's basically in an abusive relationship whether she realizes it or not. She was groomed and put right into an abusive relationship.

Exactly. So I've said it like 85 times by now, but Paul's the kind of guy who, if you're dating him, that's it. If you're married to him, that's it. He's gonna have you and nobody else's for sure. And I've said it 85 times. He thought he was set up for the rest of his life.

And now he's not. And he's not gonna just let that lifestyle go. No. So we're getting to like the nitty gritty of this. Now, and he thought like he was getting all this money. And in fact, before he and Dorothy got married, they had this like idea together where they were going to get these pictures done of her and make them into posters. Okay. Now, they thought that they were

going to make a million of these posters and then they would make a profit of $300,000. And like, they were married. So that was just their money. Yeah. Now Paul took Dorothy to see his friends Bill and Susan Lachace and they took the photos of Dorothy. She was wearing an ice skating outfit and roller skates and that was like they were like, this is the perfect picture. That's gonna make us that $300,000. Okay.

So now Dorothy was trying to leave him and they had just started printing these photos. So they're like, well, does she approve them? Does she not? Now Dorothy was trying to leave him and they had just started printing these photos. So they're like, well, does she approve them? Does she not? And Paul sees an opportunity to kind of get her back. He's like, look, the pictures came. Like, are we still going to do this?

Like, you owe me. Yep. Kind of thing. So he had Bill and Susan fly out to New York to show Dorothy the pictures because she has to approve them, obviously. Yeah. But when they got to the hotel, that Paul told them she was staying at,

the front desk were like, oh no, she checked out a while ago. Like, she's not here. So they went to the production office and the production office told them that she was with Peter. Oh no. So what fucked? So they had out to Peter's suite

to show Dorothy the pictures and she was in shock when she answered the door. She's like, oh, I'd like to, like she was really sweet. She was like, I would invite you in, but there's people inside like you can't come in, AKA my other man's isn't here. Oh no!

My side piece isn't here, so you care about me. Am I worse than here? No, so she looked at the pictures in the hallway and according to Bill and Susan, it seemed like she liked them by her eyes, I guess. And she was like, hold on, I have to go inside for a second. So we can assume that she went inside and showed Peter and then she came back out and she was like,

I don't like them. I don't want these. Oh. And I guess she was like, look at how my boobs are sitting. They don't look good. I often say that the same all the time. But I was like, look at how my boobs are sitting. Like they don't look good. I often say that the same all the time. But I'm like, look at how my boobs are sitting. They are hanging, she said they are hanging too low.

You know what? Get it girl. Get it, I mean, Chad. You gotta look out for your image. You gotta like what you see. Can't have saggy boobies in your roller skating outfit. I can't do it. So Bill and Susan were like, all right, think about it.

Like let us know. Yeah. So she didn't because she's like, I don, think about it. Like let us know. So she didn't, because she's like, I don't need this anymore. Like this was a business opportunity with Paul. I'm trying to divorce him. I told you the girls are sitting too low. Get it. Goodbye.

Leave me and my tits alone. Yeah. Put that on a shirt. So, but they were like, they wanted to like make their money on this opportunity too. So they start calling the hotel. And then when they called the the hotel they were like, we're not aware of any Dorothy Stratton, like stop harassing us. Wow. So boom, we're done.

Done. So if Paul was not pissed off before, he is exponentially pissed off at this point, he's desperate. And then we have him and then we have Dorothy and Peter who are wrapping up filming flying back to California and planning to live together in Peter's home in Bel Air. Oh man. So we're going back to California and like a totally different place than when we left. Yes. In a very big way.

Very big. Now Paul hired a PI to track down Dorothy because he is getting wild with it. Uh-oh. He also wrote letters to Peter being like, just give her back to me like, and I won't make a scene. Just give her back to me. She's not a piece of luggage. Exactly, but he, to him, she was. Yeah. He also wrote letters to Dorothy trying to win her back, but none of it was working.

Dorothy was in love with Peter and she was ready to start their life together. In fact, and they were doing really well together. They had vacation in London at one point together when they got back. Wow. And Dorothy was at this point being considered for multiple movies, so she's like, I do not need you Paul. Stars on the rise. Exactly. Some of the movies that she was being considered for were Charlie's Angels. Damn. She seems like she'd be a perfect fit for that. Perfect. The last Desperado. All right. And she was even being considered for a part in a movie as Marilyn Monroe.

Ooh. And a lot of people said that she was on track to be the next Marilyn. Damn. Which if you look at her track record, she'd get the twist. But she still had a soft spot for Paul and she felt like she owed it to him to help him out. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right.

I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right.

I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure if that's right. I'm not sure totally out now. Yeah. But that was not to the end. So that day had been the eighth of August

when she collected the last of her things and headed to her new life. She agreed to call Paul later that week and try to come to like a financial agreement. And they wanted to do this like totally themselves. They didn't want to involve lawyers. Not a lot of course. And all that.

Which when you have as much money and like you're becoming like this high rising start, probably was a better idea to do the lawyers. Not all the courts and all that. Which when you have as much money and you're becoming like this high rising start, probably was better idea to do with lawyers. Yeah, you gotta do it legally, man, because it just gets too much. Wait, too messy. It's too much and too messy and too heated.

Right, but Dorothy was like, again, some people described her as naive. She also had it like I said a soft spot for him. She feels like she does owe him something. And you were married to him. You've known him for a long time. You think you know someone. Exactly.

But she definitely did not know him because in the meantime, so she says she's gonna call him, she goes back to her life. And in the meantime, Paul decides to borrow a 38 revolver from a friend. Why? Yeah, I don't know who thought it would be like a good idea to give this guy a 38 revolver.

Like when he's in the middle of a very high profile breakup. And it's like, when someone's like, can I just borrow this real quick? Oh, he say no. Yeah, you cannot borrow my gun. No, you can't borrow. Mostly because I don't have one. Don't want it back. Like, but so he took the 38 and he sat outside of Peter's home one night for two hours,

just like staring outside of the home, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything and like nothing came of that. I'm like, how did nobody notice you sitting outside there? He must have been like secluded. But later on that friend apparently came to a senses and was like, hey, can I have that gun back? You can have that.

Paul was like, okay. So that was all well and fine. But then Paul decided that he was gonna buy his own gun. So that was all well and fine. But then Paul decided that he was gonna buy his own gun. He bought a 12-gate shotgun for protection. Okay. And it's like, okay, I don't know if you need a shotgun for that. Yeah, I mean, believe your life.

Oh, right, bro. But Peter, Heff and all of Dorothy's friends within her clothes circle were begging her to handle this divorce a lot more carefully and not to trust that Paul would be happy with any arrangement that they made because they were like, he's gonna come back for more no matter what you settle on. And on top of that, we don't want you alone with him. No.

We're beginning to get very nervous about your safety. For sure. So, in fact, Peter and Heff both told her not to go to Paul's alone, like basically, forbid her from doing it. And they were like, and if you're gonna do it, like, please take one of us. Yeah. But like, you're not allowed to, so don't do that.

So don't do it. But Dorothy had this big heart, she has the soft spot, so she arranged a meeting with Paul at the home on August 14, 1980. Okay, okay. So she parked her car in the driveway between 1130 and 1230 and headed inside. Patty was out and so was Stephen Kushner. And by the way, he's a doctor. So Dr. Stephen Kushner. So it was just her and Paul. Okay. So Dorothy came with, like I said, plans to

settle with Paul at $7,500, which in purchasing power now would be equal to $23,700. Damn. Isn't that crazy? That like inflation. What, like if it's only 40 years, right? Yeah, that's crazy. That is crazy. But anyways, it seemed like she was prepared to give him the first installment of that because later on,

$1,000 and $100 was found in her purse. Oh, okay. I saw that really weird, but on, $1,100 was found in her purse. Oh, okay. I said that really weird, but whatever, $1,100. Yeah. 1,100. And 1,100. But nobody knows the exact events that kind of took place that day,

other than the horrific details later that were determined through an autopsy. Uh-oh. So Patty became home around 5pm, but she left to go skating with a friend, so she just came home really briefly around 5 and then headed back out again. And when she came home, Paul's door was closed

both times that she came home and she figured she wouldn't bother him or Dorothy. So when Dr. Kushner got home, the door was still closed and he had a weird feeling about the whole thing because it was really quiet also. And he was like, they've been arguing a lot lately, like why is it so quiet there? But he was like, I'm not getting involved in stuff on my business. So he went about his life. But he also let his dog out and he noticed that the dog was lingering around the back of

where Paul's room was and he was whining. Uh-oh. And that's the dog. So like I said, Paul, I always, I'm like, has a taste. around the back of where Paul's room was and he was whining. Uh-oh. That's the dog. So like I said, Paul, I always, I'm like hesitating because I'm afraid to say Peter. Oh yeah. Peter Paul.

So Paul, like I said, had hired a private investigator and that investigator was lurking around the scene when this all happened. And so he knew that Dorothy was coming that day and actually he had even suggested that Paul wear some kind of like wiretapping device so that they could, if Dorothy said like, oh, I'll always help you, they could use it later on. They could use it, yeah. But that didn't

work out. So he just like lingered near the area. But he didn't hear from Paul for like hours and hours. So he called Patty and was like, hey, can you go check on Paul? But she was too nervous. She didn't want to open the door. I don't think way there. I don't either. So he was like, hey, can you go check on Paul? But she was too nervous. She didn't want to open the door. I don't know. I don't either. So he was like, okay, can I talk to Dr. Kushner and see if he'll do it? And Dr. Kushner was like, yeah, I'll go see what's up. So when he opened the door, he was met with a gory horrific scene. Oh no.

Both Paul and Dorothy were naked, lying face down on the floor. Dorothy was laying face down at the end of the bed, and she had been shot in the face with the 12-gauge shotgun. Oh my god. And it was later determined that this is a trigger warning. She had been sawtomized. Oh no. And it couldn't be determined whether this had happened before she was killed or after.

Uh-huh. It couldn't be determined whether this had happened before she was killed or after. Oh. Mm-hmm. In front of her, like she was laying, so she's like right in front of the bed and then in front of her head, is Paul's homemade bonded rack. Oh, no. So you can kind of put two and two together and wonder what happened there. Oh, no. And it actually appeared that her body had been moved because there were bloody handprints

around her leg, so she was positioned in this, oh my god. Like, for a reason. Yeah. No, Paul himself was laying on top of the shotgun and had shot himself in the head. And every article that I read said that Dorothy's hair had been, quote, oddly unaffected by the violence.

Like, she was just laying there and her hair was, like, perfectly around her, which was weird. And, like, it just laying there and her hair was like perfectly around her, which was weird. Um, and like it just like hung naturally around her. But then there was also pieces of her hair found in Paul's right fist. Yeah. Oh my god. So something horrific. Oh yeah. So Hugh Hefner and everyone at the mansion, they I think they found out like among of the first people. They were in shock and they were heartbroken when they heard. And hef was actually the one to call Peter and like break the news down. Oh my god. Because I for some reason I wasn't even thinking of Peter. I know. I thought about Peter's whole time. And I guess Peter just went like completely silent

and have had to hang up and call a different line of like someone he knew was at Peter's house to make sure that Peter was okay. Oh my god. That was so sad. So Peter later made a statement about Dorothy, quote, Dorothy Stratton was just, excuse me, Dorothy Stratton was as gifted and intelligent and actress as she was beautiful and she was very beautiful indeed in every way imaginable. Most particularly in her heart, she and I fell in love during our picture and had planned to be married as soon as her divorce was final. The loss to her mother and father, her sister and brother, to my children, to her friends and me is larger than we can calculate. But there is no life Dorothy's touch that has not been changed for the better through knowing her. However briefly, Dorothy looked at the world with love for knowing her however briefly.

Dorothy looked at the world with love and believed that all people were good, down deep. She was mistaken, but it is among the most generous and noble errors we can make. That is heart wrenching. It's not like the saddest days. Because it's literally like she was just a beautiful human being inside and outside and that was her downfall.

Yeah, I feel like a lot of times like that happens. and outside and that was her downfall. Yeah. I feel like a lot of times like that happens. Like that's always people's downfall when they- Yeah. Is how good they are as a person, and it's like why did- Why is that set up like that? It's a really sad commentary on society.

It truly is. It is. So Dorothy's ashes were buried actually in the same cemetery as Marilyn Monroe's. Hollywood forever cemetery? Yes, Pony. Hell yeah. So Peter chose the inscription for her grave, and that reads, this inscription is like very like,

whoo. If people bring so much courage to this world, the world has to kill them to break them. So of course it kills them. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave and partially. If you are one of these people, you can be sure it will kill you too, but there will be no special hurry. We love you DR. Whoa, yeah, so that is bleak. Wow, isn't that crazy? Peter and half actually got into a fight later on and didn't speak after Dorothy died, because Peter claimed in a book that he wrote about Dorothy and like her life and everything. It's called The Last Unicorn. He claimed that half had maneuvered Dorothy into a sexual situation that had traumatized her.

I mean, so why don't know? Here I am, I believe it. I'm gonna be honest. Yeah, I don't, I have no idea. I read enough about Hugh Hefner that that wouldn't shock me. You know, and if you just think about the whole way that things set up at the mansion. It's not shocking. He's a very abusive controlling or he was a very abusive controlling person. Yeah, himself. So, I have denied that, I guess. And most people at the mansion say that he was not the same after Dorothy died. And they also say that after he read the book and heard that claim, that it led to his stroke.

Really? Yeah. Wow. That's interesting. Now in the wildest twist of events, because I love to leave you with just like a crazy fact about this whole thing. Ooh. Peter went on to like take the Stratton family in

and like support it all of them financially for like a super long time. Wow. And he actually ended up marrying Dorothy's younger sister, Louise. All right. Right? So they got married in 1988.

And this is like the weirdest thing. Louise was 20 when they got married. No, no, no, I'm not even done yet. She was, so she was 20 when they got married. And that was the same age Dorothy was when she was killed. Oh, I know. Is it that soul? That's what I was like, I like, that's too much. Dorothy was when she was killed. Oh, I know. Is it that soul? That's what I was like, I like, that's too much.

That's too much. Now she and Peter were actually married for 13 years. Wow. And then she, I guess she ended up filing for divorce, but they're still close and Peter still takes care of the family and is like close to them. Wow. But isn't that like the wildest ending

like you went to marry her younger sister? Don't, don't do that. So there's a really good 2020 on this You have to watch it and at the end they like there's a clip of Dorothy I'm pretty sure she's at the mansion and she's with Louise and Louise is probably like 12 and I'm just guessing and they're like I don't love she's like teaching her how to work out and then like you look at how They're both beautiful, but you look at Dorothy and you're like oh my god, she's so beautiful and like then you know her story and everything that happened And then at the end they show Louise and you're like what the fuck you were 12. Yeah, you're a child

What is going on? No, no, that's too weird. That's too weird. That's so weird. Don't keep it that weird Don't keep it that weird and you know what I was just because I as you were saying this I was like peeking at pictures to just because I like, yeah, of course. And when we were talking about how people were saying she was, like, then she could have been the next Marilyn Monroe. Oh, totally. They did a photo.

Oh shit. I almost identical to the Marilyn Monroe Playboy spread when Marilyn is like wrapped up in the sheets. It's like a beautiful photo on Marilyn. And there's a photo, if you Google her, so everybody Google Dorothy Stratton, there's a photo of her in the same position. So everybody feels like she was on the, she was on track.

I also feel like that is the one picture that everybody tries to emulate. I think Lindsay Lohan did that picture. And it did the same. No, it's not the same. No, they did a great job. Dorothy did a great job, but no one can touch the Maryland. No, you just can't do the same. No, it's not the same. No, it did a great job. No, it did a great job, but no one can touch the Maryland. No, you just can't do it.

Although your kids will look at pictures of Maryland and say it's TT. That's true, they will. It's all gonna say. I'm just gonna pat my top of them. I'm just gonna leave you with that. That is a wild story. Isn't that so crazy? I hope I did a good job of telling it because it's such a fucking whirlwind and I know I kept saying like and

Paul was very possessive, but like it was like the whole theme of the story Yeah, you gotta you gotta really rub that in because look what happened because that's what happened And then people also kind of were like wow this whole like hurt like Dorothy's whole story kind of shows like what's wrong with Like playboy and how playboy set up. Absolutely. Because women are seen as these objects in the magazines and then you look at Paul what happened when he got somebody from the magazine in the flesh.

She became his object and when she tried to step out of that role, he was like, oh no, your mind and you always will be. And like you can't have your own success. It's my success. No, it's my success. No, it's my success. Every, like, success, like the success of a woman is dependent upon a man in a playboy structure.

And that's right. Exactly. That's not right. That is not right. Or at least that's what it was. I don't know how it is now, but I have no idea what it is now. That's certainly how it seemed to be like then. Yeah, so I'm holy shit.

That is the story of Old Hollywood Dorothy Stratton. I really feel like Old Hollywood, but I know RIP, man, that's a rough one. So yeah, if you guys want to see some picks, I have like, it's going to be so hard to pick which ones to post. I know, because there's like a million of her. Yeah, but I'll post some pictures on the Instagram at Morbid Podcast. You can hit us up on Twitter with your thoughts on the Backstreet Boys, if you want.

No, at a Morbid Podcast. And you could send us a Gmail, morbidpodcastatgmail.com. And guys, we hope you keep listening and we hope you keep it weird. But not so weird that you discover a Playboy model and you're like, oh my god, you're gonna be so good at modeling and I love you so much.

But then she decides to leave you because she's growing as a human and she wants to start her life and spread her wings and fly like a bird, fly, fly, fly, and you don't let her in. They all ends very badly. Don't kill people. Don't do that. Don't do it. Mm-mm. Bye. Bye. nd nd nd

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