189. Vintage Case: Palm Springs and the B- List Murderer, Tom Neal

Written By Alienist Entertainment

This week the docs take a brief jaunt OUT of Los Angeles to the sunny and gorgeous sands of Hollywood’s Desert Playground - aka  Palm Springs. Although a year round destination for relaxation and glamour, there are dark aspects among the glittering sapphire pools of the Oasis of the Desert’s past. After all, a place with golden age ties to Hollywood is bound to have some sordid stories to tell - case in point: the tumultuous life of Tom Neal, a promising Hollywood actor in the late 1930s, groomed to be the next Clark Gable. Despite several attempts to reinvent himself over the years, his desperation and addiction led to business failures, scandal and a brutal murder.

Resources

  • Gastov, Patrick. “Murder in Paradise: How a 1940s Actor Lost His Way in the Desert.” Palm Springs Life, 29 May 2024, www.palmspringslife.com/murder-in-paradise-how-a-1940s-actor-lost-his-way-in-the-desert/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.

  • Martin, Brittany. “Lurid Old Hollywood Tales Lurk within These Palm Springs Homes.” LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles, 21 Feb. 2018, lamag.com/celebrity/palms-springs-hollywood-murder. Accessed 22 July 2024.

  • Palm Springs POA. “Our Fallen.” Www.palmspringspoa.com, www.palmspringspoa.com/about/our-fallen. Accessed 21 July 2024.

  • Palm Springs.com. “The History of Palm Springs.” PalmSprings.com, www.palmsprings.com/history/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.

  • Resortime. “A Peek behind the Palms - Palm Springs History.” ResorTime, 30 Jan. 2014, www.resortime.com/peek-behind-palms-brief-history-palm-springs/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.

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