Monday, December 1, 2008
Not Fade Away
One of the strangest celebrity secrets of all is in the news again: the death of Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones. A very intriguing article and one that is well worth reading.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Evel & The FBI
The FBI has just declassified portions of its file on motorcycle legend Evel Knievel - much of which is focused upon the issue of whether or not Knievel was implicated in a string of beatings. As is typically the case with such celebrity files, a great deal of Knievel's is heavily redacted, with only 202 of its 290 pages having been released by the FBI.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Celebrity Spying: 21st Century-Style
My Celebrity Secrets book reveals the extraordinary extent to which the FBI went to spy on Hollywood stars of the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s. But, as this new story shows, celebrity-snooping by the official world is still on-going. Will they never stop poking their noses where they're not needed? Nope: probably not!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Rowan & Martin and the FBI...and the CIA...and the Mob...
The death a couple of days ago of Dick Martin - of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In fame - reminds me to tell you that copies of the FBI's disapproving file on the comedic pair can be found within the pages of my Celebrity Secrets book.
As I note within its pages:
"Laugh-In, the comedy series that debuted on NBC on January 22, 1968, and that ran until March 12, 1973, turned its hosts, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, into stars across the length and breadth of the entire United States.
"Although both Rowan and Martin had wide experience as comedy writers, the appeal of Laugh-In stemmed largely from the cast’s ability to improvise rather than to read from pre-planned scripts. And it was this fresh, new approach, coupled with vibrant and entertaining characters, unique skits, and memorable catchphrases that attracted a young audience and ensured the show its phenomenally successful five-year run.
"But not everyone was pleased by Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, and, least of all, the CIA and FBI. In fact, what is particularly intriguing about Rowan and Martin is the sheer number of references to the pair that can be found in intelligence files."
Indeed, the pair were the subject of several official files (and possibly several unofficially-sanctioned investigations, too) in the secretive arena of U.S. Intelligence.
Hotel-Sex, the Mob, the CIA, and J. Edgar Hoover: it's all there...
As I note within its pages:
"Laugh-In, the comedy series that debuted on NBC on January 22, 1968, and that ran until March 12, 1973, turned its hosts, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, into stars across the length and breadth of the entire United States.
"Although both Rowan and Martin had wide experience as comedy writers, the appeal of Laugh-In stemmed largely from the cast’s ability to improvise rather than to read from pre-planned scripts. And it was this fresh, new approach, coupled with vibrant and entertaining characters, unique skits, and memorable catchphrases that attracted a young audience and ensured the show its phenomenally successful five-year run.
"But not everyone was pleased by Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, and, least of all, the CIA and FBI. In fact, what is particularly intriguing about Rowan and Martin is the sheer number of references to the pair that can be found in intelligence files."
Indeed, the pair were the subject of several official files (and possibly several unofficially-sanctioned investigations, too) in the secretive arena of U.S. Intelligence.
Hotel-Sex, the Mob, the CIA, and J. Edgar Hoover: it's all there...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Marilyn and the FBI: New Revelations
My Celebrity Secrets book includes an extensive chapter on the FBI's formerly secret surveillance file on actress Marilyn Monroe. One particular entry in the file discloses details of a rumored film alleged to show the blond babe having sex with an unidentified man. Well, as this brand new development in the story demonstrates, the rumor was much more than that.
The story all began on February 16, 1965, when an FBI document was secretly prepared that contained some truly explosive data. Titled Interstate Transportation of Obscene Materials and marked for the attention of FBI Director Hoover and the FBI’s Laboratory, its author, an FBI agent whose name now languishes in obscurity thanks to the restrictions of the Freedom of Information Act, recorded some remarkable data:
"On 2/11/65, Source advised that on the previous date, 2/10/65, he, in company with [an unidentified individual] had…exhibited a motion picture which depicted deceased actress MARILYN MONROE committing a perverted act on an unknown male.
"According to Source, he claimed that former baseball star JOE DIMAGGIO in the past had offered him $25,000 for this film, it being the only one in existence, but that Source had refused the offer.
"The above is being furnished to the FBI Lab and the NYO [New York Office] for information purposes in the event reports are received from other divisions describing an obscene film which might be identical to above. It is noted that…on February 9, 1965, agents of the Albany and New York Divisions conducted a surveillance of him.
"The results of this surveillance bore out information furnished by source and further, based on contact with source, the New York Division has opened a new Potential Confidential Informant case in New York City and personally acquainted with numerous high ranking LCN members there. Since the dissemination of above information at the present time may compromise source this information should not be discussed outside the Bureau."
The story all began on February 16, 1965, when an FBI document was secretly prepared that contained some truly explosive data. Titled Interstate Transportation of Obscene Materials and marked for the attention of FBI Director Hoover and the FBI’s Laboratory, its author, an FBI agent whose name now languishes in obscurity thanks to the restrictions of the Freedom of Information Act, recorded some remarkable data:
"On 2/11/65, Source advised that on the previous date, 2/10/65, he, in company with [an unidentified individual] had…exhibited a motion picture which depicted deceased actress MARILYN MONROE committing a perverted act on an unknown male.
"According to Source, he claimed that former baseball star JOE DIMAGGIO in the past had offered him $25,000 for this film, it being the only one in existence, but that Source had refused the offer.
"The above is being furnished to the FBI Lab and the NYO [New York Office] for information purposes in the event reports are received from other divisions describing an obscene film which might be identical to above. It is noted that…on February 9, 1965, agents of the Albany and New York Divisions conducted a surveillance of him.
"The results of this surveillance bore out information furnished by source and further, based on contact with source, the New York Division has opened a new Potential Confidential Informant case in New York City and personally acquainted with numerous high ranking LCN members there. Since the dissemination of above information at the present time may compromise source this information should not be discussed outside the Bureau."
Monday, March 3, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Celebrity FBI Files at "The Naughty American"
The Naughty American is a website I regularly write for. You can find a new article from me at their website on Government files on the rich and the famous, including Marilyn Monroe, Jimi Hendrix, and Abbott & Costello. Here's the link.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Celebrities at the National Archives
This is a great resource tool: an on-line page at the website of the National Archives that lists various celebrities whose military service files are now available for public scrutiny. As you'll see, the list includes Jack Kerouac, Elvis Presley, Clark Gable, Henry Fonda and various other well-known names.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)