Monday, January 5, 2009
The Pistols & The Police
Formerly secret Irish Police papers reveal an intriguing story about how they kept a close watch on the antics of Britain's mightiest punks: the Sex Pistols. Here's the story in all its strange glory...
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
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