There’s no denying that Jean Spangler had a tough time in 1940s Hollywood. She’d landed a few bit parts, sure, but had to turn to less prestigious dancing to keep her career going. Spangler also had a daughter, Christine, with ex-husband Dexter Benner, but had been embroiled in a nasty custody battle for years. By October 7, 1949, she had Christine at her apartment, along with Spangler’s sister-in-law, Sophie. Spangler left, telling Sophie that she was going to work. However, Spangler was on no call sheet that night and Sophie claimed that Spangler had given her a wink while saying this.
Spangler never made it home. By Sunday, her handbag was found in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, sporting a broken handle and a note in Spangler’s handwriting. “Kirk,” it read, “Can’t wait any longer. Going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away.” Despite a police investigation and a $1,000 reward, no more was found of Spangler.
So, who were Kirk and Dr. Scott? Investigators suspected actor Kirk Douglas, who had starred in “Young Man With a Horn,” where Spangler had been an extra. He remembered speaking with her, but little else. Likewise, no Dr. Scott contacted by the LAPD knew anything of the missing woman. Others pointed to organized crime, a failed back-alley medical procedure, Spangler’s ex-husband, and even the Black Dahlia killer as agents of Spangler’s end, but no clear evidence has ever emerged.
