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Joan Crawford's adult movie -

When Joan Crawford was a teenager, long before she hit the big time, she allegedly starred in a short adult movie called 'Velvet Lips.' Once she was a star and signed with MGM Studios, they were desperate to hunt down and destroy the movie before it could resurface and damage her career.

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Joan Crawford's adult movie -

Reports even say that MGM producer and notorious fixer Eddie Mannix partnered with the mob in his efforts to obtain the movie. They tracked down some extortionists who claimed they could hand over the movie in return for US$100,000 (an especially huge sum back then). One version of the story says that Mannix simply handed over the money. Another suggests that he told the extortionists he'd give them $25,000 for the movie, and if they rejected his offer the mob would take them out. Regardless, the movie never reached the public!

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The mysterious death of Paul Bern -

Jean Harlow's husband, producer Paul Bern, was believed to have killed himself in their home in 1932. The police found a bizarre note he had left for Harlow, apologizing for the wrong he had done her. The final line reads: "You understand that last night was only a comedy." The police had no idea what he was referring to, and Harlow refused to comment.

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The mysterious death of Paul Bern -

Before he married Harlow, Bern had been in a serious relationship with a woman called Dorothy Millette. She went into a coma one day and doctors told Bern she would never wake up. Ten years later, he had a completely new life with Jean Harlow, when he found out that Millette woke up from her coma and wanted to see him.

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The mysterious death of Paul Bern -

Bern arranged for Millette to come to his house, and is believed to have made his wife leave the house for the evening—possibly by causing an argument. The next day, Bern was found dead, with a gun and the strange letter next to him. Nine days later, Millette's body was found in a river and it was assumed she killed herself. The whole situation is stranger than fiction.

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The 'Hell's Angels' deaths -

Some will remember Howard Hughes as the record-breaking pilot who was played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2004 movie 'The Aviator.' He was also a film producer himself and created the 1930 war drama 'Hell's Angels.' He was determined to get the most realistic and exciting flying footage that had ever been seen.

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The 'Hell's Angels' deaths -

Hughes achieved his goal, but at a great cost. The movie took three years to make and cost US$4 million, which was astronical at the time. The cost in human life was even greater. Hughes kept pushing the stunt pilots to do even more extreme and dangerous tricks, and three died in their efforts.

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Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo -

Although Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo  had many similarities, coming to Hollywood from Europe around the same time and at a similar age, they never had much affection for each other. Not publicly, anyway. There was a big dispute around a lost film called 'The Joyless Street' (1923). Garbo appeared in the movie, and some claim that Dietrich did too, but Dietrich staunchly denied it.

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Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo -

A film historian conducted extensive research of the survivng footage and believes that Dietrich did appear in the movie. She also believes that the reason she lied is that the two women had an intense but shortlived affair while filming 'The Joyless Street,' which left them both bitter towards each other for the rest of their lives.

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The Mafia killing -

Lana Turner had dangerous taste in men. In 1958, she was dating a known mobster named Johnny Stompanato. Stompanato was found stabbed to death in Turner's home one day, and her 14-year-old daughter was arrested for the murder.

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The Mafia killing -

Turner's daughter explained that she had acted in self-defense, trying to protect her mother from Stompanato's violence. Turner herself took to the stand to explain the events of that horrific night. In the end, the jury ruled that it was a justifiable act of self-defense. Rumors circulated afterwards that it was Turner who had killed him, and that she convinced her daughter to take the blame.

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Walt Disney's Nazi friends -

It's widely thought that Walt Disney may have been an anti-Semite, although there is little hard evidence to prove it. Regardless, he had no problem associating himself with proud and outspoken anti-Semites!

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Walt Disney's Nazi friends -

In 1938, Disney invited Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl to Disneyland for a tour. This was shortly after Kristallnacht, and Riefenstahl's most famous propaganda film, 'Triumph of the Will' (1935), was already in circulation. Disney was the only studio head to welcome Riefenstahl when she visited Hollywood.

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Judy Garland's enforced diet -

Judy Garland signed with MGM when she was in her early teens, but the pressure to stay thin and work outrageous hours started immediately. At the age of 14, producers and crew members would insult her appearance, calling her horrible names and telling her she looked like a "fat little pig with pigtails."

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Judy Garland's enforced diet -

By the age of 18, MGM founder Louis B. Mayer
pushed her into an extreme diet that was mostly made up of coffee, cigarettes, and diet pills. The so-called "pep pills" were used to keep Garland thin and awake for as long as they needed her to work. Then they would give her sleeping pills so she could sleep for a few hours, and wake her up again with the pep pills. No doubt they were giving her amphetamines and barbituates, and she developed a serious drug addiction that would kill her at the age of 47.

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The diet pill culture -

Judy Garland was not the only victim of this toxic management. Debbie Reynolds recalls being sent to a doctor for "vitamin shots" by MGM Studios because her health was suffering due to the long working hours. The shots were actually amphetamines, and were also intended to control her weight. Luckily, she refused.

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Female stars pressured into abortions -

Some of Hollywood's biggest stars like Judy Garland, Jean Harlow, and Joan Crawford were pressured into having abortions by the studios they were signed with. Studios controlled the lives of their actors to a degree which is unimagineable today.

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Female stars pressured into abortions -

Countless stars had abortions arranged by the studios against their wishes. If an actress was unmarried or having an affair, she would be sent to the hospital under a pseudonym to have the procedure.

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Ingrid Bergman's affair -

Ingrid Bergman was a "happily married" and wholesome Hollywood starlett, or so her fans needed to believe to be kept on board. While filming the 1949 movie 'Stromboli,' Bergman started an affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini. They were both married at the time and ended up leaving their spouses for each other, partly because Bergman became pregnant.

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Ingrid Bergman's affair -

This completely ruined Bergman's reputation and lost her many fans. As was customary at the time, politicians and public figures felt the need to speak out and denounce her behavior, one even calling her "a powerful influence for evil." Bergman and Rossellini got married and had two children. A while later, they divorced, she made more great movies, and the scandal was a distant memory in the mind of the public.

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The death of Superman -

George Reeves was the original Superman. He died in 1959, and although the official line was that he took his own life, there were rumors of foul play. Later analysis suggests it's unlikely that he died by his own hand. Reeves had been having an affair with the wife of powerful Hollywood producer Eddie Mannix. And as we know from the Joan Crawford story (and others), Mannix had mob connections!

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Charlie Chaplin's teen brides -

Charlie Chaplin married four times in his life. He was 29 for his first marriage and 53 for his last, but his wives stayed pretty much the same age each time... His first two wives were 16 years old. He had to marry the second one in Mexico to avoid California's laws.

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Charlie Chaplin's teen brides -

Chaplin married his third wife when he was 47 and she was 20, which was a positive trend in the right direction. But he slipped back for his fourth and final wife, who was 18 years old.

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Peg Entwistle's tragic end -

Peg Entwistle was a young British actress who came to the US to pursue her dream or becoming a star. She starred in a play alongside Humphrey Bogart and booked a few other small roles after that, but nothing much followed her big theater debut. Unfortunately, the Great Depression hit and roles became harder to come by. She lost her contract with RKO studios, and had little hope left of becoming a star.

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Peg Entwistle's tragic end -

On September 16, 1932, Entwistle left her home, stating she was going to the drug store. Instead, she walked up to the famous Hollywood sign, climbed to the top of the letter 'H,' and threw herself off. She was 24 years old. Her death has since become infamous, and she's known as the Hollywood sign girl. Part of her story was told in the Netflix drama 'Hollywood.'

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Ted Healy's suspicious death -

Ted Healy was a vaudeville performer, comedian, and the creator of The Three Stooges. He died in 1937 after being brutally beaten outside the Trocadero nightclub in LA. The accounts of his death differ greatly, leading many to believe there were powerful people involved and that a cover-up was orchestrated.

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Ted Healy's suspicious death -

Some reports say that the men who killed Healy were actor Wallace Beery, future 'Batman' producer Cubby Broccol, and a New York mobster. The rumor is that Hollywood big wigs like Louis B. Mayer and Eddie Mannix covered it up.

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The Spade Cooley murder -

Spade Cooley was an extremely successful country music star who even had his own TV show. But he had a reputation for being quick tempered, and his flaws were only exaserbated as he became more successful. He became paranoid and had a habit of blowing all of his money.

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The Spade Cooley murder -

He became convinced that his second wife, Ella Mae, was having an affair, and truly lost his mind. He beat her for hours in front of their daughter, until she was dead. He was convicted of her murder, but his celebrity friends lobbied then-governer Ronald Reagan to pardon Cooley. For some reason, he agreed. However, Cooley died of a heart attack before he could be pardoned. 

Sources: (History) (Den of Geek) (Vanity Fair) (Chicago Tribune) (Town & Country) (Ranker) 

See also: A life cut short: the story of Natalie Wood

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