The disappearance of the rising Hollywood star remains unsolved 73 years later

In the late forties, Jean Spangler She was making her way in Hollywood as a dancer and actress. If her career had continued the way she had hoped, she would have been a movie star. But on October 7, 1949, the 27-year-old was last seen, and her disappearance remains a mystery to this day. Authorities found little evidence after the rising star’s disappearance, save for her purse and a mysterious note. Those close to her were able to report the last thing Spangler shared with them about her life, but these clues led nowhere. did you run away Or was she kidnapped and killed? Read on to learn more about this burning issue, which remains unsolved after 73 years.

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Spangler was an actor and dancer.

At the time she disappeared, Spangler was working at the Florentine Gardens nightclub as a dancer and was also an extra in a few films, including When my baby smiles at meAnd the Horned young manAnd the Wabash Street.

Mother’s name for her little daughter ChristineThe aspiring actress was in a custody battle with her ex-husband, Dexter Banner. Initially, he was given custody of Kristen after Spangler was portrayed as a court party girl, according to Los Angeles Times. Later, Spangler was granted custody of their child.

Last seen October 7, 1949.

On the evening of Friday, October 7, 1949, Spangler left Christine with her sister-in-law, Sufi. The Los Angeles Times It was reported that she told Sophie she was going to meet with Benner about the back child support payments and then go work on a movie. Spangler lived with her mother, Florence Spanglerwho was out of town.

“I went down the stairs and asked what she looked like,” Sophie told reporters. Entertainment Weekly. She smiled at me, then asked her little girl, Christine, where she was going, and Jane replied again, “Going to work,” but she winked at me when she said that. “

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Her wallet was found in a park.

Sophie said Spangler called to tell her she wouldn’t be home until the morning, but when Spangler wasn’t home by Saturday night, she called the police.

On Sunday, Spangler’s wallet was found by a worker in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. The handle was torn off, and the bag contained a note written by the missing actor. “Kirk, can’t wait any longer. Go see Dr. Scott,” he wrote. “It works best this way when mommy is away.”

It was the only trace found of Spangler.

There are several theories about what happened to her.

Neither the police nor the people in her life knew who “Kirk” or “Dr. Scott” was – or at least no one had come forward with that information. According to the Los Angeles Times, actor Kirk Douglas– Most famous Kirk there – he called the authorities from his vacation in Palm Springs and denied that the name referred to him. Both appeared in Horned young manbut Douglas said he hardly knew Spangler.

the actor Robert Cummings She mentioned seeing Spangler before her disappearance. He said she was in a new relationship and told him she was “having a time [her] life.”

The missing woman was reportedly seen with two men linked to the gang Mickey Cohen.

Various threads regarding the note and Spangler’s whereabouts have led to theories that she was murdered by the mob, killed during a clandestine abortion, murdered by her ex-husband, or murdered by the killer of the Black Dahlia, as she shares some similarities with Elizabeth Shortwho was killed two years ago.

The police think she was murdered – but they don’t know by whom.

Entertainment Weekly A report has been written Rick JacksonA retired LAPD homicide detective said the most likely fact is that Spangler was murdered. But no one was arrested or charged with her murder, and no body was ever found.

Nothing I’ve read indicates that [she skipped town]Jackson said. “People generally don’t do this kind of thing unless there is a trigger or a unique set of reasons. She obviously cared about her daughter enough to get custody back. “.