The Unsolved Disappearance of Jean Spangler
From Historical True Crime by Lizzie
March 6, 2026 · 22 min · Episode 173
About this episode
This episode examines the unsolved disappearance of aspiring actress Jean Spangler in 1949 Los Angeles.
In October 1949, aspiring Hollywood actress Jean Spangler left her Los Angeles apartment and never returned. Despite a major police investigation and decades of speculation,Jean Spangler was never found. In this episode, we examine the evidence behind one of Hollywood’s most enduring unsolved disappearances. Source Materials Lewis, Jon. Hard-Boiled Hollywood: Crime and Punishment in Postwar Los Angeles. University of California Press, 2017. Charles River Editors. The Disappearance of Jean Spangler: The History of One of Hollywood’s Most Enduring Mysteries. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016. Gilmore, John. Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder. Amok Books, revised edition. Lyons, Arthur. “The Mysterious Disappearance of Jean Spangler.” Palm Springs Life. Patmore, Neil. “Inside The Haunting Hollywood Mystery Of Aspiring Actress Jean Spangler’s Disappearance.” All That’s Interesting. Contemporary reporting from the Los Angeles Times archive.
People in this episode
Host: Lizzie
Topics covered
- unsolved disappearance
- Hollywood
- true crime
- police investigation
- mystery
Keywords
- Jean Spangler
- disappearance
- Hollywood actress
- true crime
- police investigation
- mystery
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Los Angeles Times, All That’s Interesting, University of California Press, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Amok Books, Palm Springs Life
Books & works: Hard-Boiled Hollywood: Crime and Punishment in Postwar Los Angeles, The Disappearance of Jean Spangler: The History of One of Hollywood’s Most Enduring Mysteries, Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder, The Mysterious Disappearance of Jean Spangler
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