Detour: A Hollywood Story by Cheryl Crane, reviewed for Ellroy Reads
In the latest episode of Ellroy Reads I review a classic Hollywood memoir. In Detour: A Hollywood Story Cheryl Crane chronicles her life growing up as the daughter of Lama Turner. It is a life that is both privileged and secluded as Turner works hard to keep Cheryl away from the glare of the spotlight. However, Turner’s addiction to dangerous men lead to the fateful night when Cheryl, still only fourteen years old, stabs Turner’s gangster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato to death to defend her mother from a vicious beating.
The events of the night have been pored over in fact and fiction. But only Detour offers the definitive account. It is both a gripping true crime tale and moving memoir of life growing up with the stars. At the end of the episode I tell the story of how James Ellroy tried to get the book adapted into film. Enjoy, and don’t forget to share the video and subscribe to the channel.
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The Venetian Vase 
Read Detour within the last year-great depiction of mid-century Hollywood. Also recommend Murder in Hollywood- a true crime book from a couple years ago about Stompanato’s death, although it hints at a coverup involving Freddie O.
I distinctly remember the moment between Cheryl Crane and Ellroy on City of Demons- great moment on a pretty eccentric series.
For what it’s worth, there is a new Elizabeth Short/ Black Dahlia true crime book coming out later this month. The author did a great job about a decade ago with a book on the William Desmond Taylor murder and early Hollywood.
Agree with you 100 per cent about Detour. Also, that Cheryl had a calming effect on Ellroy. She may not have known it but, for a few minutes, she pulled him out of the madness swirling in his life back then. Thanks for the tip on a Murder in Hollywood. I’m planning on some Fred Otash related episodes in the run-up to Red Sheet’s publication this July. What’s the title of this new Black Dahlia book?
How Steve- it’s by William J Mann- Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood.
Thank you!
Apparently Black Dahlia theories are in vogue right now… found this article last night
https://bleedingcool.com/tv/ballard-inspiration-mitzi-roberts-on-investigating-black-dahlia-murder/
On the topic of Otash- a non-fiction book about his life came out around the time of The Enchanters titled The Fixer. The author’s parents were neighbors of Otash at the time of his death, while the author himself was working with Otash on a project at the time. Interesting book, but definitely gives Otash an easy ride. The introduction even attacks Ellroy as a huckster, claiming that Otash thought Ellroy was conning him!
Fascinating stuff! It’s worth pointing out that Steve Hodel was the first researcher, to my knowledge, to say the Dahlia and Zodiac murders were committed by the same man – his father Dr George Hill Hodel. I never believed it as the murders were a generation apart and, apart from the link of some taunting letters, completely different in how they were committed.