Top 10 Unsolved Classic Hollywood Mysteries

These unsolved classic Hollywood mysteries still keep us up at night. For this list, we’ll be looking back on some of the most enduring stories and cases from the classic Hollywood era, many of which still intrigue historians today. Our countdown includes the end of an icon, goodbye, Natalie Wood, Pasolini: a murdered maverick, and more! Are YOU particularly interested in any of these Hollywood mysteries? Let us know in the comments!
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MsMojo is a leading producer of reference online video content of Top 10 Lists, Origins, Biographies, Commentary and more on Pop Culture, Celebrity, Movies, Music, TV, Film, Video Games, Politics, News, Comics, Superheroes. Your trusted authority on ranking Pop Culture.
#Hollywood #Unsolved #Mysteries #Movies #Crime

[@MsMojo]

Are YOU particularly interested in any of these Hollywood mysteries? Let us know below, and check out our video of the Top 10 Biggest Old Hollywood Scandals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoamqH6lbsqlg80

[@DanGamingFan2846]

First of all, I love that you included clips from _Buzzfeed Unsolved._ God, I miss the tone and delivery of Ryan Bergara's narration. Secondly, as a big _Hogan's Heroes_ fan, Bob Crane's murder is the most intriguing on this list, which sadly, _Buzzfeed Unsolved_ did not cover.

[@melissawickersham9912]

Unfortunately, a lot of murders end up as unsolved mysteries no matter who the victim is. This is true regardless of social class.

[@dlmbs]

​@@lillylunapotter8079 wow! love to hear that news! looking forward to it!

[@tinas_hotdog_sophie]

Ryan and Shane have a new show, we can just hope and bother them to talk about it

[@trinaq]

Natalie Wood's death is so heartbreaking, given the ambiguous nature of it, and that she left her two daughters without a mother.

[@perisword7918]

You included a clip from Bailey Sarian’s Dark History…

[@UnicornPlayroom]

Don’t worry… They will reunite with their mother very soon..

[@Jason8823]

It’s kind of sickening that Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken know what happened to Natalie Wood and they’ve just continued to have careers!

[@benjamins94]

Hollywood is about as sick as it gets

[@acriticwithoutacause8983]

They've already said what happened. But its not what conspiracy theorist wanna hear.

[@Zola_6]

The gave statements….. most believe it was an accident while she was drunk . R.I.P.

[@Jason8823]

@@acriticwithoutacause8983 oh yes, a woman so petrified of open water she was only able to walk on the boat with her eyes closed, decides to climb into a dinghy in only a jacket and a nightgown after an argument. Then proceeds to sail away into open water which she’s terrified of being in. Yep Totally believable.

[@sexylexy178]

This statement is unfair. There was heavy drinking that night. Do more research. I've read books on the topic

[@chaosdromanah8620]

As a guy that comes from a police family , I firmly believed that the death of Thelma Todd is not a suicide case but instead it's a Murder case.It's unfortunate that the case will never be solved

[@samanthab1923]

Thelma supposedly haunts that old place of hers on the PCH. 👻

[@MetalFan10101]

As a guy that comes from a criminal family. I firmly believe this was nothing but an unfortunate....accident.

[@charliejoson9145]

E! Entertainment Mysteries and Scandals was a guilty pleasure during the 2008 -2010's

[@syria0110]

A lot of Classic Hollywood vids as of late, I like it

[@mistymarshall5438]

Glad to see Jean Spangler's case getting more attention, though I personally believe there's a connection between her disappearance (1949) and Elizabeth Short's murder (1947). Both women looked remarkably similar. Both worked at the Florentine Gardens (Betty as a waitress, Jean as a dancer). Jean was going to see a doctor about an abortion. Dr. George Hodel, the #1 suspect in the Black Dahlia case was a physician who may have performed abortions for Hollywood stars (Betty's corpse held signs that it was the work of someone familiar with surgical tools). And last, but not least, Jean's purse was found a few blocks from Hodel's home, and there's evidence, thanks to police dogs, that there are human remains buried on the property.

[@kerrylynnreedle677]

Good connection. Didn't see it until you mentioned it

[@mistymarshall5438]

@@kerrylynnreedle677 Thank you.

[@marcandreyko4251]

Spangler was likely killed by Kirk Douglas (or one of his people) or died from a botched abortion. Douglas was a vile man who raped Natalie Wood when she was a teen (Wood talked about this).

[@coleenwilliams6656]

Kirk Alyn was the first to play Superman in the movies. George Reeves was the first to play him on TV. Fatty Arbuckle also went through 3 trials, not 1. The first two ended in hung juries and it was only with the 3rd trial that he was acquitted. The media had convinced the public that he was guilty and his career was over.

[@pamelamays4186]

Ben Affleck played both Superman (George Reeves) and Batman. Respect!

[@hakeemfullerton8645]

I love these videos on Old Hollywood...please do more

[@MsMojo]

We're happy to! Anything in particular you'd like to see us do? :)

[@hakeemfullerton8645]

@@MsMojo Perhap a series on the Top 10 Actresses per decade from the 1920s to early 2020s

[@redandpurple317]

Never thought I'd see buzzfeed unsolved featured on this channel

[@wojtek1765]

Love all these Hollywood videos

[@jons.6216]

Kudos to the research on these subjects. Several of them I already knew about but enough of them I hadn't to keep it interesting!

[@vincente9456]

I'm surprised Sal Mineo wasn't mentioned.

[@cazia9]

Me too but given that the majority of these had no official criminal arrested and convicted (Arbuckle excluded for obvious reasons) I can also see why he wasn’t on the list

[@marionmarino1616]

Mineo’s murder was one of those Gay killings that occur when the wrong person is approached, gets angry and lashes out. Police figure it’s a street crime, that if caught there’d be little evidence for conviction.

[@lolariver]

Really enjoying these classic hollywood posts!

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: Celebrities that we must protect at all costs, such as Dick Van Dyke!

[@tinas_hotdog_sophie]

So happy to see and hear so many of my favorite true crime people in here :D

[@chloesmith7565]

@baileysarian Dark History episode was mentioned, yay! You made it!

[@michelled.613]

So weird to see so many other KZbin channels that I watch in the featured clips in this video. Hoping this was an upfront collaboration for all. 👍

[@moonchildluvsbobcrane]

May they all rest in peace 🕯

[@MariaFernanda-dr7pv]

I Love Natalie Wood❤❤❤❤

[@jchow5966]

The Tthelma Tod case is very interesting.

[@MrHeadbanger366]

George Reeves wasn't the first Superman, he was the second. Kirk Alyn was the first.

[@H.Hegde33]

Thanks, for this amazing content

[@jessicakaemery]

I love how you've used clips from Buzzfeed Usolved 💙

[@bennymora3086]

I just hoped these unsolved mysteries will be solved soon in the future.

[@user-sq4jz9up6g]

As a kid George Reeves death in 1959 shook me up It was my first encounter with death I was 10

[@JCH007]

I get the feeling that Christopher Walken was threatened by Robert Wagner who had something to do with Natalie Wood death

[@lillylunapotter8079]

A lot of reports say they were all drinking a lot that night….I would bet that Walken was just to drunk to know what happened, possibly passed out and unaware until that anything was happening around him.

[@acriticwithoutacause8983]

that's too far fetched. Natalie & Walken were both pretty drunk. He was sleeping in his room that is on the other side to know much about what happened

[@patttyannhudson]

Why hasn't wagoner ever been arrested police don't care if you are rich I think they don't have evidence end of story sad story indeed

[@SEGASister]

Not gonna lie, I'm liking the new narrator ^^

[@user-fu9uj7gr4u]

When does Natalie wood get justice we all loved her rip dear girl

[@a.jlondon9039]

Kirk Alyn was the FIRST actor to play Superman. Very easy to find.

[@bethpatches4993]

The scene from Robin Hood was always super romantic to me even as a 6 and 7 year old watching. Love it still!!

[@rockybee1452]

i feel like marilyns isnt a mystery. She was depressed and its super easy to overdose on barbituates. All she ever wanted was a family and thats literally the one thing she couldnt get bc of her condition. people want to create conspiracies because they just cant understand it or they want someone really big to have some extravagant reason for death

[@thankthelord4536]

MM is the most overrated mystery in Hollywood history. Let her be.

[@melissawickersham9912]

What medical condition did she have that prevented her from starting a family? Depression doesn’t prevent or stop pregnancy. I think that Marilyn Monroe’s death was an accidental overdose. You say that it’s easy to overdose on barbiturates, right? Well, accidental overdoses are rather common with that type of drug. In fact, that type of drug requires constant supervision by a medical doctor in order to prevent addiction and overdoses from occurring.

[@nabgamergirl2625]

@@melissawickersham9912 she suffered from Endometriosis which prevented her from starting a family

[@melissawickersham9912]

@@nabgamergirl2625 Endometriosis is treatable nowadays. Modern treatments for endometriosis could preserve fertility.

[@rockybee1452]

@@melissawickersham9912 endometriosis. At the time they couldnt treat endometriosis and surrogacy wasnt a thing back then. Every pregnancy she had ended in miscarriage. and thats why i said its easy to overdose on barbituates people use to overdose accidentally all the time.

[@pamelamays4186]

The first actor to play Superman was Bud Collyer.

[@mustynoodle3268]

Ryan Bergara af 💅🏻✨

[@khursheedrind3232]

This is devastating

[@kpopfan4lifeallfandoms980]

I think that Marilyn accidentally overdosed. The meds she was taking for depression, anxiety or what ever mental health issues she was working through are more regulated today then back then. Just my thoughts as a nurse. RIH Marilyn. Your presence is sorely missed. ❤

[@marionmarino1616]

Phooey! She had slept with the President. Then his brother. She got angry when she realized she had been used and she was talking about it. Then they got rid of her.

[@marionneary1128]

I know that their is a lot of speculations of Marilyn Monroe's Death but I think Clinton's had something to do it they Never did find her Diary and she always write ✍️ in her Diary and the Diary was Missing. R.I.P. Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Mortensen) 💐🙏👼❤️💔🌹🥀🕊️🕯️✝️

[@arlenedavis5770]

As a patient who really wants to be "functional", this opinion resonates with me. I'm very careful, and when I overdose by one or two, it doesn't matter, because body mass. She was smaller than me, but still... She'd have had to be gulping them down by handfuls to die like that, wouldn't she?

[@marionmarino1616]

@@arlenedavis5770 A report published by a newspaper here who had a copy of her autopsy report, theorized that the drugs had been introduced anally by a govt agency.

[@letsplay7828]

@@arlenedavis5770 You wouldn't believe how often medication interactions and mix-ups cause overdoses. My father has cancer and has O.D. once from his medication. Another time, a pharmacist literally saved his life by catching a lethal combination in the prescriptions. Doctors are human and even the best of them make mistakes (by dad is a patient at Sloan Kettering). People should always take an active role in their healthcare and that includes talking to your pharmacist. They really are great people who have some much knowledge to share.

[@freddiemolinajr.8397]

Good video 👍

[@lesliecorona3828]

Thelma Todd's murder was accidental and someone confessed to it on their death bed. And what's unsolved and mysterious about Rappe and Arbuckle?

[@connorecrement7955]

I think the Natalie wood case could have been the result of three super drunk people not having control of themselves. Alcohol does terrible things to people. It could’ve caused Wagner or Walken to do something they would’ve never done sober. It could’ve also caused Wood to loose her common sense which led to her death. We will never truly know unless Wagner or Walken say anything. And neither of them are getting any younger at this point

[@pvuccino]

How much will they remember, if they were THAT drunk?

[@tteabrooks]

IT'S BAILEY!!!!!!!

[@hannahlowe794]

This old Hollywood thing is like WatchMojo’s Jeffrey Dahmer phase. It’s been prolific.

[@patrickhicks9880]

It must have been something pretty dramatic to drive Natalie Wood to try to get off a boat without being able to swim

[@glassdragonmedia]

Sorry if im late on this, but I haven't been on the channel in a while. So narrator Saraah is new to me. But it's really nice to finally hear a black woman's voice here.

[@TheDukeofMadness]

Occam's razor states that the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complex. Therefore you could say that one actor mentioned in this video was responsible for at least two of the crimes also mentioned.

[@randilevson9547]

See also Sherlock Holmes explanation of mysteries. The simplest solution is usually the correct one.

[@thomasm.longiii3752]

I wish we knew what happened

[@kylerogers6811]

He easily had one of the most mysterious deaths. We don’t even know how it happened

[@jaredquinney204]

Hopefully they solve these mysterious deaths

[@jaclynsanture6643]

Me too

[@melissawickersham9912]

Unfortunately, the probability that a cold case will be solved successfully plummets exponentially the longer said case goes unsolved. Many of these cases are quite unlikely to be solved because they are decades old. This is because the evidence that will help solve a case naturally disappears gradually over time unless it’s preserved well.

[@loommqi8440]

Here before viral✨🐸💟

[@anastasiabeaverhausen8220]

Pasolini is not Hollywood, he was an italian film maker. I dislike when all film is unthinkingly labeled "Hollywood." I am old enough to remember how his death was reported on some american media outlets at the time, though, by homophobic reporters as justifiable gay bashing. The story was that he made a pass at a straight man who then 'defended' himself.

[@Cubs-Den-Reactions]

I can't "like" this, but genuinely thank you for sharing the information. It's eye opening 😢

[@owninfools23]

BAILEY SARIAN CAMEO YAS

[@vu4uboo582]

Sounds like a new narrator

[@traphousemartyr9383]

Not to be Devils Advocate but you didn't mention the man who killed Salos director was an actor on Salo

[@andieallison6792]

God I miss Buzzfeed Unsolved lmao

[@kylerogers6811]

Maybe it’s just too soon or out of respect for his family right now but idk how Bob sagets death isn’t on here

[@eatassonthefirstdate]

ya u know they took him out..... for SURE.

[@kerrajohnson3203]

Can someone drop the list please?

[@kimble90126]

Omg

[@blugreen123]

So you all just out here using Buzzfeed footage? Lol 😂

[@criticwatcher]

Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken knows the real. Just like every time Natalie Wood's case gets reopened if there's a slight a new case if evidence then it immediately gets closed again.

[@diegopitbull7580]

Does the narrator have a lisp ?

[@benlevan5645]

Here's my theory on Natalie Wood: She was drinking heavily to self medicate her hydrophobia while on the yacht. When you have to drink like that, eventually you're probably going to have an argument with those around you. That night, said argument was had, and in her drunken state, she suddenly wanted to just get away. Far away as she could. It's possible that she was drunk enough that at the moment she didn't notice she was a boat because she would have been pretty stumbly from the booze. So, wanting to get away as she was feeling at the moment, she gets in the dinghy and off she goes. Out in the dinghy at some point her mind sobers up just enough to realize whay she's done and where she now is. A panic attack hits as that hydrophobia punches through the drunk full force. Combine her drunken state with a panic attack and she falls out of the dinghy, possibly even hitting her head a little on the way over. Not saying those boys know more than they tell, most folks usually do. I just don't think they were actively part of her death. But, they may have hindered the investigation to protect themselves.

[@RajaReign78]

The kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby? 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@kathrynmolesa1641]

They needed Matlock on the case.

[@maryschipani1224]

Or Columbo

[@Stayoutofthewater522]

Seems to me most actors male and female are so messed up it’s silly anyone can idolize them don’t you think it’s odd that they make a living trying to be someone else plus really not a talent.

[@ckotcher1]

I feel bad for Natalie Woods kids. As far as they are concerned there is no mystery. They’re Mom’s death was an accident. And all the speculation has cost them nothing but further agony almost costing the youngest daughter her life from suicide and drug addiction.

[@Tomboyy9818]

Their*

[@ckotcher1]

@@Tomboyy9818 ugh. I always mess “their” and “they’re” up. I swear I’m reasonably intelligent, made it through a tough University with a 3.9 GPA but I can’t do math and I always mix up they’re and their. Nobody’s perfect 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@marionmarino1616]

O please, we all know Wagner killed Natalie!

[@lillylunapotter8079]

Right? It’s just a lack of evidence that leaves it “unsolved”

[@marionmarino1616]

@@lillylunapotter8079 And, no one will go after him!

[@Jenny010132]

We do? How?

[@marionmarino1616]

@@Jenny010132 There were 2 other people on that boat, the Captain & Walken, both asleep, both without a reason to kill her. Natalie & Robert we’re out on deck continue to argue, he either hit or pushed her overboard. Nothing else fits.

[@Jenny010132]

@@marionmarino1616 Or she was drunk and fell in.

[@jadalynn1994]

It's very sad what happened to Natalie Wood I honestly think Robert Wagner and Christopher Walkin killed her and had something to do with what happened to her and it's sad she left behind two daughters.

[@geviesanta3631]

At this point, I think it might have been just Robert's intention to kill her. But for Christopher Walken, I wouldn't think so.

[@melissawickersham9912]

She could have just accidentally fallen overboard.

[@nujeru99]

@@melissawickersham9912 not with all of the bruises on her body that the coroner found. Also the ship captain, Dennis Davern, would have no reason to lie (as he admitted to doing) if all Natalie did was fall overboard by accident

[@lillylunapotter8079]

I think Walken was to drunk to know what happened. Reports say they all had a lot to drink. He has little motive if any but not making any statements when that drunk would probably be the safest option because all that would likely happen is being labeled a drunk. I’m not saying he had nothing to do with it I just am sharing my opinion.

[@blackguyofthesouth2161]

Of course you do, look like at your profile pic

[@loommqi8440]

First maybe!

[@jchow5966]

I think that Jean Spangler was killed by her ex. 😊

[@rickm.2956]

This compilation seems rather sloppy and repeats stories from other videos. The cutaways to the high-pitched voice guy from some documentary (?) seems like a joke almost. Not your best effort.

[@Cubs-Den-Reactions]

They've been making content here and through WM since OG KZbin days. They've covered thousands of topics, on multiple lists each with their own guidelines and clarifications; they use editing tricks, and have since day one, that allow them to reuse relevant footage and commentary rather than re-recording the same thing numerous times. It's actually quite admirable, and a well oiled formulaic mechanism. Check out some of their older content!

[@rickm.2956]

@@Cubs-Den-Reactions I've watched tons of fine "Mojo" content. This is just a lesser one and the commentator seems distracted.

[@georgeovanin1599]

Do you know who really killed Natalie Sure we know who did it🤔🤔

[@michaelq7368]

4th

[@bugsyproductions3140]

Anyone else notice how often this channel repeats topics with minor changes? Harvey Weinstein is in multiple that have similar concepts to one another. As do cases brought up here appearing in other videos

[@Cubs-Den-Reactions]

They've been making content here and through WM since OG KZbin days. They've covered thousands of topics, on multiple lists each with their own guidelines and clarifications; they use editing tricks, and have since day one, that allow them to reuse relevant footage and commentary rather than re-recording the same thing numerous times. It's actually quite admirable, and a well oiled formulaic mechanism.

[@bugsyproductions3140]

@@Cubs-Den-Reactions yes, being unoriginal and repeating things is admirable. 🤦‍♂️

[@blugreen123]

And they reuse bits from other movies and TV shows frequently too.

[@Cubs-Den-Reactions]

WatchMojo has always accepted and included the human element... People make mistakes and in my experience if they massively get something wrong they will add corrections and such, and again they've done this since the beginning, when they'd be releasing and posting potentially 3 or 4 top ten lists of various topics each day. Does it seem "lazy" at first, yeah... I still can't really be angry with a business for how it handles aspects of its workload. Rebecca Brayton has been with WM since the beginning and was one of their ONLY narrators for years; I can allow WM to find ways to save her voice strain not re-recording the same information a dozen times, and instead use the already recorded but still relevant commentary. I can also forgive their editing teams refusing to consistently edit the same footages (film, tv, music video, etc) unnecessarily. Not intending to attack or anything, just giving contextual information you might not otherwise have had.

[@Cubs-Den-Reactions]

@@blugreen123 Yes they often mistakenly include clips or photos incorrectly, they also usually address those human errors when and if they're discovered.

[@ShatnerLover]

I don’t believe Robert Wagner killed Natalie. She was very wasted and got into a dingy after a fight.

[@penny1186]

You need to check your facts better. You got so much wrong.

[@drdavidtee]

get a narrator that an pronounce English words correctly and clearly