Scandals/Tragedies

Beneath the glamour of Hollywood and the sunlit sprawl of Los Angeles lies a rich, complicated history shaped as much by scandal and sorrow as by success. This page explores the darker chapters of both the film industry and the city it helped transform—stories of actors undone by fame, pioneers caught in intrigue, civic leaders embroiled in controversy, and everyday Angelenos swept into tragedies that gripped the public imagination. From studio cover-ups to political corruption, from forgotten murders to lives derailed by ambition, these accounts reveal the fragile line between triumph and downfall. Here, we venture beyond the spotlight to uncover the scandals and tragedies that helped define Los Angeles and the legends who called it home.