120: The Death of Dorothy Kilgallen; Or, Silencing the Voice of Broadway

2024-07-03

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This week, we’re celebrating a very important birthday here at This Was A Thing. No, not that one involving declarations of independence and tea taxes (although we do love spilling tea) - this July 3rd would have been the 111th birthday of Dorothy Kilgallen, one of the most recognized reporters and celebrities of the early 20th century. But in addition to a life filled with notable accomplishments, what might have made Dorothy most remembered in the history books was her death - because it happened in a very s...

This week, we’re celebrating a very important birthday here at This Was A Thing. No, not that one involving declarations of independence and tea taxes (although we do love spilling tea) - this July 3rd would have been the 111th birthday of Dorothy Kilgallen, one of the most recognized reporters and celebrities of the early 20th century. But in addition to a life filled with notable accomplishments, what might have made Dorothy most remembered in the history books was her death - because it happened in a very strange and unexpected manner…

Rob teaches Ray and Daniel about the life, career, and mysterious death of journalist and TV personality Dorothy Kilgallen; her popular column all about Broadway’s happenings on and offstage; Dorothy’s long-running gig as a celebrity panelist on the game show “What’s My Line?”; Dorothy’s reporting on politics and crime; why she took an interest in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and her interviews with Jack Ruby; the suspicious circumstances around Dorothy’s sudden death; and why people are still trying to answer the question: did Dorothy Kilgallen really die, or was she killed for knowing too much?

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TEAM

Ray Hebel

Robert W. Schneider

Mark Schroeder

Billy Recce

Daniel Schwartzberg

Natalie DeSavia

EPISODE CLIPS

Person to Person - Dorothy Kilgallen & Dick Kollmar (1956)

My Top 10 Dorothy Kilgallen’s Moments on What’s My line

“What’s My Line?” - Tribute to Dorothy Kilgallen

ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS