250: The Murder of Cecil Wells w/ James T. Bartlett - A True Crime History Podcast

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Erik Rivenes

True Crime, History, Education

4.7 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 June 2022

⏱️ 97 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early morning hours of October 17, 1953, a frightened, battered woman named Diane Wells told a horrific tale to police. She said intruders had broken into the top-floor penthouse apartment she shared with her husband Cecil, murdered him, beat her, and then made their escape. It was an especially sensational story because 31-year-old "blonde bombshell" Diane Wells was nicknamed "the most beautiful woman in Alaska", and Cecil (twenty years her senior) was a wealthy and well-known Fairbanks businessman.

There were suspicions, however, that Diane was lying. It was soon learned that she was having an affair with a local musician and also being comforted by a dance instructor who worked downstairs.

My guest is James T. Bartlett, author of "The Alaskan Blonde: Sex, Secrets, and the Hollywood Story that Shocked America. He shares details from his research into the almost 70 year old cold case, including an account of Diane's own tragic end.

More information about the author can be found at these links:

https://www.thealaskanblonde.com

https://www.facebook.com/thealaskanblonde

https://www.instagram.com/thealaskanblonde

https://www.twitter.com/alaskanblonde53

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Transcript

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0:54.9	Welcome all to another episode of the most notorious podcast, I'm Eric Rivenis.
1:00.9	We're back with another episode up to Alaska this time.
1:05.1	For the first time since...
1:08.1	Soapy Smith, I believe, which has been a while.
1:12.4	It's so great to have James T. Bartlett with me.
1:16.5	Originally from London, he is a journalist, historian and author who has been living in
1:22.4	Los Angeles since 2005.
1:26.0	Among the publications he's written for, The Los Angeles Times, BBC, Atlas Obscura, Los
1:33.0	Angeles Magazine, Variety, and The Guardian.
1:37.6	And he is here to share details from his book, The Alaskan Blonde, Sex Secrets, and The
1:45.2	Hollywood Story that shocked America.
1:49.4	Thank you for chatting with me today, I really appreciate it.
1:53.2	Thanks Eric, you're welcome and thanks for asking me and hello to everybody out there.
1:58.4	Hello back on behalf of everyone listening.
2:02.2	So your area of expertise is Los Angeles history, right?
2:07.4	What got you interested in that and how did you veer course to Alaska?
	...

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