Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder - Part Two: Becoming Elizabeth

Once Upon A Crime

Esther Ludlow

True Crime, Society & Culture, Crime, Truecrime, Criminology, History, Criminals

4.6 • 5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Before she became The Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short was simply Beth — a young woman with big dreams, an open heart, and a longing for something beyond the ordinary. In Part Two: Becoming Elizabeth, we step back in time to uncover the story of the woman behind the legend.

From her childhood in Medford, Massachusetts, through family tragedy, illness, and the Great Depression, we follow Elizabeth’s journey into adolescence — a girl fascinated by Hollywood glamour and determined to create a better life for herself.

We trace her adventures from the frozen streets of New England to the sun-drenched beaches of Florida and the military bases of California during World War II. Along the way, we meet the men who loved her — and the heartbreaks that would shape her fate.

This episode explores the making of Elizabeth Short: the beauty, the dreamer, and the woman who walked fearlessly into a world that would one day remember her by another name.

About This Series

BROKEN: The Black Dahlia Murder is a six-part Once Upon a Crime original series.

Through extensive research, historical records, and firsthand accounts, Esther Ludlow uncovers the truth behind America’s most infamous unsolved murder, separating fact from fiction to rediscover the real woman behind the myth.

Sources & References

Los Angeles Police Department and FBI case archives and reports.
“Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood” by William J. Mann, Simon & Schuster, (Advanced Reader Copy), Publication date: January 13, 2026.
“Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder” by John Gilmore.
Historic articles from the Los Angeles Times and The Examiner (1947). (Accessed on Newspapers.com.)

Sponsors:

See a list of our sponsors and discount codes on our website:

https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/

Links:

Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast

Mortal Musings Podcast: https://mortalmusingspodcast.com/

Visit the new OUAC MERCH SHOP!

For a limited time, get up to 27% off all products — including $16 tees — during our Grand Opening Sale. But hurry, deals end October 31st!

Shop now at onceuponacrime.dashery.com.

✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽

We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crimefans on an unforgettable adventure.

Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!

🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This podcast details true crime cases.
0:03.4	It contains adult themes and may contain descriptions of violence.
0:07.2	It is not intended for children.
0:09.1	Listener discretion is advised.
0:14.9	Thank you for joining me for today's episode of Once Upon a Crime.
0:19.7	I'm Esther Ludlow, and you're listening to Broken, The Black Dahlia Murder, Part 2, Discovering Elizabeth.
0:29.6	In part one, the girl in the empty lot, we walked the grim streets of Los Angeles in January of 1947,
0:42.3	to the discovery of one of the most infamous crime scenes in American history. A young woman's body, severed in half, drained of blood, was posed grotesquely in a vacant lot on Norton Avenue.
0:50.3	The press would dub her the Black Dahlia. But before she became that enduring and tragic symbol of Hollywood's dark side, she was simply Elizabeth Short.
1:01.0	Today, we'll step away from the horror of her death to discover her life.
1:10.0	Who she was, where she came from,
1:13.2	and the dreams she carried with her from a small Massachusetts town across the country to Los Angeles.
1:20.5	This is Part 2, Discovering Elizabeth.
1:43.7	Elizabeth Short was born on July 29, 1924, in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, the third of five daughters born to Cleo and Phoebe May Short.
1:47.7	Cleo was a man of ambition. After serving in World War I, he opened an automated repair business
1:54.6	in Wolfborough, New Hampshire. Phoebe, a woman of quiet intelligence and steady discipline,
2:01.8	handled the bookkeeping.
2:05.4	Together, they worked hard and dreamed big.
2:13.0	By 1922, Phoebe convinced Cleo to move the family closer to her relatives in Medford,
2:15.4	a small city just outside Boston.
2:18.1	She believed there'd be more opportunity there,
2:20.2	and for a time she was right.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Esther Ludlow, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Esther Ludlow and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.