E276: MURDER - Dorothy Stratten

Fresh Hell Podcast

freshhellpodcast

True Crime, History

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 4 April 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, we look at the brief and heartbreaking life of Dorothy Stratten—Playmate of the Month in August 1979, aspiring actress, and the victim of one of Hollywood’s most disturbing murder cases. We trace Dorothy’s rise from a Dairy Queen in Vancouver to the pages of Playboy, her toxic relationship with Paul Snider, her affair with director Peter Bogdanovich, and the events that led to her brutal murder in 1980 at just 20 years old. We also talk about the dangerous power dynamics behind the glamour of the Playboy Mansion, Bogdanovich’s fierce criticism of Hugh Hefner, and the lasting legacy of a young woman whose life was cut short by control, obsession, and violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence (DV), it's crucial to seek help. Below are resources available in the United States, Austria, and internationally: United States: National Domestic Violence Hotline: Available 24/7 for confidential support. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org. Office on Violence Against Women (OVW): Provides resources and information for survivors. Visit justice.gov/ovw/resources-for-survivors. DomesticShelters.org: Offers a comprehensive directory of shelters and service providers across the U.S. Access it at domesticshelters.org. Austria: Women's Helpline Against Violence (Frauenhelpline): A 24/7 confidential service for women experiencing violence. Call 0800 222 555 or visit frauenhelpline.at. International: UN Women – Ending Violence Against Women: Offers global resources and information on combating gender-based violence. Visit unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women. International Directory of Domestic Violence Agencies: A global listing of DV agencies for various countries. Access it at hotpeachpages.net. Remember, reaching out is a vital step toward safety and support. These organizations are equipped to assist and guide you through the process. Dorothy Stratten, Paul Snider, Peter Bogdanovich, Playboy, Hugh Hefner, Playmate of the Year, They All Laughed, STAR 80, femicide, domestic violence, true crime, Hollywood murder, 1980s, Playboy Mansion, Hefner criticism, Great Playmate Hunt, murder-suicide, exploitation of women, tragic celebrity deaths, Fresh Hell Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the Fresh Hell podcast.
0:14.6	Fresh Hell contains stories of a disturbing and often graphic nature and is intended for a mature audience.
0:20.6	Please don't let your kids listen to this,
0:22.4	or they might turn out like us.
0:30.3	Hi, I'm Annie from just outside Boston and the U.S.
0:36.1	And I'm Johanna from somewhere close to Vienna in Austria, and you're listening to your
0:42.2	favorite international podcast. The podcast hosted by two women who have never met in real life,
0:49.1	yet still insist on discussing the worst of humanity together. If you knew here, we cover true crime,
0:55.6	murder and mystery with respect for the victims and an appreciation for the macabre, the tragic,
1:02.8	and the occasional, well, maybe regular. Yeah, I would say regular. It's a regular occurrence here,
1:08.4	historical absurdity. I don't know. Pictures
1:12.3	in a dimly lit parlor flipping through the most unsettling pages of history by candlelight,
1:18.4	because frankly what else would we be doing? Maybe not candlelight though, but how about a beautiful
1:23.7	Victorian gas lamp? I think that's nice. No, I'll stick with candlelight.
1:27.9	I, Victorian lighting scares me, as you all well know. But, yeah, today's case takes place
1:36.0	not that long ago for us, actually. We're going to be talking about the 70s and early 80s, and I don't mean the 1880s. And I don't mean the 1780s.
1:49.7	No, we're talking about the 1980s, a time that we, as well as many of our listeners, can actively
1:58.5	remember. It was a simpler time when parenting was sort of hoping your kid came home at dark like
2:05.4	they were supposed to.
2:06.9	Seat belts were optional.
2:08.7	Not smoking indoors was unthinkable.
2:11.4	Smoke at the doctor's office.
	...

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