Hello, welcome to Hollywood crime scene. This is Rachel Fisher. This is Desi Jettigan.

And we're back with part three of Billy Wilkerson. Part three.

Part three. Once again, my main source for this episode is a book called Hollywood Godfather, The Life and Crimes of Billy Wilkerson,

written by Billy Wilkerson's son, William Wilkerson III.

And I also used quite a few contemporary newspapers.

Contemporary.

Well, newspapers of the time.

Old newspaper articles.

Okay.

That was the fancy way of saying that. Anyway,

let's get started. Where we last left off, it's 1936, and by this time the Hollywood

reporter is the most popular trade paper in the country. And Billy Wilkerson has become a powerful

and influential figure in the industry and Los Angeles.

Around this time, Billy decided he was going to launch a sister publication, The London Reporter.

The London Reporter?

He's like, I bet London is going to be the next Hollywood.

And the Hollywood Reporter is so popular in America, they're going to love it in London.

Hmm. Interesting.

So this paper ended up shuddering just months after its first issue.

Okay.

They didn't love it.

Yeah. I mean, it wasn't like a bad idea considering so many film stars came from there.

...