Jump to content

Fred Otash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Lindenfall (talk | contribs) at 01:25, 25 January 2019 (Expanded lead paragraph.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Fred Otash (January 6, 1922 – October 5, 1992) was a Los Angeles police officer, private investigator, author, and a WWII Marine veteran, who became known as a Hollywood fixer, while operating as its "most infamous" private detectives; he is most remembered as "the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character Jake Gittes in the film, Chinatown."[1]

He has been interviewed numerous times in the media, including, in 1957, by Mike Wallace, which can be viewed online via the University of Texas.[2]

Otash worked for Hollywood Research Incorporated, which did business with the tabloid magazine Confidential.[3] He is also known for being hired by Peter Lawford to investigate Marilyn Monroe.[3] An FBI file released as part of the JFK Assassination Records suggest that Otash was investigating Lawford and John F. Kennedy, and attempted to talk a call girl into arranging a meeting with Kennedy in which she would wear a wire to record incriminating statements.[4]

Otash also was involved in the investigation of the "Wrong Door Raid" involving Frank Sinatra. Otash died at the age of 70 on October 5, 1992 at his West Hollywood home. At the time of his death, he also had residences at the Jockey Club in Miami, Florida and in Cannes, France. Otash suffered from emphysema and high blood pressure. He wrote about his life in his memoir, Investigation Hollywood: Memoirs Of Hollywood's Top Private Detective. On January 6, 1950, Otash married film actress Doris Houck, at the Beverly Hills courthouse. They divorced on June 19, 1952.[5]

Fred Otash was the youngest of 6 children to Lebanese immigrants Habib Otash and Marian Jabour, and is survived by his daughter, Colleen Otash. His siblings were: Evelyn Abisalih, Grace Steiner, Selma Otash, Lila Merhige, and one brother Mitchell.[6]

Author James Ellroy has used a fictionalized version of Fred Otash in two of his novels from the Underworld USA Trilogy.[7] Otash appears in The Cold Six Thousand and Blood's a Rover.[7] Otash is also the main character in a sordid, fictional story by James Ellroy called Shakedown. The movie Chinatown's (1974) main character, played by Jack Nicholson, was also based in part on Fred Otash.[8]

As of December 2014, a scrapped Fred Otash TV show was in development at HBO and was to be produced by Se7en director, David Fincher, as well as the writer of L.A. Confidential, a film which is very inspired by the life and times of Otash, James Ellroy.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "The real-life Ray Donovans: Fixers behind Tinseltown's dark secrets", by Tim Walker, Independent, July 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "Mike Wallace Television Interview". 1957-08-25. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
  3. ^ a b Galloway, Stephen (2013-06-06). "Rock Hudson's Wife Secretly Recorded His Gay Confession". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  4. ^ Jones, M.A. "US Government Memorandum" (PDF). National Archives. NARA. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Vice Squad Officer's Wife Given Divorce". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. June 19, 1952. p. Part II - 10. Retrieved November 17, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Oliver, Myrna (1992-10-08). "Fred Otash; Colorful Hollywood Private Eye and Author". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  7. ^ a b Galloway, Stephen (2013-06-06). "Rock Hudson's Wife Secretly Recorded His Gay Confession". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  8. ^ Morales, Eric (2013-06-10). "Private Investigator: 'I listened to Marilyn Monroe die'". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Fred_Otash&oldid=880053721"