Will Fowler, the author and journalist who was the first reporter on the scene of the famous Black Dahlia murder, has died in Los Angeles at age 81. He claimed to have closed the dead Elizabeth Short's eyes after her stare unnerved him, affording her more dignity in death than she was afforded in life. He lived a colorful life as you can read in
this great article by Doug Moe.
Will Fowler was Gene Fowler's son, and Gene Fowler, well, Gene Fowler was the most colorful newspaperman who ever lived, and among the most accomplished. His close friends included John Barrymore (about whom Fowler wrote a best-selling biography, "Good Night, Sweet Prince"); W.C. Fields; Jack Dempsey; New York mayor Jimmy Walker; Damon Runyon; Ty Cobb and scores of others, famous and not.
posted by Prof. Hex at 6:01 AM