The Playboy Murders: What Happened to Dorothy Stratten?
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
“Falling Star” is an episode of The Playboy Murders on ID and will air on Monday, February 26, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET. The episode will revolve around the 1980 murder of Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten. She was killed by her husband, Paul Snider, following which he committed suicide. As it is, the incident has remained a horrific pop culture phenomenon for decades.
Dorothy Stratten first met Paul Snider in 1978 when she was a teenager and served ice cream in Vancouver, Canada. According to ABC News, he began grooming her soon after and convinced her to pose for a nude photo shoot, which went on to start Stratten’s career in Los Angeles. In the subsequent years, she became a budding actress and was named Playboy Playmate of the Year in 1980.
Snider allegedly showered Stratten with gifts and pampered her while she was still a teenager and he was 26 years old. When Playboy hosted the Great Playboy Hunt in 1978, Snider sent over the nude photographs of Dorothy Stratten that he had clicked to the magazine. Hugh Hefner and the others at Playboy reportedly saw great potential in Stratten and gave her the title of Miss August 1979. She soon became a familiar person in Hollywood’s important circles.
When did Paul Snider kill Stratten?
ABC News reported that in June 1979, Dorothy Stratten and Paul Snider married. After that, she began getting roles in several Hollywood films. Later, she was named Playmate of the Year in 1980. She then landed a prominent role in the sci-fi film Galaxina. Stratten also met Peter Bogdanovich, who was going to make a film titled They All Laughed, starring Audrey Hepburn. He promised Stratten a significant role in the movie, which was expected to be her big break.
They All Laughed was released in 1981, and Bogdanovich alleged during an interview with Good Morning America that he and Dorothy Stratten loved each other. She had reportedly asked Snider for a divorce, which made him feel sidelined. As per ABC News, on August 14, 1980, Snider raped Stratten and killed her by shooting her in the face. He then committed suicide. The couple was found dead in Stratten’s home in Los Angeles.
What was Dorothy Stratten’s cause of death?
The bodies of Dorothy Stratten and Paul Snider were found at 12:30 a.m. on August 15, 1980. Authorities found that Stratten was shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun before Snider turned the gun on himself and died, according to Global News. Snider was alleged to be jealous and had hired a private detective, Mark Goldstein, to keep an eye on Stratten after they had separated. They reportedly met to discuss their marriage on the day of the murder.
Dorothy Stratten was 20 years old at the time of her death. She was reportedly buried in the same cemetery as Marilyn Monroe. They All Laughed was released 15 months later. The New York Times reported that Dorothy Stratten’s performances in the film point to the fact that she could have become one of the most successful comedians in Hollywood if not for her tragic death.
As per ABC News, four years after her death, Peter Bogdanovich wrote a book titled The Killing of the Unicorn. He mentioned that Hugh Hefner made unwanted advances towards Stratten in 1978. He also blamed the Playboy culture for her demise. However, Hefner reportedly denied the allegations.
The Playboy Murders’ episode titled “Falling Star” will be aired on ID on Monday, February 26, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
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