Episode 54: Scott Michaels on the Murder of ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ Actor Sal Mineo
Watch the Episode on YouTube
Scott Michaels
Scott Michaels is Hollywood’s original authority on celebrity deaths, including the Manson Murders, and a former tour guide for LA’s now-defunct Dearly Departed Tours. As the ‘LA Times’ said of him, “Scott Michaels knows where the bodies are buried.” Quentin Tarantino hired Scott to be a consultant on ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, which reimagines the murders of Sharon Tate, Voytek Frykowski, Jay Sebring, and Abigail Folger at the hands of the Manson Family in early August 1969.
Scott Michaels on left/Photo courtesy of Scott Michaels
About the Episode
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Well this is it, Lit Listeners: the Season 3 finale. Wyatt, the Rock is Lit mascot, and I are thrilled to have you with us as we wrap up another incredible season. We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to this semester’s amazing interns, Production Intern Cador Jones and Social Media Intern Jenna Rudolph, for their outstanding work. Best of luck in all your future endeavors, Cador and Jenna.
To celebrate the end of Season 3 and gear up for an exciting Season 4 coming this fall, we're launching the Bill Hallberg Rock ‘n’ Roll Short Story Contest. This contest honors the legacy of Bill Hallberg—author, East Carolina University English professor, and my late husband—who had a deep passion for both literature and music. Submissions are due August 1, 2024, and we'll be selecting winners in two categories: undergraduate college students and general submissions. The winners will be announced in the Season 4 premiere episode and invited to read from their stories on a future Season 4 episode. For more information and submission guidelines, email me at christyalexanderhallberg@gmail.com.
Now, on with the show.
If you’re fascinated by true crime, classic Hollywood, and the darker tales of Tinsel Town, you’re in for a treat. In this episode, we dive deep into the murder of ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ actor Sal Mineo, with Scott Michaels as our guide.
Scott first joined me in Season 2 to discuss the Manson Murders in a bonus episode inspired by Episode 6, which featured Zachary Lazar’s rock novel, ‘Sway’, a story that includes members of the Manson Family in a fictional setting. I’m thrilled to welcome Scott back to the podcast to explore another Hollywood tragedy: the murder of Sal Mineo.
Feel free to listen to the audio-only version of this episode, but I encourage you to watch the YouTube video, which includes photos and audio clips of Sal Mineo.
LINKS:
Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451
Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350
Scott Michaels on Rock is Lit talking about the Manson Murders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzpLvUN0_2E&t=103s
Scott Michaels’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DearlyDepartedTours
Scott Michaels on Facebook: @ScottMichaels
Scott Michaels on Instagram: @iamscottmichaels
Scott Michaels on Twitter: @ImScottMichaels
This episode was in part inspired by Susan Braudy’s rock novel, ‘Who Killed Sal Mineo’.
Christy Alexander Hallberg at site of Sal Mineo’s murder in West Hollywood, CA. Photo taken by Scott Michaels, April 2023.
