Confidential Magazine - Revision history

BenWetmore at 04:25, October 27, 2024

2024-10-27T04:25:50Z

BenWetmore: /* Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda & Lawsuits */

2024-10-16T20:10:11Z

Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda & Lawsuits

BenWetmore: /* Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda & Lawsuits */

2024-10-16T20:07:43Z

Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda & Lawsuits

BenWetmore: adding lawsuit and reference

2024-10-16T20:02:55Z

adding lawsuit and reference

BenWetmore at 15:16, October 16, 2024

2024-10-16T15:16:17Z

BenWetmore: /* Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda */

2024-08-31T20:43:33Z

Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda

BenWetmore at 20:42, August 31, 2024

2024-08-31T20:42:53Z

BenWetmore: /* California Criminal Libel Trial */

2024-06-17T01:08:14Z

California Criminal Libel Trial

BenWetmore at 23:57, June 16, 2024

2024-06-16T23:57:25Z

BenWetmore at 04:20, June 15, 2024

2024-06-15T04:20:50Z

@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 [[Category:Defunct Media Entities]]
 [[Category:American Magazines]]
 [[Category:Scandal Magazines]]
 [[Category:Dissident Media]]
 [[Category:Criminal Libel]]
 [[Category:Prosecuted Journalists]]

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Interview with Fred Otash", August 25, 1957, | https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll90/id/25/rec/28</ref>
-A libel suit against Confidential Magazine brought by actress Dorothy Dandridge, related to claims in the May 1957 issue of the magazine as part of an article called "What Dorothy Dandridge did in the Woods", <ref>"Confidential Settles Libel Suit by Dorothy Dandridge." *The Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet*, 26 May 1957, p. 32.</ref>
+A libel suit against Confidential Magazine brought by actress Dorothy Dandridge, related to claims in the May 1957 issue of the magazine as part of an article called "What Dorothy Dandridge did in the Woods", <ref>"Confidential Settles Libel Suit by Dorothy Dandridge." *The Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet*, 26 May 1957, p. 32.</ref> was settled for $10,000 in early June 1957.<ref>Levette, Harry. "Gossip of the Movie Lost." *The Call*, 7 June 1957, p. 8.</ref>
 ==California Criminal Libel Trial==

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Interview with Fred Otash", August 25, 1957, | https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll90/id/25/rec/28</ref>
-A suit against Confidential Magazine brought by actress Dorothy Dandridge, related to claims in the May 1957 issue of the magazine, was settled in early June 1957.<ref>Levette, Harry. "Gossip of the Movie Lost." *The Call*, 7 June 1957, p. 8.</ref>
+A libel suit against Confidential Magazine brought by actress Dorothy Dandridge, related to claims in the May 1957 issue of the magazine as part of an article called "What Dorothy Dandridge did in the Woods", <ref>"Confidential Settles Libel Suit by Dorothy Dandridge." *The Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet*, 26 May 1957, p. 32.</ref>
 ==California Criminal Libel Trial==

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 * Actor [[Errol Flynn]] had a two-way mirror on a ceiling installed so that he could watch his guests sleep and make love. Flynn filed a multi-million dollar libel lawsuit against the magazine for publishing this story. Later, after Flynn had died, his widow admitted the story was true when she sold the home.<ref>"Errol Flynn's 1m Funhouse", Evening Standard, Jan 12, 1978, Page 13 | https://www.newspapers.com/image/721841963/</ref>
-==Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda==
+==Hollywood Fights Back with Propaganda & Lawsuits==
 Hollywood fought back against Confidential with an anti-Confidential propaganda film, ''Slander'' (1956). In the movie, the Publisher is killed by his own mother. Hollywood again featured a clone of Confidential in 1997's "L.A. Confidential" where the name of the publication is featured as "''Hush Hush''."
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 [[Mike Wallace]] interviewed Confidential's Private Investigator Fred Otash in 1957.<ref>"
 Interview with Fred Otash", August 25, 1957, | https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll90/id/25/rec/28</ref>
 ==California Criminal Libel Trial==

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:16, October 16, 2024
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	Instead of being retried, Publisher Harrison declared that Confidential would no longer do exposes. The government then relented and declined to refile the charges against Confidential.		Instead of being retried, Publisher Harrison declared that Confidential would no longer do exposes. The government then relented and declined to refile the charges against Confidential.
		+
		+	==Changes in Ownership==
		+
		+	Robert Harrison founded the magazine in 1952, and then sold his interest in the magazine in 1958. It was sold to a company, and then sold again later to Newsline Publications, Inc. through the 1970s and its demise. The ownership of its [[intellectual property]] rights is unknown.

	==Slow Decline==		==Slow Decline==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Confidential Magazine''' was a tabloid magazine published from 1952-1978. Some have labelled it a 'scandal' magazine.
+'''Confidential Magazine''' was a [[tabloid]] [[magazine]] published from 1952-1978. Some have labelled it a 'scandal' magazine.
-Vanity Fair described Confidential as a 'gossip machine' that "redefined celebrity journalism." <ref>"Confidential's Reign of Terror", Vanity Fair, Gabler, Neal, April 2003, https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2003/4/confidentials-reign-of-terror</ref> Novelist [[Tom Wolfe]] referred to Confidential as “the most scandalous scandal magazine in the history of the world.”
+[[Vanity Fair]] described Confidential as a 'gossip machine' that "redefined celebrity journalism." <ref>"Confidential's Reign of Terror", Vanity Fair, Gabler, Neal, April 2003, https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2003/4/confidentials-reign-of-terror</ref> Novelist [[Tom Wolfe]] referred to Confidential as “the most scandalous scandal magazine in the history of the world.”
 The magazine was notable for [[Investigative Journalism|investigative journalism]] about public figures in politics and Hollywood. Publisher [[Robert Harrison]] brought on former Communist [[Howard Rushmore]] to help cover and expose Communist agents in the government. In time, Harrison also found readers enjoyed reading the real-life stories of famous celebrities.

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 ==California Criminal Libel Trial==
-In 1957, the publication was charged in California with [[criminal libel]].<ref>http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/confidential/confidentialaccount.html</ref> This came in the wake of the magazine's most notorious period, from 1954-1958. The suit for [[criminal libel]] was filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney and the then-California Attorney General [[Pat Brown]], who then ran for and became [[Governor]] of [[California]]. The testimony featured former editor [[Howard Rushmore]] testifying against his former employer.
+In 1957, the publication was charged in California with [[criminal libel]].<ref>http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/confidential/confidentialaccount.html</ref><ref>https://famous-trials.com/confidentialmagazine/2332-home</ref> This came in the wake of the magazine's most notorious period, from 1954-1958. The suit for [[criminal libel]] was filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney and the then-California Attorney General [[Pat Brown]], who then ran for and became [[Governor]] of [[California]]. The testimony featured former editor [[Howard Rushmore]] testifying against his former employer.
 The case ended in a mistrial, with the jury deadlocked 7-5 for conviction.<ref>"MISTRIAL VERDICT FOR CONFIDENTIAL: Foreman Tells Judge Jury Is Hopelessly Split 7 to 5 in Libel Conspiracy Case Oct. 10 Set for Hearing Freedom of Press Cited", New York, N.Y: New York Times Company, The New York Times, October 2, 1957, p.18</ref> There were allegations that jurors were being bribed.<ref>"Map New Confidential Case Action, Mistrial is Declared", Valley News, Oct 3, 1957, Page 52 | https://www.newspapers.com/image/30324078/</ref>

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:57, June 16, 2024
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	The magazine was notable for [[Investigative Journalism\|investigative journalism]] about public figures in politics and Hollywood. Publisher [[Robert Harrison]] brought on former Communist [[Howard Rushmore]] to help cover and expose Communist agents in the government. In time, Harrison also found readers enjoyed reading the real-life stories of famous celebrities.		The magazine was notable for [[Investigative Journalism\|investigative journalism]] about public figures in politics and Hollywood. Publisher [[Robert Harrison]] brought on former Communist [[Howard Rushmore]] to help cover and expose Communist agents in the government. In time, Harrison also found readers enjoyed reading the real-life stories of famous celebrities.
		+
		+	The primary sources for the magazine about Hollywood were Ronnie Quillan, Francesca de Scaffa, and private investigator Fred Otash.<ref>"Confidential: The 'National Enquirer' Of The 1950s", National Public Radio 'Fresh Air', March 2, 2010, \| https://www.npr.org/transcripts/123584348</ref>

	==USPS Refuses to Distribute==		==USPS Refuses to Distribute==

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 * Bernstein, Samuel (2006). Mr. Confidential: The Man, His Magazine & The Movieland Massacre That Changed Hollywood Forever. Walford Press.
 * Scott, Henry E. (2010). Shocking True Story: The Rise and Fall of Confidential, "America's Most Scandalous Scandal Magazine". Pantheon
 ==References==