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Fred Otash

Summary

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 detective; he is most remembered as "the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character Jake Gittes in the film, Chinatown.[1] He was interviewed numerous times in the media, including in 1957 by Mike Wallace, an interview that can be viewed online via the University of Texas.[2]

Early life and family edit

Fred Otash was the youngest of six children born to Lebanese immigrants Habib Otash and Marian Jabour; his siblings were: Evelyn Abisalih, Grace Steiner, Selma Otash, Lila Merhige, and one brother, Mitchell.[3]

Career edit

Otash worked for Hollywood Research Incorporated, which did business with the tabloid magazine Confidential.[4] He is also known for being hired by Peter Lawford to investigate Marilyn Monroe.[4] 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.[5]

Otash also was involved in the investigation of the "Wrong Door Raid" involving Frank Sinatra.[citation needed]

Personal life edit

On January 6, 1950, Otash married film actress Doris Houck, at the Beverly Hills courthouse. They were divorced twice: the first order was vacated following a November 1950 reconciliation,[6] and their final divorce was granted June 19, 1952.[7] He maintained residences at the Jockey Club, in Miami, Florida, and in Cannes, France. Otash suffered from emphysema and high blood pressure.

Death edit

Otash died at the age of 70, on October 5, 1992, at his West Hollywood home. He was survived by his daughter, Colleen Gabrielle Otash.[6]

Legacy edit

Otash wrote about his life in his memoir, Investigation Hollywood: Memoirs of Hollywood's Top Private Detective.[8]

The 1974 film Chinatown's main character, played by Jack Nicholson, was also based in part on Fred Otash.[9]

Author James Ellroy has used a fictionalized version of Fred Otash in all three of the novels in his Underworld USA Trilogy;[10] Otash appears in The Cold Six Thousand and Blood's a Rover.[10] Otash is also the main character in the sordid, fictional Ellroy novella, Shakedown, which Ellroy was in development with for HBO, in 2013.[11] In 2021, Ellroy published a full-length novel narrated by the fictional Otash, Widespread Panic.[12] It was followed in 2023 by a sequel, The Enchanters.

References edit

  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. ^ Oliver, Myrna (1992-10-08). "Fred Otash; Colorful Hollywood Private Eye and Author". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  4. ^ a b Galloway, Stephen (2013-06-06). "Rock Hudson's Wife Secretly Recorded His Gay Confession". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  5. ^ Jones, M.A. "US Government Memorandum" (PDF). National Archives. NARA. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Divorced Star Rejoins Her Cop a Week Later". Daily News. New York, New York City. November 5, 1950. p. B 10. Retrieved January 25, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "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.  
  8. ^ Otash, Fred, Investigation Hollywood: Memoirs Of Hollywood's Top Private Detective (1976), Henry Regnery Company. ISBN 0809280132
  9. ^ Morales, Eric (2013-06-10). "Private Investigator: 'I listened to Marilyn Monroe die'". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
  10. ^ a b Galloway, Stephen (2013-06-06). "Rock Hudson's Wife Secretly Recorded His Gay Confession". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  11. ^ "FX, James Ellroy Developing Drama Based on Famed Detective Fred Otash", by Lesley Goldberg, April 22, 2013.
  12. ^ Ellroy, James (2021), Widespread Panic, ISBN 9781785152580, OCLC 1245842550, retrieved 2021-06-20

External links edit

  • Fred Otash at IMDb
  • http://articles.latimes.com/1992-10-08/news/mn-826_1_fred-otash retrieved June 23, 2012
  • http://venetianvase.co.uk/2010/01/27/fred-otash-private-eye-to-the-stars/ retrieved June 23, 2012
  • http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/otash_fred_t.html retrieved June 23, 2012
  • http://www.pimall.com/nais/pivintage/fredotash.html retrieved June 23, 2012
  • http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2011/02/back-in-the-news-fred-otash.html retrieved June 24, 2012
  • Gebremariam, Mereb (10 June 2013). "Marilyn Monroe Death: Fred Otash Witnessed Murder? Heard Tapes Of Sex Scandal With President Kennedy, Conspiracy Plot Thickens". Mstars News. Mstars News. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  • "Marilyn Monroe's death, sex with JFK, taped by private eye Fred Otash". news.com.au. news.com.au. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  • "Old Hollywood Post: The Fred Otash Files". 7 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  • Schumann, Rebecka (11 June 2013). "Marilyn Monroe Sex Tape: Private Investigator Fred Otash Reveals He Spied On JFK Love Affair". International Business Times. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  • http://blog.everlasting-star.net/2013/06/relationships/fred-otash-the-marilyn-tapes/ posted 7 June 2013, retrieved 24 June 2013
  • http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rock-hudsons-wife-secretly-recorded-562508?page=show published June 6, 2013, retrieved June 24, 2013
  • "Fred Otash". Find a Grave. Retrieved 11 June 2013.

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