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- Hollywood star and Playboy model murdered by jealous husband while dating famous director (themirror.com)
The Tragic End of a Rising Star: The Story of Dorothy Stratten
Los Angeles, CA – The bright lights of Hollywood can often mask a darker reality, a truth tragically embodied by the life and untimely death of Dorothy Stratten. A burgeoning actress and Playboy Playmate, Stratten’s promising career was cut short at the tender age of 20, a victim of a horrific murder-suicide orchestrated by her estranged husband, Paul Schneider. Her passing sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, leaving behind a legacy of what could have been.
Born Dorothy Ruth Hoogstraten in Vancouver, British Columbia, on February 28, 1960, Stratten’s journey to stardom began in an unlikely place: a local Dairy Queen, where she worked part-time as a teenager. There, she met Paul Schneider, a 26-year-old club promoter and pimp who would ultimately play a central, and devastating, role in her life.
Schneider, recognizing Stratten’s striking beauty, hired a photographer to capture nude images of her, which he then submitted to Playboy Magazine in the summer of 1978. This bold move led to a test shoot in Los Angeles, culminating in Stratten being chosen as a finalist for the 25th Anniversary Great Playmate Hunt. The couple subsequently relocated to LA, and they were married in June of the following year.
Stratten’s star was undeniably on the ascent. She was named Playboy’s Miss August 1979 and worked as a bunny at the iconic Playboy Club in Century City.
However, even as her career blossomed, a sinister undercurrent began to emerge. Friends and loved ones, including Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, voiced concerns about Schneider, describing him as intensely jealous and dangerous, urging Stratten to leave him.
Schneider’s abuse was multifaceted, encompassing emotional, physical, and financial control. As Stratten’s career soared, reaching its peak with her being crowned Playmate of the Year in 1980, she began to distance herself from the toxic marriage.
In March 1980, Stratten traveled to New York City to film what would become her final cinematic appearance, the romantic comedy “They All Laughed,” alongside esteemed actors Audrey Hepburn and John Ritter. It was on this set that she developed a romantic relationship with the film’s director, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. Following the production, they embarked on a 10-day vacation, and their relationship continued to flourish, with Stratten eventually moving into Bogdanovich’s Bel Air mansion.
After weeks of no contact, Stratten made the difficult decision to officially end her marriage to Schneider. She sent him a letter outlining their physical and financial separation, a move that left him desperate and financially ruined. He was subsequently barred from entering the Playboy Mansion.
Schneider’s desperation escalated. He hired a private investigator to track Stratten and made repeated attempts to legally purchase a firearm, proving difficult due to his non-US citizen status. However, on August 13, 1980, he managed to acquire a secondhand 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun through a classified ad.
The following day, August 14, Stratten and Schneider met at his home around noon to discuss their divorce and financial settlements. Despite her business manager’s advice to simply send the paperwork to her lawyer, Stratten believed a face-to-face meeting would be simpler, expressing a desire to “remain his friend.” It was a decision that would tragically seal her fate.
By 8:00 that evening, Schneider’s two roommates returned home to find Stratten’s car parked outside. Assuming the couple was in Schneider’s closed bedroom and desired privacy, they watched television for hours.
The gruesome discovery was made when they eventually opened the bedroom door: both Paul and Dorothy were dead, each from a single shotgun blast. The scene, described by one roommate as a “staged horror movie,” revealed them naked on the floor.
Investigators pieced together the tragic events. Stratten’s purse, found open in the living room with $1,100 in cash, suggested an initial conversation. Evidence indicated that Schneider shot Stratten within an hour of her arrival, then turned the gun on himself approximately an hour later.
Stratten’s murder reverberated throughout Hollywood, prompting an outpouring of grief from celebrities, including Hugh Hefner. Peter Bogdanovich, with whom Stratten had been living, penned a book about her death in 1984 titled “The Killing of a Unicorn,” in which he controversially attributed blame to Hefner and Playboy.
Years later, in 1988, Bogdanovich married Stratten’s younger sister, Louise, then 20, a marriage that ended in divorce in 2001. Upon his death in 2022, Bogdanovich was buried alongside Dorothy at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary in Los Angeles.
Dorothy Stratten’s life and tragic demise have since become a cautionary tale in pop culture, inspiring numerous works. These include the 1981 TV movie “Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story,” starring Jamie Lee Curtis, and Bob Fosse’s 1983 film “Star 80.” Her story is also referenced in Bryan Adams’ ballad “The Best Was Yet to Come” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ hit song “Californication.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, text “START” to 88788, or visit their website.