New program on James Ellroy's mother's murder - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

crystaldawn · 11-09-2006, 11:20 AM

CourtTV has a new show titled "Murder By The Book". I believe the first episode of this series is being shown Monday, November 13th at 10 pm eastern and will profile the still unsolved murder of James Ellroy's mother which as most of you will remember was featured on UM. Just a heads up for those of you who might be interested:

http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/m...ook/index.html

nohwheregirl · 11-09-2006, 01:39 PM

OMG, I can't believe that's James Ellroy! He looks so different. Has he been ill?

Thanks for the heads up, Crystaldawn. I've been kind of frustrated with the lack of good shows on Court TV lately. It's all "Cops" and psychics these days, but this looks like it could be interesting.

crystaldawn · 11-09-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nohwheregirl

OMG, I can't believe that's James Ellroy! He looks so different. Has he been ill?

Thanks for the heads up, Crystaldawn. I've been kind of frustrated with the lack of good shows on Court TV lately. It's all "Cops" and psychics these days, but this looks like it could be interesting.

My pleasure.

Yes I thought he looked pretty old and haggard myself. I hadn't heard if he's been sick. Sounds like it will be a pretty disturbing program as the clip promoting it on CourtTV he said something to the effect "the love I had for my mother was perverse"

Yes I agree too much psychic crap on CourtTV. They need to show more Forensic Files or that type of show IMO.

nohwheregirl · 11-09-2006, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Sounds like it will be a pretty disturbing program as the clip promoting it on CourtTV he said something to the effect "the love I had for my mother was perverse"

Eek is right. I read his book, and it's very disturbing. Let's just say that most people would never ever admit to the thoughts and feelings he reveals in his book.

UMLongtimefan · 11-13-2006, 09:59 PM

Ellroy has been pretty weird lately (addiction?.I'm just askin not accusin) when UM profiled his story he seemed likeable. Now he's telling people to refer to him as "MR ELLROY".. I'm all for formality in today's day and age but after awhile that gets pretensious. I wonder if the deliberation and focus on his mother's brutal death (especially the admission of bizzare feelings, or misunderstanding of the mother son relationship on his part)the last several years has not adversely affected him (as it would anyone) rather than trying to celebrate the positives her life had to offer. I'm not saying it was 50 years ago get over it (you don't get OVER the loss of any loved one violent or not) but I do want to encourage him to get help so he can deal with his grief while still trying to find the killer. Although, Ellroy himself says there is NO chance the real killer can be found because most of the suspects are dead and the police have lost all of the evidence of the case.

That said add me to the Court TV is slowly turning to crap (even the cases they've done during the days are boring I couldn't watch that Cape Cod one it was such a yawner). Psychic Pet Detectives and Dale Hinnman have a place.. once a week for the half hour they should be shown, but I can't stand when they are on all night or all weekend. Cops I suppose althougth Court TV seems to have the crappiest Cops episodes, but some of these new cop shows (SWAT) are stupid.

crystaldawn · 11-15-2006, 02:28 PM

Did anyone watch the program about Ellroy's mother's murder? If so any thoughts? I did and I must say he is so strange. He basically told how he couldn't stand his mother and didn't seem to mind at first that she was dead and said on more than one occasion "I hated her, I lusted for her, I got my wish in that she die". Really nothing new at all on her murder although they showed her actual crime scene photos about 15 times in the hour program which I could have done without seeing. He made the statement in the end that this was the last public comment he would make about her murder. He said he needed to get on with his life and he needed to keep his mother all to himself.

nohwheregirl · 11-27-2006, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Did anyone watch the program about Ellroy's mother's murder? If so any thoughts?

I finally saw it this weekend, Crystaldawn. Yeah, the "lust" thing was way over the top. He talks about it in his book, but more as part of his life story. It seemed to me like he was just saying it over and over for shock value in the program.

LooksLikeCRicci · 11-28-2006, 01:22 AM

He lusted after his mother? Ew. That's a little too Oedipus Rex for me....

wiseguy182 · 02-13-2013, 03:57 AM

This was on again during the weekend and I watched it. All I have to say is that James Ellroy is positively

CA-RAZAY!!!!!

Hearing him talk about how he entered into a life of crime, which including being a Peeping Tom who entered homes, and how he sniffed his mother's clothing. Grody, Grody to the max. The way he walked and talked and moved was just...odd. Hearing him recount the events right down to the most trivial, insignificant details was just beyond bizarre. I had to laugh when he said something to the effect of "it was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig wake-up call" That being said, I don't recall ever seeing this on UM, and I figure it must be a later episode.

That guy is ready for the padded room.

WishfulDreamer · 02-13-2013, 08:06 AM

I was always weirded out by him stroking the stocking that had been used to kill her. Creepy! Wiseguy, I think it was a mid to late 90s ep, but I'm not 100% positive. It had a very chilling, well-done reenactment of the killing, in which Ellroy's mother refuses to have sex with her date and then he attacks her to get it while proclaiming that he bought her drinks and dinner (obviously it's not known what he really said, but that was a scenario they presented). A witness who had served her twice at the restaurant (one of those eat in your car while the girl skates to serve you places) noted that the second time Mrs. Ellroy's hair was mussed as though she and her date had been fooling around. Ellroy literally holds the stocking that killed his mother, there's a reenactment of the police telling him his mother is dead, and a dramatic shot of the the mother's pearl necklace breaking when being attacked. It's been so long since I've seen this episode but it still comes to mind pretty vividly.

I do wish they would find out who the killer was. He is probably long gone, but still should be exposed for some answers.

Cori aka ChrisSCrush · 05-20-2019, 08:49 PM

With all the new advances in DNA, could a profile for the killer be obtained from the victim's clothing and the victim's DNA ruled out by testing her son's DNA? Of course that wouldn't rule out others such as police who had handled the evidence.

11-09-2006, 11:20 AM	#1
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	New program on James Ellroy's mother's murder CourtTV has a new show titled "Murder By The Book". I believe the first episode of this series is being shown Monday, November 13th at 10 pm eastern and will profile the still unsolved murder of James Ellroy's mother which as most of you will remember was featured on UM. Just a heads up for those of you who might be interested: http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/m...ook/index.html

11-09-2006, 01:39 PM	#2
nohwheregirl THE Mystery Machine Senior Member Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Posts: 1,057	OMG, I can't believe that's James Ellroy! He looks so different. Has he been ill? Thanks for the heads up, Crystaldawn. I've been kind of frustrated with the lack of good shows on Court TV lately. It's all "Cops" and psychics these days, but this looks like it could be interesting.

11-13-2006, 09:59 PM	#5
UMLongtimefan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2006 Location: ??? Posts: 161	Ellroy has been pretty weird lately (addiction?.I'm just askin not accusin) when UM profiled his story he seemed likeable. Now he's telling people to refer to him as "MR ELLROY".. I'm all for formality in today's day and age but after awhile that gets pretensious. I wonder if the deliberation and focus on his mother's brutal death (especially the admission of bizzare feelings, or misunderstanding of the mother son relationship on his part)the last several years has not adversely affected him (as it would anyone) rather than trying to celebrate the positives her life had to offer. I'm not saying it was 50 years ago get over it (you don't get OVER the loss of any loved one violent or not) but I do want to encourage him to get help so he can deal with his grief while still trying to find the killer. Although, Ellroy himself says there is NO chance the real killer can be found because most of the suspects are dead and the police have lost all of the evidence of the case. That said add me to the Court TV is slowly turning to crap (even the cases they've done during the days are boring I couldn't watch that Cape Cod one it was such a yawner). Psychic Pet Detectives and Dale Hinnman have a place.. once a week for the half hour they should be shown, but I can't stand when they are on all night or all weekend. Cops I suppose althougth Court TV seems to have the crappiest Cops episodes, but some of these new cop shows (SWAT) are stupid.

11-15-2006, 02:28 PM	#6
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Did anyone watch the program about Ellroy's mother's murder? If so any thoughts? I did and I must say he is so strange. He basically told how he couldn't stand his mother and didn't seem to mind at first that she was dead and said on more than one occasion "I hated her, I lusted for her, I got my wish in that she die". Really nothing new at all on her murder although they showed her actual crime scene photos about 15 times in the hour program which I could have done without seeing. He made the statement in the end that this was the last public comment he would make about her murder. He said he needed to get on with his life and he needed to keep his mother all to himself.

11-28-2006, 01:22 AM	#8
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	He lusted after his mother? Ew. That's a little too Oedipus Rex for me....

02-13-2013, 03:57 AM	#9
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	This was on again during the weekend and I watched it. All I have to say is that James Ellroy is positively CA-RAZAY!!!!! Hearing him talk about how he entered into a life of crime, which including being a Peeping Tom who entered homes, and how he sniffed his mother's clothing. Grody, Grody to the max. The way he walked and talked and moved was just...odd. Hearing him recount the events right down to the most trivial, insignificant details was just beyond bizarre. I had to laugh when he said something to the effect of "it was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig wake-up call" That being said, I don't recall ever seeing this on UM, and I figure it must be a later episode. That guy is ready for the padded room.

02-13-2013, 08:06 AM	#10
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	I was always weirded out by him stroking the stocking that had been used to kill her. Creepy! Wiseguy, I think it was a mid to late 90s ep, but I'm not 100% positive. It had a very chilling, well-done reenactment of the killing, in which Ellroy's mother refuses to have sex with her date and then he attacks her to get it while proclaiming that he bought her drinks and dinner (obviously it's not known what he really said, but that was a scenario they presented). A witness who had served her twice at the restaurant (one of those eat in your car while the girl skates to serve you places) noted that the second time Mrs. Ellroy's hair was mussed as though she and her date had been fooling around. Ellroy literally holds the stocking that killed his mother, there's a reenactment of the police telling him his mother is dead, and a dramatic shot of the the mother's pearl necklace breaking when being attacked. It's been so long since I've seen this episode but it still comes to mind pretty vividly. I do wish they would find out who the killer was. He is probably long gone, but still should be exposed for some answers.

05-20-2019, 08:49 PM	#11
Cori aka ChrisSCrush Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 30, 2001 Location: USA and still trying to be proud of it! Posts: 2,071	With all the new advances in DNA, could a profile for the killer be obtained from the victim's clothing and the victim's DNA ruled out by testing her son's DNA? Of course that wouldn't rule out others such as police who had handled the evidence.