A Girl Named Holly, Who Likes a Good Wood | Dorothy Stratten and Ramon Navarro

Written By Brandon Dziedzic

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Episode 25

To be clear, this episode is about Hollywood, not wood as a weapon. So if you've ever wondered about those killings that are shrouded in the glitz and glam of Hollywood, today's your day! Are we surprised that Hugh Hefner and homophobia play a huge role in today's stories? Unfortunately, no.

First, Brandon is introducing us to a Dorothy Stratten, a woman that went from being an ice cream attendant to Playboy's Playmate of the Year. Not that we need to take anything this guy says seriously, but Hugh Hefner went on the record to say:

"there is still a great tendency for this thing to fall into the classic cliché of ‘small town girl comes to Playboy, comes to Hollywood, life in the fast lane… That is not what really happened. A very sick guy saw his meal ticket and his connection to power, whatever, slipping away. And it was that that made him kill her."

At the end of the day, that's a very convenient narrative for Hugh, the ring leader of the Playboy Mansion, to subscribe to. So you'll just have to listen for yourself to decide what you think is true!

Next, Kevin is taking us way back in time to the 20s when the...dust bowl ...happened?? Oh wait, no! The Roaring 20s. That's what he meant. Those two historical events are apparently pretty easily confused!

But if you've ever taken a film history class, you've probably heard the name Ramon Navarro. He was a Mexican Actor who began his career in 1917 in American silent films. He quickly became a leading man and one of the top Actors of the 1920s and early 1930s films!

His life would end tragically when two homophobic and deeply disturbed hustlers decided to play judge, jury and executioner. Tune in to learn what came of his assailants. We hope it will make you incredibly angry so we can all grab our pitchforks and go...vote! This is your friendly reminder to get out there and vote this November!!

Resources and References

Learn more about Dorothy Stratten:

Learn more about Ramon Novarro:

Brandon Dziedzic
It was at an early age that Brandon Dziedzic, a graphic designer based in Denver, CO, was introduced to the wonderful world of design. Regardless of being a nuisance to his mother, it was their frequent weekend trips to local antique shops that intrigued Brandon. Every paper, piece of fabric, and piece of furniture had to be touched. He couldn't get enough of the different textures and designs that spread across the store floors. His desire and addiction to tactile objects quickly became his passion. It was this curiosity that shaped Brandon's decision to pursue his career. Choosing to attend a selective Graphic Communications program at his local technical high school, Brandon began to submerge himself in every aspect the program had to offer. Package design, ad design, photo manipulation, and printing on print presses helped shape his decision to major in Graphic Design and become a unique Graphic Designer. After searching numerous colleges Brandon finally decided to continue his education at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. Not only did the beautiful weather and beaches entice him the Graphic and Interactive Communications department Ringling offered was one of the best he had seen. Throughout his four years he learned the complete circle of design, layout, typography, structure, and balance which quickly granted him many opportunities during his undergraduate years. After graduation and the excitement of living in the sunshine state had dwindled, Brandon decided to take a chance and move to New York City, the city of opportunity. With $300 in his pocket, all of his possessions packed in to an oversized 16’ moving truck, Brandon made his way to the big apple. After a grueling job search that seemed to last forever, yet lasted only a few months, Brandon quickly landed a Junior Design position for an educational software company called Wireless Generation. Here, his already abundant knowledge base of print design, book layout, typography, and branding design grew to include app design and user interface. It was from this experience Brandon began to develop a client base and pursue design opportunities all over New York City and beyond. Brandon currently holds a Graphic Designer position with The Integer Group in Denver, CO. In his free time Brandon loves searching for new design ideas, exploring the great city of New York, crafting, traveling, volunteering, spending time with his husband Kevin and cat Kay, and as always, searching for new freelance opportunities to enhance his designer mind. If you may have any graphic design related inquiries, please feel free to contact Brandon at bdziedzic09@gmail.com.
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Hammer Time | Tyler Hadley and Brian Blackwell