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Lost LA

The Sensational Story of Griffith J. Griffith

Griffith J. Griffith was an outsized figure in Los Angeles society in the early 1900s. Now best known for the massive green space he donated to the city — Griffith Park — Griffith J. Griffith also tackled with a darker side to his personality. On September 1903, his troubles came bubbling up to the surface. On that day, in Hotel Arcadia, Santa Monica, Griffith J. Griffith, philanthropist extraordinaire, shot his wife in the head. His attempted murder of his wife made headlines that affected his public standing for years to come. Historian Mike Eberts, author of "Griffith Park: A Centennial History" and Casey Schreiner, author of "Discovering Griffith Park: A Local's Guide," unravels the complicated story of Griffith J. Griffith.

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