Jean Elizabeth Spangler, an American actress, was born on September 2, 1923. She began her acting career in the late 1940s, landing bit parts in several Hollywood films. Spangler's life took a dramatic turn when she mysteriously disappeared on October 7, 1949.
On the evening of her disappearance, Spangler left her home in Los Angeles, telling her sister-in-law that she was going to meet her ex-husband before heading to work as an extra on a film set. She was last seen alive at a grocery store several blocks from her home around 6:00 p.m.
Two days later, Spangler's purse was discovered in a remote area of Griffith Park, approximately 5.5 miles from her home. The purse contained a letter addressed to "Kirk", which mentioned visiting a doctor. This led Kirk Douglas, who had worked with Spangler on the film Young Man with a Horn, to contact the police and clear his name. Douglas claimed he was in Palm Springs at the time of Spangler's disappearance, a claim that the police accepted.
Spangler's disappearance sparked a range of theories, including the possibility that she died in a botched abortion or fled with Los Angeles gangsters with whom she was acquainted. Despite numerous investigations and speculations, no additional evidence has been uncovered, and Spangler's whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
