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2/29/00

The death Sunday (2/27) of talent agent Hal Guthu was ruled a suicide by the coroner Tuesday afternoon. But other police sources say that Hal was murdered in a contract hit after a business deal went bad.

I hear that a safe of Hal's that kept lots of valuable information, possibly including models names and numbers, as well as photo negatives, was robbed.

I talked to Detective Scott Lusk Wednesday morning. He seeks the address for where Hal lived. Lusk's pager number is 714-201-1055.

Detectives are asking where Guthu kept his photos of famous people such as Marilyn Monroe and past client Demi Moore. At times, Hal would take out these photos and show them off. They're worth thousands of dollars.

From GeneRoss.com: "Police are working on what stands now to be an uncontestable theory that agent Hal Guthu took his life in a very elaborate suicide, that Guthu cleared out all his property, set fire to his place and shot himself this past Sunday night. Both forensics and a coroner's report now support this theory, according to police. Police originally worked on the notion that Guthu may have been murdered but have since ruled that out. According to photog David Story who knew Guthu for 35 years, it wasn't likely that someone would have gotten the drop on Guthu and would have robbed him. "Nobody snuck up on him," said Story. "His desk faced Santa Monica Blvd. He could see out. Nobody could see in. You couldn't get in unless he buzzed you in. He was never in on the wekends unless he was building a set. He would not have opened the safe for anybody, even if he had a gun to his head," said Story. "He wasn't the type." Story said he thought Guthu was fairly wealthy, owning several apartment houses and a big home in the Valley. "In all the years I've known him, I've never seen him outside the studio," said Story. "He was very secretive."

From Tuesday's Los Angeles Times:

The discovery of a charred body after a fire that gutted the offices of a West Hollywood modeling and acting agency has triggered homicide and arson investigations.

Police said the body of a man, who has not been identified, was found in the offices of CHN International Agency in the 7400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard after a fire Sunday afternoon.

The building appeared to have burned in several places at once, indicating arson, authorities said. Sheriff's investigators, looking for the owner of the agency, 78-year-old Harold Guthu, brought in a bloodhound, which found his car several blocks away on Martel Avenue.

Clients and colleagues said the agency specialized in placing people in soft porn magazines and films, but also dealt with some mainstream films.

Lauren Montgomery said she had been a client of Guthu's for three years and that he helped her get a bit part in the Warren Beatty movie "Town and Country." She described Guthu as "the sweetest man you ever met." In 1970, Guthu shot a film with adult/soft porn director Ed Wood Jr.

Reb Sawitz, another adult-model agent, had been trying to contact Guthu after the fire. "He's one of the good guys in this industry," Sawitz said.

Nick Melillo writes Luke Sunday: "Today I recieved a phone call from a talent that I wortked with from CHN International, that the building was on fire. I went over there to see and met with an investigator that had no idea who the body was. It was Hal Guthu who was the kindest agent and helpful. The building was torched on a Sunday afternoon with him inside. Strange but sad, Hal told me he hadn't worked on weekends since he stopped taking pics. I told him I try not to also. Any info on anyone whom might have talked to him on Friday or Saturday or even Saturday should contact me (nrmone@earthlink.net) or Detective Scott Lusk at 213 890 5500.

"I am a photographer been working in adult for almost 25 years on the east coast, live in LA now, publish under Nickey Milo, work for Gent, Chic, asian Fever, you know the drill, spoke to him on wednesday or thursday, send models to him and shot his models, i went their last night at 7 pm and it was obvious they didn't have id on the body so I gave them a good description , it was confirmed it was him, looks like a homocide , they are inbvestigating it as one. unusual he was there on a sunday.he was a very nice man."

Luke: Hal Guthu has represented talent for softcore work since the 1960s. Hal worked frequently with Ed Wood. Hal has always kept his distance from hardcore. I talked to Hal a couple of years ago. He did not want to do an interview. He had stayed in touch with many of his girls, including Rene Bond who recently died from liver problems.

Dag writes: I was a model at Hals. I was told by the detectives today that Hal had a long-time battle with cancer and finally couldn't take it anymore. Why was his car found a day later 2 blocks away? I've known Hal for a long time. He has never looked like he had Kemo. He wanted me to work the day before he died. Why would he care about collecting his fee the day before a suicide? On a Sat! His front teeth were missing about 2 weeks ago. He said he was in a car accident, does anyone know if that was true? He would never kill his bird. Do you know what was destroyed in the fire? Did it start it the front? I would like to know how he died exactly. Do you know? The detec. wanted to know if I know where he kept the pictures of named celebrities. I've seen em a few times. I thought it was a little odd.

Deke Babomoto writes: Back in the day, Hal used to tell me that he would never send his girls out on "spread jobs." That was before penetration in early porn. Used to hang out at his offices on Santa Monica years ago scanning his books paying his fee then approaching the girls for employment in Japanese nightclubs for an outfit I was with back then. He mentioned about 100 times that he had had some kind of relationship with buxom mainstream actress Miko Mayama but that a bit actor with a bad toup had lured her away---Burt Reynolds. This makes for second "agency" guy whacked (I'm assuming Hal was killed and the place was torched as a coverup) in the last three decades or so. Valentine's (Valentino's) Studio on Melrose across the street from the Pacific Design Center was the scene of the gruesome, bludgeon murder of it owner back in the '70s---all I remember is that the guy looked like Jerry Cologna.

Luke: About 100 pornographers have been murdered since 1970.

John Bone: "I did business with Hal Guthu years ago but Hal wasn't really in our business. Hal was ensconced in the bondage and R-rated worlds... I used to run in and see him when I was doing bondage ten years ago...and on the R-rated movies I did. He's kept himself to himself.

"I wonder if his parrot went up with him? That parrot was his life. That parrot was there all the time."

Luke: "Do you think they whacked him?"

John: "They think he was whacked, don't they? That's what they were saying on TV yesterday... If somebody whacked him, it would have to be somebody from the bondage or R-rated worlds... When something like this happens, my mind automatically goes to some idiot's boyfriend. It always seems that when it comes down to violence or shouting or carrying on, it's always the estranged boyfriend of some f---ing druggie whore that didn't tell her boyfriend that she was doing stuff. Then the boyfriend gets bent out of shape and starts blaming anybody. That's what agents are there for, isn't it?"

Veteran photographer H. David Story, who started with Milton Luros in the 1960s, writes: Luke: I know you never hear from me, but in this case I feel I would like to speak of Hal. I knew Hal Guthu for 35 years.

He was the only agent worth dealing with when I started in 1965. He was honest and never tried to beat anyone out of anything. When I met him, there were no agencies dealing with hardcore because then, it was very illegal. He just never got into it. He dealt mostly with the T&A and bondage genre. He had been in his present location for 25 years and it was rumored that he owned almost the entire block.

As the stores would go out of business, he'd snap them up. He owned around twelve apartment and condo buildings plus numerous other properties. Hal was a very careful and almost paranoid person. He got into the agency sometimes as early as 6:00 A.M. and could be found there at midnight. He never opened the front door after hours unless he knew who was there. He could see out but people could not see in. He had a buzzer that opened the door. He kept a huge safe in the back room. Every night, he locked his cameras and anything valuable in the safe. He never carried more that fifty bucks in cash in his life.

Whoever killed him must not have known him that well. But he knew who the person was or he would not have let him or her in, especially on Sunday. I agree with John when he says it is probably one of the suitcase pimps that seem to follow the girls like gnats on s---. They'll get whoever did it eventually, but that won't bring a good man back. Please let us know if you hear any more on this. And please - please, don't treat this one as a joke or point of ridicule. Thanks.

LT writes: Luke, you made the news tonight...sort of. In their "reporting" on Hal Guthue, KTTV Fox 11 said "...while a website dedicated to porn gossip lamented his death..." and they showed a computer screen with your website on it. No mention of your name though Luke. You ought to sue.

Email: Today we were near CHN and saw the devastation, Needless to say we were shocked when we went to your site, your report confirmed the worse. Although the authorities aren't saying it was Hal, we suspect it was, as do you. We are very distraught having known him and Max(his beautiful parrot). We are trying to deal with our grief as best as we can, and would like to connect with others who are feeling the same way and mourning the loss of a really nice person. Words can't describe how it feels. We have never known someone who was murdered! There are some really horrible people in this world and sometimes there paths cross with the good people and when that happens the innocent sometimes die.

We have our own theories of WhoDunit(as probably most people). If the rumors are true about his owning almost the whole block, perhaps the motive is a "land grab" perhaps by "greedy developers", perhaps connected to the mob. Has anyone asked the question of what happens to the land now? Most likely goes into probate and gets auctioned off to the highest bidder! There all also rumors afoot that the city itself is involved in some shady goings on including drugs and murder! We have some other ideas and would like to share them but only with you. Luke do you believe in Psychics and the Paranormal?, If so, you know what happens when a murder is commited. We have met a very gifted man who is capable of communicating with disembodied spirits. He has been featured on Foxs' "Sightings" and has investigated Alcatraz. Last we knew of him he lives less than 3 miles from CHN. We used to have his number but have no way to connect with him. We believe he can be instrumental in helping the authorities solve the case before it becomes just another statistic and Unsolved Hollywood Murder. We pray whoever is responsible is brought to justice as swiftly as possible so that the soul of the departed may be at rest.

From GeneRoss.com: Reader: "It's still a question of whether it was Hal's dead body. If you find a dead parrot there, it's probably Hal. He and his parrot Max were inseparable. He was convinced that this was a very well behaved bird but several other people who visited the studio had other opinions on that subject. Guthu was a reclusive guy. He supposedly started his studio in the late 50's. He was a photographer of nudes but never did hardcore. He was very much against that, although he did do some bondage at one point with Harold Lime. The two had a falling out. At which point Guthu became even more reclusive than he previously had been. Even people who described themselves as good friends didn't know where he lived or anything about his personal life. Apparently he had at least two marriages, the second of which was apparently to a blond woman whom he allegedly with on the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate where he took care of a number of chimps. Someone saw a photograph putting him at the estate, but Guthu later denied that he had ever done that."

3/1/00

The death of talent agent Hal Guthu was ruled a suicide by the coroner Tuesday afternoon. But other police sources say that Hal was murdered in a contract hit after a business deal went bad.

I hear that a safe of Hal's that kept lots of valuable information, possibly including models names and numbers, as well as photo negatives, was robbed.

GeneRoss.com reports: "...78 year-old talent agent Hal Guthu was suffering from spine cancer and had left a suicide note to that effect. Photog David Story who knew Guthu over 35 years, has been piped into this tragedy. According to what Story learned from police and other sources, police found the suicide note in Guthu's car which was parked several blocks away from his 7400 Santa Monica Blvd. business address. "I guess he took everything out of the studio," said Story. "Hal had two kids. He was married twice. He said in the note that he had spine cancer. I guess he liquidated everything for his two kids which he found in England last year or they found him. It is assumed that everything went to them."

It's interesting how differently Gene and I responded to the story. I immediately suspected that it was murder, while Gene waited to talk to official sources who ruled Guthu's death a suicide.

I talked to Detective Scott Lusk Wednesday morning. He seeks the address for where Hal lived. Lusk's pager number is 714-201-1055.

Rose writes: "They are still saying it is a suicide. They found notes and matched the signature to credit card reciepts. There was accelerant poured all over the front office but not everything burned. They took about 10 boxes of stuff out. I want this to be a suicide and be over it but it keeps bothering me that everytime I turn around there strange facts like no gun was found!"

3/3/00

Much speculation revolves around the fate of Hal's Macaw parrot Max. One source says that the coroner has pictures of Max dead. That Hal supposedly killed Max before killing himself.

Guthu supposedly suffered from inoperable spinal cancer.

Nick writes: "I recieved a call yesterday morning from Detective Lusk. At this time they are declaring Hal's death a suicide. They said there is overwhelming evidence to the this decision, first they found the gun with the shell casing. Second there was a suicide note inside his car which matched his handwriting. According to Detective Lusk they still do not know of an address for Hal and that is a big mystery. They have contacted Carol and she will be making arrangements for a memorial service, and said she would post it on Luke F-rd Website. As to Max, his fate is still unknown. Hal's safe was cleaned out and they beleive he destroyed it before Sunday. I have recieved many phone calls from concerned talent and all say the same thing, this is not that easy there is more than just a suicide. I cannot tell either only Hal knows the answer. Last year my young cousin also a photographer, committed suicide, leaving many unanswered questions. The only thing we can do is remember Hal by his good work, by his willingness to help most people and his great spirit and soul. God bless you Hal."

I've been corresponding about Guthu's demise with Nicky Milo, who is not the "N" in CHN. That Nick faded away in 1965. Nicky writes: "I am from NYC where I started my carrer with Penthouse as a photographer in 1976. I moved to florida shortly after that and worked in Plam Beach and shot freelance for Hustler and Chic. Three years ago I return to the United States after working out of Hong Kong. I primarily work in Adult but also still work for Elle Japan and Hong Kong."

On early Monday morning, Nick wrote to me: "I am a photographer been working in adult for almost 25 years on the east coast, live in LA now, publish under Nickey Milo, work for Gent, Chic, asian Fever, you know the drill, spoke to him on wednesday or thursday, send models to him and shot his models, i went their last night at 7 pm and it was obvious they didn't have id on the body so I gave them a good description , it was confirmed it was him, looks like a homocide , they are inbvestigating it as one. unusual he was there on a sunday.he was a very nice man."

I talked Thursday afternoon with Carole Hargraves, the C in CHN. CHN stood for "Carol, Hal & Nick," the three founding partners of Hal's talent agency. Nick dropped out six months after its inception. Carole left in 1970 but remained friendly with Hal. She last spoke to him two weeks ago. She did not detect depression nor any desire on his part for suicide.

Carole: "We started in 1966 on San Vicente and Beverly. Then Hal moved it to Santa Monica Blvd.

"A couple of weeks ago, we talked on the phone quite a bit. And one of the perplexing things to me is that he and I had made arrangements that anytime something were to happen to him, I was to take Max. And we have not been able to find Max yet. I do not believe it was a suicide. As I think anybody who has known him for any length of time find it hard to believe. It's not impossible that he would or could commit suicide, but the method, and Max and the car."

Luke: "What's up with parking a few blocks away?"

Carole: "That was so out of character for him. He would park in the back, religiously. Hal was very consistent. He was habitual in everything he did. In his clothing and in his eating habits. That he was incredibly protective of his private life.

"I read... bulls--- about two kids in England. They were step-children, not biological children. It was a short term marriage that ended 40 years ago. The assumption...that he [Guthu] would gather up everything and leave it to his kids is such nonsense. I know for a fact that Hal had no children. He didn't like children.

"I have a daughter and a son and they had as much of a relationship with Hal as anybody did. In fact my son was supposed to come see Hal on Monday. Hal was going to work with him on lighting because my son is a photographer."

Luke: "Why do the police want to call it a suicide? Because it makes their job easier?"

Carole: "I don't think so. Because the suicide note is a key element... And part of the way the death went down was in keeping with who he was. They're calling it a suicide at this point but they're not closing the investigation.

"I think a lot of people, because Hal worked hard, had the impression that he had more money than he had."

Luke: "Did Hal seem suicidal when you last talked to him?"

Carole: "Not at all. I knew he wasn't feeling well. Honestly, he would not admit that to me. Though he knew that I'd have supported him in whatever he wanted to do."

Luke: "That was a strange way to go, to try to burn down the block?"

Carole: "Yeah, but he was a funny guy. Sometimes he'd say 'f--- it.' But I am staying on top of this, making sure that no stone is left unturned.

"Everybody's talking about his mysterious collection but the value of it has been overblown. I know that David's speculation was that it was a business deal gone bad. Or that somebody broke in there to get his collection. But I don't believe that. If someone wanted the business, why would they destroy what they wanted? They wanted the girls phone numbers and then ended up burning everything up.

Carole says she did not know if Nick, the original partner, was still alive and that she did not know the address where Guthu lived.

Hargraves writes: "All photos, anything of value was burned in the fire and as to the business, I will keep you posted."

Carole is (artybroad@aol.com) working with Hal's sister in Oregon on the arrangements for Hal's cremation and any memorial service.

Carole: "Hal was a very moral, just person who lived a clean private life. He had respect for his models and the industry he worked in for over 50 years.

"He taught me about the desert. He taught me about myself as a photographer. As a friend. I miss him terribly."

Luke: "How much were you involved in CHN?"

Carole: "Quite a bit for a good five years ['65-'70]. But I didn't do any of the bookings. He was always in control of that. I did a lot of headshots and learning how to be a photographer.

"Hal and I would get in the car and go up to San Francisco or San Diego. And go prop shopping. We did that for years."

Luke: "Hal bought you out in 1970?"

Carole: "I don't want to go in to all that.

"Hal was like a father figure to me. He was 22 years my senior. He took over that role on an unofficial casual way... He gave me my moral structure and being on time and being neat and clean. And returning phone calls. And all the things he was characterized for."

Luke: I talked to many sources and I give them pseudonyms.

James: "I talked to a friend of Hal's for twenty years. He was not aware that Hal was either sick or depressed. There's no motive for him to kill himself. It may well have been a homocide made to look like a suicide. If it was a suicide, where was the weapon when the investigators showed up on the scene? And why try to burn down the whole block? Though Hal, at times, would get that 'f--- it' attitude."

Jim: "I want to bring a psychic in. Generally, in cases of traumatic death, places wind up being haunted. And if there is a soul that is to be released to the great beyond, it should happen or otherwise it is just a tormented soul that stays in limbo. Hal was a very sweet man. The last person we'd expect to be killed, or to kill himself.

"Funerals are for the living. You go and you say goodbye. Even more so if you believe the soul is trapped in limbo, how do you say goodbye?

"We drove by shortly after it happened. We saw the fire trucks and the carnage. We then thought we should check your site...

"Who would want Hal dead? Maybe it was a land grab. Or the Russian Mafia, which is throughout that area."

Jane: "Hal would tell me disturbing things about Paris House, a strip joint across the street. They've treated the girls badly. Hal warned me about the place. 'Stear clear, bad things happen there.' And the place has a horrible energy coming from it."

XXX: "Was the fire set before or after the shot? If he was whacked, the fire was set afterward. If he committed suicide, the fire was set before the shot.

"The sergeant gave me your website. I know that you're probably more in contact with the models...

"Perhaps it was one of the models who killed him. You know the lowlifes who hang around that area. Perhaps a model got a bit of information and thought that Hal had more than he had."

Hal normally parked behind his office but last Sunday, he parked two blocks away. Normally, Hal did not go in to work on Sunday.

XXX: "We've found a psychic who's willing to get involved if the cops are willing to work with him. The psychic has serious doubts that this was a suicide. Sargeant Lusk is willing to work with the psychic so long as that is kept out of the press and he's not subjected to ridicule."

Luke: "I talked to Carole for an hour. She's also suspicious that it was a suicide."

XXX: "She's getting everything. If it is a homocide, she's a prime suspect. So, even she says she doubts it is a suicide...

"They have to verify that he had spinal cancer. Just because a few people said that he had it...that is not enough. Everyone you talk to doubts that it was a suicide. But it has all the earmarkings of a hit.

"Hal said that Nick, the partner he had a falling out with, was not around anymore.

XXX: "Hal's body was found lying down. People don't usually shoot themselves lying down... The use of accelerant [to accelerate the fire] around the front of the shop is the hallmark of a hit. There are far more motives for homocide than for suicide. There is only one motive for suicide. Supposedly this spinal cancer. But there are at least five motives that I can come up with for homocide.

"One reason that the cops are not closing the book is that they fear there might be copycats. Who's next? Jim South or somebody? And what if they got names and phone numbers of the models?

"Supposedly the pictures have been dealt with, either torched or sold off.

"How come nobody heard the shot [that killed Guthu]? The office is within a one block proximity of residences... Did that bullet come out of a silencer?

XXX: "If the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is going to drop this, close the books, and call it a suicide, I will hire a Private Investigator. I try to be positive but I know the bureaucracy in this city. They've probably got more than 100 homocide cases right now. And if homocide calls Guthu's death a suicide, they are going to get pulled off the case. It looks like it is going to get swept under the rug. Unless they uncover something they've overlooked or the psychic brings something to the table. If this was a hit, and they're covering up, they've covered all the bases.

"Max is important to us. I can't believe that Hal would've taken himself and us. For Hal to kill Max amounts to murder because Max wasn't sick.

"There's not going to be an internment for Hal if they're still holding on to the body.

XXX: "Was the fire set first? Then it's obviously a suicide. But if second, then it was a homocide. There was accelerent poured all over the front of the office but they found the body in the back of the office. That doesn't make sense.

"The coroner's report becomes public once Guthu's property goes into probate. Put it on your site and let people read the findings, gruesome as they might be."