Before Robert Mitchum's preacher terrorized audiences in The Night of the Hunter, there was Harry Powers, the real "Bluebeard of Quiet Dell."
In 1931, a Dutch immigrant calling himself Cornelius Pierson used lonely hearts letters to lure widows during the Great Depression. Two widows and three children never came home and became part of one of the most notorious murder cases of its era.
In this episode we trace how the case went from a trial held in an opera house to Davis Grubb's 1953 novel, and then to Charles Laughton's 1955 film noir classic starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. Along the way, we look at how true crime shaped Hollywood horror, from The Night of the Hunter to Psycho and Ed Gein.
Content warning: This episode discusses real murders, including violence against children. Listener discretion is advised.
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