Having been played by a number of actors, Charles Manson appears in many movies and television shows, both true life and fictional. Including a Kate Trinity favourite, American Horror Story where Evan Peters played him in Episode 10.
Charles Manson Enters the Criminal Justice System
Driving a car across state lines at the age of seventeen earned him a stretch in federal prison. Where he committed eight counts of assault before being transferred.
After his release at age 19, he met and married Rosalie Willis and the pair headed for California. Unfortunately, the car they drove took was stolen. Fortunately, Rosalie became pregnant, helping Charlie get probation and avoid time in prison for the theft. One month after Charles Jr. was born his father went to prison for 3 years when his probation was revoked. It took his wife a year to find someone new and file for divorce.
The Pimp
Upon his release in 1958, he began pimping. Conned money from a young woman and a year later got a suspended sentence for stealing checks out of mailboxes. Charles Luther, Charles’ second son was the result of his marriage to prostitute Candy Stevens.
Charged with crossing state lines and intended prostitution, he was given a seven-year sentence in McNeil Island Penitentiary off the Washington State Coast. And it was here Manson’s interest in Scientology and writing music began. Studying the religion and practising his music whenever he could -writing songs and singing. Whilst he was inside, Candy Stevens filed for divorce.
You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody’s crazy.
Charles Manson
A Famous Musician
Single, free and determined to become a famous musician Manson headed to San Francisco with his guitar. Here he met Mary Brunner, a Berkley Librarian, who gave him a place to stay. It wasn’t long before Charles had her doing drugs with him and she quit her job to be the first of his devoted followers.
Lynette Fromme came next, a delinquent teen who left home after an argument with her father and ended up in Venice Beach where she met Charles. And would become the head of the cult that would become known as The Family whilst Charles served prison time. Eventually being arrested and imprisoned for the attempted assassination of President Henry Ford.
But they weren’t the last. Entranced by Manson’s prophetic proclamations and strange songs, many lost vulnerable souls joined him. Seeing him as a guru, Manson enjoyed the position he held. He was still hoping for that elusive music fame, and when nothing came of a meeting between himself and music producer Terry Melcher, he and a number of his followers headed for Spahn Ranch. Where they moved in, on the promise of helping the ageing owner of the once profitable ranch, and grew The Family.
Part 3 Coming Friday
For the purposes of this series of posts, these were the online resources used [08/2019]: (1) Lynette Alice ‘Squeaky’ Fromme https://www.thoughtco.com/lynette-alice-squeaky-fromme-972729. (2) Biography https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/charles-manson. (3) Biography of …, Mass Murderer https://www.thoughtco.com/charles-manson-cult-leader-serial-killer-1779365. (4) Quotes on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/150550.Charles_Manson. (5) All the actors who’ve played … https://www.insider.com/charles-manson-hollywood-portrayals-tv-movies-2019-7#matt-smith-was-unrecognizable-as-manson-in-the-2018-film-charlie-says-8. (6) 12 Actors Who Have Played Charles Manson https://www.thewrap.com/actors-played-charles-manson-movies-tv-steve-railsback-evan-peters/. (7) The Best Sharon Tate and Charles Manson Movies in 2019 https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a27687750/charles-manson-sharon-tate-movies/. (8) Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#/media/File:FolsomStatePrison.jpg.
Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
