Recently, a new book was published that delves into the private files of Hollywood’s most notorious private detective, Fred Otash. The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn” reveals shocking revelations from Otash’s previously unseen investigative files.
Otash, who passed away in 1992 at 70, was known for keeping Hollywood’s darkest secrets. The Lebanese-American, who served in the Marine Corps during WWII, moved to Los Angeles in 1945 and joined the LAPD, where he gained a reputation as a renegade cop. In 1955, he launched his own detective bureau and became a freelancer for the tabloid Confidential.
Co-authors Manfred Westphal and Josh Young were granted access to Otash’s archives by his daughter Colleen, with whom they had developed a friendship over the years. “One of the driving forces was to tell the story of his life, the cases he was involved in, and what really happened – what actually happened,” Young stated in an interview with Fox News Digital.
The book alleges that Otash was hired by Peter Lawford to “do anything to remove anything incriminating” about his brothers-in-law, President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who were rumored to have had affairs with Hollywood’s most famous sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe. Otash claimed to have audio recordings of Monroe engaging in sexual activities with the president.
According to the authors, Lawford’s beach house was known as Kennedy’s crash pad for secret rendezvous with various women, including fellow actress Jayne Mansfield. Otash’s recordings allegedly prove that Monroe was not Kennedy’s first mistress, but she became the “main figure” due to her fame. The book also claims that while Kennedy’s wife, Jackie Kennedy, stayed behind in Boston, he would often “go hunting” or “bed Hollywood starlets.”
In addition to his surveillance on Monroe, Otash also claimed to have heard her final phone call before her death in August 1962. He alleged that after speaking to Lawford and Kennedy, Monroe called Lawford again and reportedly said, “Say goodbye to [your wife] Pat. Say goodbye to the president and say goodbye to yourself because you’re a nice guy.” Rather than calling for help, Lawford allegedly began rummaging for evidence that could implicate anyone.
Marilyn Monroe’s affair with JFK confirmed on wiretap by private investigator, book claims https://t.co/CD12QYSs1Z
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 2, 2024
Otash’s tapes provide a unique perspective on the events leading up to Monroe’s death, adding another piece to the puzzle of her mysterious passing. While Otash may have regretted how Hollywood’s system ultimately consumed Monroe, he was also aware of the dangers of the industry. “Ultimately, he saw how she was swallowed up by the system,” Young explained. “He saw what it did to her…I don’t know if ‘regret’ is the exact word…but what happened to her affected him.”
Marilyn Monroe sings happy birthday to JFK at a fundraising gala in Madison Square Garden in 1962 pic.twitter.com/TCzaMrcf62
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) January 28, 2024
Monroe’s death at the young age of 36 continues to fascinate and intrigue people to this day. The release of “The Fixer” provides new insight into the events surrounding her death and sheds light on a dark and often overlooked side of Hollywood’s past. With Otash’s archives now available, we may never know the full extent of what happened that fateful night, but the book offers a glimpse into a world of scandal, power, and corruption.
