[Dixielandjazz] FW: The death of Don Murray

[Bill Haesler]

Dear friends,
This is from Gary Stevens on the JTSM list.
Any info from DJMLers?
I have yet to check, but recall a reference to Murray having 'fallen' off the
running board of a car in a basement carpark in LA, which his friends (in the
Ted Lewis band) thought a bit suspect. I will check my references, as soon as I
get my other chores out of the way.
Fred Spencer. Did you come across this one in your research for your book "Jazz
and Death. Medical Profiles of
Jazz Greats"?
Kind regards,
Bill.

   Based on recent investigative reporting by our membership (e.g., 3
Clarinets), I am hopeful of having similar expertise resolve the somewhat
conflicting details I have read over the years concerning the excellent, sadly
underrated and even more sadly short-lived Don Murray, particularly in regard to
the circumstances of his death.
   In "Lost Chords" (p.61) Sudhalter writes: "...Don Murray expires in a Los
Angeles hospital just when he seems about to recover from an auto accident."
   In "Classic Jazz" (p.165) Scott Yanow writes: "A heavy drinker, he apparently
fell on his head against a parked car and was rushed to a hospital."  Not to put
too fine a point of things, the foregoing is not what would normally be termed
an "auto accident."
   On p.220 Sudhalter puts it this way: "Don Murray, who had been with him [Ted
Lewis] since early 1928, had been killed in Los Angeles in June..."  But
Sudhalter's earlier words, cited above, don't reconcile with "killed" - at
least, not for me.
   Now back to Yanow: "While making a recovery, Don Murray resumed drinking,
against doctor's orders..."  Presumably, all of these circumstances relate to a
single hospitalization, brought about by the "accident."  Did Murray resume
drinking while a hospital patient?  How could that have come about?  What was
the actual cause of his death?
And what sort of head injury would be exacerbated by drinking during the
recovery period?
   Yes, I'm aware that the last question sounds very naive, and invites the
response "Any sort of head injury."  But I'm no doctor, and even if you're not,
either, you may be able to shed some light on this.
   Finally...I read somewhere (that's my source) years ago that Don Murray was
beaten to death by thugs working for a gangster whose woman Murray had been
seeing.  I know this sounds like Hollywood stuff, but that doesn't mean it's
untrue.  Could that have been how he "fell on his head against a parked car"?

   Any clarifications will be much appreciated.  One thing is for sure: I'm
asking the right people.
   Thanks.