Robert F. Slatzer

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Author and filmmaker

Author and filmmaker Robert F. Slatzer died March 28 in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 77. Slatzer was known for two books he wrote on Marilyn Monroe, “The Life and Curious Death of Marilyn Monroe,” and “The Marilyn Files.”

Born in Marion, Ohio, he worked on films such as “Home in Indiana” and “The Green Grass of Wyoming” at the age of 16 before going to work as a newspaper reporter, sportscaster and fiction writer.

Slatzer claimed to have been briefly married to Monroe in 1952, although little proof of the marriage existed, and made it his mission to disprove that she committed suicide in his two books.

A writer for several movie studios including Mongram, Republic, Universal, MGM, Columbia and Parmount, Slatzer wrote and directed films including “The Hellcats” and “Bigfoot.” He also worked on TV shows including “The Great Outdoors” series, “Let’s Go Boating,” and other shows including “Highway Patrol” and “Wagon Train.” He also authored bios of Bing Crosby and John Wayne. An authority on Westerns, he had recently completed a book and docu, “The Celluloid Cowboy” with his friend Andrew Ettinger.

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He is survived by his wife Deborah and several nieces and nephews.

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