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Image / Photograph of murdered cowboy film extra Johnny Tyacke, Los Angeles, July 1940

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Title
Photograph of murdered cowboy film extra Johnny Tyacke, Los Angeles, July 1940
Date Created and/or Issued
between July 15 and July 18, 1940
1940-07-15/1940-07-18
Publication Information
Los Angeles Daily News
Contributing Institution
UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
Collection
Los Angeles Daily News Negatives
Rights Information
US
Description
Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds.
Photograph of cowboy motion picture extra John Ainsworth Tyacke a.k.a. Johnny Tyke, who was murdered by fellow extra Jerome "Blackjack" Ward in Gower Gulch, the name given to the area near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street where film extras hang out waiting for work. Allegedly, Blackjack shot Tyke with a .45, but many of the hundreds of Gower Gulch extras who came to the trial testified that Tyke had started the fight and was “doped up” at the time. Blackjack entered a plea of not guilty based on self defense and temporary insanity and he was ultimately set free.
Handwritten annotation from nitrate negative: [John Tyke]
Text from original nitrate sleeve: Ward, Jerome "Blackjack" (Shot and killed John Tyke, on Sunset Blvd. 2-23-40); Jackson, Yukon Jake; Tyke, John; Ward, Mickey - Mrs.; Ellenson, W.A. - Lt.
Type
image
Format
b&w nitrate negative
Identifier
ark:/21198/zz0027zz86
Language
No linguistic content
Subject
Entertainment
Cowboys--California--Los Angeles
Victims of crimes--California--Los Angeles
Crime
Homicides--California--Los Angeles
Disaster
Photographs
Tyacke, John Ainsworth
Source
Los Angeles Daily News Negatives

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