Friday, April 25, 2014

Winnie Ruth Judd: Arizona's Most Infamous Murderer

When: Sunday, May, 18th, 2014 from 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix. What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares the hidden history of these sites. Tickets: 
Bus Tour Follows the Footsteps of Infamous Winnie Ruth Judd and the Phoenix Trunk Murders
Marshall Shore steeps himself in the history of Phoenix that others might overlook: the cultural anomalies, the fads, the dreamers, the artists and the eccentrics that provide a unique window into our city’s past. One such character was the infamous Phoenix trunk murderer, Winnie Ruth Judd.

Back in 1931, the nation was rocked by the grisly details of this gruesome crime. On October 16, 1931, Winnie purportedly killed her two roommates, one of the bodies was cut up, both were stuffed into trunks, and taken by train to Los Angeles. It was a big job for a small woman, and the twisted tale of adultery, jealousy and murder was complicated by rumors, speculation and uncertainty. Bits and pieces of the story continue to come to light, even to this day.

“As I talk with people in my research, the most interesting things come to light, ” said Marshall, “Just recently, my phone rang and someone began telling me about the Winnie Ruth Judd victim that was cut up in their house’s basement.”

Sunday, may 18th, in true Marshall Shore style, he’s hosting a bus tour covering the historical crime. The tour runs from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, and begins and ends The Clarendon Hotel. The bus will travel along the old Brill trolley line, which will give tour-goers an idea of the shape and size of Phoenix back in Winnie’s day. Other stops will include the houses where she lived and where she met Jack Holleran, a well-known Phoenix businessman with whom she had an adulterous affair; the Grunow Clinic (still a medical clinic!) where she worked; the house where the murders took place; the train station where she attempted to board with the oozing trunks; and the old Maricopa County Courthouse where the trial took place.

Marshall promises a few surprise stops along the way and tour participants will be among the first to hear about details in the story that have recently come to light. The tour will cover more information than found in any book.
Tour participants can park at the Clarendon

When: Sunday, May 18th, 2014, from 3:30-5:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.
Tickets

Haunted Phoenix Bus Tour: a Spookier Side

When: Sunday, May 18th, 2014, from 3:30-5:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.
Tickets
Join Marshall Shore, the unofficial Arizona HipHistorian for a bus tour of historic graveyards, ruins, and ghostly haunts in downtown Phoenix. The tour commences at the Clarendon, a boutique hotel with a wildly checkered past. Once the scene of the infamous Don Bolles murder, the hotel is home to various ghosts, including some recent and some longtime residents.

The tour will include a drive by of the historic Orpheum Hotel (Adams and Second
Avenue), home to the mysterious female spirit who wanders inside; a visit to the
Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, the final resting place to notable figures in
Arizona history and folklore;  a stop at the San Carlos Hotel, home to the ghost of Leone Jensen, who has haunted its halls since
1928.

Tour participants can park at the Clarendon

When: Sunday, May 18th, 2014, from 3:30-5:30 pm
Where: Bus leaves from the Clarendon Hotel at 401 W. Clarendon, Phoenix.
What: A guided bus tour hosted by history raconteur, Marshall Shore, who shares
the hidden history of these sites.
​Tickets

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Viva Aunt Rita's fun!



Viva Aunt Rita's was a Casino Fundraiser on April 11th, of this year, that raised money for Aunt Rita's Foundation.
Marshall Shore was MC sharing the stage with fabulous show girls, Bad Cactus Brass Band, and even a Hypnotist. Check out the fun! 


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Ignite... Get your tickets

IGNITE PHOENIX #16

May 2, 2014 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Venue: Virginia G. Piper Theater at the Scottsdale
Center for the Performing Arts (Get directions)
- See more at: http://www.ignitephoenix.com/#sthash.TW1JfFLf.dpuf


Here is a presentation that I presented at Ignite 13!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

How to Host the Hip Historian, through AZ Humanities


Marshall Shore, Arizona’s Hip Historian. His passion is uncovering the weird, the wonderful, and the obscure treasures from our past: the semi-forgotten people, places, and events that have made us who we are today. Shore uses storytelling magic, found film footage, old photographs, ephemera, and artifacts to bring our state’s heritage to life in entertaining and educational presentations.

For information to book Marshall through the AZ Humanities. Contact Whitney Klotz, Programs and Grants Coordinator. Her Phone # is 602.257.0335 x23 or Email wklotz@azhumanities.org. 

Here are the available programs from the AZ Humanities catalog:

Signs of the Times: The Golden Age of Neon in Arizona 
(RS)
The rise of car travel in the 40s, 50s and 60s meant that thousands of people were
traversing the broad expanses of the Southwest looking for new landscapes and
adventure. As the cars sped past, restaurants, motels, curio shops and gas stations
needed large, bright signs to make an impression. This informative and entertaining
visual presentation explores the social significance of the rise of commercial neon
signs, and references the designers whose signs became iconic images that defined the
West in the age of the automobile.

POP-Pourri: Pop Culture in Arizona
(RS, SS)
Post-war Arizona really popped and added to the pop culture known as Americana.
The housing pop for the returning military personnel who were moving to Arizona
changed the landscape. Iconic restaurants such as KFC, McDonald’s, and Bob’s Big
Boy owe Arizona for their POP culture status. Vestiges of these post-war days are still
around and Shore tells their stories, ensuring that the memories of our vibrant past
stay alive.

Speakers in the Schools Arizona Speakers Standards
Category: Social Studies; Strand 1; Concept 9

Macabre, AZ
(RS)
Through the vehicle of true crime and spine-chilling Arizona lore, this presentation
highlights macabre stories and their historical background, including the tale of
Winnie Ruth Judd, Arizona's most infamous murderer, and the tale of the Red Ghost
and the release into the wild desert of unknown animals (today, we know them as
camels). Shore uses a blend of storytelling magic, old photographs, ephemera, and
artifacts to bring our state’s heritage to life in this entertaining and educational
presentation. The audience will leave with a unique perspective of Arizona.

Arizona Kicks on Route 66 
(RS)
U.S. Route 66, known as the “Mother Road,” was built in 1926. It ran from Chicago
to L. A. During the depression of the 1930s, it became the major path by which
people migrated west, seeking work, warm weather and new opportunities. Shore
shares the history of Route 66 in Arizona, including the impact it had on the state
during its prime, and what happened when the interstate ultimately bypassed some of
the towns that drew life from the road. This multi-media presentation includes music,
video clips, still photos, and Shore’s storytelling magic.

Look here for the complete AZ Humanities catalog

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Those Trendy Jeans Started Right Here in Arizona

Physique Pictorial art by George QuaintanceI am sure you have noticed the increase in tight fitting jeans, better known as skinny jeans. Before skinny jeans, people wore jeans as tight as they could get them, giving life to a urban legend about death by shrinking jeans. I would like to think that we can all thank an American artist who lived and created art right here in Phoenix for making tight jeans a long standing pop culture icon: a relatively unkown artist named George Quaintance. What, you’ve never heard of him? You’re not alone. The art publisher Tacshen recently released a book chronicling Quaintance’s art career. In the early 1950s, he set up his own studio in Phoenix, Arizona, where he created the works of male figurative art he is best known for today. Prior to Arizona, he studied drawing and painting in New York and Los Angeles, specializing in painting and photographing male athletes for popular physique magazines such as Physique Pictorial, edited by Bob Mizer of the famed Athletic Model Guild, or AMG. George Quaintance died of a heart attack in 1957, leaving a legacy of tight jeans and bulging..... muscles. 
Parr of Arizona, circa 1960

George QuaintanceWhat if you wanted to dress like that today? One option would be Nu-Parr of Arizona, started in the early 1950s by local architect Ralph Parachek. At Nu-Parr, men and women of today can have custom undies, posing straps, swim suits, even jeans made just for you, some utilizing patterns created 50+ years ago. A pair of custom Nu Parr of Arizona jeans are on my bucket list! Check out their history.

June 3rd is George's Birthday. Let’s celebrate his well-deserved place in
                                                  Phoenix and art history.