The Real Life Villian from ‘The Changeling’
Because after only a week of filming, I’m completely obsessed with The Changeling I thought I’d pass along some information I’ve unearthed about the real life story. As most of you know, The Changeling is based on a real case involving a missing child and a serial killer. Angelina plays the mom of a missing boy that has supposedly been returned but Mom has her doubts about it. Most likely Angelina’s character is based on Christie Collins whose son Walter went missing March 10, 1928. There’s no official word on the character name as of yet.
The next bit is spoilerish. Who knows how true the film will stay to the actual story.
Serial killer Gordon Northcott and his accomplice mother were held responsible for the boy’s killing.
His mother claimed responsibility for slaying Walter Collins, but Clark[Gordon's nephew who reported the duo] fingered Gordon as the actual killer. Convicted on three counts of murder, including the Winslow brothers and the anonymous Mexican, Northcott was sentenced to death. Spared by her sex, his mother received a life sentence in the Collins case. Marking time at San Quentin, Northcott alternated between protestations of innocence and detailed confessions to the murder of “18 or 19, maybe 20″ victims. A pathological liar who cherished the spotlight, he several times offered to point out remains of more victims, always reneging at the last moment. (Northcott also named several of his wealthy “customers” at the ranch, but their identities were never published.) Warden Duffy recalled his conversations with Northcott as “a lurid account of mass murder, sodomy, oral copulation, and torture so vivid it made my flesh creep.” Northcott mounted the gallows on October 2, 1930, finally quailing in the face of death. Before the trap was sprung, he screamed, “A prayer! Please, say a prayer for me!” His mother subsequently died in prison, of old age.
Northcott will be played by Jason Butler Harner who received a 2005 OBIE Award for his performance in Hedda Gabler.
Looks like a good physical fit. I’d love to see a picture of the woman Angelina is playing.
angelina jolie, the changeling
October 24th, 2007 at 12:34 am
[...] the 20’s but the knee was only shown from the 1926-1928. The Changeling is probably going to be set during 1928 so Angelina’s the skirt length is [...]
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:33 pm
[...] It’s nice to see this fresh interview with Angelina. She and Brad have done a good job of keeping a low profile while she works on The Changeling. [...]
July 12th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
KD,
You had indicated that you would like to see a photograph of Christine Collins. So far the only photograph I have found is from a newspaper article reproduced in an interview with J. Michael Straczynski. The article “Cannes Film Festival - Interview With Changeling Screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski” includes a reproduction of newspaper article with an image of Christine Collins and Arthur Hutchins, Jr. From what I have been able to tell, this is from the August 19, 1928 issue of the Los Angeles Times.
Kidnaped Collins Lad Returned to Mother’s Arms, Suffering From Severe Hardships
LAD’S PHYSICAL CONDITION BAD Parent at First Unable to Recognize Child Mentality Obviously Injured by Ill Treatment Child Tells Pitiful Story of Wanderings
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif.
Date: Aug 19, 1928
Start Page: B2
Pages: 1
Text Word Count: 822
Abstract (Document Summary)
Walter Collins, 9-year-old boy who was kidnaped from his Los Angeles home five months ago and finally located near DcKalb, Ill., after a search that reached across the continent, arrived in Los Angeles yesterday in such a pitiable physical condition that his mother.
James Jeffrey Paul, a freelance writer in Raleigh, North Carolina, has researched and worked on a biography of Gordon Stewart Northcott, the serial killer and pedophile who lived in Riverside County in the late 1920s for over 15 years. His book is called “Nothing Is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott”. He expects that the book will be published in the fall prior to the premiere of Changeling.
Sincerely,
Dan Dassow
dan_dassow@yahoo.com
July 20th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
If you want to see photos of Christine Collins, her son Walter, and Arthur Hutchins Jr., the “changeling” himself, go to http://www.lapl.org and go to the “photo collection.” Then enter the keywork “Northcott” and over a hundred related photos will pop up.
Dan–Thanks for the free publicity! I’m not sure yet when my book will be published. I do have, as I said, some “good news” about the whole affair that I’ll be able to tell you in a couple of weeks.
Best,
James Jeffrey Paul
August 10th, 2008 at 3:24 am
My Grandparents purchased the chicken ranch property after these murders occurred. I remember her story, after buying the place; it is as frightening as the actual events. There’s more to the story….
August 16th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Dear Jan,
Would you please contact me? I’ve written about old crime cases for various newspapers (and books!) & I went out to the ranch last year. I know a lot about the case, but not about your grandparents! I’d love to talk to you. Please write to me at tonymostrom@hotmail.com.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I’m pleased to announce that my book, NOTHING IS STRANGE WITH YOU: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF GORDON STEWART NORTHCOTT, will be coming out next month.
It took me over 15 years of work, and going through over 4,000 pages of primary source materials and hundreds of newspaper articles, but I finally did it!
No one has ever written a book about the case before–how great that, just as the movie is coming out, people can learn about the true, complete facts behind the case.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:05 am
How tragic that his mother died of old age in prison…. HA! I don’t think so!
September 4th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Actually, she DIDN’T die in prison. She died a free woman.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
[...] in The Changeling by KD Griffin This list movies looks deeply disturbing. Remember folks the film is based on a true story. Angelina plays the mom of a missing boy that has supposedly been returned but Mom has her doubts. [...]
October 18th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
ok..HI my name is noemi alvarado and today my neighbor came over with papers from a local news magazine..i live in 633* wineville ave, mira loma , ca
The house that those murders and the guy lived in…im totallly freakin out because ive lived here for about 20 years roughly - so im just reading up on what happend here in this property..i also heard clint eastwood knocked on my door..and i wasnt home! omg im reading it and my jaw dropped!
Ok well i hope someone can help me im lookin for more info about this property and wondering where the boys were barried at. K thanks
- noemi
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Dear Noemi,
I’m coming to Riverside this weekend and was hoping to visit the site of the murders. I wrote the new book about them, NOTHING IS STRANGE WITH YOU: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF GORDON STEWART NORTHCOTT, which is now available from Amazon.
I’ll look your name up in the phone directory and will give you a call later today.
Would you mind if I and several friends and at least one reporter dropped by this weekend?
Best, Jeff
October 24th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Jeff:
I’m a reporter with the Des Moines Register in Iowa. I’m interested in writing a story on what happened to Arthur Hutchins Jr. after the case.
I would be willing to cite your book in any story I do. I can be reached at dafinney@dmreg.com or 515-284-8144.
Daniel
October 28th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Jeff,
Would you mind sending me and email at kd.griffin@451press.net?
kdg
October 28th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
[...] you got back to my post on Northcott, you’ll see many of comments are from writers and possible the current resident of the farm [...]
November 6th, 2008 at 5:41 am
NOTHING IS STRANGE WITH YOU: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF GORDON STEWART NORTHCOTT
how is it the criminal gets more attention then the heroine we should forget him and remember her. I wont buy the book just based on that principle nor should anyone else.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:19 am
Does anyone know anything about this:
http://www.magma.ca/~jcobban/FamilyTree/Web/I@I05033@.html
It seems the be the same family, the same names, and possibly accurate dates of birth. However, gordon seems to be completely erased from the family tree.
I’m just wondering what happened to everyone in the story.
November 17th, 2008 at 2:41 am
gordon wasn’t her biological son.He was her grandson. He was the result of incest between her husband and daughter.