July 15, 1957

SUBJECT’S NAME: Mildred Dolores Hall.

SUBJECT’S DESCRIPTION: Age, 42, height, 5 feet, 6 inches. Weight, 118 lbs., Red-blond hair. Brown eyes. Slim-medium build.

Any person with information as to the subject’s whereabouts is
requested to contact the Missing Persons Section of the Los Angeles
Police Department.

Mildred Hall is not a simple person to explain.

She was born of theatrical parents and she knew the business well.
Stars and industry pioneers of 25 years ago were personal friends of
hers.

And she herself came as close to becoming a name actress as anyone can without–that is–actually doing so.

Whether she would have made it is foolish to argue.

Because at the peak of her beauty, Mildred Hall quit the business to become a wife.

It was the role she wanted. And, for the last 18 years, she apparently
played it well. She found many friends and was an active and devoted
mother to her four children.

She was, until eight months ago: Nov. 15, 1956.

What happened on that date, or since, nobody knows.

In an effort to learn–to find a logical theory–I contacted more than a dozen of her close associates and friends.

All told me what they knew. Many had personal theories. But each one’s report made the puzzle even more complex.

It was as if Mildred Hall were 12 different persons.

I’ll throw out the supposition and present what I believe to be fact.
And I hope that somewhere in it lies the key to the case of the most
complex missing person I have yet encountered.

Mildred Hall’s movements on the morning of Nov. 15 are established:

Shortly before 8 o’clock, she drove her three oldest children to
school. Then she took her youngest boy, Tommy, 4, shopping with her.

She bought groceries and a pair of shoes for her 16-year-old. She went
to the bank and drew out $100, apparently to do her Christmas shopping.
she returned home between 10 and 11.

Tommy went out to play and Mrs. Hall’s husband, Harold, who had worked the night before, was asleep.

He awakened shortly after noon and was told by his son that Mildred had gone back to town again.

Hall says he still has the note which his wife left for him on the kitchen table.

"I have an appointment uptown at 12:30 p.m. Shouldn’t be more than an
hour at most. I have something very important to talk to you about.
Lots of love, Millie."

Mildred Hall never had the "very important" talk with her husband.

Five weeks later, her car was found. It was parked in the 2000 block of
South Genesee Street, some three miles from her Palms home at 3666
Keystone Ave.

Police report that the keys were in it, and so was her wallet with all
her identification. There was no money found, but on the floor lay her
Christmas shopping list.

Thorough investigation of the vehicle revealed no other clues.

Hall reports one other discovery which struck him as strange. "When she
disappeared she left her wedding ring home on the dresser. Never
before, to my knowledge, had she taken it off."

He also says that his wife never suffered loss of memory or blackouts in his presence.

Other friends say that they had witnessed her blackouts. But that they started only shortly before she disappeared.

But strangest of all was the following report by Hall:

"It was pure coincidence.

"About two hours after she left had left home–before, of course,
anyone had any reason to suspect she’d be missing–a friend of ours saw
her shopping.

"The friend walked up to her and addressed her by name.

"But Millie just looked kind of blank. And she turned and walked away."

[Note: To be continued–lrh]