March 29, 2022
Birch Bay, Washington
As a follow-up to the recently posted blog with Micky Cohen sharing the same newspaper page with George Hodel in the same court with the same prosecutor and same judge, here’s another connection. Again same page connecting separate crime stories Hodel and Cohen, but this time the headlines involve George Hodel’s former mistress and star Black Dahlia witness, Mattie (Mady) Comfort.
(As background I suggest you read the below article on Mady Comfort “Lover of Dr. George Hill Hodel” which I posted several years ago, before reading the new article to follow.)
Mady Comfort, Duke Ellington’s original “Satin Doll”, Former Lover of Dr. George Hill Hodel and her status as Prime Witness in 1947 Black Dahlia Investigation – Steve Hodel
So, Mady Comfort goes from attractive waitress serving drinks to celebs in the nightclubs on the Sunset Strip to sometime “lover and good friend with George and Dorothy Hodel” * to secret DA Black Dahlia witness (“We all knew that George had killed her.” (Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short) to high-class call girl for a celebrity Madam in the early 1950s.
* I quote from BDA II in which I include a section of Mady’s private journal written in the Seventies and given to me by George Parkington, her 2003 boyfriend shortly after her death that same year.
Page 29 …” George and Dorero (Dorothy Hodel) lived in this tremendous mansion in Pasadena. Once entering the driveway one would wind, in this case, I would wind with George and Dorero in their [in their car up the driveway]…Round and round up and down for what seemed like blocks to this four-story mansion. The top floor was a ballroom; the third floor was a nursery for their three gorgeous children. The second was their bedroom quarters. I guess I should say playground because that’s where we played. They were both completely sensuous. George a very handsome, polished tall lean born rich man indulged and adored by his father. George had beautiful black hair with a sophisticated wave in front, a classic nose with a perfectly trimmed mustache, and very nice lips.
George would smile at a person with such charm and sweetness as well as elegance in his perfect clothes with such sincerity. George could turn around and be cold as ice, yet complete composure in his superior authoritative voice, become this strange distant in charge person. He was a doctor.
George and Dorero led me gracefully and pleasurably, into sharing their joys in many exciting ways of the art of making love. It was all done so tastefully and made us very close friends. We liked very much bringing such joy and pleasures to one another’s life, yet we all maintained our dignity and self-respect.
…
And now we discover Mady Comfort’s reappearance sharing the headlines with Cohen. Once again, on the same page, this time it is Mady Comfort making news with Sam Farkas, Mickey Cohen’s former bodyguard, both of whom were arrested along with nine others, including, “Mrs. Barrie Benson, 29-year-old brunette “dressed in a slinky silk negligee, and was termed by the arresting officers as the madame of the house.”
Citizen News April 6, 1951
Headline right- “INDICT COHEN, WIFE ON TAX CHARGES”
Citizen News April 6, 1951
Headline left- 11 Arrested In Raid On Strip Bordello
An accompanying article from the LA Mirror on same date further details Mattie Comfort’s arrest. 
Author Note: Big thank you to LW (Luigi Warren) for the heads-up on this article from 1951.
Most interesting, Steve. Thanks. As a teenager at the time, I read the numerous articles in the Mirror. I resided only blocks away from the Franklin house.
Jess W:
Hi Jess. Yeh, the Mirror was cool. Big headlines and very tabloid.
Easy for us kids to read and always with big photo spreads.
And the hits just keep on coming. Always nostalgic to read the papers of LA in the 1950’s. ’51 was a busy time with Maddie, Cohen, Truman’s would be assassin and Atom Bomb spies making the headlines in this days finals. If I remember correctly my dad got the Examiner in the morning and the mirror in the evening or was it the other way around? Later my dad was disgusted with both and switched to the Valley Green Sheet. I’m glad that readers continue to add material to this never ending story. Good show!
Steve:
The LA CONFIDENTIAL vibes get even stronger. You’ve previously mentioned GHH’s resemblance to the Pierce Pratchett character. Suspect he was well connected in this arena.
-LW
LW:
Yep. He had that same “you can’t intimidate me” attitude that Pierce Patchett had in the film.
No fear of authority. He knew too many secrets having risen in the ranks with all the brass from the Twenties forward. Too bad the powers that be didn’t provide him with the same “ending” as Patchett so he wouldn’t have gone on to kill so many more victims post 1950. Thanks again for your sharp eyes.
Sad to say the cooperation of Dorthy “Dorero” Hodel in GHH’s sexual conquests made life so much easier for him & so dangerous for everyone they came in contact with! This subjugation of your mother Steve not unusual with predators! Both males & females were in his sights to be used & abused. The high intelligence of GHH aided tremendously in his stalking of prey. One helluva dangerous dude!!😱
Patricia O:
Yes, very true. Mom’s own personal demons coupled with George’s ability to dominate, manipulate and subjugate became a perfect storm for victimization of her and all those that came within his sphere of influence. Un hombre mucho mal.
I am so sorry.
Love,
Kathy
Kathy H:
Thank you.
Hello Steve,
How is Joe Barrett doing?
-Matt
Matt:
Joe Barrett passed away some years ago.
FYI: George Parkington passed away yesterday 7/18/2022 at 7:29pm at his home in Whittier. He had been battling cancer and was moved to home hospice care earlier the same day. May he rest in peace!
Steven S:
So sorry to hear of George Parkington’s passing. Thanks for letting me know.
He was a vital witness in helping tell the “Mady Comforty Story”. His coming forward with her information and providing her diary documents added so many pieces to the overall puzzle. Yes, may he Rest In Peace.