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I go through phases when it comes to celebrities and their lives, as well as historical figures. This last few weeks, my son & I have been watching the entire series of 'Little House on the Prairie.' We have 'Highway To Heaven' up next as our 'must see' series. So, you guessed it, the celebrity I am into at the moment is Michael Landon.
I've seen other works Landon was a part of, have read several books about him in my life, seen a few movies about his life (gag-worthy), and seen more than my share of documentaries. I can't possibly begin to agree or disagree with any of the documentaries or books unless Landon himself was interviewed. He was always very outspoken when it came to his own life and facts about that life, and he left us with a wealth of his personal truths.
Most telling was his last interview on the David Letterman show. I believe that was pure and true Michael Landon. He had nothing to lose at that point, and I salute him for not prolonging his misery for another one or two years of agony through chemo the way so many others with inoperable cancer have done. I am aware some of his family and friends wanted him around longer, but I can't blame Landon for making the decision he did,
Michael Landon's final appearance on The Tonight Show, Part 1
Michael Landon's final Appearance on The Tonight Show, Part 2
I, also, would not take the chemo and anything that would lessen my quality of life, even for another six months. Those who wanted him to do that? Very, very selfish people, only thinking of their own needs. And if I had his head of hair? Another reason to go out on my own terms.
Michael Landon left us with the last pilot he had done for CBS called "Us." I believe it would have been another hit series, just like 'Little House' and 'Highway.' Sadly, he did not live long enough to do that series. And this was another Landon baby ... wisely, no one else even tried to match it.
Michael Landon was at his full peak of best health at the time he wrote, filmed, and assembled the pilot film in November and December of 1990. The story and characters are somewhat more realistic and edgier and Landon himself has elements of the last 3 characters he played (Bonanza-Joe, Little House-Charles, Highway to Heaven-Jonathan ) in the new character of Jeff Hayes. Landon, in his own self, is very evident in the character of Jeff. His master technique of acting is certainly very well evoking in this pilot film.
His new hairstyles, trimmed-down muscular build, and his own clothing (except the MGM wardrobe prison garb) and the 90's suburb settings are more than a sign he did not look back to the past for limitless creativity, but the future. He was working out several weeks at the gym and at MGM before he filmed this and many assumed this was made when he was sick with cancer, which is a big misconception to many of his fans. Untrue. Filming of the first 12 episodes was set for early June 1991, but tragedy occurred some months before that would make this new series impossible. It's a showcase of something that would have been, had cancer not intervened.
"US"
I had seen Landon's first movie, 'I Was A Teenage Werewolf' enough times to know that I did not harbor any great need to view it again, but I had never seen his next film, 'The Legend of Tom Dooley.' This 1959 film follows the song made famous by The Kingston Trio in 1958, not the real story. Landon was 23 years old when he made this film; it came out the year I was born. The true story of Tom Dooley is much more somber and nowhere near as romantic as the song might indicate. Here is the entire film with the soundtrack by The Kingston Trio. And down the rabbit hole I went.
"The Legend of Tom Dooley" (1959)
On the 1st of May,1868, Thomas C. (Tom Dooley) Dula was hanged for murder in the city of Statesville in Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. He was accused of having murdered and buried Laura Foster in May 1866. Throughout the proceedings, he declared himself not guilty of murder, but in the end, he was convicted and executed anyway. Tom's last name was Dula, but the Appalachian accent turns words on their sides, and it turns 'Dula' into 'Dooley.'
The case attracted great attention in the U.S., and journalists from as far away as New York came to Statesville to attend the proceedings, and not least, the execution. Why this particular case caused such an uproar is unclear as there were several murder cases around the Civil War-ravaged United States which did not get even close to the same attention.
After the proceedings were completed several local stories about the murder began to rise and some of these turned to legends. Some of these were in the form of poems and songs and some remained stories that were passed down orally, as is the Southern tradition.
Tom Dooley's story solidified The Legend of Tom Dooley as a North Carolina folklore legend, complete with murder, conspiracy, complicated love triangles, affairs, and 19th-century celebrities. Dooley has been made out to be a dupe, an innocent man, a womanizer, a murderer, and the victim of a scorned woman. In truth, he might have been all of these.
The folk song about Tom Dooley is a timeless folk song that delves into the dark depths of human nature. Its haunting melody and emotive lyrics tell a story of love, betrayal, and murder. The song’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to captivate audiences through its storytelling and emotional resonance. As one of the most influential songs in American folk music history, the folk song describing the legendary death of Tom Dooley continues to stand as a testament to the power of music in conveying powerful narratives.
And we can't forget the one The Dillards wrote about Tom Dooley. It is full of metaphors, but if you read the story of Tom Dooley, you will be able to understand:
The Dillards (acting on The Andy Griffith Show as 'The Darlings')
Tom Dula (Dooley) was a real person, and there was a real story that reads more like a modern TV series or popular movie.
Tom (Tom Dooley) Dula
The story that seems to be the real deal went more like this:
Tom Dula was the youngest of six children in the family that lived in Elkville. More specifically, Happy Valley in North Carolina. His father died when he was 10 years old, and his mother, Mary Dula, raised the entire bunch by herself. Tom had two brothers and three sisters. Tom and Ann Foster had been childhood friends and became especially close when Tom was around 11 years old and Ann was 13.
Tom, his two brothers, and James Melton all went to war for the Confederate side when Tom was 15 and Ann was 14. Tom's two brothers were killed in the war, one dying in the same Union prison in Maryland where Tom was held. While Tom Dula's brothers saw combat, Tom was a musician in the 42nd North Carolina Regiment, some say it was the same regiment in which his brothers served. Other records put them all in different regiments. Melton served in the 26th North Carolina Regiment, under the command of Vance, the man who would become the attorney who would later handle Tom and Anne's cases.
I think it is interesting to note that all the players in this story were related either by direct blood or by marriage, both children and adults They were all 1st or 2nd cousins. Tom and Ann were 2nd cousins. Tom and Laura were also 2nd cousins. Tom's 1st cousin, Pauline Foster, was the one who gave him syphilis in the first place, although he was convinced it was Laura who shared it with him.
Ann may have been under the impression that Tom had also been killed in the war, but that matters little in this story since Ann had married James Melton well before Tom left for the war. Ann found herself caving to pressure from her mother. Her mother, Lottie Foster (rumored to be a local prostitute), wanted Ann to marry someone of means which Melton was, since he owned land next to Lottie Foster's and was a cobbler.
Tom spent time in a Union POW camp, and when he was released he went directly back to Elkville and his many lovers. When Tom Dula came home from the war and resumed his womanizing ways. Pauline (called Perline) Foster had been visiting from a neighboring county. She had traveled to Elkville to see Dr. George Nicholas Carter. She had syphilis (called the 'pox' back then) and gave it to Tom, who gave the disease to Ann. As I have already mentioned, Tom was angry at Laura, believing she was the one who had infected him never considering it may have been Pauline, who was responsible. Dr. Carter was the only one who knew of the origin of the disease, and even he only knew what Pauline had shared with him.
George Nicholas Carter, M.D.
Ann Melton, in addition to having syphilis, was insanely jealous of Laura. Anne also passed it on to her husband, James Melton. The doctor confirmed all of the syphilis angles and had records that he had been treating Ann and Laura with a mercury-based treatment called 'Blue Mass,' which was all that was available at that time. This treatment could make the already diseased individual even more ill or it could even be fatal.
The only known photo of Ann Foster Melton
Tom Dula came home from serving in the Confederate Army still young and good-looking. Laura Foster left her house that fateful day before sunrise, telling neighbors along the way, `We're fixin' to get married.' Tom walked on a path that went back over behind Lauria Foster's house. Five or six people saw him that morning, or at least they claimed they did, and swore to it in court. But people say a lot of things in court, don't they?
I'm willing to say that the neighbors made sure that Anne Melton knew the situation. What she may not have known, though, was that Laura was pregnant. This fact was confirmed when they found Laura's body, later on. Incidentally, it was Ann who told them where to find the body, and she was immediately arrested and held in the same jail where Tom would be held.
When Laura reached the meeting place, she was killed. It could have been Tom. It could have been Tom's other girlfriend, Ann Melton. And then there was Pauline Foster, who was also involved with Tom.
When they found Laura Foster's body on September 1, 1866, it showed that she had been stabbed in the heart several times with a small pocket knife, the type that everyone carried, men, women, and even some children. That sounds like a woman's work, though, to me. A man might have shot her, or at least used a larger knife. This sounds like a catfight over a man gone very wrong, and syphilis messes with the mind, as it is. Laura was buried in a shallow grave, about 2 feet deep with a woman's handkerchief over her face.
There is a museum managed by the descendants of Dr. Carter. This museum is dedicated to the legend that surrounds Tom Dula. Syphilis is not mentioned, which is odd considering that syphilis was so closely connected to Dr. Carter's role in the sad turn of events among them all. There are photos, art drawings, even a lock of Laura's hair, but no mention of the horrible secret that those group of lovers carried. Laura Foster is considered somewhat of a saintly figure in this legend among the locals. There can, therefore, be no mention of this horrible disease in connection with her, I guess.
There are ghostly stories about what happened up on Tom Dooley Road. Like the old Tom Dooley house. The doors creak and chains rattle because it is said that Tom Dooley's blood is on the floor. I think they brought his body home from Statesville after he'd been hung. His body swelled and burst, and blood ran on the floor. They were never able to get that blood up off the floor., so the legend says.
What I find kind of strange, though, is that there were many more sensational murders in the area, but I think it was the fact that Tom stood in front of the gallows before he was hanged and gave a speech that lasted for an hour professing his innocence. He swore with his hand in the air that he had not harmed Laura Foster, but a jury had convicted him. As with many other cases, they had to see someone pay for the crime. He would not be the first innocent person put to death. If he was innocent. I think it may have been the case that he was not to blame for Laura's death.
There were some telling reasons that Dula was an immediate suspect, and several searches were conducted for Laura; some by federal agencies. After Laura's body was found, Dula quickly realized he would be subject to vigilante justice. Tom Dula fled the county for Tennessee and found work on a farm which was owned by James Grayson, and took the name of 'Tom Hall.' Hall was an old family name. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and Wilkes County deputies crossed state lines to capture him. Dula fled the Grayson place when he found out about the warrant since he knew it would have a picture of him on it. It did not take long for Grayson to recognize 'Tom Hall' and also to decide that he could certainly use the $62.00 reward offered for Dula's capture. Not only is that a small amount for a reward, but Laura Foster's death was only valued at 5 cents.
Lt. Col James W.M. Grayson
Dula was eventually captured, and he saw Ann at the same courthouse when he was arrested. She was not held at the jail with him, though. With the excellent attorney's efforts and Tom's help in writing a jail-house letter, Ann went free, but the attorney's efforts could not free Dula. Tom was sentenced to death by hanging, based on circumstantial evidence. He maintained his innocence after Ann was released.
As the trial began, things got R-rated, especially for the 1860s. Dula was a womanizer and had been having an affair with Ann Foster Melton since he was 15. He also had been having an affair with Pauline Foster, Laura Foster, and at least one other woman at the time of the murder. Actually, several other women had enjoyed Tom's favors. He enjoyed 'the hunt' and then quickly lost interest, except when it came to Ann.
The syphilis problem did enter into things when Dr. Carter was called to the stand. The only reason he was even called to testify was that Dula had admitted, while in custody, that he had syphilis. He was quite ill by the time he was jailed, and the symptoms were obvious. He also admitted that he had passed it to Ann Melton, Melton’s husband, and Pauline Foster. He claimed to have gotten it from Laura Foster and had been overheard threatening her in public. Tom presumed that Laura Foster had contracted it from a man who had picked it up from a prostitute, as these 'working girls' were just as plentiful as they are these days. But that smarmy part of the story is left out of the legend. Dr. Carter knew the truth; Tom had gotten the disease from Pauline Foster
Dula hired Zebulon Vance as his lawyer. Vance was quite the celebrity, having served as North Carolina governor already, and in the future would be a U.S. Senator. At the time, he was regarded as one of the best lawyers in the state. He managed to get Dula’s trial moved and got Tom and Anne's cases severed. Dula was convicted, but Vance appealed to the N.C. Supreme Court and got a new trial. A new trial started in January of 1868. The night before his execution, Tom wrote, "I am the only person that had any hand in the murder of Laura Foster." As a result of his confession, Ann was later acquitted of the crime. I see this as proof that Tom Dula loved Ann Foster and did not want to see her die. He also could have been in such agony from the syphilis that he just wanted it all to stop.
Another big error in the song ... Dula (Dooley) was not hanged from a white oak tree, he was hanged from the gallows in front of the Statesville Courthouse. Tom was taken in a cart from the jail to the gallows in front of the courthouse on the day of his hanging ... along with his coffin. I guess this was for the sake of convenience ... sounds kind of morbid to me. There was a crowd of about 3,000 people who had gathered to see Tom off to the afterlife.
Tom took advantage of his chance. He spoke for an hour, telling all present of his innocence. He then raised his hand and said, "Look at this hand. Do you see it trembling? No. I did not touch a hair on that girl's head." He also told the crowd, "Without lies sworn against me, I would not be here at all." These are recorded words made on the very day of Tom Dula's execution.
The grave of Tom Dooley. Although it is in the Dula family cemetery on private property, Tom's grave is the only one that has a stone.
In later years, Ann Foster Melton was in a serious cart accident, and as she lay on her dying bed, her mother pleaded with her not to divulge any details about her cousin, Laura's, death. When asked if there was any deathbed confession from Ann, Dr. Carter said only the following:
"I cannot violate patient confidence. I can tell you that we hanged an innocent man."
Over the years, storytellers and songwriters have offered theories and changed facts, taking turns making Ann Foster and Tom Dula out to be victims or cold-blooded killers. Laura Foster tends to come out as an innocent young woman in all of them. The farmer who employed Dula in Tennessee gets changed to a sheriff in one version and in another, the sheriff is corrupt. While the true story offers a lot to cover in a short, made-for-radio song, none of the versions seem to get it entirely right.
The reason I posted Michael Landon's last appearance on The Tonight Show (and I hope you watched it, especially Part 2 where Landon gives us a 'special message' about the press) was because he was telling us about something that Tom Dula may have suffered from. And that something is the same bad press and rumor mill that Landon had to suffer from during his own last days.
I'm not entirely convinced that Tom murdered anyone. I'm not even sure Ann did. All that is known for sure is that Ann and Tom were at a party the night before Laura died, and they were both very, very drunk. We know that Laura left her home one morning, taking her father's mare with her, never to be seen again. And that is actually all we know for sure. It is generally thought that she left home on the morning of May 25th, 1866, but even that is in question.
One witness, Betsy Scott who was living next door to the Fosters, testified that she met with Laura that Friday morning about one mile from her home, and that she had a conversation with her in which Laura claimed that she was "heading for the Bates Place to meet Tom Dooley." The Bates Place used to be a blacksmith shop near the Reedy Branch settlement, about five miles from her home and also from her meeting place with Betsy Scott. This meeting was never confirmed by anyone else and neither was Laura's statement of where she was heading. According to a much later source, two sisters from the Witherspoon family saw Laura passing their home later that same morning, but we have no evidence of this from the time of the disappearance.
Tom was going another way at the same time. Even if he took a narrow path through the hills, he met with at least three people on this early morning walk. Laura, who on the other hand was riding along the "main road" through the valley close to the river, where a lot of people lived and worked, met only one single person about one mile in the direction of the river from her own home, even though the rumors had her talking to more than just one. For the next five miles, she passed several houses. No one else testified or remembered seeing her.
Laura's father, Wilson Foster, explained in court, that when he discovered that Laura had gone, and taken his mare with her, he had followed the horse's tracks along the road from his house. From there he could follow the horse's tracks to an old field at the Bates Place, where he lost it. We don't know if he met anyone or was seen by anyone during this tracking, but if he was it is not mentioned in any of the surviving testimonies, including his own. He claims he never found Laura at the Bates place so he returned to James Scott's house for breakfast, and later moved on to the Melton place, before returning to his search. During his search he visited several houses, asking for his daughter and his horse, but nobody had seen either.
In the beginning, everybody suspected that Laura had run off with someone or had gone visiting relatives in Watauga County (The New York Herald article claimed the latter). Laura running away with Tom was one of the guesses from both Pauline Foster and Wilson Foster, but as he was still around, that theory was dismissed. Pauline Foster then suspected that she had run away with someone from her neighborhood, and Wilson willingly accepted that. Pauline stated in court, that she had "said so in consequence of information, she had received from others", so there must have more people thinking that Laura had just disappeared.
For about one month, nobody thought any crime had been committed. Then rumors that Laura had been killed, started spreading, and somehow Tom's name was thrown into the mix. Only then did Wilson Foster go to the authorities. Not until June 28th, more than a month after Laura's disappearance did Justice of Peace, Pickins Carter, ask the sheriff to arrest Tom and his presumed accomplices.
In early September, more than three months after Laura's disappearance, a body was found in a shallow grave, much closer to the Dooley cabin than to the suspected place of murder. The body was in such a state of decomposition that Laura was identified only because of a space between her two front teeth and the clothes she was wearing.
Today it is presumed, that the dead body was Laura's but the identification was based on nothing much, although it was probably the best, that could be done at the time. There is even a possibility that Laura switched clothes with someone else, killed that girl, and then fled with one of her many lovers. It is thought by some that Ann had murdered Laura. If Ann knew something, that might have saved Tom from execution, it might have been that Laura was not dead at all and that Tom therefore couldn't have killed her.
But if she was still alive, why didn't Laura come forward when her lover was charged with her murder? Many reasons are possible. Maybe it was Laura or her mystery lover, that killed the dead girl? Maybe she had moved so far away from her old home, that she didn't even know that Tom was arrested. Perhaps she was illiterate, and could not read papers and/or she may have lived in a place where the North Carolina or New York papers were not available. Maybe she was mad at Tom for breaking up with her and wanted revenge, or maybe someone had paid her not to come forward. The girl who was found was pregnant, that much we know. If the dead girl was not Laura, who was she? We will just never know.
What seems clear, now, is that Tom Dula was more than likely set up as a patsy for this murder by someone else. There have been talks of clearing his name, but so far he remains a convicted killer. I think North Carolina would not give up this folklore, and certainly no one would stop singing that song, anyway.
This is yet another reason why people love books and movies about true stories. Most often, nonfiction is the most interesting reading because the twists and turns of the stories go beyond what can be made up as fiction. Those in the entertainment business have a low standard for what they think we can understand and process and often dumb things down.
This is why getting an education from TV and movies “based on a true story” can be very dangerous. this is the main reason I dislike most of the Rudolph Valentino forums on Facebook, even those run by the 'serious scholars.' They thrive on salacious gossip and bullshit.
We have seen the children of celebrities and other famous/infamous people treated in this horrible way over and over. I give Melania Trump props for the way she has fought like a mother bear to keep Barron out of the public eye, and she is still doing it, even though he has now turned 18. Recently, an attempt was made by some individuals involved with the Trump campaign in Florida to loop Barron into his father's campaign. I believe it was Melania who put the brakes on that move. I hope I'm right, and I applaud her. I hope she continues to let this adult child be safe from the political mud-slinging because if he decides to get into it, the public and the press will be merciless.
Having children in our lives, biological or not, is a blessing and an honor. It is not a right. Some people do not get this honor bestowed upon them during this earthly life. Those of us who experience this honor should make sure that we do our best to protect these precious gems.
Those who don't receive the honor of having children directly in their lives can also protect them and make sure they know that society will always have their backs; and that we will provide for them at any cost, no matter what part of our society they come from.
Because children truly are our future, and we need look no further than, 'The Legend of Tom Dooley' to understand that concept. His future was ripped away from him for a crime that someone else likely committed.
Darkmum
THANK-YOU FOR READING DARKMUM'S MUSINGS!