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Murder of an Elvis Girl: Solving the Jenny Maxwell Case
It's one of the most brutal unsolved murders in the Elvis Presley universe - the 1981 slaying of his beautiful "Blue Hawaii" co-star, Jenny Maxwell. It was reported at the time that the murder was part of a botched robbery in Beverly Hills, but that's not at all what happened. Forty years after the murder, thanks to this book, it's finally been solved. Who killed Jenny Maxwell, and why? For the first time, the truth is revealed in "Murder of an Elvis Solving the Jenny Maxwell Case," And the truth is incredible. Jenny Maxwell was one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood in the early 1960s, and she became best known as an Elvis Girl, playing the bratty Ellie Corbett in Elvis Presley's classic 1961 film, "Blue Hawaii." The performance made her one of the most memorable Elvis Girls ever and endeared her to generations of the King's fans. She appeared in dozens of TV shows, as well - everything from "Bonanza" and "My Three Sons" to "Father Knows Best" and "The Twilight Zone." In the 1960s, Jenny Maxwell's career was red-hot. She was friends with Sharon Tate and Peggy Lipton and dated a slew of young Hollywood stars. Off the screen, though, her personal life was a mess. She married film director Paul Rapp when she was just seventeen and became a mom at nineteen. Her marriage and her motherhood fell apart thanks to a lifestyle of Hollywood parties, drugs and sex. In an effort to win back her son, she quit Hollywood altogether in 1968 and married Ervin "Tip" Roeder, a high-powered and mobbed-up Los Angeles divorce attorney who was twenty years her senior. Their marriage was a rocky one, and by the time 1981 came around, they were separated and heading for divorce. Tip Roeder was at Jenny's side that fateful day in Beverly Hills, as they were both gunned down by the assassin outside her condo. "Murder of an Elvis Girl" tells the amazing Hollywood life story of a true Elvis legend. Jenny Maxwell shared the screen with the likes of Jimmy Stewart, Robert Conrad, Joey Bishop. Bob Hope and Joan Crawford. She rubbed elbows with Frank Sinatra and Sandra Dee. And biggest of all, she was an Elvis Girl. The story of how this book came about is just as incredible. "Murder of an Elvis Girl" is written by Buddy Moorehouse, a longtime journalist from Michigan who is actually Jenny's first cousin, once removed (his grandfather and her father were brothers). The family had always been told that Jenny's murder was part of a botched robbery, but they never quite believed that, so Buddy embarked on a journey in 2019 to learn the truth of what really happened to their famous cousin. He eventually struck pay dirt when he found the detective who had investigated - and solved - the murder. This is the untold story of a long-forgotten Hollywood legend - how she lived, how she loved, and how she died.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2021
134 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 12, 2021
Buddy Moorehouse, the son of the first cousin of actress Jenny Maxwell (1941 - 1981), did a mostly admirable job in telling her story. I can understand why he felt the need to imagine and create conversations as there were obviously things he would not be privy to. Most people who know of Jenny Maxwell remember her for playing the spoiled and sullen Ellie Corbett opposite Elvis Presley in "Blue Hawaii" (1961), but she had a reasonably prolific acting career, mostly in television, from 1959 until the late 1960s.
It always bothered me that so little information about her life and especially her death were available online or in books. I didn't realize that since she had retired from acting around the time of her second marriage that her second husband, Ervin "Tip" Roeder was more well-known than she was at the time of their deaths. At the time they were killed, she was identified just as his "wife".
There are some inaccuracies and errors that could have been easily remedied, such as referring to Robert Young's character on the sitcom "Father Knows Best" (in which Maxwell made on of her early guest spots) as "Jim Warren" when the character's name was "Jim Anderson". Another reviewer pointed out the errors regarding Elvis Presley. It would have been nice to hear more about some of Maxwell's other TV guest appearances, such as her two spots on "Route 66" and especially the controversial "Bus Stop" episode, "A Lion Walks Among Us", in which Maxwell played a local girl infatuated with a drifter (portrayed by Fabian) who is actually a dangerous psychopath.
Jenny Maxwell was only 16 when she came to Hollywood and frankly, she should have been better supervised. She really got caught up in the Tinseltown lifestyle and didn't have the proper guidance that she should have had. Her parents loved her dearly but indulged her a little too much. She also seemed to have bad taste in men (at least when it came to husbands) and she made some bad choices that even marriage and motherhood couldn't curtail for several years. Maxwell loved her son but was too irresponsible to care for him properly and she ultimately lost custody of him to her ex-husband, Paul Rapp. As her career prospects began to dry up in the mid-1960s, Maxwell made the decision that she needed to clean up her act if she wanted to have a relationship with her son and her parents (from whom she had become estranged). In order to be a better parent, she gave up her acting career and looking for financial stability for herself and her son, she became involved with and ultimately married attorney Ervin "Tip" Roeder, and pretty much everyone agreed that it was a mistake. Roeder and Maxwell had a mutual friend in actor Nick Adams, whose 1968 death is considered suspicious (the actors' children subscribe to this theory as well) and it has been speculated that Roeder was more involved in Adams' death than he let on. The Maxwell/Roeder marriage was volatile and disastrous. Maxwell stuck it out for about ten years, then moved out and filed for divorce. Roeder was adamant that she would get nothing in the divorce settlement and he also had a lot of enemies. They were both shot in the lobby of the condo that Maxwell had recently moved into; Roeder, in a supposed peace gesture, had picked her up from the hospital after she had minor surgery. Maxwell died at the scene and Roeder died of his wound a few hours later on the operating table, without uttering a word as to what had happened.
While the police detective in charge of the case feels confident that the case is solved (I won't reveal more here, read the book to find out more), I don't know if I would go that far. Admittedly, there is a very strong and plausible theory, but he also noted that the case remains open because there is no suspect and there were no witnesses who can clarify what happened. As I stated earlier, Roeder had a lot of enemies and wasn't exactly well-liked. Either way, it was wonderful to find out more about this lovely and talented actress whose life was cut tragically short. Input from family and friends was greatly appreciated, despite the grief they must feel, and helped to flesh out the story of Jenny Maxwell, who ultimately, did her best to turn her life around and become a better mother. It's a shame she didn't have the chance to start the new chapter in her life that she was obviously looking forward to.
The book is flawed but worth it.
It always bothered me that so little information about her life and especially her death were available online or in books. I didn't realize that since she had retired from acting around the time of her second marriage that her second husband, Ervin "Tip" Roeder was more well-known than she was at the time of their deaths. At the time they were killed, she was identified just as his "wife".
There are some inaccuracies and errors that could have been easily remedied, such as referring to Robert Young's character on the sitcom "Father Knows Best" (in which Maxwell made on of her early guest spots) as "Jim Warren" when the character's name was "Jim Anderson". Another reviewer pointed out the errors regarding Elvis Presley. It would have been nice to hear more about some of Maxwell's other TV guest appearances, such as her two spots on "Route 66" and especially the controversial "Bus Stop" episode, "A Lion Walks Among Us", in which Maxwell played a local girl infatuated with a drifter (portrayed by Fabian) who is actually a dangerous psychopath.
Jenny Maxwell was only 16 when she came to Hollywood and frankly, she should have been better supervised. She really got caught up in the Tinseltown lifestyle and didn't have the proper guidance that she should have had. Her parents loved her dearly but indulged her a little too much. She also seemed to have bad taste in men (at least when it came to husbands) and she made some bad choices that even marriage and motherhood couldn't curtail for several years. Maxwell loved her son but was too irresponsible to care for him properly and she ultimately lost custody of him to her ex-husband, Paul Rapp. As her career prospects began to dry up in the mid-1960s, Maxwell made the decision that she needed to clean up her act if she wanted to have a relationship with her son and her parents (from whom she had become estranged). In order to be a better parent, she gave up her acting career and looking for financial stability for herself and her son, she became involved with and ultimately married attorney Ervin "Tip" Roeder, and pretty much everyone agreed that it was a mistake. Roeder and Maxwell had a mutual friend in actor Nick Adams, whose 1968 death is considered suspicious (the actors' children subscribe to this theory as well) and it has been speculated that Roeder was more involved in Adams' death than he let on. The Maxwell/Roeder marriage was volatile and disastrous. Maxwell stuck it out for about ten years, then moved out and filed for divorce. Roeder was adamant that she would get nothing in the divorce settlement and he also had a lot of enemies. They were both shot in the lobby of the condo that Maxwell had recently moved into; Roeder, in a supposed peace gesture, had picked her up from the hospital after she had minor surgery. Maxwell died at the scene and Roeder died of his wound a few hours later on the operating table, without uttering a word as to what had happened.
While the police detective in charge of the case feels confident that the case is solved (I won't reveal more here, read the book to find out more), I don't know if I would go that far. Admittedly, there is a very strong and plausible theory, but he also noted that the case remains open because there is no suspect and there were no witnesses who can clarify what happened. As I stated earlier, Roeder had a lot of enemies and wasn't exactly well-liked. Either way, it was wonderful to find out more about this lovely and talented actress whose life was cut tragically short. Input from family and friends was greatly appreciated, despite the grief they must feel, and helped to flesh out the story of Jenny Maxwell, who ultimately, did her best to turn her life around and become a better mother. It's a shame she didn't have the chance to start the new chapter in her life that she was obviously looking forward to.
The book is flawed but worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2021
This was a wonderful biography/true crime novel and I really loved it! The story following the life and death of Jenny Maxwell. Her short life in show business and her horrible death which was solved but never revealed until now. Such a beautiful young lady that fell into a life of drugs and alcohol but cleaned herself up to be a better mom to her son. I really enjoyed this book and can't recommend it enough.
April 17, 2021
If you like true crime stories this is the book for you.
September 21, 2021
While this is a true crime story, the crime is only towards the end of the book and is solved quite rapidly. Hence, this book is more suited for readers interested in the life of a young actress during the 1960s. Jenny Maxwell was a 16-year-old when she was discovered in New York by Vincente Minnelli, flew to California with her mother for a screen test, and had an acting career that skyrocketed shortly after she got there.
Once her mother went back to New York, she immediately fell in love, secretly married and had a child. Not good for an emotionally immature teenager. She proved to be an actress who could quickly nail a role, but who wasn't mature enough to be a consistent, caring mother. Plus, she wanted to be free like others her age. Drinking, partying and smoking pot became a habit.
Things eventually went downward in both her personal and acting life, and she marries a jerk the second time around for security reasons. She then stays with the jerk for money reasons. After ten years, when she would get half of her husband's money in a divorce, she is shot dead, while with her husband. He is also shot and later dies at the hospital. Who shot them and why? No big surprises there, only greed, hatred and stupidity.
Once her mother went back to New York, she immediately fell in love, secretly married and had a child. Not good for an emotionally immature teenager. She proved to be an actress who could quickly nail a role, but who wasn't mature enough to be a consistent, caring mother. Plus, she wanted to be free like others her age. Drinking, partying and smoking pot became a habit.
Things eventually went downward in both her personal and acting life, and she marries a jerk the second time around for security reasons. She then stays with the jerk for money reasons. After ten years, when she would get half of her husband's money in a divorce, she is shot dead, while with her husband. He is also shot and later dies at the hospital. Who shot them and why? No big surprises there, only greed, hatred and stupidity.
April 16, 2021
Written by a friend, a cousin to Jenny Maxwell, the book takes a sympathetic look at a pretty young woman with stars in her eyes. Jenny Maxwell catches her first show-biz break at 17, and then the Hollywood machine chews her up and spits her out.
There are loads of details that nobody but family would know, and some straight-from-the-60s TV dialogue to round the story out. Moorehouse makes the reader wait until the very end to reveal what's hardly shocking: just who did Jenny Maxwell in. Instead of being surprised, the story of her sad, untimely death makes perfect sense.
There are a handful of anecdotes from people who were once big stars. What was most interesting to me was the rather ruthless way TV and movie studios in the 1960s ran through pretty faces. Moorehouse does not make excuses for Jenny Maxwell, but what happened to her was incredibly sad and male manipulation at its worst.
There are loads of details that nobody but family would know, and some straight-from-the-60s TV dialogue to round the story out. Moorehouse makes the reader wait until the very end to reveal what's hardly shocking: just who did Jenny Maxwell in. Instead of being surprised, the story of her sad, untimely death makes perfect sense.
There are a handful of anecdotes from people who were once big stars. What was most interesting to me was the rather ruthless way TV and movie studios in the 1960s ran through pretty faces. Moorehouse does not make excuses for Jenny Maxwell, but what happened to her was incredibly sad and male manipulation at its worst.
May 25, 2023
Teen star was in Elvis film Blue Hawaii, then got shot
This was an entertaining read about the sad life of a Hollywood blonde gone bad. The true crime investigation doesn't start until 88% of the book was streamed. Still, it was a worthwhile read. I was a fan of Elvis films, I watched Blue Hawaii a few years ago and remember it had good music and an entertaining storyline and was very watchable. I had no idea the co-star had later been murdered. I remember the Twilight zone episode with Billy Mumy that the young actress Jenny Maxwell was in. I remember the My Tree Sons series where she played Robbie's girlfriend. I read this book on my Amazon HD 10 Kindle Fire.
This was an entertaining read about the sad life of a Hollywood blonde gone bad. The true crime investigation doesn't start until 88% of the book was streamed. Still, it was a worthwhile read. I was a fan of Elvis films, I watched Blue Hawaii a few years ago and remember it had good music and an entertaining storyline and was very watchable. I had no idea the co-star had later been murdered. I remember the Twilight zone episode with Billy Mumy that the young actress Jenny Maxwell was in. I remember the My Tree Sons series where she played Robbie's girlfriend. I read this book on my Amazon HD 10 Kindle Fire.
July 4, 2021
A Very good read
Being an impressionable kid who lived in the era of when all this occurred I related to so much. Been a follower of Buddy's writings since I moved to the same county way back in 1987. So when I saw the ad for this book I thought, why nif read it. Read it I did! Was expecting just a so so read but also knowing Maria Stuart's excellent editing skills I figured it would at least be a palpable read. Instead for me it was a very relatable page turner that I read in less than 24 hours. Well done Buddy!
Being an impressionable kid who lived in the era of when all this occurred I related to so much. Been a follower of Buddy's writings since I moved to the same county way back in 1987. So when I saw the ad for this book I thought, why nif read it. Read it I did! Was expecting just a so so read but also knowing Maria Stuart's excellent editing skills I figured it would at least be a palpable read. Instead for me it was a very relatable page turner that I read in less than 24 hours. Well done Buddy!
October 1, 2022
Not as much a true crime story as a biography of a young woman who had a brief shot at stardom, but pretty much ruined it with drugs and alcohol and irresponsibility. The crime itself is a short part of the book. Very interesting story and I had a hard time putting this down. There was only one thing that kept this from being a 5 star book for me and that is because there is a lot of conversation and saying what her thoughts were, and I wondered if the conversation was made up or where it would have come from.
November 28, 2021
Great book
I loved this book. It was a great read and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the fact that it had pictures also. I felt like the author did a wonderful job describing each person and their different personalities. It’s hard to believe what some people are capable of and it’s sad how selfish others can be to half siblings in time of loss. Greed is hard to wrap your head around.
I loved this book. It was a great read and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the fact that it had pictures also. I felt like the author did a wonderful job describing each person and their different personalities. It’s hard to believe what some people are capable of and it’s sad how selfish others can be to half siblings in time of loss. Greed is hard to wrap your head around.
April 5, 2022
Sad but well written true crime story
Being a huge Elvis fan I have seen Blue Hawaii many times and I remember Jenny Maxwell as the spoiled rich teen. I honestly never realized that she was murdered and how her whole life kind of fell apart at such a young age. This book is truly well written and describes her whole life right up to her tragic death at 39 years of age. I highly recommend it and definitely enjoyed reading it.
Being a huge Elvis fan I have seen Blue Hawaii many times and I remember Jenny Maxwell as the spoiled rich teen. I honestly never realized that she was murdered and how her whole life kind of fell apart at such a young age. This book is truly well written and describes her whole life right up to her tragic death at 39 years of age. I highly recommend it and definitely enjoyed reading it.
October 28, 2022
block buster
A very well written book about a little remembered star. I watched all of Elvis’ movies and remembered Jenny Maxwell the moment I saw her picture. The author tells her story with well documented details. More than an Elvis girl she was a wife, mother, and daughter. She made many bad decisions in her life, but none should have led to her death. The end is a shocker.
A very well written book about a little remembered star. I watched all of Elvis’ movies and remembered Jenny Maxwell the moment I saw her picture. The author tells her story with well documented details. More than an Elvis girl she was a wife, mother, and daughter. She made many bad decisions in her life, but none should have led to her death. The end is a shocker.
April 20, 2023
I’ve been an Elvis fan since I was maybe 6 years old. I remember watching Blue Hawaii with my grandpa. I never knew that Jenny Maxwell was murdered—or even that she was dead.
Sure, you can Google her, check her Wikipedia page. But hearing her story from her cousin? You can’t ask for a better way to get to know a victim of True Crime.
I hope that Jenny and Elvis are having a nice luau in Paradise.
Sure, you can Google her, check her Wikipedia page. But hearing her story from her cousin? You can’t ask for a better way to get to know a victim of True Crime.
I hope that Jenny and Elvis are having a nice luau in Paradise.
January 31, 2022
Interesting Book Worth A Couple Of Hours Of Your Time
True crime book written in the form of a novel. Professional critics would no doubt give it short shrift, but it holds one's attention and the author's conclusion is an interesting one. The book also provides an excellent view of the Hollywood world of the mid-50s and early 60s. Can be read in one sitting.
True crime book written in the form of a novel. Professional critics would no doubt give it short shrift, but it holds one's attention and the author's conclusion is an interesting one. The book also provides an excellent view of the Hollywood world of the mid-50s and early 60s. Can be read in one sitting.
October 1, 2021
Solid true crime story with Hollywood players
Interesting story about a young actress who has largely been forgotten but at one point seemed destined for stardom. As notable for the behind-the-scenes glimpse of Hollywood in its heyday as for the murder.
Interesting story about a young actress who has largely been forgotten but at one point seemed destined for stardom. As notable for the behind-the-scenes glimpse of Hollywood in its heyday as for the murder.
October 7, 2021
Tragic life story
I really enjoyed this book even though it was a sad story. I love reading true crime and biographies so this was a little of both. It was interesting to read about old Hollywood stars and lifestyles.
I really enjoyed this book even though it was a sad story. I love reading true crime and biographies so this was a little of both. It was interesting to read about old Hollywood stars and lifestyles.
November 18, 2021
Truth is stranger than fiction.
It's a shame that the child of Jenny Maxwell received nothing at all at the time of her murder. Considering that was brought about by the soon to be ex-huband. All about money! Such a shame. Hollyweird, they're not to far off the point.
It's a shame that the child of Jenny Maxwell received nothing at all at the time of her murder. Considering that was brought about by the soon to be ex-huband. All about money! Such a shame. Hollyweird, they're not to far off the point.
December 18, 2021
EXCELLENT READ
This reads more like a biography than true crime; yet the crime is always looming in the background. Very well written and enthralling. I hope this author has other books out there. I found myself googling many actors' lives from the 20th century. I learned a lot.
This reads more like a biography than true crime; yet the crime is always looming in the background. Very well written and enthralling. I hope this author has other books out there. I found myself googling many actors' lives from the 20th century. I learned a lot.
January 10, 2022
Too many quoted conversations.
The author puts entire conversations in the book as if he was present during them. Its hard to tell what info was based on facts like police reports or first hand interviews. This is more of a novel than true crime.
The author puts entire conversations in the book as if he was present during them. Its hard to tell what info was based on facts like police reports or first hand interviews. This is more of a novel than true crime.
January 30, 2022
Cmysticism
Great book, entertainingly written, and with a definitive assessment of your he crime that ended Jenny's life. It's yet another great analysis and cautionary tale about why we shouldn't envy celebrities or believe their lives were superior to our own.
Great book, entertainingly written, and with a definitive assessment of your he crime that ended Jenny's life. It's yet another great analysis and cautionary tale about why we shouldn't envy celebrities or believe their lives were superior to our own.
February 5, 2022
This book was intriguing and kept me engaged from start to finish. One part murder mystery, one part true Hollywood story. Well researched with plenty of insight into the Hollywood sconce in the late 1950s and early 1960's. See my full video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIU_1...
April 9, 2022
I’ll admit, I knew nothing of this event prior to stumbling upon and reading this book and it was engrossing - I couldn’t put it down. Pretty much every person was detestable and yet I NEEDED to know what happened.
December 11, 2023
Tip Roeder's daughters should be ashamed of themselves for not letting Jenny's son have any of her personal belongings. I know this book is not non-fiction but I also think the scenario presented here is the most logical one. Those women are no better than their dad was. Such a shame.
April 4, 2021
Lots of good research
Good read. Lots of facts and interesting twists. I think Buddy should research Natalie Woods murder now! Something fishy just like Jenny!
Good read. Lots of facts and interesting twists. I think Buddy should research Natalie Woods murder now! Something fishy just like Jenny!
April 14, 2021
Excellent book! Very well-researched. Couldn't put it down. If you like true crime or Hollywood stories, you'll love this.
October 8, 2021
Buddy Moorehouse has always been a favorite of ours. Always enjoyed reading his articles in our local newspaper. So I was excited to hear he had written a book. And it does not disappoint!
November 4, 2021
Jean38no
Interesting case about Jenny Maxwell. I never knew she was murdered. I do remember her in Blue Hawaii . I saw the film at the movies with GI Blues loved both films. The author did make Jenny become more than just an Elvis Girl.
Interesting case about Jenny Maxwell. I never knew she was murdered. I do remember her in Blue Hawaii . I saw the film at the movies with GI Blues loved both films. The author did make Jenny become more than just an Elvis Girl.
December 23, 2021
An interesting read
I had heard of the “Blue Hawaii” Elvis girl being shot in a botched robbery. The whole story is so much more important!
I had heard of the “Blue Hawaii” Elvis girl being shot in a botched robbery. The whole story is so much more important!
January 2, 2022
Excellent book
I could not put this down. Well written and totally kept my interest. Highly recommend. I had never heard of her. Very sad ending for a talented girl.
I could not put this down. Well written and totally kept my interest. Highly recommend. I had never heard of her. Very sad ending for a talented girl.
January 10, 2022
Great story!
I enjoy true stories. Very sad the ups and downs this woman had in her life. She made the wrong choices.
I enjoy true stories. Very sad the ups and downs this woman had in her life. She made the wrong choices.
January 22, 2022
This was amazing..
This was so interesting I couldn't put it down.. And very good read in my eyes.. Highly recommend especially if you like true drama.
This was so interesting I couldn't put it down.. And very good read in my eyes.. Highly recommend especially if you like true drama.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews