It has previously been shown that the Zodiac Killer designed the April 24th 1978 and May 2nd 1978 letters in response to the Oscars movie ceremony, which was celebrating its 50th Academy Awards of cinematic achievement at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles on April 3rd 1978. The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion at North Grand Avenue was situated 4.5 miles from the KHJ-TV Studios at 5615 Melrose Avenue, which was the target of the May 2nd 1978 letter mailed by the Zodiac Killer that opened with the words "Dear Channel Nine".
But why would the Zodiac Killer choose a seemingly random television station in Los Angeles to deliver his Oscars message, by writing "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him", preceded by the message "I am waiting for a good movie about me" on April 24th 1978?
On the eve of the Academy Awards ceremony the KHJ-TV Studios ran its yearly special about the Oscars (voted on by polling), hosted in 1978 by George Hamilton and Brenda Vaccaro on Channel 9. Wayne Thomas joined KHJ-TV Studios as an announcer in 1959 and served for 27 years. The "Your Choice for the Oscars" production was the brainchild of Wayne Thomas, which voted for the best film, best actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, and best song, spanning six categories. The Zodiac Killer, back with us in 1978 after four years in the wilderness, was clearly yearning attention from the movie industry for his perceived special achievements (or he wanted to make it appear so). The May 2nd 1978 "Channel 9" letter would target Pat Boone for his perceived religious zealotry, stating "Pat Boone-his theocratic crap is an obscenity to the rest of the world". He was present at the Oscars watching his daughter, Debby Boone, perform her 1977 hit song "You Light Up My Life", which spent 10 weeks at No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the best original song category at the Academy Awards ceremony. This song was also voted for in the KHJ-TV Studios 2-hour television special. So it's no surprise that the Zodiac Killer wanted to know which actor was going to play him in a "good movie" a few weeks later, hinting at the Academy Awards and stating "I have decided to start killing again-please hold the applause". However, this tactic employed by the Zodiac Killer in 1978 was not the first time he used this methodology of invoking movie award ceremonies in his correspondence, when he mailed the Exorcist letter on January 29th 1974 - effectively binding three consecutive letters under the banner of acting and film awards.
But why would the Zodiac Killer choose a seemingly random television station in Los Angeles to deliver his Oscars message, by writing "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him", preceded by the message "I am waiting for a good movie about me" on April 24th 1978?
On the eve of the Academy Awards ceremony the KHJ-TV Studios ran its yearly special about the Oscars (voted on by polling), hosted in 1978 by George Hamilton and Brenda Vaccaro on Channel 9. Wayne Thomas joined KHJ-TV Studios as an announcer in 1959 and served for 27 years. The "Your Choice for the Oscars" production was the brainchild of Wayne Thomas, which voted for the best film, best actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, and best song, spanning six categories. The Zodiac Killer, back with us in 1978 after four years in the wilderness, was clearly yearning attention from the movie industry for his perceived special achievements (or he wanted to make it appear so). The May 2nd 1978 "Channel 9" letter would target Pat Boone for his perceived religious zealotry, stating "Pat Boone-his theocratic crap is an obscenity to the rest of the world". He was present at the Oscars watching his daughter, Debby Boone, perform her 1977 hit song "You Light Up My Life", which spent 10 weeks at No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the best original song category at the Academy Awards ceremony. This song was also voted for in the KHJ-TV Studios 2-hour television special. So it's no surprise that the Zodiac Killer wanted to know which actor was going to play him in a "good movie" a few weeks later, hinting at the Academy Awards and stating "I have decided to start killing again-please hold the applause". However, this tactic employed by the Zodiac Killer in 1978 was not the first time he used this methodology of invoking movie award ceremonies in his correspondence, when he mailed the Exorcist letter on January 29th 1974 - effectively binding three consecutive letters under the banner of acting and film awards.
Linda Blair (Regan) receiving her award One has to ask themselves the question of why did the Zodiac Killer wait from December 26th 1973 (The Exorcist release date) to January 29th 1974, to mail a letter beginning with "I saw + think "The Exorcist" was the best saterical comidy that I have ever seen"? The use of "best satirical comedy" gives the impression of comparison to other movies in a genre, by categorizing The Exorcist into a grouping of comedy films. In other words, it wasn't the best movie, it was the best satirical comedy. The timing of this letter, the Zodiac Killer's use of the word "best", and his propensity to respond to recent newspaper coverage, compelled me to search through newspapers.com in the days leading up to the Exorcist communication, to see what may have inspired the Bay Area murderer to compose this introduction. I didn't have to go far.
The Exorcist movie won multiple 31st Golden Globe film awards at the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California on January 26th 1974 for "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Supporting Actress" and "Best Screenplay". This was featured in many newspapers, including the Santa Cruz Sentinel and The Sun Times on January 28th 1974. So, it's not difficult to see why the Zodiac Killer mailed the Exorcist letter three days later (January 29th 1974) and began his snarky rebuttal of the film by writing "I saw + think "The Exorcist" was the best saterical comidy". He simply used the newspaper headlines and stories to compose a response to the accolades received by an extremely popular and successful film. His response to the Golden Globe film awards would be replicated after the 50th Academy Awards ceremony on April 3rd 1978, when he mailed the April 24th 1978 and May 2nd 1978 letters, stating "I am waiting for a good movie about me", "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him" and "please hold the applause".
The Exorcist movie won multiple 31st Golden Globe film awards at the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California on January 26th 1974 for "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Supporting Actress" and "Best Screenplay". This was featured in many newspapers, including the Santa Cruz Sentinel and The Sun Times on January 28th 1974. So, it's not difficult to see why the Zodiac Killer mailed the Exorcist letter three days later (January 29th 1974) and began his snarky rebuttal of the film by writing "I saw + think "The Exorcist" was the best saterical comidy". He simply used the newspaper headlines and stories to compose a response to the accolades received by an extremely popular and successful film. His response to the Golden Globe film awards would be replicated after the 50th Academy Awards ceremony on April 3rd 1978, when he mailed the April 24th 1978 and May 2nd 1978 letters, stating "I am waiting for a good movie about me", "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him" and "please hold the applause".
Two newspaper cuttings from the Santa Cruz Sentinel and The Sun Times on January 28th 1974
This running theme of movie awards present in three consecutive Zodiac Killer communications, that hasn't been spotted by amateur researchers for nearly 50 years, should convince you that one mind was responsible for composing the January 29th 1974, April 24th 1978 and May 2nd 1978 letters. But unfortunately for many it won't. The idea that a hoaxer could have spotted the inspiration for the Exorcist letter and replicated it four years later (in 1978), that no Zodiac researcher has found in nearly half a century, will now be used as a viable explanation. For some, no amount of evidence will shift their belief that the April 24th 1978 letter is a hoax. They will die with this inscription on their tombstone. But hopefully, some people will keep an open mind and consider the possibility that the Zodiac Killer did return in 1978.
MORE READING: A PAWN IN A GAME OF DEATH REVIVING THE 1978 LETTER
THE 1978 LETTER UNLIKELY PENNED BY TOSCHI THE GREATEST COPYCAT IN TOWN
MORE READING: A PAWN IN A GAME OF DEATH REVIVING THE 1978 LETTER
THE 1978 LETTER UNLIKELY PENNED BY TOSCHI THE GREATEST COPYCAT IN TOWN
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