L.A. Quartet

The L.A. Quartet is a sequence of four crime fiction novels by James Ellroy. The novels, set in the late 1940s through the late 1950s in Los Angeles, are:

• (1987) The Black Dahlia
• (1988) The Big Nowhere
• (1990) L.A. Confidential
• (1992) White Jazz

Several characters from the L.A. Quartet, most notably Dudley Smith, were introduced in Ellroy's 1983 novel Clandestine, which takes place between 1951 and 1955 and makes reference to the Black Dahlia killings and Smith's investigation into them.

L.A. Quartet Summary

The Black Dahlia, the first novel in the series follows a brutal murder in the late '40s. January 15, 1947, is the date Elizabeth Short's body is discovered in a vacant lot. Officers Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert and Leland "Lee" Blanchard, partners and local celebrities from their boxing days, aid the investigation.

The next novel, The Big Nowhere, takes place in the early 1950s amidst the Red Scare in Hollywood. Former LAPD detective Buzz Meeks, who now works as an enforcer for Mickey Cohen and a pimp for Howard Hughes, gets caught up in a communist investigation that has ties to a series of homosexual murders that are being investigated by a Sheriff's deputy named Danny Upshaw. The work of Meeks and Upshaw also crosses paths with the investigations of Mal Considine and Dudley Smith, who are working on a communist case of their own.

The third novel, L.A. Confidential spans the length of about eight years- from early 1950 to about April 1958. The story begins on February 21, 1950, with Buzz Meeks being found at an abandoned auto court where he is hiding out. Meeks is killed by Dudley Smith, and the eighteen pounds of heroin Meeks stole from a Jack Dragna-Mickey Cohen truce meeting, is subsequently retrieved by Smith. A year later, 1951, Bloody Christmas occurs: the beating of unarmed suspects by LAPD officers on Christmas Day. Ed Exley, Bud White, and Jack Vincennes are the main officers caught in the scandal. On April 16, 1953, the Nite Owl Massacre becomes the focus of the LAPD. The Massacre was the killing of civilians in an all-night restaurant. Three African-Americans are the suspects. While resisting arrest, they are gunned down by Exley, who is made a hero. Years pass, but new evidence emerges that the African-American youths were innocent of the Nite Owl killings. The Nite Owl case is reopened. Ultimately, between Exley, White, and Vincennes, a giant criminal conspiracy is uncovered. The plot involved Mickey Cohen, the drug rackets, pornography, the stolen heroin from the mob meeting years back, a chemist trying to alter the chemical compound of the heroin to improve it, framing the Negro kids, and at the center of all this: Dudley Smith. However, in the end, Smith escapes prosecution for the plot. The Nite Owl gunmen are killed, as well as other conspirators in Smith's scheme. The three protagonists' lives are the ones that are affected the most. Bud White ends up a cripple, but wins Lynn Bracken's heart. Jack Vincennes is killed in the line of duty while trying to stop prisoners from escaping. Ed Exley, despite becoming a Chief of Detectives, loses his father who commits suicide. While despising each other at first, Exley and White become friends. Exley swears to White he will bring Dudley Smith down.

The fourth and final novel in the L.A. Quartet is White Jazz. Told from corrupt LAPD officer Dave Klein's point of view. Despite being a policeman, Klein has broken the law numerous times, beat suspects, stolen, bribed, worked for the mob, and had people killed, as well as being a murderer himself. In late 1958, Klein, the commander of Administrative Vice, is assigned a burglary of the sanctioned drug dealing family, the Kafesjians. Despite not seeing the case as a priority, the Narcotics Division commander Dan Wilhite and Deputy Chief Ed Exley want the case solved. He takes a sideline job from Howard Hughes who wants Klein to find evidence that would violate an actress's contract. Klein takes the job, but falls in love with his target: Glenda Bledsoe. All while working the Kafesjian burglary, Klein discovers that Exley is still trying to prosecute Dudley Smith. Klein begins working with Exley when he figures it out, who tells him all about Dudley. When Klein meets an undercover officer, Johnny Duhamel, who is working Smith on behalf of Exley, Klein is shot up with drugs. Being coerced, Klein murders Duhamel with his Marines sword. He is also taped committing the murder. Klein is also arrested by the FBI the following day for possession of heroin. Klein becomes a federal witness, but is given 48 hours before he is taken into custody. Klein and Exley discover another Dudley Smith plot. Selling heroin exclusively to the Southside Negro population, keeping crime in that area, "contained," gambling, and voyeuristic pornography tapes. Klein and Exley find the Kafesjians' burglar, Wylie Bullock. When asked by Klein to guard Bullock. Later that night, everything hits Klein: all his crimes and everything that is happening. He decides to meet Smith later that night, who offered Klein a deal earlier. Unbeknown to Smith, Klein brings Wylie Bullock, who has a grudge against Smith. When the two meet, Bullock attacks Smith, ripping out his eye and slashing his face ear to ear. Klein shoots Bullock and runs off. an APB is issued on Klein and he is caught. A custody battle ensues between the FBI and the LAPD for Klein, the FBI win. While in federal custody, Klein writes a full confession of everything he has done, and everything that has happened. Six legal pads, ninety-four pages of confessions. He has copies sent to Hush-Hush, the L. A. Times, and the State Attorney General's Office. However, Klein escapes custody. He hides out with Pete Bondurant (a character who reappears in the Underworld USA Trilogy series' American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand). After his escape, Klein's confessions fall on deaf ears, with only Hush-Hush magazine, willing to print it, but they are silenced by legal action and preventing from printing it. A confession that would've quote, "brought the LAPD to its knees." Howard Hughes feels betrayed by Dave Klein because of the Bledsoe job. He has Bondurant beat him up bad enough to require hospital attention. Exley sends Klein a package in the hospital, which includes a blank passport and a gun. Exley says in his note that Smith is neutralized, but says he will allow Klein to kill Smith if he feels justice has not been absolute regarding Dudley Smith. Instead, Klein murders J. C. Kafesjian, and Tommy Kafesjian. Klein spends one last night with Glenda Bledsoe, takes pictures of her to remember her by, and leaves for the airport. Around late January, 1959, Klein leaves the U. S. According to the epilogue, many years later, it is at least 1976. Klein says he plans to return to Los Angeles, with the intentions of making gubernatorial candidate Exley confess to the manipulative deals he made, murder Dick Carlisle and Dudley Smith, and find his lover Glenda Bledsoe.

Characters

Dudley Liam Smith

Smith was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1905, and later immigrated to the United States, where he joined the LAPD in 1928. Smith was the clandestine protector of two rival criminal families, the Herricks and the Kafesjians, in the 1930s and in 1942 he murdered José Diaz in the infamous Sleepy Lagoon murder case. He is first mentioned in Clandestine, which is set in 1951, and again in 1950 in The Big Nowhere, where he is recruited by Deputy D.A. Ellis Loew to investigate communist influence in Hollywood. He and his partner Mal Considine pursue this assignment with vigor. It was in this book that the extent of his personal corruption was revealed; as well as Jose Diaz, Dudley and his men were involved in other criminal activities, and in February 1950 Dudley personally tracked down and killed protagonist Buzz Meeks as is stated in the prologue to L.A. Confidential. By 1950 Dudley had reached the rank of Lieutenant, and he would remain there throughout the 1950s, until his promotion to Captain in 1958. By this time, his personal rivalry with fellow LAPD Captain Edmund Exley resulted in a power struggle between both men, which Edmund Exley won when Smith was attacked by a man named Wylie Bullock. This attack left him with brain damage that rendered him essentially insane, and only semi-lucid. It is unknown when Dudley died; however, he is apparently still alive—albeit confined to a nursing home—in 1976, as is revealed in the epilogue to White Jazz.

Smith was thoroughly unscrupulous, ruthless, and evil. He had a large list of crimes that he had committed, including theft, pornography distribution, murder, and most disturbingly, infanticide - Dudley personally strangled the two-day old baby of the Herrick family in 1937. He was a hard line anti-communist, declaring that he hated the "Red filth worse than Satan." Dudley's racism was also well known, particularly in regards to Jews, and he was a notable proponent of "containment;" as he explained it, keeping the "nigger filth" in African-American areas.

Smith is portrayed by James Cromwell in the film adaptation of L.A. Confidential. In a departure from the novel, Smith is killed by Exley at the end of a shootout.

Edmund Jennings Exley

Appearances in: L.A. Confidential, White Jazz

Ed Exley is one of the three protagonists in L.A. Confidential, and a major supporting character in White Jazz. He is the son of Preston Exley, former cop turned construction tycoon. The brother of Thomas Exley, also a cop who was gunned down by an unknown purse snatcher (known as "Rollo Tomasi" in the film). Ed is relentlessly ambitious, politically savant, and highly intelligent, trying to surpass his father as a policemen and live out late Thomas's dreams. He is instilled with a belief in "absolute justice" from his father.

He has come from a family of cops, stated in the novel Exley men have been police since the formation of the Scotland Yard. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA at nineteen in 1941, Exley joined the war effort shortly after joining the LAPD in 1943. He served in the Pacific Theater and toward the end of his tour of duty experienced the variation and possible ways of manipulating the truth to one's benefit. Anticipating an attack, Exley volunteers for a scout run. As predicted, the Japanese forces assault with a bayonet charge. When Exley returns, his platoon is dead and a patrol is approaching. He hides under the bodies of his former brothers in arms. After the patrol passes he decides to head to battalion headquarters. On the way, he passes a shinto shrine of soldiers who committed suicide over capture or death by disease. He finds a weaponry and a flamethrower nearby. He lays the guns out around the dead. With the flamethrower, he torches the bodies, knowing his cowardice would be evident and would be rotated to another platoon if he didn't commit this act. Recon finds Exley having "fought off" twenty nine enemies. He is awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and his story in the Examiner.

Exley's next brush with opportunity, chance, and "truth" occurs Christmas Eve during the Bloody Christmas Scandal of 1951. A rise in rank and glory come with his testifying against his brother officers, but not without the stigma of becoming a pariah and rat among them. He develops a hate relationship with Bud White, because of his testimony and the fact White's partner, Dick Stensland, is incarcerated, and later goes to the gas chamber. Exley was the arresting officer in the crimes which led to Stensland receiving the death penalty, and was in attendance (as was White) when Stensland was executed.

However, the Nite Owl slayings bring him acceptance. Several patrons of an all night coffee shop are brutally shotgunned to death. Although in custody, the suspects escape and Exley guns down the three suspects in the Nite Owl case (despite the fact they were unarmed). As the years pass, Exley is given captaincy over Internal Affairs and also makes other numerous cases with a conviction rate in the upper ninety percent. When the Nite Owl case is reopened due to the circumstantial evidence of two witnesses, Exley and the rest of the LAPD must solve the case all over again before the Attorney General's Office takes over the investigation and makes the LAPD look incompetent. As the evidence emerges and connections are established between the suspects in an web of complex conspiracies stretching back decades, it becomes clear that his father himself didn't properly clear his own famous case, The Loren Atherton case. With the aid of Bud White and Jack Vincennes, the trio ultimately solve the Nite Owl Case. Following a botched raid on a prison break via train, White is critically wounded. Exley visits him and finds evidence White built for his own case against a serial killer of prostitutes. When Exley finds the evidence, he learns the true meaning of absolute justice: anonymous, humble, no rank or glory. While conventional justice is not meted out, with Exley entrusting the second murderer of the Loren Atherton case to a known doctor, Dr. Terry Lux, and the ultimate mastermind behind the Nite Owl and other crimes, Dudley Smith cannot be convicted due to lack of evidence, Exley vows he will take down Dudley Smith if it's the last thing he ever does.

In White Jazz Exley is a Deputy Chief as a result of solving the Nite Owl. He has become colder and more determined in achieving his goals. He unwillingly allows Dave Klein to keep his job, despite Klein's obvious corruption. Exley continues his crusade in attempting to take down Dudley Smith. He uses an undercover police cadet and Klein to attain this goal. During a burglary into Exley's house by Klein for monetary gain, he finds numerous photos of Dudley Smith. Klein coins the photos "Exley hate fuel." During an earlier meeting at Exley's house, Klein mentions that as evil as Dudley is, Exley is a hypocrite in the way he uses people like Dudley. White Jazz sees the end of the corrupt Narcotics Division and its sanctioned dealers, the Kafesjians. Due to severe brain damage and wounds, Dudley remains in hospital care his whole life and a special pension fund approved by Exley himself, since the revelations about the LAPD's blatant corruption would "bring the LAPD to its knees," as stated in Hush-Hush. With Klein a fugitive, Exley gets word to him in a package. It states he will not pursue Klein for his burglary because he used Klein to accomplish his mission. His package also includes a blank passport and a .38 revolver with a silencer in case Klein feels absolute justice has not been achieved regarding Dudley. He also states Dudley has cost him enough as it is.

According to White Jazz's epilogue told by Klein, Exley ascends to the rank of Chief of Police. He also develops a political career, from congressman, Lieutenant Governor and a candidate for Governor. However Klein plans to make Exley confess all his deals he has ever cut.

In the L.A. Confidential film adaptation, he is portrayed by Guy Pearce.

• Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen (September 4, 1913 – July 29, 1976)

Appearances in: The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, White Jazz

• Wendell "Bud" White

Bud White was one of the major protagonists in L.A. Confidential. In the book he begins as an incredibly violent cop, who takes out his anger on wife beaters. This is shown to be because of his violent father who killed his mother in a drunken rage. Because of his quick temper and brutality Bud became the most feared cop on the force with nobody wishing to feel the brunt of his anger. However he is shown to be sensitive with women and goes out of his way to help them. This is shown when he becomes obsessed with tracking down a serial killer targeting young prostitutes. During the course of the book Bud has a long standing feud with Ed Exley, due to Exley informing the D.A. of Bud's involvement in the Bloody Christmas fiasco. This almost makes Bud lose his job until Dudley Smith recruits him into the homicide division, which Dudley operates. However Bud's partner Dick Stensland is left as a scapegoat for the investigative D.A. and is imprisoned, this only fuels Buds vendetta against Exley. Dudley recruited Bud because of his brutal strength and uses him as an enforcer. However when it becomes clear that Dudley is corrupt and is using him for his own nefarious schemes, Bud drops his conflict with Exley and joins forces with him and Jack Vincennes to take Dudley Smith down. However during the investigation he is gravely wounded and is forced to retire. Before he leaves, the newly promoted Ed Exley promises him that he won't let Dudley get away with his crimes. Russell Crowe portrayed Bud in the 1997 adaptation of L.A. Confidential.

• John "Jack" Vincennes

One of the major characters in L.A. Confidential. Known for being flashy and colorful, as well as taking cases which get the most publicity. However over the course of the book his actions cause an amount of guilt and throws his life into turmoil, such as the loss of his marriage. He allies himself with Bud White and Ed Exley in a way to redeem himself, however he dies in the book's climax. He is portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the film, who received top billing, despite his secondary role.

• Lynn Bracken

• David Douglas "The Enforcer" Klein

Appearances in: White Jazz The protagonist of White Jazz. The novel is told through Dave Klein's stream of consciousness, as well as articles and newspaper headlines that accompany many of Ellroy's books. He is an immoral cop who, moonlights as a hitman, enforcer, slumlord and lawyer working for people such as Howard Hughes and the mob. He is portrayed as charismatic and cunning, however over the book begins to lose his edge with various problems such as Noonan trying to prosecute him, Exley blackmailing him causes is his life to fall apart.

• Glenda Bledsoe

• Russ Millard

Appearances in: The Black Dahlia, L.A. Confidential

• Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert

Appearances in: The Black Dahlia The main protagonist of The Black Dahlia. An LAPD officer and former light-heavy boxer. The partner of Lee Blanchard, and eventual husband of Kay Lake. He, like his partner, becomes obsessed with the Elizabeth Short murder case. Bucky was portrayed by Josh Hartnett in the film adaption.

• Turner "Buzz" Meeks

Buzz Meeks was once a cop who was known for his extreme corruption and bad performance reports. This bad reputation would eventually cause his dismissal from the LAPD. He would later find work as an enforcer and bodyguard for various figures within L.A.s underworld. He was murdered by Dudley Smith. In the film, he is portrayed by Darrell Sandeen.

• Ellis Loew

• Mal Considine

Lieutenant Mal Considine of the Los Angeles District Attorney's Criminal Investigation Bureau was an intelligent, well-intentioned cop, undone by ambition in The Big Nowhere. Bent on making the rank of Captain with the Bureau, he joined Ellis Loew and Dudley Smith on an investigation of Communists in Hollywood. In the course of that investigation, he recruited Danny Upshaw and became his handler while the latter did double-duty on investigations of Communists and a serial killer. His ambition and desire to impress the divorce court resulted in his death at the hands of the serial killer.

• Danny Upshaw

Detective Deputy Danny Upshaw of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was a brilliant cop who investigated a horrific string of mutilation murders in The Big Nowhere. When he stumbles upon evidence linking Dudley Smith with an old murder, Smith manipulates him psychologically until he kills himself, allowing Smith to breathe free but the serial killer to remain at large.

• "Rollo Tomasi"

Rollo Tomasi is the made up name of the purse snatcher who killed Ed Exley's brother in the novel, and in the film version of L.A. Confidential, his father. His identity is unknown in both novel and film.

The film states that Exley gave him the name for personality. This becomes a vital piece of information when as Jack Vincennes is dying, his last words are Rollo Tomasi, the name that Exley shared with him. It will also give Exley a clue to his killer when Dudley Smith questions Exley about the name. Rollo Tomasi is also a metaphor for the criminal who gets away with the crime, like the purse snatcher. When Dudley is about to kill Exley, he asks who Rollo Tomasi is, and Exley says Dudley is, for the reasons mentioned before.

• William H. Parker

• Howard Hughes

• Sid Hudgens

• Deuce Perkins

• J.C. Kafesjian

Appearance: White Jazz

The LAPD's sanctioned drug dealer.

• Wylie Bullock

• Michael Breuning

• Richard Carlisle

• Pete Bondurant

• Raymond Dieterling (similarities to Walt Disney)

• Inez Soto

• Chick Vecchio

• Touch Vecchio

• Pierce Morehouse Patchett

• George "Junior" Stemmons

• Leland "Lee" Blanchard

• Johnny Stompanato

• U.S. Attorney Welles Noonan

• Robert Gallaudet

• Johnny Duhamel

• Dan Wilhite

• Jack Woods

• Spade Cooley

• Wino Will-o-the-Wisp

Appearances: White Jazz

Unknown serial killer murdering the homeless in White Jazz.

• Elston Majeska (similarities to Bela Lugosi)

• Jack Dragna

• Will Shipstad

• Lester Lake

• Fred Turentine

See also

Novels portal

• Noir fiction

Real life events

• The Black Dahlia murder
• Brenda Allen scandal
• Sleepy Lagoon murder
• Zoot Suit Riots
• Bloody Christmas
• Battle of Chavez Ravine

References