Good Boy

Not everybody gets to live in their dream home either, but for those who do, they are afforded a life of peace and comfort where they can make years of memories watching their family grow and prosper. Unless they've moved into one particular their home, that is. It was built in the Hollywood Hills in nineteen fifty, an English country revival with a breathtaking view of the San Fernando Valley. Palm trees line it's perimeter and loom tall over the

kidney shaped pool out back. It sits on three quarters of an acre and measures over three thousand square feet, but feels more like a private bungalow than a Hollywood mansion. Perhaps that's why this secluded residence has attracted so many high caliber owners. Thomas Thompson, the writer for Life magazine and the author of the best selling nineteen two novel Celebrity,

once lived there. Before him, there was Ali Saddic. Ali was a cotton broker who, along with his twin brother Ahmed, kicked up a fight at a Hollywood press banquet with another pair of twins. Apparently, Scandinavian journalists Burtle and gust Of Unger were upset that the Saddics were sitting in their seats. Patricia Barren owned the house after Sattic in nineteen fifty five. Baron was a journalist whose father, Frank Barham, published the Los Angeles Harold Express and was a business

partner of William Randolph Hurst. Young Patty spent countless weeks roaming the grounds of Hurst Castle as a welcome guest. But Patty wasn't just the daughter of a newspaper publisher. She made quite a name for herself, writing articles and books about the glitterati, including the late actress Thelma Todd, Marilyn Monroe, and even a book on Resputin, which she co wrote with his daughter. After she moved out, the lavish house on Woodrow Wilson Drive saw its fair share

of celebrities walk through its door. There was former Beatle Ringo star actress Alfrey Woodard, and Mama Cass of the nineteen sixties supergroup The Mamas and Papa's. In fact, while Cass was living in the home, she would often entertain other famous musicians and actors, asking them to write a little something on one of the walls in her living room. Among her guests were David Crosby, Eric Clapton, Ryan O'Neill,

and future Miami Vice star Don Johnson. For decades, this home witnessed the presence of more celebrities than most awards ceremonies. But in the nineteen eighties, a new owner and his wife moved in, and what they thought would be their dream home turned into a living nightmare. Daniel was an up and coming actor. He'd been on television and was starting to get some movie roles, working his way up in Hollywood. However, soon after the couple settled in, they

started experiencing some really odd things. Daniel's StairMaster exercise equipment would turn itself on out of nowhere. He sometimes heard his piano being played even though nobody was sitting at it. He caught his wife's jewelry moving across their bedroom dresser, all on its own. In one extreme instance, Daniel had been asleep in his bed when he felt someone cuddle up beside him. Thinking it was his wife, he rolled

over and went back to sleep. It wasn't until after he woke up later that he realized nobody was there. With so much paranormal activity going on throughout the house, Daniel thought the ghost of Mama Cass had returned. She hadn't died there, but he felt her presence everywhere he went. Eventually, it all became too much to handle, and Daniel put the house back on the market. It took a while to sell, especially since he had to disclose all of those ghostly happenings going on, but in that time he

started working on a new project. It was a movie script about a team of out of work scientists who start up their own business in New York City and their job busting ghosts. Daniel was snl Alum dan Ackroyd, and after seeing something strange in his neighborhood, he got to work writing one of the greatest horror comedy films of all time, Ghostbusters. A hero can come from anywhere.

A bystander pulling someone back onto the sidewalk as a bus speeds by, a sibling rescuing their baby brother from drowning in the pool, or even a child telling a bully to leave someone else alone. Anyone can be a hero, no matter how small the act. But sometimes someone does something so heroic he doesn't just affect the person he's helped, He wins the love and respect of an entire city. And that's what happened to Jim in n Jim lived at fifty seven West fifty seven Streets in New York

City with a man named Dr Harry Tower Galpin. Galpin owned an apartment building in ran the drug store on its ground floor, But on the morning of October one, Jim noticed a strange smell coming from the basement. He got to work right away, and after doing some sniffing around, he realized that everyone needed to evacuate the building immediately. He tried to wake up Dr Galpin, but the man

was in a deep sleep. What nobody knew was that a vacuum cleaner had exploded in the basement, which had ruptured the caps on twenty two gas meters directly above it. While everyone was fast asleep, gas was filling Dr Galpin's apartment, where his brother and a family were staying. They were slowly being killed by the ensuing gas leak, so Jim jumped into action. He clamped his mouth around Dr Galpin's hand and bid him hard enough to rouse him awake.

Dr Gelpin, realizing something was wrong, hurried to the window and threw it open. The apartment aired out quickly and everyone was saved, and Jim was a hero. He had left a hundred and six tooth marks on Dr Galpin's hand, an unusual way of waking someone up. So why didn't Jim just open the window himself? Because he couldn't. Jim was a dog, you see, a great Dane to be exact. Reporters who arrived at the scene asked Dr Galpin about

what had happened. He told them how Jim had saved everyone, adding that he was grateful for each and every bite mark he received. To celebrate Jim's heroism and to show their appreciation, Dr Gelpin and others through the giant pooch a special lunch in his honor. It was held at the Alps, a restaurant, a match to Gelfin's apartment building, where Jim was able to eat to his heart's content. From that point on, Jim the Great Dane became something of a celebrity. His name was in all the papers,

even the ones published outside of Manhattan. Folks as far away as Canada knew about the dog's courageous act, but he didn't let it go to his head. Jim started making the rounds among New York's elite, who very much wanted to be seen dining with this plucky pooch. The president of the New York Women's League for Animals had him in her Fifth Avenue home for a banquet. A hundred people attended, each one eager to shake pause with

the one d and twenty seven pound Jim. One month later, he attended afternoon tea with Miss Kate Sanborn and her high salutant friends. He was even photographed taking a puff from a hookah while he was there. But Jim was finally given the honor of a lifetime when he received a life saving award on Memorial Day of nineteen fourteen,

and he wasn't the only one. There were three other dogs receiving the same award, a police dog that had saved a child whose clothes had caught on fire, a Japanese spaniel who had woken up his family after a fire had erupted in their home, and a new fee named Teddy, who had pulled two people out of the Hudson River and saved them from drowning several years before. Later that year, Dr Galpin and Jim traveled to Saratoga Springs,

where the Great Dane was hit by a car. His hip was badly injured, and the veterinarians did the best they could, but the wound wasn't healing properly and it kept him from getting around. Jim didn't hesitate, though, he bit into his flesh and punctured it, creating two holes so the wound could drain. Two days later, he was back on his feet as if nothing had ever happened. Sadly, jim Storied life came to an abrupt end in nineteen nineteen. It was a Monday night and Dr Galpin had closed

the drug store for the evening. He went up to his apartment and directed Jim to the basement, the dog's normal sleeping spot. Hours passed. At five am, Dr Galpin was startled awake by the sensation of Jim's cold, wet nose on his hand. Something was wrong. Jim and Dr Galpin ran to the drug store, where a robbery was already in progress. Jim ran in after the thieves. There was a scuffle, followed by whimpers. Dr Galpin found his beloved pet bleeding on the floor. He had been bludgeoned

by something heavy after attacking the robbers. They'd broken his ribs and caused serious damage to his midsection. Jim passed away a short time later. Jim the Great Dane was a dog, a bodyguard, a friend of high society, and a best friend. But above all else, he was a hero to the man who loved him, and a good boy, No the greatest boy there ever was. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about the

show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore which is a podcast, book series, and television show and you can learn all about it over at the world of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious, Yeah,