Kickstarter

Thomas Noguchi's Role in History

As the Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner from 1967 until 1982, Dr. Thomas Noguchi played a unique and pivotal role in some of Hollywood's most mysterious and engrossing tragedies. Performing autopsies on giants of the 20th Century like Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate and Natalie Wood, Noguchi's work helped revolutionize the role of coroners in solving crimes and fueled the fire behind some of America's most famous conspiracy theories. 

Dr. Noguchi's Life

Dr. Noguchi grew up in the heart of World War II Japan. At the age of 13 he witnessed his father, who was a doctor, swab a patient's throat to check for strep infection. The patient choked to death, and it was only after an autopsy revealed the patient's undocumented allergy to Iodine that his father was spared a prison sentence that would have torn the family apart. That's when he knew what he wanted to do for a living.

Noguchi enrolled in medical school in Tokyo, attending classes in the rubble of a bombed out building with no roof. Shortly after graduating he moved to the United States, a country still rife with anti-Japanese sentiment. He overcame those prejudices to become one of the most prominent medical examiners in the country, with famous cases thrusting him into the spotlight.

Marilyn Monroe was the first autopsy of his career as Chief Medical Examiner, and the results left many wondering if her death was really a suicide. His findings in the death of Sharon Tate helped solve the Manson Family murders. The autopsies performed on the charred remains of SLA members helped find Patty Hearst. His investigation into the precise cause of death in Robert F. Kennedy's assassination fueled speculation of a second shooter theory. From Natalie Wood, to John Belushi, to William Holden to Janis Joplin, Dr. Noguchi had a front row seat to history.

He became so well known for his talent and eccentricities, that he was the inspiration and key source for the long-running television series "Quincy, ME."

Forced out of office in a scandal that sullied his name, Dr. Noguchi will tell his story to our cameras for the first time.

About the Film

The trailer above is simply a preview thrown together quickly for the purposes of this page alone. The actual film will feature Dr. Noguchi reflecting on his 85-year life, with archival footage helping to tell his story and the stories of the stars he worked with. The music in the trailer is by Nashville's "Sleeping Bulls," who have graciously agreed to score it.

What We Need

The $7,500 we hope to raise will go toward production costs for the interview shoot. That includes the cost of studio and equipment rental as well as crew charges.

We are incredibly excited about this project and hope you will be too. Please help us in making it a reality.