Phil Spector’s Murder of Actress Lana Clarkson Featured in First Episode of ‘Homicide: Los Angeles’
The first episode of Netflix’s true crime docuseries, Homicide: Los Angeles, by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, explores the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson (you may remember her as Mrs. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High) at the hands of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer/music producer Phil Spector.
Courtesy of Everett
Per Netflix, “the series retraces each case’s complicated path to justice while remembering each of the deceased through the eyes of their friends and families.” In addition to Spector, four other notorious Los Angeles area cases will be covered in upcoming episodes.
Who was Phil Spector?
Fred Mott/Getty Images; Everett Collection
Spector, once a rock ‘n’ roll legend, was best known for inventing a production style called the Wall of Sound, creating ’60s girl groups such as the Ronettes and Crystals and producing several smash hits like The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” and “Unchained Melody.” He also produced the Beatles‘ final album, Let It Be, worked with John Lennon on “Imagine,” and continued producing a slew of albums for artists like The Ramones, Cher, Leonard Cohen and more. He was mostly inactive in the 1980s and the 1990s, however, he made several appearances at award shows, where he acted strangely, such as when Tina Turner inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
It wasn’t until that fatal day on February 3, 2003 that Spector was truly back in the spotlight again.
Al Pacino in Spector Phillip V. Caruso/HBO /Courtesy: Everett Collection
This is not the first time Spector has been the subject of a Hollywood production. In 2013, Al Pacino played him in a film called Spector, which chronicled the first murder trial following Clarkson’s death, and in 2022, Showtime also released a docuseries on him as well.
Phil Spector Trial and Death
Ringo H.W. Chiu/Getty Images
When the Amazon Women on the Moon actress was found dead by gunshot wound at his Alhambra mansion, Spector claimed she had killed herself. Even though many women came forward with disturbing stories of Spector’s behavior after they’d refused his advances, and though it was revealed he had a long history of violent encounters, the jury couldn’t come to a conclusion in 2003, and the judge declared it a mistrial.
CDCR via Getty Images
Five years later, Spector went back to trial and was sentenced to 19 years to life. He died in prison in 2021. After his death his ex-wife, Ronnie Spector of the Ronnettes said, “As I said many times while he was alive, he was a brilliant producer, but a lousy husband. Unfortunately, Phil was not able to live and function outside of the recording studio. Darkness set in, many lives were damaged.”
Ronnie died a year later on January 12, 2022.
Homicide: Los Angeles is available on Netflix now
Five Los Angeles area-based cases are explored in the next edition of Dick Wolf's true crime series.
TV Insider 
Birth of Rock 'n' Roll
February 2024
"Long live rock," we like to say, but how did it come to life? Revisit the memorable moments, music and movies that made teens go beat crazy back in the 1950s.
Buy This Issue