Dorothy Kilgallen

Early Career

Dorothy Mae Kilgallen (July 3, 1913 – November 8, 1965) was an American journalist, columnist, and television personality whose career spanned decades as a major voice in American media. Working for the Hearst Corporation and International News Services (INS), she launched her syndicated newspaper column "The Voice of Broadway" in 1938, which eventually reached more than 140 papers nationwide, establishing her as a prominent figure in journalism. From 1950 until her death in 1965, she was also a regular panelist on the television game show What's My Line?, bringing her into millions of American households.

UFO Reporting

On May 23, 1955, Kilgallen filed a significant wire from her London office reporting that British Cabinet-rank officials had revealed the UK possessed recovered UFO debris and had subjected it to scientific study. According to her report, senior British officials stated they believed the craft originated from another planet and were controlled by small humanoid beings approximately four feet tall. The report ran once in U.S. newspapers before being suppressed or withdrawn. While the story's veracity remains contested—some researchers suggest it may have originated from cocktail-party gossip—it represents one of the few instances where a mainstream, nationally-syndicated journalist formally reported on alleged crashed UFO materials.

Major Investigations

Kilgallen was renowned for her investigative work beyond UFOs. In 1954, she covered the murder trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard and became skeptical of the guilty verdict. She later provided testimony to attorney F. Lee Bailey that contributed to Sheppard's release from prison in 1964, demonstrating her impact on major legal cases. Most notably, from 1964 until her death, Kilgallen conducted her own independent investigation into President John F. Kennedy's assassination, finding the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone "laughable." She interviewed Jack Ruby and obtained copies of his testimony, which she published in August 1964. The Warren Commission itself investigated how she obtained classified materials, underscoring the sensitivity of her work.

Death and Legacy

Kilgallen was found dead on November 8, 1965, in her Manhattan townhouse at age 52, with the cause listed as a combination of alcohol and barbiturates. The medical examiner ruled the circumstances undetermined. Her death has become controversial in UFO and JFK assassination communities: her investigation files relating to the Kennedy case disappeared, and questions persist about whether her death was suicide or homicide. Author Mark Shaw's 2016 book The Reporter Who Knew Too Much argues she was murdered to silence her JFK investigation. Whether connected to her UFO report or her assassination probe, Kilgallen's sudden death while pursuing sensitive investigations remains one of the era's unresolved mysteries.