Who Killed Karyn Kupcinet?

In the early 60s, Karyn Kupcinet's star was just beginning to rise and no one expected that she would burn out so quickly. In fact, her parents seemed convinced that Karyn was destined for great things. Her father, Irv Kupcinet was already involved in the media and entertainment business, working steadily as a columnist in Chicago and launching his own television career. According to those close to the family, Irv and his wife, Essie, pressured Karyn to follow in Irv's footsteps. 

Ms. Kupcinet started her career as any aspiring actress, making guest appearances on a few television shows in 1959 and 1960. Her career took a turn for the better rather quickly, when she was cast to play Shirley in the 1960 film, The Little Shop of Horrors. The attention her big film debut brought was enough to catch the eye of more television producers, earning her a steady stream of guest appearances. Most notably, Karyn was cast in recurring roles on Hawaiian Eye and The Gertrude Berg Show. She continued to work steadily until her passing at the age of 22.

The Death of Karyn Kupcinet

If she had lived, Karyn Kupcinet might have had an impressive film and television career, giving starlets like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn stiff competition. Fate had other plans, however. On November 27th, Karyn attended a Thanksgiving dinner party at the home of her closest friends, Mark and Marcia Goddard. While there, Karyn seemed to be under the influence of drugs and seemed especially distraught. The Goddards later recalled that Karyn had been ranting about having found an infant on her doorstep. Apparently, Karyn had called the police to come and take custody of the baby. This was the same story she would later tell to boyfriend and fellow actor, Andrew Pine.

Yet, there was no record of Kupcinet calling the police or turning in an abandoned infant.

Karyn left the dinner party at 8:30 pm that evening and that was the last time the Goddards would see their friend alive. By November 30th, Mark and Marcia were growing concerned, so they visited Karyn's West Hollywood home to check on her. When they arrived at the apartment, they found the door unlocked and, upon calling for Ms. Kupcinet with no response, they entered the unit. They found Karyn laying nude on the floor. Her body had been decomposing for two days.

After leaving the Goddard home on the 27th, Karyn had returned to her home. She was joined by Edward Rubin and Robert Hathaway, two good friends of the actress. The three of them had planned to spend the evening watching television together, but, by this time, Kupcinet was losing her high. She was continuously dozing off as she lie on the sofa until she ultimately retired to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Hathaway and Rubin took this as their cue to exit the apartment. They told police that, upon leaving, they locked the door behind them. They went back to Hathaway's apartment, where they were joined by Andrew Pine, and spent the evening watching television together.

Initially, Ms. Kupcinet's death was determined to have been an overdose, either by accident or as an intentional suicide. However, further examination of the body revealed that bones in the actress' throat had been crushed. As a result, her death had been declared a homicide and, as of today, it's still considered an unsolved murder by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Who Killed Karyn Kupcinet?

Andrew Pine

Some believe Andrew Pine killed Karyn Kupcinet as the only means of getting out of a complicated relationship. Karyn was more invested in their relationship, while Pine was reluctant to even consider a monogamous relationship with the actress. He was reportedly dating several women at the time and had been involved in several public debates with Kupcinet about ending those other romances.

Making matters worse, both Kupcinet and Pine were receiving threats in the mail. The letters were comprised of words clipped from magazines and pasted to loose leaf paper. Upon investigating the matter, police found that the magazine clippings and the tape had fingerprints from only one individual: Karyn Kupcinet. 

David Lange

Another actor living in an apartment on the floor below Karyn's apartment was David Lange. He was acquainted with the actress, though not very familiar with her. He cast suspicion upon himself, when he claimed to have murdered Karyn himself, telling another woman the details of the crime. Upon investigating, police determined that this was a fabrication. Lange recanted that confession as well, claiming he made it up to impress his love interest.

The CIA

Finally, there's the JFK conspiracy theory. This theory arises from a call that a mysterious woman made to an Oxnard, California operator. The call was made on November 22, 1963 at 10:00 am and the caller told the operator that the president would be assassinated in the next 10 minutes. After ranting unintelligibly for a few minutes, the woman changed her prediction and said the shooting would occur at 10:30 am. John  F. Kennedy was assassinated at 12:30 pm CST, which is 10:30 am PST. 

The reason it's assumed the caller was Karyn is that her father was acquainted with Jack Ruby, the man who killed Lee Harvey Oswald. It's suspected that Ruby knew about the assassination plans and told Irv Kupcinet about them ahead of the planned assassination. In turn, Irv told his daughter, who later made that call to the operator. In response, the CIA may have killed Karyn Kupcinet in an attempt to silence Irv Kupcinet. As a columnist and reporter, Mr. Kupcinet might have been tempted to reveal his knowledge to the public, but the killing of his daughter would have been an obvious warning to him.

What do you believe?

Did Karyn Kupcinet simply overdose and crush her throat on a table edge as she fell?

Did Andrew Pine kill her to get out of a suffocating relationship with an unstable actress?

Did David Lange get drunk, wander into Karyn's apartment, and murder her in a lust-fueled rage?

Or did the CIA kill Ms. Kupcinet as a means of silencing her father?