44 episodes
Lost Hills: The Dark Prince Pushkin
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- True Crime
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4.2 • 153 Ratings
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Lost Hills investigates the dark side of Malibu, California. Beneath a seductive facade, this city of billionaires, celebrities, and surf bums is hiding something menacing.
Season 3 takes a deep dive into the surf world to explore the legacy of Malibu’s Dark Prince: Miki Dora. A surfer known for his style, grace and aggression, he ruled Malibu from the 1950s to the 1970s. Celebrated for his rebellious spirit, he was also a conman who led the FBI on a 7-year manhunt around the world. All while he was in search of the perfect wave. To many he’s a hero, but there’s an evil undercurrent that runs through the surf world. And it all leads back to Miki Dora.
Hosted by Dana Goodyear (The New Yorker) and produced by Western Sound and Pushkin Industries. Show artwork copyright Francesca Gabbiani.
Follow us @losthillspod on Twitter and Instagram for a deeper dive into the stories.
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1. The Legend of Miki Dora
Miki Dora, Malibu’s most celebrated surfer, was known as Da Cat. Gorgeous, graceful, and debonair, Miki was intimidating. He ruled Malibu from the 1950s to the 1970s. But then, he disappeared. Because Miki was not just a surfer. He was a con artist, who led the FBI on a 7 year hunt around the globe, while he searched for the perfect wave.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
2. Death in Mexico
The most iconic surfer in Southern California was born in… Hungary. Emigrating to Los Angeles as a baby, he was raised partly by his father, a sophisticated European wine lover and restaurateur, and partly by his mother and her new husband, a hard-charging surfer named Gard Chapin. After Gard’s rumored murder, Miki is never the same.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
3. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt1
In the bitchen’ summer of 1956, a 15 year-old girl named Kathy Kohner shows up in Malibu and asks the guys to teach her how to surf. They call her Gidget. Soon, her father writes a book based on her diaries. The book becomes a movie, and a TV show, and a cultural juggernaut. And Miki, one of Kathy’s new surfer pals, is furious.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
4. Gidget Goes to Hollywood, Pt2
Kathy Kohner’s family were immigrants from Eastern Europe who helped launch the Golden Age of Hollywood. Miki Dora’s family had also escaped the rise of fascism to start anew in California. Their fathers were part of the same tight-knit emigre community. But Miki decides that Kathy is an interloper. And tries to drive her out of Malibu.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
5. Surf Nazi
Mainland surfing has been steeped in the symbols of fascism since its inception. Iron Crosses, swastikas, Nazi uniforms…in the golden era of surfing, surfers flaunt them on their boards and in the early surf movies. Miki Dora is famous for his SS leather trench coat and using a board emblazoned with a giant swastika. He polices Malibu, forces newcomers, known as kooks, off their boards and off the beach. He lets everyone know that Malibu is his territory.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
6. Fuck the World
Miki puts his surfing skills to use in the Gidget movies and in every beach party movie he can get cast in. He wants to be a star, but he doesn’t want to really work. He and his girlfriend Diane Oosterveen dress up and go to Hollywood parties at night–and rob the guests.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Customer Reviews
No what I was expecting but excellent
Given Lost Hills first two series, this was not what I was expecting but I really enjoyed this examination of a really flawed character and despite this how he retains an exalted status in the eyes of many.
I’m not a surfer but my daughters are and so the focus on localism I found very interesting. Certainly not something we’ve encountered but it did remind me a lot of the Cronulla riots in Sydney, Australia. These riots were allegedly sparked by the poor behaviour of people coming to the area on day trips from the Eastern suburbs, mainly of Arab descent but I suspect it had more to do with localism and the dark side of surf culture.
Good listen
The weapons expert’s voice and insight is gold 👌good podcast. Thanks
Lost Direction
Love the presenter but too many angles covered that left me unfulfilled. Which angle were we trying to cover? Corrupt cops, negligent sheriffs department, unwarranted influence by private citizen, innocence in custody? Bungled investigation, victim sympathy piece?
I don’t know, by the 5th episode I feel there was no direction so it just became a factual piece.
Anyways, just my opinion
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