Mickey, for a short, ugly little guy, got plenty of poontang. Among his consorts? No less than Candy Barr and Tempest Storm (at least I think so… Tempest is still alive, God bless her, so I'll only IMPLY it, as Wiki does) and also Liz Renay, AKA Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins (who served time in prison rather than rat on Mickey once.) Pearly also later did a "mother-daughter" burlesque act with her own offspring, Brenda…who committed suicide at age 39. THAT sounds like a story for me, but I'll do it later. Isn't there some kind of law against stripping with your own Daughter? Creepy.
But if this post is to be about Mickey Cohen's consorts, I would be sitting here all day. Back to young Sandy...certainly one of the prettiest "model/dancer" dates Mickey ever had.
Sandy (or Sandra in some accounts) was at a table with Micky when the shooting went down. I guess she earned her "sophisticated" title as she was smart enough to escape the joint in Micky's caddy, driving it HERSELF, with a bunch of Mickey's jewelry. I say apparently, as Sandra also refused to answer any questions. FOUR TIMES. She had also been handed a money order for $800 bucks made out to Mickey, and since that kind of paperwork was of interest to the feds, Mickey must have crumpled it up along with his keys when he told Sandy to hit the road. Who knows…at the time of the shooting, Mickey said he went under the table to take care of his dog.
This 18-year old was in big trouble. Not only that, according to Paul Lieberman's book Gangster Squad: Covert Cops, the Mob and the Battle for Los Angeles" she had 290 names in her address books when she was arrested. I don't know if they were all named "John" but I DO know to collect that many names by age 18 has to be some kind of a record. I think MY "special" address book has around 30, and I'm old. 290!
Hagen stuck around a while, long enough to be meet Mickey as he was released from jail for various things…but seems to have vanished a few years later. Despite her beauty and remarkable skills as a "business woman" and jewelry moll, she seems to be missing in action today. In 2008, Larry Harnish, editor of the once great but defunct "Daily Mirror" blog lamented loosing track of her but published some beautiful photographs.
I would say this would make a good movie, but I guess it has been, though the troubled thing is on hold due to an unfortunate scene they shot. I think Gangster Squad will be released in 2013, and it certainly sounds like a great movie. Whether they cast anyone as Sandy Hagen, or even put her in the film will be revealed when it comes out. Until then, read the book I guess.
I would love to know where Ms. Hashhagen ended up, and there are a few good leads. It seems a shame to drop the story here…but no one is paying me to do this blog and I have to rake the lawn. Here is another bubble photo instead.
(Photographs of Sandy Hagen taken from Sextet Magazine 1960)