Coroner to the Stars: Dr. Thomas Noguchi’s Doc

It is a shame Dr. Thomas Noguchi was no longer LA County’s Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner during the O.J. Simpson murder investigation, because probably no other pathologist had as much experience dealing with journalists and celebrities. In fact, he was a familiar media presence before such transparency was considered necessary. Unfortunately, many in Hollywood did not appreciate his candor. Now in his 99^th year, Noguchi looks back on his life, career, and controversies in Ben Hethcoat & Keita Ideno’s documentary, Coroner to the Stars, which opens Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Dr. Noguchi was born in Japan, but emigrated to America to serve his residency in LA.  However, he truly found opportunity in the LA Medical Examiner’s office. That would be LA County, rather than the city. Regardless, Noguchi’s expertise and experience, including performing the autopsy on Marilyn Monroe, convinced the Board of Supervisors to appoint him the Chief of the office.

Noguchi rose to unprecedented fame by conducting the autopsies of Sharon Tate, Robert F. Kennedy Sr., William Holden, Natalie Wood, and John Belushi—and talking about them after the fact. In fact, various talking heads suggest he initially better understood ritual cult nature of the Manson Family murders than the police, who started with the dubious assumption that the Tate and Lo Bianco massacres were drug trafficking-related.

Without question, Noguchi helped investigate some of the most notorious cases of his era. Yet, weirdly, the doc overlooks the death of actor-politician Albert Dekker, even though the circumstances of his demise were somewhat provocative. Regardless, Noguchi autopsied plenty of celebrities, earning the ire of Hollywood powerbrokers for openly discussing subjects like blood alcohol levels and other potentially embarrassing information. Of course, when Hollywood had trouble with Noguchi, that meant the Board of Supervisors had trouble with Noguchi.

In retrospect, it seems ironic that Noguchi took such heat, given the proliferation of so-called “celebrity autopsy” shows now available from true crime programmers. Noguchi was simply ahead of his time. Regardless, Hethcoat & Ideno are just dishy enough to satisfy the core audience for a true crime-related film, while still clinging to the political and sociological high ground.

Indeed, Noguchi enjoyed a long life, filled with fascinating material for his documentary profile. Yet, one of the most instructive lesson viewers can take from the film is his stoic, philosophical response to the setback of his politically motivated demotion. Perhaps there were times his successor might have regretted taking his place, given some of the headaches the Medical Examiner’s office had coming their way, riding in the white Bronco of the Apocalypse.

Be that as it may, the resulting film is a strange but ultimately entertaining balance of scandal and nostalgia for a more innocent media era. Recommended for CSI/true crime junkies, Coroner to the Stars screens throughout California over the next three weeks, starting Tuesday (6/23) at the Laemmle Royal.