L.A.’s Most Famous Coroner: Anne Choi on Dr. Noguchi, Celebrity Autopsies & the Politics of Death
There would be no true crime without this man!!
What do Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Tate, and Robert F. Kennedy have in common? They were all investigated by Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the so-called “Coroner to the Stars.” In this episode of For the Love of History, host TK sits down with author and researcher Anne Choi to talk about her book L.A. Coroner, which unpacks the bizarre true story of how one Japanese American forensic pathologist turned celebrity death into public drama while navigating life as a first-generation immigrant.
We dive into the racial politics behind Dr. Noguchi’s fame, how the media turned autopsies into headlines, and why Noguchi’s legacy still looms large in L.A.’s culture of death and spectacle. If you're into forensic history, medical ethics, or the strange intersection of race, fame, and mortality, this episode is for you.
📌 Key Topics Covered:
Who was Dr. Thomas Noguchi, and why did the media love him?
The rise of the “celebrity autopsy” in 1960s–70s Los Angeles
How racial identity shaped Noguchi’s public perception and career
The political fallout after the RFK and Monroe investigations
Why Noguchi was fired—twice—and what that says about institutional racism
The role of the L.A. County Coroner in shaping true crime culture
How Anne Choi used public records, news archives, and court documents to research L.A. Coroner
📚 About Our Guest:Anne Choi is a writer, researcher, and historian focused on race, science, and death in American history. Her debut book, L.A. Corone,r explores how Dr. Noguchi’s work at the morgue intersected with celebrity culture, Cold War paranoia, and the racial politics of postwar Los Angeles.
📖 Featured Book:L.A. Coroner by Anne Choi – available now wherever books are sold.
Instagram: @latruecrime
Website: annesoonchoi.com
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📍 Timestamps
00:01 — Meet Anne Choi and the story behind L.A. Coroner
04:15 — Who was Dr. Noguchi?
09:30 — How Noguchi became “the Coroner to the Stars”
13:00 — Celebrity culture, death, and the L.A. media machine
18:40 — The RFK investigation and political fallout
23:50 — Noguchi's firings and the racialized scandal
28:00 — What autopsies reveal about power and spectacle
34:15 — Researching death through archives and ethics
39:00 — Final thoughts on legacy, race, and true crime
🎯 Call to Action:
Obsessed with true crime and weird L.A. history? Then don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow crime-curious. And grab a copy of L.A. Coroner—you’ll never look at celebrity culture the same way again.
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