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★★★★☆

4.1

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3249 reviews

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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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Check latest episodes from Lost Hills: The Dark Prince podcast

1. The Legend of Miki Dora

2023/06/12

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

2023/06/15

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

2023/06/19

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

2023/06/22

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

2023/06/26

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

2023/06/29

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.

7. Misdirection

2023/07/03

From nothing, a surf industry is born. There are magazines. And gear. And competitions. Everyone is hustling…. Including Miki. He introduces a new board called Da Cat, complete with an outrageous ad campaign. He also has a new girlfriend, a surfer named Linda Cuy, who has the makings of a full-on accomplice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8. AKA Fugitive

2023/07/06

After moaning about the ruination of Malibu for years, Miki sets out … for New Zealand. He and Linda are going to use a bunch of fraudulent airline tickets and fake credit cards to disappear. There’s just one problem: they’re being hunted. Linda has another con artist boyfriend who is keen to find her. And Miki is wanted by the FBI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9. The Fall Guys

2023/07/10

Kevin Naughton and Craig Peterson are on assignment for Surfer magazine. Their task? Find Miki Dora. When they do, he’s living in a campervan in the South of France, surfing perfect empty waves. And waiting for his next recruits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10. Aging Boy of Summer

2023/07/13

After getting busted in France in 1981, Miki finally surrenders himself to the FBI. Agents have spent years interviewing denizens of the surf world, gathering dirt on Miki. His criminal file is 876 pages long. Miki decides to face the music, but he still has a couple tricks up his sleeve. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11. Writing on the Wall

2023/07/17

After prison, Miki is a changed man . . . kind of. He knows better than to break the law again. So he finds other ways to make money. He gets Quiksilver, the surf apparel company, to put him on the payroll. And with the help of a couple of celebrity surfers, Kelly Slater and Chris Malloy, Miki tries to get back on top. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12. A Nasty Piece of Work

2023/07/20

When he dies, in 2002, Miki leaves wreckage in his wake. A stash of letters reveal his deepest and most toxic beliefs. And Linda Cuy explains the true cost of Miki’s rebellious search for surf. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcast reviews

Read Lost Hills: The Dark Prince podcast reviews

4.1 out of 5

3249 reviews

★★★★★

Ihaveanopinion 2024/01/29

So worth it!

OMG such a ride and great conclusion! We have historically been so captivated by such tormented characters. I love revisiting history and getting a cl...

★★★★★

billthick 2023/12/15

Twenty stars

Best podcast ever

★☆☆☆☆

Kadence404 2024/01/07

This is not journalism, a total slog to get through

I don’t understand how you can spend so much time highlighting very serious issues with the evidence used to convict, then at the very end make a hard...

★☆☆☆☆

NyxOfChaos 2023/12/18

Sponsorship distraction

Good but slow story that has a distractingly amount of long advertisements.

★★★★★

Marisol Quintana 2023/10/11

Dark Prince

Intriguing storytelling focusing on California beach culture and history. I grew up with Gidget and the Beach Boys only in the media as a backdrop and...

★☆☆☆☆

Bence Letai 2023/10/31

Kook

★★★★★

myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics 2023/09/08

I greatly enjoyed all 3 seasons

She's good. Keeps interest, the stories are interesting. Who doesn't like a little undiscovered Malibu. Worth it for the interview with Rob Lowe ab...

★★★★★

OB Jack Jr. 2023/08/26

One of my favorite!

Now listening to the third season, and each one is is fascinating as the last. Thank you so much for this. I truly enjoy them. Compelling. An easy b...

★★★☆☆

sassygirl10 2023/08/29

Dark Prince Boring

So much detail around meh characters. The other seasons are great. Hope #4 is better

★★☆☆☆

BeBetter72 2023/08/18

Questionable sponsorship

Content aside, the sponsors of the latest series are an online casino and a consumer plastics manufacturing company. Seriously? Do better.

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