The Blue Dahlia is a 1946 American film noir made in black-and-white. The film marks the third pairing of stars Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.

Aspiring actress and 1947 murder victim Elizabeth Short was given the name the "Black Dahlia" as a play on this film's title.

Primary cast:

• Alan Ladd  : Johnny Morrison / Jimmy Moore
• Veronica Lake  : Joyce Harwood
• William Bendix  : Buzz Wanchek
• Howard Da Silva  : Eddie Harwood
• Doris Dowling  : Helen Morrison
• Hugh Beaumont  : George Copeland
• Tom Powers  : Capt. Hendrickson

Award nominations:

• Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay (Raymond Chandler)

Plot: Johnny (Ladd) returns home from the military with buddies Buzz (Bendix) and George (Beaumont) to find his wife Helen kissing her new boyfriend Eddie Harwood, the owner of the Blue Dahlia nightclub. Helen admits her alcoholism caused their son's death. He pulls a gun on her but decides she's not worth it. Later, Helen is found dead and Johnny is the prime suspect. Johnny teams up with Joyce (Lake), the estranged wife of Eddie Harwood to help clear his name.