Bryan Cranston recalls childhood encounter with Charles Manson
It's been nearly 50 years since cult leader, Charles Manson, encouraged four of his followers to carry out a slaying which sent shock waves throughout Hollywood in 1969.
And despite the passing of nearly five decades, the brutal slaying of pregnant actress, Sharon Tate, and her three friends at the hands of the deranged cult followers casts a long shadow.
This was intensified this week following the death of Charles Manson at the age of 83 – an event which caused Breaking Bad actor, Bryan Cranston, to reflect on an unsettling moment in his childhood.
Taking to Twitter and Facebook, the star told followers that Manson's passing brought to mind an encounter he had with him as a child.
Hearing Charles Manson is dead, I shuddered. I was within his grasp just one year before he committed brutal murder in 1969. Luck was with me when a cousin and I went horseback riding at the Span Ranch, and saw the little man with crazy eyes whom the other hippies called Charlie.
— Bryan Cranston (@BryanCranston) November 20, 2017
"Hearing Charles Manson is dead, I shuddered. I was within his grasp just one year before he committed brutal murder in 1969," Bryan wrote in a post which has amassed 29,000 likes in mere hours.
"Luck was with me when a cousin and I went horseback riding at the Span Ranch, and saw the little man with crazy eyes whom the other hippies called Charlie."
Bryan's post has ignited considerable interest among his fans and followers, with one writing: "I can’t believe we have something so strange in common. My dad and I rode by Charlie too. I herded horses with Shorty Shea, who they killed later. Still gives me the creeps."
Bryan discusses the encounter in more detail on the Nerdist podcast, for anyone who feels like giving themselves a serious dose of the heebie-jeebies.
