Who started Earth Day?

There are a lot of names that get mentioned.  Some people give all the credit to U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who was  an environmentalist before it was trendy and who proposed a day-long “teach-in” in 1970.  (According to Norman Mailer, Hunter Thompson, and Gary Hart, Gaylord Nelson was also George McGovern’s personal pick for his running mate in 1972 but ultimately, Nelson didn’t get the spot because it was felt people would make fun of his first name.  Considering how things went with Thomas Eagleton, one imagines that McGovern probably ended up wishing he had the courage to go with his first instinct.)  A peace activist named John McConnell also proposed the idea of an Earth Day in 1969 but there’s some debate whether his proposed Earth Day became the actual Earth Day.  Like all things, many people have taken credit for the idea behind Earth Day.

Ira Einhorn was one of those people.  A prominent member of Pennsylvania’s counter-culture, Einhorn was a self-styled New Age environmentalist and he did speak at the first Earth Day event in Philadelphia.  Einhorn went on to become a prominent guru, providing his services to several corporations that were looking to shake off their stodgy image.  He led protests against nuclear energy.  He wrote articles about CIA duplicity.  He was, for a while, a popular figure and, due to his last name, he was nicknamed “The Unicorn.”  He always claimed that he was instrumental in starting Earth Day but the organizers behind the event have always been quick to say that he had little do with it.

It’s understandable that the people behind Earth Day would rather not be associated with Ira Einhorn.  Einhorn presented himself as being a quirky, fun-loving hippie but, in private, he was known for having both a violent temper and a misogynistic streak.  In 1977, Einhorn’s ex-girlfriend, Texas-born Holly Maddux, disappeared.  In 1979, her mummified remains were found in a box that Einhorn kept in his closet.  Arrested for her murder and defended in court by future U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, Einhorn claimed that he was innocent and that he had no idea how Holly Maddux ended up in his closet.  (He suggested the CIA might be responsible.)  With the help of his wealthy friends, Einhorn fled the United States and ended up in Europe.  He lived in Europe for nearly 20 years until he was finally arrested in France.  Einhorn’s claim that he was being framed for his anti-nuclear advocacy found a sympathetic audience amongst certain members of the French intellectual community.  Eventually, though, Ira Einhorn was extradited to Pennsylvania.  He spent the rest of his life in prison, eventually dying in 2020.  To the end, he had his supporters despite the fact that he was clearly guilty.

Made for television in 1999, The Hunt For The Unicorn Killer tells the story of Ira (Kevin Anderson), Holly (a pre-Mulholland Drive Naomi Watts), and Holly’s father, Fred (Tom Skerritt).  It does a good job of telling the disturbing story of Ira Einhorn and it features good performances from its main stars.  Tom Skerritt especially does a good job as a father determined to get justice for his daughter.  The film shows how so many of Ira’s friends rationalized his actions, not wanting to admit that their nostalgia for the 60s and the counterculture was blinding them to the monster in their midst. It’s a portrait of how one evil man was able to take advantage of the idealism of others.

The Hunt For The Unicorn Killer‘s original running time was 163 minutes and it was aired over two nights.  It was later edited down to 90 minutes for syndication.  The uncut version is available on YouTube and that’s definitely the one to see.