Today In History with The Retrospectors

Luella Parsons’s reign as Tinseltown’s top tittle-tattler was severely challenged on 14th February, 1938, following the print debut of rival column, ‘Hedda Hopper's Hollywood’. With her fiery style and incendiary content, Hopper quickly garnered a massive audience of her own. Together, the two writers reached over 75 million readers and radio listeners in Hollywood’s golden age; their networks of informants and sensational stories making or breaking countless careers.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discover how the rivals derailed Orson Welles' career after the release of ‘Citizen Kane’; reveal how the Chicago railway played a pivotal role in Parsons’s rise to the top; and consider how Hedda changed her first name - to appease her first husband… Further Reading:• ‘The Powerful Rivalry of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons’ (Vanity Fair, 1997): https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/rivalry-hedda-hopper-louella-parsons-gossip-columnists• ‘Forgotten Hollywood: Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons’ (Golden Globes, 2021): https://goldenglobes.com/articles/forgotten-hollywood-hedda-hopper-and-louella-parsons-articles-forgotten-hollywood-hedda-hopper-and-louella-parsons/• ‘Publicist Frank Liberman on Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper’ (Television Academy Foundation, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaZNCJriAZ4Love the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Winter Olympics kicked off in Calgary on 13th February, 1988 - but the stand-out stars of the event did not qualify for a medal. Rather, the four-man Jamaican Bobsled team - who would later become (unreliably) immortalised in the Disney comedy ‘Cool Runnings’ - became a testament to the intersection of determination, investment, and sporting excellence.The brainchild of Americans George Fitch and William Maloney, the concept was influenced by Jamaica's annual Pushcart Derby, and supported in part by the Tourist Board. Participants, including helicopter pilot Dudley Stokes, were recruited via the pair’s connections to the Jamaican military.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly pick out fact from fiction in the Hollywood retelling of the saga; consider the legacy of Jamaica’s first-time involvement with this cold-weather sport; and reveal how reggae music really did help the team make it to the competition… Further Reading:• 'I Was in The Jamaican Bobsled Team That Inspired 'Cool Runnings'' (Newsweek, 2022): https://www.newsweek.com/i-was-jamaican-bobsled-team-that-inspired-cool-runnings-1675732• ‘Jamaican bobsleigh team: Everything you need to know about Cool Runnings, the 1988 Olympic Games, and more’ (Olympics, 2021): https://olympics.com/en/news/jamaican-bobsleigh-team-1988-winter-olympics• ‘Jamaican Bobsleigh Team Debut At Calgary Winter Olympics’ (Olympics, 1988): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm4DjRcmoPYLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lady Jane Grey - Queen of England for just nine days - was executed at the Tower of London on 12th February, 1554.Edward VI, who had died aged 15, named the teenager as his successor in his will, even though Henry VIII’s daughters Mary and Elizabeth had a more direct connection to the throne. The protestant Jane fainted upon hearing she had been made monarch, and declared that Mary was the rightful heir. When the privy council changed their mind and declared Mary (despite her Catholicism) to be Queen anyway, Jane was sent to the Tower.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why it was Jane’s own father - not ‘Bloody’ Mary herself - who was ultimately responsible for Jane’s beheading; reveal how even in the last moments of her life Mary conspired to get Jane converted to Catholicism; and discover that it’s *never* a good idea to put on a blindfold before you put your head on the chopping block… Further Reading:• ‘Lady Jane Grey: Tower of London’ (Historic Royal Palaces): https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/lady-jane-grey/#gs.og751i• ‘Lady Jane Grey: Facts About The Nine-Day Queen's Life & Execution’ (HistoryExtra, 2021): https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/who-was-lady-jane-grey-facts-about-nine-day-queen-execution-death/• ‘Lady Jane Grey, The Teenager Who Ruled England For Nine Days’ (Weird History, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKjBiG0e6EThis episode first premiered in 2022, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before ‘The X Factor’ and ‘The Voice’, there was ‘Pop Idol’, the ITV behemoth that spawned Simon Fuller’s global mega-hit ‘American Idol’. Season One climaxed on 9th February, 2002, when Gareth Gates - a 17-year-old former head chorister - and Will Young - a politely-spoken 23-year-old alumnus of Wellington College - slugged it out for the title of Pop Idol champion.Britain was captivated as the public strove to choose their favourite cover version of an unreleased Westlife album track - with over 15 million people tuning in, and 8.7 million casting their votes via telephone. Will emerged as the winner, but perhaps the real winner was the format - which centred the Judges, particularly ‘Nasty’ Simon Cowell, in a way that would inspire dozens of talent show successors.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly recall how producer Nigel Lythgoe ramped up the ‘battle’ element of the competition with rosettes and battle buses; consider the homophobic coverage of Young’s sexuality in the mainstream media; and reveal Rebecca’s place in Pop Idol history… Further Reading:• ‘And your new Pop Idol is... Will’ (The Observer, 2002): https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/feb/10/bensummerskill.theobserver• ‘Life after Will Young: how talent shows shaped Britain’ (The Guardian, 2022): https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/jan/29/life-after-will-young-how-talent-shows-shaped-britain• ’Pop Idol: The Winner is Revealed’ (ITV, 2002):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKz-TYXdIQIWe'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Diners Club, the world’s first credit card, was used for the first time at Major’s Cabin Grill in New York City on February 8th, 1950. Perhaps at odds with the debonair image the company went on to cultivate, the first iteration was made of cardboard, and required three signatories. Frank X McNamara claimed to have invented the product after previously dining at Major’s and realizing to his horror that he’d left his wallet at home. By the end of their first year in business, Diners Club signed up 42,000 card holders.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick the role of Diners Club’s PR man Matty Simmonds in the company’s compelling origin story; commend the savviness of the start-up for targeting wealthy diners at elite restaurants; and explain why, in 1950s America, credit was a man’s game… Photo: The National Museum of American History / Flickr CCFurther Reading:•‘When Were Credit Cards Invented: The History of Credit Cards’ (Forbes Advisor, 2021): https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/history-of-credit-cards/•‘The surprising history of credit cards: How this tech has evolved and where it's headed’ (CNET, 2022): https://www.cnet.com/features/the-history-of-credit-cards/‘How Credit Cards Were Invented’ (NPR Planet Money, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IksSNiEo2g‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Every Thursday is 'Throwback Thursday' on Today in History with the Retrospectors: running one repeat per week means we can keep up the quality of our independent podcast. Daily shows like this require a lot of work! But as ever we'll have something new for you tomorrow, so follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsLove the show? Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first film to feature Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Tramp’ character was filmed on 7th February, 1914: the Keystone comedy short, ‘Kid Auto Races at Venice’. Remarkably, Chaplin had created the character only three days earlier, on instruction by studio boss Max Sennett to inject more gags into another film, ‘Mabel’s Strange Predicament’. In the costume cupboard, he put together Fatty Arbuckle’s old trousers, a tight coat, a small hat, and large shoes. To age his youthful face, a moustache was added - and a legend was born. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the Tramp had roots in Chaplin’s earlier stage career as ‘the inebriate’; marvel at the activities teenage boys were encouraged to do on the streets of Los Angeles in the 2010s; and reveal how a documentary called ‘Olives and their Oil’ may have increased the impact of his Hollywood debut… Further Reading:• Charlie Chaplin, Legendary Movie Comedian (ThoughtCo, 2019): https://www.thoughtco.com/charlie-chaplin-4769059• ‘The rise and fall of Chaplinitis: How Charlie Chaplin changed the film industry forever’ (Far Out Magazine, 2020): https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-rise-and-fall-of-chaplinitis-how-charlie-chaplin-changed-the-film-industry-forever/• ‘Kid Auto Races at Venice’ (Keystone, 1914): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI4UtxrQKisLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia was executed by the Bolsheviks in 1917 - yet, on 6th February, 1928, a mentally troubled Polish factory worker claiming to be her was welcomed to New York by Romanov associates.Anna Anderson’s claim to be the Tsar’s daughter climaxed in a 32-year legal saga, the longest in German history. But posthumous DNA testing debunked her claim, revealing no connection to the Royal family. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover how decades of Soviet misinformation contributed to the conspiracy; reveal how Prince Philip himself became involved in debunking it; and consider a reboot of the animated version of her life… Further Reading:• ‘Did Anastasia Survive The Romanovs Massacre? The Real History Explained’ (HistoryExtra, 2023): https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/did-anastasia-survive-massacre-romanovs-real-history-facts-conspiracy/• ‘How Anna Anderson Became The Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia’ (All That’s Interesting, 2018): https://allthatsinteresting.com/anna-anderson• ‘Royal Runaway? Ultimate Fate of Duchess Anastasia REVEALED’ (History, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYRMHKC9xMALove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover the fascinating story of Leo Baekeland and his invention of Bakelite, a groundbreaking plastic material with countless uses. From explosive billiard balls to its role in art crimes, explore how Bakelite revolutionized various industries and became a game-changer in the early 20th century.

Long before Bill Murray turned up, Gobbler's Knob, Punxsutawney hosted its first ever Groundhog Day on 2nd February, 1887 - as a day for huntsmen to eat the local rodent.Over time, the delightful, yet absurd, theory emerged that a groundhog sighting its shadow could predict six more weeks of winter, or herald an early spring. The concept traces its origins to ancient superstitions around Candlemas Day, brought to Pennsylvania by German settlers. But sadly the stats don’t back up the belief!In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how a cheeky newspaper editor first introduced this fun fake news into print; consider the role that booze has always played in this quaint merriment; and reveal just what Punxsutawney Phil gets up to for the rest of the year… Further Reading:• ‘The truth about Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil is 131-year-old fake news’ (The Washington Post, 2018): https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/02/02/the-truth-about-groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-is-131-year-old-fake-news/• ‘Groundhog Day 2020: Origin and History of How the Rodent Began Predicting the Weather’ (Newsweek, 2020):https://www.newsweek.com/groundhog-day-2020-origin-history-1485155• ‘Punxsutawney Phil makes 2023 Groundhog Day prediction’ (NBC News, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmyTNlnPn_0This sounds familiar...We'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before Bill Murray turned up, Gobbler's Knob, Punxsutawney hosted its first ever Groundhog Day on 2nd February, 1887 - as a day for huntsmen to eat the local rodent.Over time, the delightful, yet absurd, theory emerged that a groundhog sighting its shadow could predict six more weeks of winter, or herald an early spring. The concept traces its origins to ancient superstitions around Candlemas Day, brought to Pennsylvania by German settlers. But sadly the stats don’t back up the belief!In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how a cheeky newspaper editor first introduced this fun fake news into print; consider the role that booze has always played in this quaint merriment; and reveal just what Punxsutawney Phil gets up to for the rest of the year… Further Reading:• ‘The truth about Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil is 131-year-old fake news’ (The Washington Post, 2018): https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/02/02/the-truth-about-groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-is-131-year-old-fake-news/• ‘Groundhog Day 2020: Origin and History of How the Rodent Began Predicting the Weather’ (Newsweek, 2020):https://www.newsweek.com/groundhog-day-2020-origin-history-1485155• ‘Punxsutawney Phil makes 2023 Groundhog Day prediction’ (NBC News, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmyTNlnPn_0We'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices