Between Emmy-award winning work on television, wisecracking on radio, performing on Broadway, writing books and hosting his own podcast, Mo Rocca has handled more platforms than a high school stage crew trying to turn a gymnasium into a theater for the spring musical. (He also did that.). Rocca is a regular CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and the host of Mobituaries, where he explores his favorite dearly departed people and things, from stars you know (like Audrey Hepburn and Sammy Davis, Jr.) to things you didn’t know you missed (like the Station Wagon and that Old-Timey sort-of-British Accent you hear in black-and-white movies). Currently in its fourth season, the podcast continues to honor and uncover those who never got their proper send-off.
The sets! The stars! The scandals! The subject of Old Hollywood
never gets old. Here are a list of podcasts that help slake
my thirst for history and Hollywood.
You Must Remember This
I could listen to Karina Longworth forever. She’s the film critic, Hollywood historian and host of You Must Remember This. And she tackles the whole history of Hollywood, up to now. If you search the archives you’ll find Karina’s episode on Marlene Dietrich, a particular favorite of mine since I also covered the story of the gender-bending German actress-chanteuse in a special episode from the audiobook edition of Mobituaries. Her series on the “Erotic 80s” (and just the way she says “Erotic 80s” is reason alone to listen) managed to make my road trip from NYC to Pittsburgh … sexy (a word not ordinarily associated with the Pennsylvania Turnpike.)
No Place Like Home
This one is for The Wizard of Oz fans. Surrounding one of the most iconic pairs of shoes in movie history, No Place Like Home investigates the theft of the original pair of ruby red slippers Judy Garland wore while filming the movie. This documentary pod follows the heist, obsession, and mystery of those coveted sparkly slingbacks.
The Pictures Got Small
Delving into the making of classic films and the, at times, glamorously dark history of Hollywood, The Pictures Got Small provides detailed insight into the behind-the-scenes making of timeless favorites like Some Like It Hot, Casablanca, East of Eden, and more.
The Secret History of Hollywood
The beautifully produced The Secret History of Hollywood tells the captivating stories and secrets of the stars and films that shaped Hollywood as we know it today. The Cary Grant volumes in particular are top-notch storytelling, but host Adam Roche’s mesmerizing narration spans across all episodes.
Ticklish Business
A podcast by and for old Hollywood devotees, Ticklish Business honors classic films and legendary stars through episodic reviews of the most iconic movies of the 20th century. An array of guests, from authors to costume designers to actors (all fellow cinema enthusiasts), join the hosts every week, which makes for fun, expert listening.
Murder in Hollywoodland
Here we have the perfect marriage of true crime and Old Hollywood. Murder in Hollywoodland explores the still unsolved mystery of the 1922 murder of successful film director William Desmond Taylor from an immersive, narrative perspective. Accompanied by compelling narration and sound design, this mystery has all the classic Hollywood clichés: young starlets, drugs, and scandalous affairs.
True Stories of Tinseltown
Want a classic Hollywood scoop? True Stories of Tinseltown brings you that and so much more. With warm humor and quirky detail, host Grace Collins brings on cinema historians, experts, and authors to discuss everything from iconic Hollywood couples and stars to thrilling scandals you may have never heard. True Stories of Tinseltown captures both the timelessness and infamy of Old Hollywood.
Dearly Departed Podcast
Hosted by Hollywood historian Scott Michaels and filmmaker Mike Dorsey, Dearly Departed is a podcast dedicated to revealing Hollywood’s dark side. Each episode explores a different Hollywood death or dark, yet fascinating, story. Think Mobituaries meets You Must Remember This.
The Rewatchables
While the majority of the movie reviews are not from the Old Hollywood era, The Rewatchables brings hilarious and thoughtful discussions to each episode as the roundtable of hosts delve into movies they can’t stop rewatching. The pod is always laugh-inducing and the odds there’s an episode dedicated to your favorite movie are high.
How Did This Get Made?
Industry experts break down and dissect movies that are so bad, yet so good — movies that are like a train wreck you just can’t look away from. How Did This Get Made brings the insight and hilarity of seasoned actors and comics who, you can tell, are having a blast.
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