Podcast
Backstory with Larry Potash
Hosted by WGN-TV · EN
Explore the BACKSTORY behind some of the most intriguing tales in history, culture, religion and science from Chicago and beyond.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Who Killed Jennifer?
Apr 2500:25:07Tap to summarizeWGN Films presents a true crime special: Who Killed Jennifer?The murder of a college student in 1993 leads to a rush to a wrongful conviction.What did detectives miss? We examine the case that investigators are still trying to solve.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The Father of Modern Advertising
Nov 2400:11:20Tap to summarizeCatchy jingles. Pithy slogans. They help tell stories and sell products. But advertising wasn’t always colorful or memorable. The modern form of advertising came into existence in large part due to one man’s vision, Albert Lasker. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash unearths what we know about the man, and how he changed the course of business history. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The Hidden Suburban P.O.W. Camp
Nov 2400:06:30Tap to summarizeDuring World War II, the U.S. captured hundreds of thousands of German Soldiers. What to do with them all? House them in the United States, of course. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash looks at one such Prisoner-of-War camp nestled in Chicago’s tony North Shore, and the tavern that will forever be tied to it . Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The Artist Who Saved a Hollywood Classic From Never Being Made
Nov 1700:09:21Tap to summarizeOne of the most famous and beloved films in history was never made. We’re talking about Walt Disney’s Bambi. During pre-production, there was a particular challenge that Disney and his team couldn’t quite figure out, until an artist named Tyrus Wong proposed an idea. Larry Potash profiles this immigrant artist who changed the course of cinematic history. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The Rise & Fall of Toys
Nov 1700:11:19Tap to summarizeToys are designed to be fun, but are rooted in reality. They mirror what is going on around us in the grown-up world. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash goes deep on some of the most popular toys ever made and what the future is for children’s toys in an increasingly digital world. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →America’s History of Doomsday Cults
Nov 1000:09:42Tap to summarizeThere are currently at least 10,000 cults in the United States. Cults have been part of life here going back four centuries. Why is America such a breeding ground for these groups? Larry Potash goes deep in this Backstory piece. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Ian Fleming’s Wartime American Wingman
Nov 300:11:19Tap to summarize It’s a question that anyone who loves movies wants to know. Who was the inspiration for James Bond? In this episode of Backstory, Larry Potash looks at one possibility from Ian Fleming’s life, his wartime wingman, former NFL player, White House insider, and America’s first WWII spy, Ernest Cuneo. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The History of Pseudoscience
Nov 300:08:43Tap to summarizeEven intelligent people fall victim to faulty thinking, especially when it comes to science. Some try to use it to validate their spiritual beliefs. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash delves into the history of pseudoscience, and what it can tell us about our present era. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ appSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Why Dungeons and Dragons Still Thrives
Oct 2700:09:07Tap to summarizeLarry Potash looks at the backstory of what is for some, more than just a board game, but a way of life. See how the 1980s pop culture phenomenon Dungeons and Dragons is thriving a quarter of the way into the 21st century. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →A Short History of Magic Acts
Oct 2700:07:57Tap to summarize In a world where everything is explained, magic still offers two increasingly rare commodities--wonder and mystery. Larry Potash does a deep dive on the history of magic in this piece for Backstory, including a profile of two Chicago magicians plying the trade today. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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