Podcast
Vintage Annals Archive Podcast
Hosted by Vintage Annals Archive · EN
We talk deep dives into any and all the subjects we research for the podcast. We tend to focus more on artists that dug deeper into the work and themselves in what they offered to the world. We tell stories of everyday people, visionaries, and outsiders.
We also present histories of the past to help navigate the present. We present a unique form of interview, conversation, and storytelling in an organic manner and focus on art, culture, music, film, and more.
Hosted by:
1) Rich Wexler, founder and curator of the @vintageannalsarchive Instagram
Based in beautiful West Philadelphia.
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Galaxy Brain (An Audio Memoir) Gutbusters Story about Rich Wexler (Vintage Annals Archive)
1w ago00:17:40Tap to summarizeA HUMOROUS SPORTS STORY ABOUT A BAD NEWS BEARS TYPE TEAM AT JEWISH SUMMER CAMP SOMETIME IN THE LATE 1980'SSLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING WEIGHT ISSUES*BY TODAY'S STANDARDS THIS STORY IS PROBLEMATIC. BUT IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE IT TOLD IN THE SPIRIT OF MAKING FUN OF ANYONE. IT'S REALLY ABOUT NON-CONFORMING IN A SENSE. IT DEALS WITH WEIGHT AND MIGHT TRIGGER SOME FOLKS About Galaxy Brain AUDIO MEMOIR IN STORY FORM BY VINTAGE ANNALS ARCHIVE CREATOR RICH WEXLER TOLD IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER ABOUT MY PATH FROM BEING A KID IN SPECIAL ED, TO THEN WORKING IN PSYCH AND SPECIAL ED FOR 30 YEARS, TO SELF IDENTIFYING AS BEING ON THE SPECTRUM, TO FINALLY BEING DIAGNOSED AT 55 YEARS OLD AS AUTISTIC. ALSO IDENTIFY AS DYSLEXIC AND AUDHD. I PURELY AM SHARING THESE PERSONAL STORIES IN HOPES THAT OTHERS MIGHT BENEFIT FROM HEARING THEM. THEY AREN'T MEANT TO GIVE ANY ADVICE OR FOR SELF HELP PURPOSES. HONESTLY I'VE BEEN HOLDING ON TO THIS STUFF FOR DECADES AND HAVE BEEN PROMISING TO DO THIS FOR YEARS. I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS STUFF OUT SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. MY GOAL IS TO KEEP THESE STORIES HUMOROUS AND LIGHT FOR THE MOST PART, BUT I'M SURE I'LL GO A BIT DRAMATIC, I'M A MUSICAL THEATER KID AFTER ALL. IT'S DESIGNED TO BE AS IS AND UNEDITED. FOLLOW MY VINTAGE ANNALS ARCHIVE PODCAST TO KEEP UPDATED ON NEW STORIES. I PLAN ON DOING A FEW A MONTH. IF THIS ALL GOES WELL MAYBE I'LL TURN INTO A BROADWAY MUSICAL.INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/vintageannalsarchiveandpodcastPODCAST www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.html
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Ep. 220: Donna Kerness (Kuchar Brothers featured actress, dancer, filmmaker, and visual artist)
1w ago01:17:48Tap to summarizeEp. 220: Donna Kerness (Kuchar Brothers featured actress, dancer, filmmaker, and visual artist) About Donna Kerness I have been producing art of various kinds over the years. Much of my inspirations have emerged from my past as a Modern Dancer at the Henry Street Playhouse with Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis, as a Poet, and an Underground Cinema Star in Movies of the Kuchar Brothers during the Sixties in New York.. After relocating to San Antonio from Brooklyn , New York, and raising a family I am currently passionately working with all kinds of mediums, mostly Acrylic, pastel, and various multimedia materials in my creative path.Donna’s Art Page https://donna-kerness.pixels.comDonna’s Book Hold Me While I'm Naked: Autobiography of DONNA KERNESS Star of the 1960s Underground Film EraBook overview I was afraid to write a memoir because it was like facing a hospice at the end of a life. And I can’t write one when I’m dead. After many queries from my movie fans and friends who asked if I was writing a Memoir, I realized now because of the pandemic and lockdown I have time to remember and capture memories that were held hostage in my mind and are revived through the vehicle of some poetry, tawdry excerpts from my diary when I was a teen, passionate letters from George Kuchar and close friends, happenings and uncontrolled outbursts of ideas.The reader is invited to an adventure through the realm of memories, and a dance through the doors of consciousness.This memoir is not held to the constraints of a linear narrative such as in the form of traditional chapters. Instead it moves in many flowing directions through time spewing forth recollections in its own moments.Even now, I tend to think in imagery. As my memories and stories pop into my head, I imagine them as words being tossed up into the air. Words and Images and stories that seem to be thrown up into the air like Scrabble squares that dance around jubilantly and land onto vacant pages that will become a Memoir of an Underground Cinema Super Star of the notorious, 1960’s.https://a.co/d/00AvwKqwAbout The Kuchar Brothers In the early 1960’s, alongside Andy Warhol, the Kuchar brothers shaped the New York underground film scene. Known as the “8mm Mozarts”, their films were noticeably different than other underground films of the time. They were wildly funny, but also human and vulnerable.Their films have inspired many filmmakers, including John Waters, Buck Henry, Atom Egoyan, Guy Maddin and Wayne Wang (all are interviewed in this film). Despite having high profile fans, the Kuchars remain largely unknown because they are only ambitious to make movies, not to be famous.Credit It Came From Kuchar bio page https://www.instagram.com/kucharbrothers About Guy Maddin Guy MADDIN (1956, Canada) did not attend film school. He studied Economics at the University of Winnipeg and then earned his living as a house painter. During the late 1970s and early ’80s he cultivated his interest in cinema. His first feature, Tales from the Gimli Hospital, appeared in 1988 and became a midnight-movie classic. In 1995, Maddin became the youngest winner of the Telluride Silver Medal for Lifetime Achievement. Together with Isabella Rossellini, he directed Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair (2008). He has also made installation works and published several books.https://www.instagram.com/guy.maddinRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer/Editor https://www.instagram.com/vintageannalsarchiveandpodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/vintageannalspodcastinfohttp://www.vintageannalsarchive.comPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 219: Marcia Bricker Halperin (Photographer)
2w ago00:47:23Tap to summarizeEp. 219: Marcia Bricker Halperin (Photographer)Marcia Bricker Halperin is a New York-based photographer who has spent over 50 years documenting the ever-changing city streets. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Brooklyn College and developed her eye under the tutelage of former Photo League photographers, including Walter Rosenblum and Lisette Model. They inspired her to document the city’s transformations. Bricker Halperin is drawn to personal, long-form storytelling, which allows her to turn everyday sights into poignant moments. Her photography has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the International Center of Photography, and isrepresented in several private collections. She recently had a solo museum exhibition at the Edward Hopper House Museum in Nyack, New York. Her debutbook of photographs, Kibbitz & Nosh: When We All Met at Dubrow’s Cafeteria, was published by Cornell University Press in 2023 and won a National Jewish Book Award and a gold PX3 Prix de la Photographie for documentary book. A second photography book, Bagels & Balalaikas: A Return to Brighton Beach (Fordham University Press, May 2027), will feature color photography documenting changes to the seaside Brooklyn neighborhood over 50 years.Websitewww.marciabricker.comInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/marciabrickerphotoCreditsRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 218: Karlheinz Weinberger Foundation (Photographer) w/ Bruce Hackney
3w ago00:48:19Tap to summarizeBruce Hackney, US manager of Weinberger estate and co-author of the Weinberger monograph Rebel Youth. Karlheinz Weinberger was a Swiss photographer, whose work mainly dealt with people on the margins of society, with outsiders and outlaws. Between 1943 and 1967, under the pseudonym JIM, he published photographs of men from the working class, athletes and motorcyclists in the internationally known gay magazine Der Kreis.Since the late 1950s he photographed the so-called half-strong, later biker, rocker, tattoo, etc. As a freelance sports reportage photographer, he was mainly interested in wrestling, swinging and motorcycle racing.All in all, Weinberger portrayed the back of the bourgeois world in Switzerland during more than 60 years of his photographic work.The photographer, who has been working as an amateur all his life, has received international attention only with a major exhibition and a first book in 2000, six years before his death.https://www.instagram.com/karlheinzweinbergerhttps://karlheinzweinberger.ch/CreditsStephen Bluhm - Sound Engineer and episode editor https://www.stephenbluhm.funRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Bonus Episode: Willdwood, N.J. Documentary 1994 A Conversation with Ruth Leitman and Jeff Krulik
4w ago00:41:17Tap to summarize* I highly recommend you watch the film before listening to this episode. Links to rent and buy below! WILDWOOD, NJRuth Leitman & Carol Weaks Cassidy, USA, 1994, AGFA, Docs Everyone needs more WILDWOOD, NJ in their lives. Shot on dreamy Super 8 film by directors Ruth Leitman and Carol Weaks Cassidy with an all-women crew, this documentary shines a light on the lives of women from Wildwood, New Jersey—the last great American carnival town. From go-go dancers to girls who work as vampires in the boardwalk haunted house, the film moves beyond big hair and press-on nails to look into the souls of women raised on the boardwalk's rides, neon lights, and beaches. It’s easy to see why Lana Del Rey included footage from the movie in her "Diet Mountain Dew" music video. Plus: this release also includes found media sensation GIRLS AT THE CARNIVAL and cinéma vérité wonder MALL CITY—two films that feel like spiritual cousins to our friends in Wildwood.Buy it here https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/agfa/products/wildwood-nj$28.99Rent it here (not the restored version) for https://vimeo.com/ondemand/wildwoodnj$3.99 rent $8.99 Purchase About Ruth Leitman The Ruthless StoryTelling stories with integrity, authenticity, and empathy.“All of my work begins with an image, a moment caught in time, from the first time I processed black & white film many platforms ago. The stills have turned to moving image and sound, because I wanted to hear the stories of the people I was photographing. I tell stories in feature length for the big screen, or in minutes or less for the web and all screens in between. The tools and venues change, but never the inspiration.Quite simply, I tell the real stories of real people, many of whose opinions have perhaps never been asked before—people who are survivors and who often thrive in the face of adversity.Whether the subject is a woman from the subculture of 1950’s wrestling, a schoolteacher, a Midwestern farmer in support of gay marriage, a pop music icon, or the CEO of McDonald’s, I try to find the truth that emanates deep from within. It conjures up a moment of sadness left behind long ago or makes us laugh at a familiar image of ourselves, because, it’s something we’ve always wanted to say or do but are still working up the nerve.https://www.instagram.com/wildwoodnjdochttps://www.instagram.com/ruthlessfilmshttps://www.americangenrefilm.com/home-videos/wildwood-nj/https://www.ruthlessfilms.comAbout Jeff Krulik Jeff Krulik has been documentary producer/director for over thirty years. His work has screened at the Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center, the American Film Institute and on PBS. His resume includes work for Errol Morris, Discovery Networks, and National Geographic Channel. His commissioned work includes a one-hour documentary on carnival sideshow history for The Travel Channel. Jeff is also co-producer of cult documentary 'Heavy Metal Parking Lot' which was turned into a reality TV series called ‘Parking Lot’ for pop culture network TRIO. Other documentaries include ‘The Legend of Merv Conn,' 'Ernest Borgnine on the Bus,' and the recent 'Led Zeppelin Played Here.' In 2008, he produced the Emmy Award-winning documentary Eatin' Crabs Chesapeake Style for Maryland Public Television's Chesapeake Bay Week.In addition to filmmaking, he also does freelance archival research at the National Archives, and this work got him invited on a recent ten-day trip to China as a guest of China Network Television. And earlier this year, he was honored with the inaugural ‘Filmmaker in Residence’ title for the Docs in Progress organization, which mentors and advises documentary filmmakers, both emerging, and professional. https://jeffkrulik.comhttps://www.instagram.com/jeffkrulikhttps://www.instagram.com/hmpl40thwww.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.html
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Ep. 217 Holly Huff (Comedian)
4w ago00:54:29Tap to summarizeHolly Huff is one of New Jersey’s fastest rising comedians. She is a member of the legendary High Note Humor comedy group based out of Haddonfield, NJ and can be found performing all over the East Coast.https://www.instagram.com/hollyhuffcomedyCreditsStephen Bluhm - Sound Engineer and episode editor https://www.stephenbluhm.funRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroIsaac Gehringhttps://www.instagram.com/storysoundsmediaPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 216: Trayce Gigi Field (Costume Designer)
Jun 1600:55:26Tap to summarizeTRAYCE GIGI FIELD COSTUME DESIGNERCostume Designer Trayce Gigi Field is known for her vibrant tastes in color and her quirky yet fun choices in style and texture.With over 40 credits to her name, her multicultural background helps her see the world from a broad perspective.Currently, Trayce is costume designing Spaceballs 2 directed by Josh Greenbaum for AMAZON MGM. In addition to Spider Noir starring Nicholas Cage for SONY/AMAZON, her recent credits include Rian Johnson's POKER FACE (season 1) for Peacock, NO GOOD DEED for Netflix, BOOKIE (S1) on MAX, Amazon's A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, Apple TV+'s THE AFTER PARTY and Netflix's DEAD TO ME. In 2024, Trayce was a double nominee for the Costume Designers Guild Awards for POKER FACE and Jack Harlow's Super Bowl Doritos Commercial. In 2023, Trayce was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN and in 2021, she was nominated for a Costume Designers Guild Award for LIONSGATE'S BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR. She received acclaim early in her career for her iconic diner uniforms showcased on CBS's 2 BROKE GIRLS.A native of Los Angeles, Trayce graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM).CDG Diversity Committee ChairpersonNAACP Image Awards Nomination Committee MemberCDG Comic-Con Committee MemberTelevision Academy GovernorLook for Trayce's work on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/traycegigifieldCreditsStephen Bluhm - Sound Engineer and episode editor https://www.stephenbluhm.funIsaac Gehringhttps://www.instagram.com/storysoundsmediaRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroIsaac Gehringhttps://www.instagram.com/storysoundsmediaPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 215: Chris Crofton (Comedian/Musician - Nashville Famous Documentary)
Jun 1201:57:21Tap to summarizeEp. 215: Chris Crofton (Comedian/Musician - Nashville Famous Documentary) "Comedian, musician, and self-described “Alcohol Stuntman” Chris Crofton is a one-of-a-kind underground performer. From playing coffee shops in 1990s New York City to selling out indie clubs in Nashville, Tennessee, Chris has spent decades dragging his singular mix of music, comedy, and chaos across America through a career defined by near hits, self-sabotage, and self-designed misses.Now sober and newly transplanted to Los Angeles, Chris looks back on the alcoholism, local fame, and stubborn mythology that shaped both his life and career. As he attempts to reinvent himself in a new city at middle age, the question remains: is Chris doomed to repeat the same mistakes, or can he finally get out of his own way?"Directed by Seth Pomeroy Seth Pomeroy is a Nashville based filmmaker and comedy writer. He currently runs a monthly standup showcase at Anaconda Vintage and puts on pop-up comedy shows at Soft Junk.About Chris CroftonChris Crofton started performing comedy after he graduated from college in 1991. He moved to New York City from Connecticut and appeared at open mics around the city: Stand Up NY, The West End, Rose's Turn, New York Comedy Club, The Village Gate, and Gladys's Comedy Room at Hamburger Harry's. https://www.instagram.com/thecroftonshowhttps://www.instagram.com/chriscroftondochttps://www.instagram.com/sethpomeroyCreditsStephen Bluhm - Sound Engineer and episode editor https://www.stephenbluhm.funIssac Gehring -Sound Engineer Rich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroIsaac Gehringhttps://www.instagram.com/storysoundsmediaPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 214: Stolen Kingdom Documentary w/ Director Joshua Bailey (Streaming 7/16/26)
Jun 701:10:04Tap to summarizeAbout The Film (on digital everywhere june 16th) Stolen Kingdom is a documentary that delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy? Buzzy was an animatronic character featured in Cranium Command, an attraction at Epcot that operated from 1989 to 2007 within the Wonders of Life pavilion. The attraction followed Buzzy, a rookie recruit in the "Cranium Command," a military-like organization tasked with piloting human brains. Set inside the brain of a young boy, the show depicted a day in his life as Buzzy navigated various challenges. After the attraction closed in 2007, the pavilion remained abandoned until refurbishment began in 2019 and the Cranium Command theater was gutted. The pavilion has yet to reopen. https://www.stolenkingdomfilm.comhttps://www.instagram.com/stolenkingdomfilmAbout the filmmakerJoshua Bailey (writer/director/producer) was born in Tampa, Florida. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a filmmaker after being captivated by the works of Steven Spielberg. At 18, he relocated to Orlando, Florida to study film at Valencia College before departing the program prior to graduation. After working at Orlando’s theme parks for a time (including Walt Disney World), Joshua was inspired to tell the story behind Stolen Kingdom, his directorial debut.https://www.instagram.com/joshbaileythingsCreditsStephen Bluhm - Sound Engineer and episode editor https://www.stephenbluhm.funRich WexlerProducer/Interviewer http://www.vintageannalsarchive.comEpisode EditorsOtter Castro https://www.instagram.com/ottercastroIsaac Gehringhttps://www.instagram.com/storysoundsmediaPodcast Episode Page www.vintageannalsarchive.com/vintage-annals-archive-podcast.htmlPlease join our Patreon https://patreon.com/VintageAnnalsArchive
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Ep. 213: Dito van Reigersberg/Martha Graham Cracker in Memorium (recorded 8-22-25)
Jun 201:03:04Tap to summarizeAbout Dito Van Reigersberg/Martha Graham Cracker Dito van Reigersberg was the co-founder of Pig Iron Theatre Company and has performed in almost all of Pig Iron’s productions since 1995, including the OBIE-winners Hell Meets Henry Halfway and Chekhov Lizardbrain. He was a featured soloist in Heather Christian’s acclaimed Oratorio for Living Things with Ars Nova. He is truly thrilled about Pig Iron’s upcoming Aimee Mann cabaret, Poor Judge, and the chance to sing all those glorious songs at the Wilma. Dito’s alter-ego Martha Graham Cracker is famously ‘the tallest, hairiest drag queen in the world.” She got into some hot water with the religious right when she portrayed the titular character in Jesus Drag Superstar.Interviewers Note:I recorded this about 11 months ago and wanted to re-record it as I was quite exhausted and didn’t feel like I listened as well and definitely talked too much. Dito was ok with releasing the original episode so I got full content to release it. I wouldn’t have put it out if I hadn’t had that. I knew Dito for around 20 years and they were flat out one of the loveliest people I ever got lucky enough to get to know. I was got to sing with Dito for a Pig Iron Benefit as Kermit singing a duet of “It’s Not Easy Being Green”. I’m putting this out today mainly for the people that didn’t know of them. I’m only releasing this now as it feels like the right thing to do to honor them, and my hope that it brings some of you joy. He dealt with cancer for years and this was a moment he was doing a bit better. They will be missed and it was such an honor to get to do this and to get to know them. Rich WexlerVintage Annals Archive
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