After a hiatus, Jim Reid returns to join me in discussing silent comedy pioneer Max Linder with Lisa Stein Haven, the author of The Rise and Fall of Max Linder.  Along the way, we chat about Linder's status as the first silent comedy superstar, his unique mashups of stage and film in his early career, touring appearances that he used as opportunities to create comedies in unique locations, his attempts to launch an American career with such films as Seven Years Bad Luck and The Three Must-Get-Theres, and the swift downward spiral that culminated in his tragic and disturbing demise. A Bill ..read more

 Joining me to talk about movie adaptations of works by Edgar Rice Burroughs are prior guests Scott Tracy Griffin and Will Murray.  There's some additional discussion of a few Tarzan films, though that was mostly covered in Episode 2.  This episode will focus more on the non-Tarzan films, from 1917's The Lad and the Lion to the 2012 big-budget adventure John Carter.  NOTE:  The episode length is 1hr, 2 mins.  At the time of publication, podcast host Buzzsprout had a bug that added an extra hour to the length. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

Jim and I are joined by Paul Castiglia, blogger and author of the forthcoming book Scared Silly, to talk about classic horror comedies.  Among the movies discussed are such obvious titles as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Ghosts on the Loose and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, as well as lesser known films such as Zombies on Broadway and You'll Find Out.   A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

Jim Reid and I are joined by multi-talented musician, composer, songwriter and internet DJ Marty Ross to discuss rock & roll in the movies from its early days through the 60s.  Whether your tastes run to Little Richard, Frankie and Annette or The Monkees, come along for a fun ride from bobby socks to psychedelia. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

Jim Reid and I talk to author and publisher Ed Hulse about the history of cliffhanger serials, a subject about which Ed has written multiple outstanding books.  We go back to the literary and theatrical origins of the serial format, and talk about silent and sound serials such as The Perils of Pauline, The Green Archer, Daredevils of the Red Circle and Spy Smasher, among others. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

Recent guest Jim Reid returns to co-host as we talk with author Craig Calman about legendary producer Hal Roach as documented in Craig's book 100 Years of Brodies With Hal Roach:  The Jaunty Journeys of a Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Pioneer.   Listen in as we discuss the likes of Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and Our Gang, among others. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

TCM's Scott McGee and I take a look at Hollywood's history of exciting stunts through the lens of his book Danger On the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema's Greatest Stunts.  Listen in as we talk about a diverse group of stunt performers that includes Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, Buddy Joe Hooker and Charlize Theron, among others, and such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark,  How the West Was Won, Ronin, Casino Royale, and Death Proof, just to name a few. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

I pay a virtual visit to my longtime friend Jim Reid to talk about his massive collection of classic films and his experiences projecting them for audiences ranging from however many can fit into his home theatre to hundreds seated in historic cinemas in various cities. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

I'm joined by film historian Frank Thompson to chat about his latest book, The Compleat Beau Geste, which exhaustively documents every adaptation (and spinoff) of P.C. Wren's classic adventure novel in film, television, radio, and on stage, with a glorious collection of illustrations, many in color. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more

My guest is actor and award-winning makeup artist Michael F. Blake, who is also the author of no less than three books on silent screen superstar Lon Chaney.  We discuss such Chaney films as Hunchback of Notre Dame, Phantom of the Opera and The Penalty, among others, in addition to Hollywood's version of Chaney's life, Man of a Thousand Faces, which starred James Cagney. A Bill&Debi Production ..read more