Backstory with Larry Potash
95 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 119 ratingsExplore the BACKSTORY behind some of the most intriguing tales in history, culture, religion and science from Chicago and beyond.
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Episodes
Chicago's First Crime King
March 29, 2021 09:00 - 7 minutes - 6.85 MBBefore Capone, there was another crime king of Chicago. Michael Cassius McDonald arrived in the city as a teenager, and scammed his way to becoming one of Chicago's most influential crime bosses. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The American Dream
March 22, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.77 MBIn the early days of the automotive industry, few independent automakers were able to compete with the Big Three. But that didn't stop Charles Nash from trying. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Social Lubricant
March 22, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11 MBFor many years, American beer was boring, and rather bland. More recently, craft beer has exploded in popularity... bringing with it more flavor, rich storytelling, and more opportunity for diverse brewers. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Forces of Nature
March 15, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBA colorful and bustling prairie outside Chicago becomes the site of a manufacturing facility for ammunition during World War II. Then, on June 5, 1942 at 2:45 in the morning, tragedy strikes. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Boy's Best Friend
March 08, 2021 10:00 - 10 minutes - 9.72 MBThe bond between man and dog has been written about for millenia. But one man's story is just a little bit different. When he lost his dog, he got a new one from Russia, by way of the White House. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Reverse Underground Railroad
March 08, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.68 MBIllinois was a free state before the Civil War. But one man found a loophole that allowed him to own slaves. Then he started to kidnap freed slaves, and sell them back to people in slave states. A relic of this operation remains in Equality, Illinois. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Backstory Shorts: A Presidential Fitness Test
March 05, 2021 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.67 MBWhen he noticed that older Naval officers were out of shape, this U.S. President mandated new physical endurance tests. When folks in the Navy grumbled about the new directive, he decided to lead by example with an historic stunt. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Backstory Shorts: The Forgotten Leader
March 03, 2021 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.01 MBA hero of his era, he fought enemies at home and abroad. But those weren't his only achievements. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lincoln's Rise to Power
October 11, 2020 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBAbraham Lincoln's personal history fueled his disdain for slavery. And his unlikely alliance with a group of immigrants helped propel him to the White House. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Intercontinental
October 11, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 9.6 MBThey only used it for five years, but the people who built the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Chicago designed it like no other building in the world. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Second City Sinners
October 04, 2020 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBA political assassination, domestic terror, and the women of murderess row. Three lost stories of Chicago history. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Klan Detective
October 04, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 9.21 MBWas he a good guy? Or a bad guy? Hiram C. Whitley was a man of dubious moral character. But that's what it took to infiltrate the KKK in the 1860's. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Bootlegger
September 27, 2020 14:00 - 10 minutes - 9.84 MBHe was a bootlegger. And at one point, he was bigger than Al Capone. Later, he was purportedly the inspiration for the title character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." But you probably don't know his name. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Trickster
September 27, 2020 14:00 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBIn the era of social media, some people can't take a joke. Political correctness has made it so that many of today's comics won't perform at colleges. But are we missing the point? One of the original stand-ups shows us how we just might be. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Mystery of the Turtle Tunnels
September 21, 2020 09:00 - 7 minutes - 6.47 MBA building in El Paso, Texas is the site of a century old mystery. On the side of the building: a mural of a turtle. Was it a symbol? In the building's basement: walled off tunnels. Who were they for? Where did they go? This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How the Negro League Legacy Lives On
September 21, 2020 09:00 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBThe Negro Leagues turn 100 this year. While many of the players never reached Major League notoriety, several people are working to shine a light on their legacy. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Backstory Shorts: The Referee
September 14, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.8 MBIt was a big boxing match, and it ended in controversy. The referee was accused of cheating the true winner. Who was the ref? You probably know his name. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Backstory Shorts: The Crazy Balloonatic
September 07, 2020 09:00 - 2 minutes - 2.46 MBA 19th century daredevil was obsessed with balloons. He wanted to travel far and away... But one stunt ended in tragedy. And the details are still shrouded in mystery. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Fading Ads of Chicago: How one man is documenting advertisements from a bygone era
March 16, 2020 15:40 - 8 minutes - 7.66 MBAdvertisements painted on old brick buildings still linger in Chicago, but they're slowly disappearing. That's why Joe Marlin is documenting these fading ads of Chicago... This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Revolutionary Revisionism: How Revolutionary War stories have shifted over time
March 16, 2020 15:39 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBA historian gets a rare look inside the Royal Archive to read King George's writings about the Revolutionary War, and Larry takes a trip to his hometown of Boston to walk in the footsteps of history. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How Ian Fleming's time working for British intelligence informed the creation of James Bond
March 09, 2020 15:20 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBIan Fleming worked in British intelligence before he created James Bond... so how much of the world's greatest fictional secret agent was Fleming himself? Find out, on Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chicago photographer painstakingly recreates photos from a century ago
March 09, 2020 14:16 - 8 minutes - 7.74 MBHe's found several photographs from more than a century ago, and now Mark Hersch is painstakingly recreating these images, and giving them new life — one frame at a time. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Fast Eddie: The man who helped convict Al Capone, and more...
March 02, 2020 19:22 - 9 minutes - 8.47 MBHe was the man who helped the Feds nail Al Capone on tax evasion charges. But his legacy is greater than that. Find out how, on Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
It's not awful — it's offal
March 02, 2020 19:08 - 9 minutes - 9 MBConsidered a useless byproduct by many, offal cuisine is gaining in popularity. Larry Potash gives us the past, present, and future of this culinary tradition through the eyes of some very talented local chefs. This is the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How Lipizzans made their way from Europe to Chicago’s North Side
February 24, 2020 18:02 - 9 minutes - 8.83 MBLipizzans are some of the most beautiful horses in the world, but how did they become ensconced on Chicago’s North Shore? Find out, on Backstory... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chicago and the largest slavery reparations settlement in US history
February 24, 2020 17:56 - 10 minutes - 9.17 MBThe first-ever successful lawsuit brought by a slave was filed by Henrietta Wood. Her ordeal would take her from Kentucky to Mississippi to Cincinnati where she would finally win her freedom and a $2,500 settlement. This is the backstory... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
True origins of 'The Exorcist' and Salem's witches
October 28, 2019 20:06 - 19 minutes - 18 MBIn 1629, the Salem witch trials led to the execution of 20 people as witch hunt frenzy reached the U.S. That might sounds like ancient history, but only a few decades ago a case documented by the Catholic church inspired "The Exorcist." But what really happened? Get the Backstory on these iconic tales of witches and demons. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mysticism's American origins; Fact-checking the supernatural
October 21, 2019 23:25 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBHow two sisters' stories of speaking to ghosts in the 19th century sparked a move towards mysticism in the U.S. — and profiting from it. Larry Potash returns to his hometown to explore its tales of spiritualism and abolitionism. And how a group of experts is offering real money for proof of the supernatural. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
NASA sells space; missiles in your backyard
October 14, 2019 14:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBNASA's revolutionary sales pitch worked to enlist the American public in the space race in the '60s, but that race also stoked Cold War fears, whose remnants are still hidden across Chicagoland. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How a Rolling Stones fan chronicled their career from the inside
October 07, 2019 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBIn 1978, Bill German turned 16 years old, and like many kids his age was a major Rolling Stones fan. He didn’t want to be a rock star, or simply go to their concerts. German wanted to chronicle their careers, and make a living doing so. How does an innocent, straight-A student from an orthodox Jewish school in Brooklyn, New York, end up chasing the world’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll band around the world? It turns out his adventure had as many ups and downs as the Stones themselves. ...
A mother's unsolved killing during N. Ireland's "Troubles"
July 16, 2019 21:13 - 8 minutes - 7.46 MBDuring Northern Ireland's "Troubles," a gang of masked people dragged Gene McConville away from her 10 kids. "Watch the children until I come back," she yelled to her oldest son. But they never saw her again, and were abandoned after her assumed death. Years later, McConville's body was found with a single gunshot wound to the head. While the murder remains unsolved, an author says he used a secret archive to finally identify her killer. Read or watch the full story online See...
How one shot saved pinball's future
July 01, 2019 11:00 - 7 minutes - 6.56 MBWhen pinball was illegal, he was called upon to prove it's more than a game of chance. That's when one shot changed it all. Watch this full story online. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How one man escaped a Nazi death march — twice
June 24, 2019 19:00 - 10 minutes - 9.46 MBJack Hersch said it was a tradition every Passover for his father, David, to tell his sons about how he escaped the Nazis. "He would talk about the death march - put on a 34-mile march, he made it sound like he was going to get a cup of coffee around the corner," Jack Hersch said. Then a mysterious photo led Jack to wonder if there was more the story — and go in search of answers. Watch the full story online See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy...
How DeLorean rose to icon status, then fell
June 19, 2019 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.89 MBWhile many remember the DeLorean thanks to its appearance in “Back to the Future,” but the story of its iconic creator John DeLorean is just as interesting. You can also watch Backstory online. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How the real-life 'BlacKkKlansman' infiltrated the KKK
June 10, 2019 11:00 - 10 minutes - 9.94 MBHow does a black detective go undercover to investigate the Ku Klux Klan? Ron Stallworth shares the amazing true story of how he accidentally used his own name, and talked his way into becoming a card-carrying Klan member. Want to see the video? Watch this on "Backstory" online. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The capture of German sub U-505
June 03, 2019 11:00 - 7 minutes - 6.93 MBMeet the man who accomplished the impossible: capturing a German sub at sea, helping to turn the tide of WWII. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Thief stole millions, hid out in Chicago as toy store owner
April 03, 2019 11:00 - 8 minutes - 7.77 MBFor decades, Phil Cresta was the best thief on the East Coast. He stole millions and nobody knew who did it. After fleeing the law and the mob, he was found living under a fake name as a Chicago toy store owner. Not even his wife knew of his past— until he confessed to it all. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Inside an Ivy League secret society
March 21, 2019 11:00 - 9 minutes - 8.65 MBSecret societies are a common concern of conspiracy theories and Hollywood blockbusters, and at Ivy League schools, secret societies are the elite among the elite. While the legends surrounding them often obscure the truth, a member of the Delphic Club at Harvard opens up about his unlikely recruitment, and how the myths surrounding such groups compare with the reality. Larry Potash has the Backstory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice ...
How Chicago's first basketball champs lost their title
March 12, 2019 21:09 - 8 minutes - 7.57 MBThe Chicago American Gears were the city's first basketball champions — until their trophy was taken away, and a team with the makings of a dynasty was forced to disband. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How Eliot Ness took on Al Capone in Chicago, and a serial killer in Cleveland
March 07, 2019 21:49 - 9 minutes - 8.26 MBLegendary G-Man Eliot Ness is remembered for taking down Al Capone in Chicago, but as pop culture grew the legend around him, it begs the question: what really happened? In a historical society in Cleveland, meticulous scrapbooks Ness kept track his career as he took on the mob, jaywalkers, and a serial killer called the Torso Murderer. Larry Potash digs into the Backstory on what parts of Ness' legend are invented by Hollywood, and what really happened. See Privacy Policy at ht...
The truth of Al Capone and Eliot Ness, the investigator who helped bring him down
March 05, 2019 07:00 - 8 minutes - 7.45 MBYou've probably heard of how legendary mobster Al Capone's criminal empire was disrupted by investigator Eliot Ness and his group of "Untouchables." But what really happened in Chicago, and what was invented by Hollywood? Max Allan Collins, author of the 2002 Chicago mob story "Road to Perdition," and A. Brad Schwartz, a Princeton historian, talked to relatives, re-examined evidence, and sifted through newly-released federal files to separate fact from fiction. Just when you thoug...
Growing up with the mob next door
February 28, 2019 19:17 - 7 minutes - 6.77 MBBrothers Michael and Jeffrey Gentile say their childhood was a cross between The Wonder Years and The Sopranos. While he never got into a life of crime, their dad's friends included some of Chicago's most infamous mobsters. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Myth of Mickey
February 26, 2019 00:37 - 10 minutes - 9.36 MBMickey Mouse may be the biggest paradox in pop culture: people love him, but know nothing about him. You may have heard Mickey was first drawn by Walt Disney 90 years ago as he rode a train, desperate to save his company and inspired by pet mice he had years ago. Well, that’s a myth. This is the true Backstory of Mickey Mouse, and how a simple, whistling cartoon grew into a global icon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art...
The “Code Smasher” Elizebeth Smith Friedman
February 18, 2019 20:30 - 10 minutes - 9.36 MBRecruited by an eccentric millionaire to search for hidden messages in Shakespeare’s works, Elizebeth Smith Friedman became a pioneering code breaker who took on the Nazis and the mob. Her story has been buried by secrecy and sexism for nearly a century - until now. Watch this full story on the Backstory TV show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Death of the "Furnace Girl" Elfrieda Knaak
February 07, 2019 23:03 - 7 minutes - 7.13 MBOn the morning of Oct. 30, 1928, Elfrieda Knaak was discovered in the furnace room of Lake Bluff's Village Hall, naked and with her hands and feet burned to the bone. Her death was ruled a suicide, but how could a woman stick her own legs, arms and head in a furnace? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.