All of the Classics is a blog, YouTube channel and podcast showcasing classic Hollywood, music, and history. The aim is to make sure legends are not forgotten.
Well I've talked to Laura Leibowitz, Kathy Seeley and now I'm talking to John Henderson.
Henderson has his own podcast called "This Day in Jack Benny".
It's where he discusses before he rolls the Jack Benny episode, some of the obscure references behind it.
Jack's show is over 80 years old by this point, and while not all the humor is topical, some of it definitely relies on references from the time.
John takes time to explain that.
I talked to him about where the idea came from, how he found Jack Benny, his love of old radio in general, and when to introduce your kids to something you love that's old.
Oh, and for Doctor Who fans, a sprinkling of Doctor Who and Star Trek.
Laura Leibowitz once skipped a math class to interview Dennis Day.
Her teacher didn't blame her, she said she would have done the same.
She took a drink from Phil Harris, and asked if it was spiked.
But I'll let her tell the stories.
Laura is the president of the Jack Benny fan club, she just decided, and started sending newsletters.
That has grown to one of the most active, Jack loving, respectful, awesome Facebook groups I have ever been a part of....
But there are also online resources on the website and much more the fan club is working on.
She says one person accused her of trying to take over the group and make it about herself, but that pause you hear, is me giving her a crazy look because---it's all about Jack.
Born in the relatively small town of Steubenville, Ohio, Carolyn Scott Reybold went from rags to riches-- to homeless.
How does a bridesmaid for Grace Kelly and famous model end up on the streets?
Her daughter explains in the book "The Bridesmaid's Daughter".
And I explain how I "accidentally" started a podcast because of this.
I first heard of Carolyn Reybold when I went to the Dean Martin festival for his 100th birthday celebration.
I decided to stop at the museum to see if there was a display about Martin. Of course, there was but the staff seemed to take a shining to me.
I was about the youngest person there that had visited from out of state and had not been dragged there by parents to see the birthplace of my beloved Dean Martin.
I was given a personal tour, as I politely listened to an older gentleman get excited about certain things he felt he was passing on, which indeed he was, I learned more from that small museum than I have at larger ones.
He stopped at a picture of Carolyn.
He said "do you know who she is?"
I of course, answered in the negative.
He said "she was the best friend of Grace Kelly and ended up homeless".
He said people in town had reached out to try to offer her help, but she had refused.
She had been apparently the "It" girl for awhile, being in countless magazines.
I wondered how her fate ended up that way, and how she spent the remainder of her days, as a homeless person.
I really did not have much time to ponder this, as the men had taken such a shining to me that they wanted to show me the wonders they had in the basement, something few saw apparently.
It was a model train set. It was quite something.
Fast forward a bit, about a year later, I forget Carolyn's name but remember her story. I tried to look up famous people from Ohio.
Nothing rings a bell.
Couple months later, I don't know why, probably telling someone about the Dean Martin experience (because at the job I was at they lightly teased about being too young to like Dean), I looked it up again.
I believe I searched "Ohio model Grace Kelly"
POOF
I found a book had been written about her.....by her daughter. Nyna Giles.
I message her daughter on the author's page, thinking it's managed by someone else.
My literal text was WAY early in the morning saying Last year I went to the Steubenville museum visiting for The Dean Martin festival when The guide told me about Carolyn. Her name escaped me after I went home but her story did not. It took me awhile to find her, I kept looking through famous Ohioans and Steubenville residents but her name was not there. I plan on putting your book on my must reads. I am 24 and have started to make videos and hope to launch a few podcasts about famous people if the past, right now the audience is small but I would be happy to promote your book. Are there any other resources or websites that you know of that has pertinent information?
I was really only expecting to make a podcast explaining who Carolyn was, I did not expect the author to write back.
She gave me resources then said " I'd be happy to do your podcast anytime"
At this point, I had only done a couple of videos in a series of celebrities. I did not have a podcast yet.
I thought "Oh man, I guess I have a podcast now".
I told my friends and family about this model's story and said I had gotten an interview from the daughter and author of this book.
They were excited for me.
So here it is....
This podcast has been A LOT of work. And I've made literally 50 cents off it. That's it.
BUT I love the content.
To me, sharing stories of people who did amazing work, is worthwhile.
These people are amazing, and a part of our lives.
I don't want their impact, their lives, their works--forgotten.
Or thrown away as just the past by younger generations.
It may be black and white.
But it has value.
Your favorite things and people will slip from people's memories too.
Someday I may be talking about Ariana Grande or Tom Hanks.
This episode is on the podcast but if you would rather listen on YouTube, we discuss podcasts and YouTubers and how Jack Benny could teach a thing or two to some young creators.
I couldn't even start talking about the rumors her jailer when she was arrested for starring in the show "Sex" let her out early and she dined with him!
But to get a basic summary of who this woman is that is still risque 125 years after her birth-
