Media Path Podcast

Kelly Lange began her trailblazing TV career when women in broadcasting were treated as a “novelty.” But armed with brains and ingenuity, Kelly carved out a career path which led to her becoming the first female news anchor in Los Angeles and a nightly fixture at KNBC.

Kelly and our cohost, former KNBC weatherman Fritz Coleman are back together at long last, recounting story after memorable story which weave into a brilliant retrospective of broadcasting in the Los Angeles market and primetime news through the decades.

Take, for example, Kelly’s plucky resolve to become the KABC traffic copter girl, “Dawn O’Day” and the only-in-Hollywood tale of how she landed her anchor spot at KNBC.

Kelly and Fritz were broadcasting nightly into the homes of L.A.’s most notable citizens, prompting calls from Bette Davis and Marlon Brando and fanboys like Jimmy Stewart and Orson Wells!

Did you know that Jane Fonda shadowed Kelly for a week in training for her role as a newscaster in The China syndrome?

We learn how Kelly began her latest chapter as a mystery writer and we even get to hear about her boyfriend Jim's TV writing career as Kelly switches smoothly from interviewee to interviewer!

Plus, our recommendations this week are the autobiography Spare by Prince Harry and the movie All Quiet On The Western Front on Netflix.

Path Points of Interest:

Kelly Lange on Wikipedia

Kelly Lange on IMDB

Kelly Lange Books

Kelly Lange Books on Amazon

Kelly Lange on What's My Line

Spare by Prince Harry

All Quiet On The Western Front

At the age of 19, David Leaf created a To-Do list:

1) Write about Brian Wilson

2) Become his friend

3) Help him finish SMILE.

Mission accomplished.

You may know Brian as an extraordinary artist who spread surf, song and Southern California style around the world, but there is SO much more to uncover.

David has released an expanded version of his seminal tome entitled ‘God Only Knows” The Story of Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the California Myth,’. First published in 1978, and updated in 1985, the story continues to unfold and this definitive opus has been extensively bookended with what amounts to an entirely bonus book of Brian Lore.

David joins us for an in-depth conversation, digging into Brian Wilson's artistry and influences as we explore his relationships with family, fellow Beach Boys + the triumphant hero’s journey of 'SMiLE’.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending 1899 on Netflix and the movie 'She Said', now in theaters.

Path Points of Interest:

David Leaf

God Only Knows by David Leaf

Long Promised Road Trailer

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

Beautiful Dreamer: The Story of Smile Documentary

I Just Wasn't Made For These Times (Don Was's Brian Wilson Documentary)

BBC production of God Only Knows

God Only Knows Reader’s Guide

VIP Experience for purchasing the book

David Leaf at UCLA

1899 - Netflix

She Said - In Theaters

Warning: Listening may result in an overwhelming compulsion to read! First, Diane Bay finally received her birth mom’s name from the state of Illinois. She nervously typed it into Google... Her birth mom is New Hollywood darling and cult movie queen, Karen Black, who starred in Easy Rider, The Graduate, Five Easy Pieces and so much more!

Diane’s journey to self discovery pulls her from elation to despair when she learns that her mom is dying. Their heart wrenching year together is chronicled beautifully in Diane’s book, Finding Karen Black. Joining us for the episode is Karen’s best friend, actor Lee Purcell who is uniquely positioned to provide us with Karen’s emotionally wrenching perspective.

Then we welcome finance insider Richard E. Farley who is winning our favorite book title of the year award with: Gonzo Wall Street: Riots, Radicals, Racism and Revolution - How the Go-Go Bankers of the 1960s Crashed the Financial System and Bamboozled Washington. Richard takes a long look at Wall Street in the 1960s, and finding that the precident for the 2008 bailouts was set when the corrupt Wall Street investment banks of the 1960s held Congress over a barrel and got an outrageous taxpayer-funded bailout of what THEY owed their customers.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Jon Meacham's And Then There Was Light - Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

Path Points of Interest:

Finding Karen Black by Diane Bay

Diane Bay

Finding Karen Black Website

Diane Bay on Social Media

instagram.com/dianebaydesign/

facebook.com/dianebayartist

www.FindingKarenBlack.com

facebook.com/findingkarenblack

Karen Black Wikipedia

Karen Black on IMDB

Lee Purcell

Lee Purcell on IMDB

Lee Purcell on Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/leepurcellfanpage/

https://www.instagram.com/theleepurcell/

Carol of the Bell's Trailer

Lee Purcell & Andrea F. Friedman in Office Scene From "Carol of the Bells”

Donna Mills & Lee Purcell in scene from Joey Travolta's "Carol of the Bells”

The Making Of "Carol of the Bells" Promo

Hollywood Radio Players

Hollywood Radio Players on Youtube

Make a tax deductible donation to Hollywood Radio Players

Richard E. Farley

Richard E. Farley on Amazon

Gonzo Wall Street: Riots, Radicals, Racism and Revolution

How the Go-Go Bankers of the 1960s Crashed the Financial System and Bamboozled Washington by Richard E. Farley

Gonzo Wall Street Article

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garums

Bonnie Garmus's Amazon Author Page

Michael Learned is remarkable in her entirety. Growing up in Vienna, Austria, she despised her masculine name, developed nervous shakes and discovered that her “diplomat” father was a CIA spy. Her mother swore her to secrecy and sent her to a British boarding school where she developed a love and talent for acting.

Theater work led to an invitation to audition for a part as the mom to a brood of depression era children in a show that was not given much hope of lasting beyond half a season. She drove down from San Francisco and landed the iconic role of Olivia Walton which earned her three Emmys. The Waltons premiered in 1972 and quickly became a piece of our American cultural fabric.

And in an impressive demonstration of range, Michael recently won much acclaim for her portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer’s grandmother in the Netflix original series, Monster.

With much to discuss, Michael joins us to talk about juggling her real-life kids with her TV family, she takes on a round of Waltons Trivia, shares her favorite Waltons episode, and divulges her authentic love for TV husband, Ralph Waite.

We also welcome Charity Buzz winner Susie Mains who talks about her experiences as a child actor talent rep.

In recommendations: Weezy's pick is Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, now an Apple+ series and Fritz suggests the Hulu doc series, Stolen Youth.

Path Points of Interest:

Michael Learned on Wikipedia

Michael Learned on IMDB

Michael Learned on Facebook

The Waltons

The Waltons on Prime

Monster Netflix Series

Dear Edward novel by Ann Napolitano

Dear Edward Series on Apple +

Dear Edward Trailer

Stolen Youth - Hulu

Is Brandy really such a fine girl? Writer/Performer Elliot Lurie from Looking Glass is about to rock your yacht with the truth about the sailor’s favorite girl in that harbor town. Plus is it yacht or is it not? Elliot is becoming an expert And it’s Fritz vs. Elliot in “Brandy Trivia.” And Fritz and Weezy are recommending My Love and Kiss the Ground on Netflix, Hacks on HBO and P!nk: All I Know So Far on Prime.

Path Points of Interest:

My Love - Netflix

Kiss The Ground - Netflix

Pink: All I Know So Far

P!nk: All I Know So Far Trailer:

Pink: Staying True on Prime Video

Hacks

Elliot Lurie

Brandy Acapella with Elliot Lurie and Yonge Guns Quartet

Looking Glass perform Brandy

Elliot's Youtube Channel

Elliot on Facebook

Yacht Rock Revue