The Dream Factory

Happy holidays everyone! To mark this special time of year I’m opening my home (just like Judy Garland did on TV in 1963) to some cherished podcast family and friends. Together we’ll discuss a few of the MGM classics that have become must-watches over the Christmas season.Conor from The Garland Gab is back with me to discuss a Judy Garland classic; my podcast mentors Tara and EmKay from Down the Yellow Brick Pod explore some Oz Christmas connections (and Kevin McCallister!); Christian the host of That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema happily joins me to celebrate the MGM adaptation of Little Women; and our friend Nate makes a return to chit-chat about the OTHER Christmas movie in James Stewart’s canon. Plus I reflect on my favourite film of all time which is also a Christmas classic. Oh and there’s also a surprise message from an Oscar winner too….ho ho ho!You can catch up on season one episodes of The Dream Factory now on Apple & Spotify! Season two will be roaring onto the scene in spring 2026….Guest Links:Down the Yellow Brick Pod: linktr.ee/DowntheYBPThe Garland Gab:https://www.youtube.com/@TheGarlandGabThat Ol' Gay Classic Cinema:https://www.youtube.com/@thatolgayclassiccinemainstagram.com/thatolgayclassiccinemaThanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Well folks, we’re reached the end of the season on The Dream Factory and it’s been trolley-fuls of fun speaking about my favourite topic: Judy Garland’s movies she made at MGM. We touched on two special movies from her canon and hopefully lifted the veil on the world that was the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie factory and its crazy ups and downs.To mark the end of Judy’s time at MGM, Nate and I talk about some of the movies that might have been for Judy while at the studio (Pride and Prejudice???) and also wrap up the last scenes of Summer Stock and discuss its afterlife. Again, thank you for listening to the first season of this podcast. It's been a dream of mine for years and the kind reception I’ve received has been so heartwarming. And I couldn't have done it without Nate and Conor, my two supremely talented co-hosts. Love you both.My plan is to return with new episodes this coming spring (these things take time, kids!) with perhaps a surprise or two in the meantime. THANK YOU EVERYONE! You’re the essence of peppermint (IYKYK).Please catch up on all the episodes of The Dream Factory on Apple and Spotify.Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

The penultimate episode of our Summer Stock deep dive is upon us and it’s been acres and acres of fun to have Nate as my guest host. This time we explore the unique sound of the MGM musical through some of its behind the scenes musical talent plus much more.Plot wise, it’s opening night of the show that’s taking over Jane’s barn and we talk about its musical numbers from the bouncy (All for You!) to the ridiculous (Heavenly Music ughhhh) to the sublime (Garland’s iconic Get Happy). What a moment in cinema!One more new episode of The Dream Factory arrives next Sunday on Apple and Spotify. Thanks for listening!Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Thank you for joining us on our tractor as we plow through the Gene Kelly/Judy Garland homage to the backyard musicals: MGM’s Summer Stock. As the plot chugs along, Nate and I really begin to feel the heat coming off the Judy-Gene screen pairing (are they REALLY kissing? Why the strange jump cut mid-kiss?) and we get to smell some greasepaint and do a little dancing on newspapers. Why is this movie so much fun???And please check out the fantastic book "C'mon, GetHappy: The Making of Summer Stock" by David Fantle & Tom Johnson. It helped us tremendously in our research for these episodes.Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Every great movie musical has a big dance number at a party and MGM’s Summer Stock is no exception. Nate once again joins me as Judy and Gene turn a country square dance (“The Portland Fancy”)  into a red hot number where they both tear up the barn floor!We start this episode with a “tour” of the musical production units that created the idea of the MGM Musical, giving the studio its most identifiable genre. We then dive into the lives of some child and character actors and some of the folks behind the scenes (choreographers, art directors!) bringing this 1950 musical to life.Please note: these episodes on Summer Stock deal with frank discussions on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know requires resources in these areas please visit CAMH in Canada (1-800-463-2338 or camh.ca) and NIMH (988 or nimh.nih.gov) in the US. Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Happy Halloween! We interrupt our regularly scheduled Technicolored programming on the Dream Factory, sorry I mean the SCREAM FACTORY, for a seasonal change of pace. I travel back to MGM in 1935, a place of glitter and glamour but not many ghouls, to take a bite out of the horror film Mark of the Vampire. Hollywood was horror movie crazy at this time and MGM jumped on the bandwagon resulting in the atmospheric but messy Mark of the Vampire directed by the legendary Tod Browning. Flying solo for this one-off special episode, I dissect this strange little movie about vampires terrorizing a village and an occult expert brought in to solve a murder. It manages to squeeze Lionel Barrymore, Bela Lugosi, amazing shots, creepy sets and costumes and a truly incredible ending into its lightning-quick 60 minute run time. Mark of the Vampire is not a standard MGM offering but it does contain the distinctive MGM style and look, even on a small budget ...and remains an odd and kooky experiment by the studio.Thanks for listening to the special episode of the Scream Factory and happy Halloween!Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Nate and I put on our dungarees and help out on Judy Garland’s farm as we continue our exploration of the 1950 MGM musical Summer Stock! We’re about as much help as Gene Kelly’s theatre troupe with the farm chores but we do dig into the plot and more supporting characters in the film.We traverse the careers of MGM ingénue Gloria DeHaven, boy-next-door Carleton Carpenter and vocal technician Hans Conried, all of whom make up the stellar acting ensemble of Summer Stock.And please check out the fantastic book "C'mon, GetHappy: The Making of Summer Stock" by David Fantle & Tom Johnson. It helped us tremendously in our research for these episodes.Please note: these episodes on Summer Stock deal with frank discussions on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know requires resources in these areas please visit CAMH in Canada (1-800-463-2338 or camh.ca) and NIMH (988 or nimh.nih.gov) in the US. Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Now that Judy Garland as Jane Falbury has her beloved tractor the plot of Summer Stock (1950) can really get cooking. Talented and studly Gene Kelly finally enters the picture and shakes up not only Falbury farm but Jane herself!Nate Hallett returns as my wonderful co-host as we venture back to stage 27 at MGM studios to talk about the leading man of Summer Stock, the incomparable Kelly. We also talk about Gene’s second wife who appears as a dancer in this movie- look for her in the white shirt and blue jeans during the rousing number Dig, Dig, Dig For Your Dinner!And please check out the fantastic book "C'mon, GetHappy: The Making of Summer Stock" by David Fantle & Tom Johnson. It helped us tremendously in our research for these episodes.Please note: these episodes on Summer Stock deal with frank discussions on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know requires resources in these areas please visit CAMH in Canada (1-800-463-2338/camh.ca) and NIMH (988 or nimh.nih.gov) in the US. Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Nate and I continue our scene by scene dive into the 1950 movie Summer Stock, a movie remarkable for being the third onscreen pairing of Gene Kelly and Judy Garland and for being Garland’s last film at MGM.This episode is fun as we get to explore the background of a few of the characters actors in the movie (Erville Alderson anyone???) as well as getting into different versions of the film’s initial scripts. Plus Judy gets her first chance since she played Dorothy to sing a knockout of a song on a tractor!And please check out the fantastic book "C'mon, GetHappy: The Making of Summer Stock" by David Fantle & Tom Johnson. It helped us tremendously in our research for these episodes.Please note: these episodes on Summer Stock deal with frank discussions on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know requires resources in these areas please visit CAMH in Canada (1-800-463-2338 or camh.ca) and NIMH (988 or nimh.nih.gov) in the US. Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod

Our deep dive into the 1950 MGM film Summer Stock ramps up as we enter into our first scene and it’s a scandalous one…Judy gets her Janet Leigh moment in the shower, without the violins and screaming!Nate again joins me and brings his unique expertise as we delve into Judy’s sensitive state when she started filming Summer Stock in 1949. Far from a tragic person, we see the true resilience of Garland at a low point in her life and this movie is a testament to her greatness.Please note: these episodes on Summer Stock deal with frank discussions on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know requires resources in these areas please visit CAMH in Canada (1-800-463-2338 or camh.ca) and NIMH (988 or nimh.nih.gov) in the US. Thanks for listening!DerekInstagram: @thedreamfactorypodbio.site/thedreamfactorypod