Swan Songs

Spencer Tracy was one of the biggest stars of golden age Hollywood. He brought a subtle, naturalistic style to even the biggest roles, earning Oscars and big numbers at the box office in the process. In his later career, he appeared in several critically acclaimed movies with strong, sometimes controversial, social messages—Guess Who's Coning to Dinner among them. His private life, though, was far more complicated: a lifelong struggle with alcoholism and a string of affairs with women and men left the Catholic Tracy constantly guilt-ridden. No less complex was his decades-long relationship with Katherine Hepburn, with whom he'd be forever associated.

She was Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. Delores Bickerman in Lake Placid. Those are just three of her memorable roles, but she was a television presence for decades, often as a quick-witted and welcome guest on game and talk shows. With a love for her work and a passion for animal causes, she took on a regular role in a sitcom at the age of 88, and continued performing and entertaining well into her 90s. On this episode, we're talking about Betty White and her journey to Hot in Cleveland, and her last major role as sassy caretaker Elka Ostrovsky. We're joined by filmmaker and friend-of-Betty Dan White, who has plenty to share about the Betty he knew.

In 1904, a small boy arrived at a London police station with a note. When read, it instructed the police to lock young Alfred Hitchcock up, because: "That's what we do to naughty boys." The boy would grow up to become one of the most significant figures in the birth and growth of film throughout the 20th century, right up until his final picture: Family Plot. This story isn't just his, though—it'a slap about Alma Reville, a teenage prodigy who collaborated on every one of Hitch's films, and it's also about Tippi Hedren, the actress who faced down the dark side of the director's genius.

Lucille Fay LeSueur had a difficult and abusive childhood, but became one of the great stars of the Depression era before molding herself into Joan Crawford, one of Golden Age Hollywood's most recognizable, and bankable movie stars. On this episode of Swan Songs, we're looking at her life and career in the context of her final act: as the tranquilizer-gun totin' star of the low-budget camp classic, Trog.

In the first season of Swan Songs, we explore the final acts in the lives of entertainment’s most legendary figures. Whether good, bad, or deliciously trashy, film-writer Ross Johnson visits the movies and shows they left behind. We'll explore the lasting legacies of figures like Joan Crawford, Alfred Hitchcock, Betty White, and Spencer Tracy...just to name a few. Find it wherever you get your podcasts, and visit SwanSongsPod.com for more information.