Remember When podcast from the radio show FlashBack

Former comics editor Chris Ryall shares how he brought the Star Trek franchise to IDW publishing. He shares how he helped shape an all-Klingon comic, brought original Star Trek scriptwriter Dorothy Fontana to the world of comics, and especially how he helped heal the decades-long rift between Paramount Pictures and sci-fi author Harlen Ellison when Chris edited Harlen’s long-suppressed original version of “City on the Edge of Forever.” Plus a few more nuggets Star Trek fans will dig . . .

Then, our James Bond 70th “Anniversary Avalanche” continues with German art collector Peter Lorenz. He dives into what you can find in his long-running “Illustrated 007: The Art of James Bond” blog and how that archive grew.

From international movie posters and designs to book covers to . . . well, you’ll just have to tune in to hear about the visuals of the 007 universe from the beginning to now . . .

Voice actor Jim Meskimen's first claim to fame is that he’s Marion Ross’s (Happy Days) actual son. As he’ll demonstrate throughout his conversation with Wes Britton, Jim is a gifted impressionist which has made him a much sought-after talent all over Hollywood.   Like working with director Ron Howard in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Apollo 13, and Frost/ Nixon. Oh yes, he got lots of Hollywood insider stories to tell ya, like what his Mom and the rest of the Happy Days gang are doing now--

Then, we introduce you to Jeffrey Sitkov, the main motor behind the Doors to Change organization.  They’re a serious charity with a ton of high-profile supporters like Billy Joel, Elton John, and Steve Martin, everyone working to give a hand up to homeless youth. Prepare to be surprised. Prepare to be moved. Be prepared to want to sign up-

Come back to the open range with the King and Queen of Cowboys, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Plus a batch of ‘60s TV and movie stories told by someone who was there.

Julie Rogers Pamilia’s “Your Heroes, My Grandparents: A Granddaughter’s Love” is about as positive and uplifting a memoir as you’ll ever read. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, of course, were Western stars on radio, movies, and television for decades, along with Trigger” the Horse. Offscreen, the couple built a large extended family with 9children, most adopted from a variety of cultures. Julie Rogers Pamilia shares her years growing up in that family, and you might well put down this book wishing you could have grown up in it too.

Hud. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Star Trek. The Monkees. Ozzie and Harriet. Sharyn Hillyer appeared in all of them and many more before she retired from show business in 1970.  Hear how Ozzie Nelson helped launch Sharyn’s career and what she has to say as a Life Coach now. Hear how she liked being a semi-regular on U.N.C.L.E. and how she liked working with Gene Barry on Burke’s Law.

New Kansas member, violin virtuoso Joe Deninzon, has been the main motor of the jazz/rock fusion band, Stratospheerius. Think Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chic Corea, Jeff Beck’s “Wired” period” . . .      and you’ll have an idea of what Joe and cohorts can play, and we’ll share a few samples to demonstrate just how cutting-edge Stratospheerius can be!

Then,  meet David Paich, a founding member of the multi-million-selling Toto. “Rosanna.” “Africa.” “Hold the Line.” You remember those guys . . . No one can better share the band’s history and evolution than Paich, who was the group’s keyboardist and one of its key songwriters for most of its history!

Danny Biederman’s “Incredible World of Spy-Fi” highlights this edition of “Remember When!”

Danny is best known for his “Spy Fi” collection of movie and TV gadgets, props, and artifacts he’s been displaying in museums all over the country for over 20 years. He has many stories to tell about interviewing Sean Connery and Guy Hamilton and writing for Avengers main man Patrick Macnee. Oh yes, Danny spins a lively series of spy stories for you…Like, what did Sean Connery think of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service?             

And then, continuing our James Bond 70th “anniversary avalanche” interviews, we revisit a 2006 interview Wes Britton conducted with Deborah Lipp, then plugging her new book, The Ultimate James Bond Fanbook.  So her voyage of discovery was-us. Come aboard and find out what she found out.

007 himself-George, Lazenby-comes to the 70th James Bond “Anniversary Avalanche!”

Now is your chance to hear Wes Britton’s 2010 hour-long conversation with George. We promise no matter how many of his stories you’re read over the years, hearing him tell tales aloud adds a whole new dimension to the saga of the second screen 007!

George tells you about his youthful rebellious spirit in Australia, how he came to England chasing a girl and remembers Cubby Broccolli, Harry Saltzman, Diana Rigg, Peter Hunt and Telly Savalas.  Then he shares his time with kung fu star Bruce Lee including the night the martial arts master died.

This is the intro track to the show by a band called Jelli. The track is called Fn.

Meet Michael Learned,  the three-time Emmy-winning actress who portrayed Olivia Walton, the Matriarch of the Waltons, for most of the series.  She goes behind the scenes with Wes Britton before Remember When co-host Karina Kantas dives into Michael’s roles in Driving Miss Daisey and her recent portrayal of Catherine Dahmer in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Talk about a range!

Then we present a reprise of Wes Britton’s conversation with Mary Elizabeth McDonough, where she talks about her 2011 book, Lessons from the Mountain: What I Learned from Erin Walton.  She discusses her character, what she’s been doing in the years after cancellation, and her work with women’s health issues.

Remembering the history of Asia with founding members Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer!

First up, Downes shares his take on the history of progressive rock as a genre, the history of Asia, and the new release of a vinyl 1983 concert titled Asia in Asia. Then we offer an encore 2013 conversation with drummer Carl Palmer discussing The band’s then-newest release, XXX, Plus his time with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and the Carl Palmer Band!

In this episode of the 70th “anniversary James Bond Avalanche,” we pay tribute to the April 5, 1983 TV movie The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. with Technical advisor Bob Short who shares stories like:

Did you know producer Michael Sloan had George Lazenby in mind when he created “The Equalizer?” What’s the inside story of George driving that silver Astin-Martin DB-5 with the “JB” licence plate in the U.N.C.L.E.  movie?

But that’s not all! “Catching Bullets,” author Mark O’Connell has lots of insider stories to share about Cubby and Barbara Broccoli, Roger Moore, Maud Adams, and Grace Jones, along with a number of insights into the entire 007canon!

Dive 70 years into TV history with Bonnie Bartlett Daniels. Her small screen career began in the soaps in 1955. Then she worked with the likes of Jackie Gleason, Patty Duke, and worked in recurring roles in Little House on the Prairie and St. Elsewhere, where she made TV history in 1986; she and husband William Daniels became the first married couple to win acting awards for the same TV series on the same night. She never slowed down. She just published her new memoir, “Middle of the Rainbow " at 93.

Then return to Happy Days with Ralph Malph himself, Donnie Most of course, who has lots more to sing about than Happy Days! In fact, we focus on his swingin’ singin’ career and his love of Bobby Darin! Yep, we play a few samples of what he can belt out on stage!

Back in 1965, guitarist/ singer Kim Simmonds founded the British blues/rock band Savoy Brown which he helmed until his death last year. In 2011, Savoy Brown issued Voodoo Moon, and that year Simmonds sat down with Wes Britton to talk about his band’s ever-evolving legacy. You can hear that conversation here at Remember When, along with a new co-interview with the surviving members of the group, Pat DeSalvo(bass) and Garnet Grimm(drums). For over ten years, they were the longest-running lineup behind Simmonds. Pat and Garnett talk about their time with the band and their brand-new album, Blues All Around. The band’s last?

“I am the god of hellfire, and I bring you . . .Fire!”

That was the opening salvo of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s1969 mega-hit, “Fire!” He was a pioneer in rock theatre and influenced everyone from Alice Cooper to David Bowie. Plus, he has a new album to tell you all about-

Welcome to Remember When, the audio podcast from FlashBack Radio Show.

Remember When celebrates 70 years of 007 with part 1 of the “James Bond avalanche!”

First up will be a revealing interview with  Kathryn Harkup, author of SUPERSPY SCIENCE: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond. Kathryn has many entertaining and surprising answers to so many questions.

Then, Simon Firth, author of  On the Tracks of 007: Filming James Bond in the Bahamas and  On The Tracks of 007 presents ITALY - a James Bond location guide that takes you to exotic 007 places around the globe.

Enjoy your Bond experience.

James L. Neibaur & Gary Schneeberger, co-authors of From Connery to Craig: The James Bond Film Series. Nobody knows more than these two gents, so expect lots of surprises and insights you might not have known all these years when these guys swap stories and perspectives with fellow Bond aficionado Wes Britton and co-host Karina Kantas!

We flesh out this lively conversation with a vintage interview with Rob Weiner, editor of James Bond in World and Popular Culture: The Films are Not Enough. That indispensable 2010 collection of 40 essays look at the realm of 007 from a wide, interdisciplinary range of perspectives that have earned a long-standing stamp of respect from the 007 fan universe.

#Bond #JamesBond #FromConnerytoCraig #bondfilms #movie #books #films #JamesNeibaur #GaryScheeberger #RobWeiner #rememberwhen

#Flashback

The multi-talented Laura Cayouette. She has so much to talk about, from how her NSA Dad paved the way for her role in Enemy of the State to her long-time association with Quentin Tarantino to how she worked with Garry Shandling on the Larry Sanders Show.   Plus, Laura is not just a noted writer, she teaches writing courses and offers you a 20% discount on several of her teaching packages exclusively for listeners!

“Remember When” commemorates the life and legacy of singer/ songwriter/ activist  Harry Chapin!

Celebrations honoring the 50th anniversary of what would have been Harry’s 80th birthday!
Two special guests tell you musical and personal stories, including Harry’s daughter, Jen Chapin, who shares memories of her Dad, shares insights into his songwriting, and takes you inside his biggest hits, such as 'Taxi and 'Cat's In The Cradle.'

We also offer singer/songwriter Dr. David Fish, who performs his brand-new tribute to Harry, “Harry’s Song (Every Monday Night)”, offers his insights into the legacy of Harry Chapin and tells you tales of his own career, including playing the saxophone for Ella Fitzgerald and Cher!

On Dec. 5, KSAV.org's "Flashback" leaped back in time as we were joined by writer   Bruce Scivally, whose new novel The Last Stage, or Wyatt Earp's Dying Dream, offers an unusual window into the final days of the most legendary lawman of them all.   Then, we reprised a vintage 2014 interview Wes Britton conducted with actor Hugh O'Brian, the star of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp from 1955 to 1961.  Hugh had a ton of stories to share from creating the battle-cry "Ooh-rah" for the marines, to meeting Albert Schweitzer in Affrica, to creating the Hugh O'Brian Youth program (HOBY).

You can now hear the Wyatt Earp hour at:

Back in 2008, Wes Britton had the opportunity to interview Ron Dante of the Archies to plug their then-new Christmas album,  their first since 1971.

Of course, the interview was more comprehensive than one album, so we talked about all sorts of things Archie, so pop by for this Remember When nugget with a Yuletide twist-

On Oct. 30, 1938, Orson Wells created a radio legend when his Mercury Theatre broadcast his adaptation of H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds.

Remember When pays tribute to the Wells production and presents an interview with producer Lee Purcell, the main motor behind a brand-new adaptation of War of the Worlds performed by the Hollywood Radio Players. The Players, once a month, do a modern version of old time radio classics for their “radio you can see” to benefit the MPTF (Motion Picture Television Fund.) Using Zoom, the Players produce their retellings with actors, sound effects, and special effects no one could have watched back in the Golden Age of Radio.

For our belated Halloween special, we also offer a vintage interview with Diane Kachmar, author of the 2015   The Fly at 50: The Creation and Legacy of a Classic Science Fiction Film. Go behind the scenes of a Hollywood classic as Wes Britton takes you back in time for a trick-and-treat double feature-

“Holy Halloween Batman! “Remember When”has taken over the Bat-signal!”

We celebrate Batman with two special guests beginning with Chuck Dixon, a much lauded writer for the DC comic book. For one thing, he created Bane. Then we will introduce you to Jim Beard, editor of the 2011 Gotham City 14 Miles. It’s an extraordinary assembly of 14 essays exploring every aspect you can think of involving the 1966 Adam West Batman TV show.

Fans of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Patton, The Towering Inferno and countless other film projects know the award-winning work of cinematographer Fred Koenekamp even if they don't recognize his name.  Before his passing in 2017, Fred sat down with Wes Britton and discussed not only his own career, especially on MFU and Patton, but the ground-breaking camera work of his father who worked on the classic silents. 

So go behind the scenes of filming TV and movies with one of the masters here at Remember When--

Star Trek fans know actor John Billingsley portrayed the genial Denobulan Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Phlox,  on the series Star Trek: Enterprise. But they might not know just how engaging, delightful, and insightful he is when not covered in Denobulan make-up. Now, you can learn all about John when he talks about Enterprise,  his cast mates, the importance of Star Trek as a whole,  and so much more with Wes Britton and Karina Kantas on Remember When.

We admit-we just scratched the surface of things John can talk about, as in his long career in acting and his many roles on television and on screen. So consider this delightful interview as but part one of an ongoing conversation—stay tuned.

You know William B. Davis best as the “cigarette smoking man” on TV’s X-Files. But he’s had a long distinguished acting and directing career which he described in two books, Where There's Smoke...: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, a Memoir and its new sequel, On Acting ... and Life: A New Look at an Old Craft.

For “Remember When,” William dug deep into what readers can find in On Acting . . . and Life and talked about the craft he’s been pursuing all his life. Find out why as Wes Britton sits down with an actor who was once known for cigarettes he really didn’t smoke . . .

At the very beginning of creating the original Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry brought in writer and producer John D.F. Black to help bring together the new writers who would create a phenomenon. All Trekkers owe John a debt of gratitude.

In an offbeat offering at our “Remember When” podcast page,   frequent guest Marc Cushman serves as guest host and conducts a very insightful interview with Black and his wife Mary.  Yes, lots of Star Trek lore along with so much more. Not for Trekkers only.

You know Walter Koenig best as Ensign Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek. But his career has included many other achievements, which he tells you all about in his 2020 memoir, Beaming Up and Getting Off: Life before and After Star Trek.

For “Remember When,” Walter shares many of the anecdotes he revealed in

Beaming Up talks about his various writing projects over the years.  So this interview is full of Star Trek lore and so much more, especially about the craft of authorship.

Ever heard of a James Bond cookbook?

It exists, in fact, the author Edward Biddulph is quite an expert on James Bond. Noticing there were many James Bond cocktail books he saw that there were no James Bond cookbooks, and decided that he would write one. Being such a fan of the movies, he took every culinary dish mentioned in each film. Enjoy this episode of Remember When with a special guest but don't be surprised if you're hungry after the podcast.

Return with us to those wonderful decades when we all loved our vinyl record collections, and one reason we did were all the eye-catching album covers that captured our attention.

Bob Heimall was one of the artists who designed those classic covers for the likes of The Doors, Carly Simon, Patti Smith, and The Kinks and he shared many of his rock ‘n roll stories in his colorful book, COVER STORIES: Tales of rock legends and the albums that made them famous.

On “Remember When,” Bob shares some of his behind-the-scenes memories about spending time with Jim Morrison, Carly Simon, Barry Manilow—well, you gotta check the conversation out to hear some rock lore you won’t hear anywhere else-Bob is a pretty good storyteller and has a serious love of rock ‘n roll that makes this interview so engaging and personable-

“Author. Teacher. Geek expert.”

That’s how writer Bob Greenberger describes himself at his website where you can find an astonishing bibliography of his work in sci-fi, working for Marvel and DC and for the Star Trek novel franchise.

In his in-depth interview with Wes Britton, Bob takes you behind-the-scenes of writing science fiction, especially for the Star Trek novels and how they reflect what you see on TV and the films. How has the new Picard shaped the realm of ST novels? Find out on this discussion on “Remember When”-

Canadian stand-up comic Murray Langston is best remembered for being the “Unknown Comic” who wore a paper bag over his head telling jokes at a break-neck pace, especially in his many appearences on the odd“Gong Show” which featured would-be amateur entertainers competing for stardom on daytime television.

Alongside controversial emcee Chuck Barris from 1976 to 1980, Langston became a cult figure showing up on a wide variety of talk and game shows and comedy series like the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. So Murray is a perfect personality to take us back to the strange times of ‘70s comedy TV and remind us why he kept us laughing so many times back in the day-

Who’s the most famous female comic in the world? If you ask Judy Tenuda, she’d say that’s obvious-she is! The Love Goddess, the Aphrodite of the Accordion,  the creator of The Vagina Monologues" and "Menopause the Musical". She's written two comedy books, Full Frontal Tenudity and The Power of Judyism, and has released five comedy CD's, receiving “Best Comedy Album” Grammy nominations for Attention Butt-Pirates and Lesbetarians! and In Goddess We Trust.

But probably the highlight of her career, so far,  was the afternoon she sat down with Wes Britton to talk about her wild and crazy career, punctuating her punchlines with her squeezebox and improvised songs.   No one has ever been so predictably unpredictable as Judy Tenuda in one of the brashest and bawdy conversations you'll ever enjoy. It doesn't get much wilder and funnier than Judy Tenuda unleashed-

James Bond in World and Popular Culture: The Films Are Not Enough was an eye-popping anthology of forty essays on all manner of takes on the many realms of James Bond. A variety of experts wrote on the official novels, comic books, video games, the music, the girls, detailed looks into the life and lore of Ian Fleming, the use of Ian Fleming as a fictional character, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,  Bond parodies and ripoffs, James Bond and the Bible . . . and much more.

The collection was the brainchild of Texas Tech librarian Robert G. Weiner who sat down with Wes Britton to give you a whirlwind tour of all the topics and analyses in a very hefty tome including one of the best overviews of James Bond film music out there penned by, ah, er, Dr. Wes Britton.

So if you haven’t heard about the anthology, now’s your chance to discover a book belonging in the library of every James Bond fan out there-including you!

It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman!

Superman on Film, Television, Radio and Broadway--there's a book title that says it all-the most comprehensive exploration of the many faces and kinds of Superman we've enjoyed over the decades on every form of popular media available courtesy of comic book expert Bruce Scivally. No matter how much you think you know about Kal El or Clark Kent or Lois Lane or the Fortress of Solitude, I guarantee this is a tome filled to the brim with surprises for every reader on nearly every page.

Happily, Bruce Scivally isn't just knowledgable about our favorite son from Krypton,  he's a great story-teller who makes what could have been a dry academic tome a readable and engaging investigation of the world's most famous super-hero. Superman on Broadway?  Not only does Superman leap over tall buildings in a single bound, he can do it carrying a Broadway-worthy tune or two-

So hop into your local phone booth-if you can find one-or simply click on your favorite Podcast platform and it's up, up, and away with Wes Britton's "Remember When" interview with Bruce Scivally.

Ever wonder how all those spectacular special effects for films and TV shows were created, especially in the days before CGI?

Ron D. Moore, special effects supervisor for Star Trek, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise, Ghostbusters and Roswell can tell you all about how to make the galaxy come alive on the wide screen and in your living room.  He can tell you how to make New York not look like New York, how to blow up a bus without hurting any occupants, and he can share the comedy of the Enterprise Blues Band, a group you can only see live at Star Trek conventions.

Is that enough entertainment for ya? Then make it so and join us in Ron Moore’s captain’s lounge on the next “Remember When” Podcast-

“Star Trek: These are the Voyages, The Original Series (TOS.”

No one knows more about all the behind-the-scenes activity in producing the various Star Trek series and movies than researcher Marc Cushman. No one. I promise.  For years now, he’s been publishing exhaustive volumes like the one stated above, on the original series, the Next Generation, the films—and found himself surprising the original participants with revelations they never knew.

Like Waltar Koenig, the gent who was the original Pavel Chekov beginning in season two of the first series. For Wes Britton and “Remember When,” Marc and Waltar sat down together and talked about that special season, the messages and themes of Star Trek, the impact the show had on generations of fans, and Waltar shares anecdotes to tickle your funny bone.

Join us as we launch “Sci-Fi Week” here at the “Remember When” Podcasts:

If you want to talk about comedy, you can’t have a better tour guide than Harry Shearer.

As a child star, Harry worked with Jack Benny and knew the great voice actor, Mel Blanc. As an adult, he was part of Spinal Tap, performed for years on SNL, is the voice of half the characters in The Simpsons,  created the mockumentary The Mighty Wind, and appears weekly on his Le Show radio series.  And that just scratches the surface of one of the funniest and wittiest Renaissance Men on the planet-

Talking with Wes Britton on “Remember When,” Harry discusses all those projects and we play samples from his comedy album, Can’t Take a Hint.  So kick back, smile, and laugh along with Harry Shearer and Wes Britton on the next “Remember When”-

Whatever happened to Tabitha Stephens, the TV sitcom baby witch played by child-star Erin Murphy? More than you think.

Erin is an extremely talented lady who has been appearing on the small screen from her infancy to the present, sharing the stage with the likes of Ronald Reagan and  Hulk Hogan and serving as a TV correspondent for all sorts of outlets like TVLand. She’s the last surviving cast member of Bewitched and has lots of stories to tell you on the latest edition of Remember when-

Return with us to those homesteading days of yesteryear on Little House on the Prairie when a child star named Alison Arngrim became the longtime nemesis of Prairie star Melissa Gilbert. But only on the small screen.

In an in-depth interview with Wes Britton, Arngrim shares stories about the development of her character, Nellie Oleson Dalton, as well as the truth about her real-life relationships with other cast members like Gilbert and the main man of the series, Michael Landon. Go behind the scenes of the series' surprising grand finale. Expect some surprises as we take you back to Plum Creek, a farm near the little town called Walnut Grove, Minnesota-

Shaken, Not Stirred (The Secret Files of I__ F______, Code Designate 17F)

You don’t have to be a James Bon  Aficionado to decode the above title to Aaron Cooley’s 2013 novel where Cooley has fun with the supposed adventures of one Ian Fleming in naval intelligence during World War II.   Cooley wasn’t the first, nor likely the last writer, to spin out fanciful adventures taking lieutenant-commander Fleming out from behind his historical Admiralty desk and send the actual designate 17f out on missions that never were, create characters allegedly models for the likes of Q and Miss Moneypenny, and spin out plots and villains that would become grist for Fleming’s literary mill.

Clearly Cooley had a lot of fun creating his blend of fact and far-fetched fiction to entertain readers, especially those who admire the James Bond novels. Cooley’s spirit of fun and his unique imagination are on full display in his interview with spy expert Wes Britton where Cooley shares many of his creative approaches.    If you haven’t read Shaken Not Stirred, we wager this Podcast will whet your appetite to give   I__ F______, Code Designate 17F a chance—

I suspect every Bond fan everywhere knows who Raymond Benson is and has their own opinions about his series of 007 continuation novels.

Almost as many readers have enjoyed Raymond’s own character, The Black Stiletto. If you haven’t met Judy Cooper and like costumed vigilantes with a feminist bent, well, Raymond tells Wes Britton all about the first Black Stiletto novel in this, the 10th year anniversary of her literary debut. She’s a super-hero without superpowers who only operated from 1958-to 1963  and then mysteriously disappeared after leaving a legacy of battling Communist spies, the Mafia, and common crooks. Decades after her retirement, her son finds clues that convince him that his Mom was the crimefighter of old especially her descriptions of her adventures in her secret diaries.

So whether you’re already a fan of the Black Stiletto or an aficionado of old-time thrillers or comic books without pictures starring strong female leads or simply entertaining storytelling,  check out this encore conversation of Wes Britton and Raymond Benson broadcast some time ago in the misty past of radio yesteryear-

Who are the Baker Street Irregulars? Sherlock Holmes fans will remember the gang of street urchins Holmes employed to assist his investigations in three stories. Serious Holmes fans will think of the BSI as the oldest and most exclusive literary club devoted to the study of Holmes, Watson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the Victorian period.

Until his death last year, Jon Lellenberg was a prominent member of that group and was an invaluable agent for the Arthur Conan Doyle estate, being their American literary executor and so much more for the family for decades.

As a historian for the BSI, Lellenberg had access to key documents about the founding of the organization back in the 1930s which he used to develop his 2010 novel about those events in his book, naturally titled Baker Street Irregular. Using his background in military intelligence, he wove those intelligent characters into a multilayered tale of World War II espionage involving some very high-profile Sherlockians.

Back in 2011, Lellenberg sat down with Wes Britton to talk about the BSI, his novel, The affairs of the Conan Doyle estate and shared his opinions on a number of film and television adaptations of the world’s first consulting detective. So if you’re into the literary, film, radio, or television realms headquartered at 221 Baker Street in London, this is a not-to-miss conversation.

#author #BSI #BakerStreetIrregulars #writers #bakerstreet #SherlockHolmes #ArthurConanDoyle #classicradio #WesBritton #DaveWhitePresents #spy #agent #espionage #detective #JonLellenberg

Here’s one very enjoyable interview I did with an old friend named Ian Dickerson, the longtime Honorary Secretary of The Saint Club. Yes, that Saint-Simon Templar—“the famous Saint,” the “Robin Hood of Modern Crime.”

Colorful author Leslie Charteris created The Saint in 1928 when his character debuted in Meet the Tiger and starred in Charteris penned novels and short stories for decades thereafter. Templar also starred in several radio series beginning in 1940, including being portrayed by Vincent Price; in motion pictures, Templar debuted in 1938 and was played by the likes of Louis Hayward, George Saunders, Val Kilmer among many others; on TV, of course, the haloed Robin Hood of modern crime was immortalized by Roger Moore back in the 1960s. And more was to come . . .

This short profile but scratches the surface of the stories of a writer and his “dream self”, both fascinating sagas of the 20th Century, stories told  by the man who knows them better than anyone else, the man chosen by Leslie Charteris himself to helm the longtime Saint Club.

So come along to hear some rip-roaring yarns of derring-do, crime solving, espionage,  romance with Ian Dickerson and Mr. Simon Templar-

Maybe you were like me from June 28, 2007 to September 12, 2013 hearing Michael Weston teaching us what to do “When you’re a spy . . .” on the hit TV series, Burn Notice.

If you were really into Burn Notice, perhaps you enjoyed the novelizations based on the series authored by a knowledgeable gent named Todd Goldberg.

In an in-depth conversation with Wes Britton of “Remember When,” Todd tells us how he came to get the Burn Notice contract, what elements of the show he knew fans would want in the books, and what things he could bring into the mix that couldn’t fit in a small screen script.

So if you’re missing Michael, his Mom and brother, Sam, and Fiona in their Miami adventures come on board and get your “Fix,” as that’s the title of Todd’s first Burn Notice novel-The Fix.

#classicradio #classicinterviews #DaveWhitePresents #WesBritton #novelist #spy #BurnNotice #ToddGoldberg 

Max Vesterhalt was a Bond girl of color- but odds are, you never heard of her.

After her exquisite good looks led her into a life of modelling and acting, she became famous for a widespread poster promoting Greek tourism. The poster caught the eye of Bond producer Cubby Broccoli who hired her for a role in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only. While she was supposed to have the scenes you’d associate with a Bond lovely,her role was reduced when the director changed to John Glen. When you see her on screen, she’s in the casino scene with Roger Moore.

In her conversation with “Remember When”s Wes Britton,   Max describes her time on the Bond film set and shares her memories of Roger Moore.  Of course, she has lots of other topics to share with you so you’ll just have to click this link to have a peek into Bond film lore you probably missed back in the day-

Sometimes, a writer can give an old trope a fresh twist. Take the idea of sleeper agents, something familiar to anyone with a passing interest in spy lit and films.

Naval officer Michael Pennington wondered what might happen if the spouses of military officers with high-security clearances could be planted as Soviet sleeper spies.  After all, the officers themselves would be seriously vetted before getting their clearances-not so much their significant others. So Pennington created the extremely capable Susan Anderson, a wife with a dual consciousness. Part of her thinks she’s a normal American wife; but the Soviets had long ago planted a “Sasha” consciousness inside her, buried until her handler reignited the long-forgotten identity.

Pennington began his novel series with   Zhena, a book Michael discussed with Wes Britton back in 2010. In the story, Susan Anderson, military wife, mother, and apparent orphan find herself on the run trying to protect her children, and the lives of friends, not to mention maintaining her own sanity and survival. And that’s just the beginning-

Some spy novels have a point to make, especially those in the sub-genre of “insider fiction.” Authors of these books draw on their experience in intelligence to warn the rest of us about what we should expect. For example, Duane DeMello’s 2010  The Wave of the Future is concerned with how present-day circumstances might lead to disasters if our vigilance isn’t of the highest level, if we’re not willing to put security ahead of some personal rights, and if intelligence agencies don’t function to their fullest capacity. DeMello knows of what he writes.  After all, he was a senior intelligence officer in the Central Intelligence Agency.

But there’s much more to what Wave of the Future offers beyond a cautionary tale and Duane shared his in-depth thinking in a 2010 conversation with Wes Britton. Learn a bit about modern spycraft and the balance of power between our agencies and those determined to do us harm . . . Join Duane and Wes Britton for a fascinating conversation if you’re curious about what actual espionage is all about.

On the 3rd year anniversary special of the old “Dave White Presents” radio show, Wes Britton brought the second film actor to play 007, George Lazenby, together with guitarist Vic Flick for the first time ever in a dual interview.

On this occasion, I was happy to stand aside and let those film veterans essentially interview each other about . . .  to be honest, this one is hard to summarize. The two gents touched on a ton of topics, talking about subjects I don’t think they have ever delved into much anywhere else. Bond stuff to be sure-but so much more. The motto of the old show was “Predictably unpredictable,” and Vic and George helped us live up to those two words.

In other words, spy or Bond expert you may be, but I guarantee a string of surprises that will entertain you in ways you didn’t expect . . .