Backstory with Larry Potash
Explore the BACKSTORY behind some of the most intriguing tales in history, culture, religion and science from Chicago and beyond.
Episodes
The Michael Jordan Statue. Some argue this sculpture of the G.O.A.T., unveiled in 1994, ushered in a golden era of monuments to our heroes on the field. Larry Potash has the backstory on it, as well as other Chicago sports legends immortalized in bronze, and asks the question, what if statues aren’t history, but archaeology?
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app...
Before Bond. Before Bourne. There was a real-life man named Thomas Miller Beach, AKA Major Henri Le Caron. His claim to fame? Arguably, he was the world’s first super spy, caught in a four-nation conflict in the 19th century. Larry Potash has the fascinating Backstory on the man who led a ragtag band of ex-soldiers to invade no less than the dominion of Canada.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WG...
5,000 children wrongfully removed from their homes, sent to live with total strangers. And the worst part? It was all completely legal. In this Backstory piece, Larry Potash looks at the life and terrible legacy of one Georgia Tann, and some of the descendants that she left in her wake.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podc...
The guitar has always seemed like the “lead instrument” on stage. Its power chords pushed it to the front and center of radio airwaves. And yet, it seems to come and go from popular music. The one constant has been when it comes to making a guitar, nobody does it better than America. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash goes deep on six stringed instruments, those who make them and those who play them.
Backstory ...
A stroll through a neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago leads a local woman to come across a stone that’s a part of history. Behind the stone? A story of one man caught in two worlds, pursuing peace and history. The man? Billy Caldwell. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash looks at his legacy through a modern-day lens.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the...
About one in three Americans now has a tattoo somewhere on their body. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash looks at the psychology at play inside of those who get tattooed. And asks, why are Americans in particular so eager to ink?
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever you get your podcasts, go t...
Sherlock Holmes started out as a character in a British magazine in the late 19th century. Thus began over a century of pop culture fame, but, more importantly, it began a new way of looking at crime…and justice, as Larry Potash reports in this piece for Backstory.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast wherever...
Nostalgia is a powerful force that permeates every class and demographic. What exactly is its allure? And what is its danger? In this Backstory piece, Larry Potash delves into how nostalgia has infused our present-day lives, and what it means for the larger cultural picture.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download the Backstory podcast whe...
Malls started out as a sort of town center 2.0, eventually becoming staples of suburban life. But with the rise of online shopping, what does the future hold for these icons of American consumerism. In this Backstory piece, Larry potash looks at the rise, fall, and reinvention of the American mall.
Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on smart TVs on the free WGN+ app. For more, download ...
There are more than 750 whiskey and bourbon distillery businesses in the United States. They are growing at a pace of about 15% every year. Dark spirits have made a comeback, in no small part, because of its backstory.
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America's founding fathers go beyond the English. About half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence have Scottish roots. And they remained an influence on America from that moment forward.
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For centuries, maps have shown us how to get from point A to point B. But they’re much more than that. They’re a record of what people care about. How do you preserve these stories when maps are no longer on paper? In this Backstory piece, Larry Potash introduces us to a Chicago family who have been in the map business for 5 generations. Backstory with Larry Potash airs Sunday nights at 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m...
Baseball pre-dates the other main sports in America. And while it’s often referred to as the American Pastime, its origins are steeped in myth. In this Backstory piece, Larry Potash introduces us to a group of people playing the game as it once was.
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For thousands of years, the cannabis plant was a crucial crop in helping civilizations evolve, used for products from clothing to medicine. But then in the early 20th century, the American government demonized it. Is weed a wonder drug or dangerous habit? In this piece, Larry Potash explores the backstory of cannabis’ comeback.
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Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio. Nick White. You have probably heard of the first two, but the third has a fascinating story to tell. In this Backstory piece, Larry Potash introduces us to a man who creates vintage sound effects, and does it so well he talked his way into a major Hollywood film.
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It was the deadliest maritime disaster in the history of the United States, the sinking of the S.S. Sultana right after the end of the Civil War. And yet, no one was ever convicted of a crime, despite evidence of gross negligence. Larry Potash profiles a man with a personal connection to the tragedy, and a remarkable discovery he's made about his ancestor. Backstory airs Sunday nights at 6:30 & 11 on WG...
It's a Wonderful Life isn't a hit at the box office in 1946. But decades later it becomes a Christmas classic. In this segment for Backstory, Larry Potash unearths the hidden meanings contained in the sets, props, and more. You may never see it the same way again. Backstory airs Sunday nights at 6:30 & 11 on WGN, or stream it anytime on the WGN+ app on your smart TV with Amazon Fire, Roku, and Apple...
Hollywood is the global capital of making movies, but it might not have been if it wasn’t for a man in Chicago. Larry Potash gives us the backstory on one William Selig, a visionary who took the concept of silent films to a new level, and revolutionized an entire industry. Backstory airs Sunday nights at 6:30 & 11 on WGN, or stream it anytime on the WGN+ app on your smart TV with Amazon Fire, R...
Elliott Ness and the Untouchables, along with Treasury agent Frank Wilson, were instrumental in taking down Al Capone.
However, there was another force working behind the scenes, a group of Chicago businessmen, the so-called “Secret Six.”
In this segment for Backstory, Larry Potash talked to a man who has a personal connection, as well as insights to the secrets. Backstory airs Sunday nights at 6:30 & 11 on WG...
Eight seasons, four pennants, two World Series titles. Not bad for a Cubs owner. Charlies Murphy has been called “the George Steinbrenner” of the early 20th century. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash digs into the innovations he pioneered, how he became the most hated man in baseball, and the scandal that brought him down. Backstory airs Sunday nights at 6:30 & 11 on WGN, or stream it anytime on ...
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