Backstory with Larry Potash

Latest Episodes:

How a Hijacking at O’Hare went south Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Christmas Eve 1971, a man with a gun at 7 sticks of dynamite commandeers a United Airlines plane in the skies above Chicago. Larry Potash unearths what happened that night, and the connection that two Chicago area families have made 5 decades later. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Go here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Future of Death Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Death is the great equalizer. But how we mourn, our ceremonies and rituals, can be very different across cultures and through generations. In the United States, our perspective on funerals and grieving is rapidly changing. Larry Potash reports on the future of death 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 you get your podcasts, go to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Go here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chicago’s Starring Role in the History of Candy Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Chocolate, and candy overall, used to be the domain of the wealthy, royalty, the elite. But all that changed in the early 20th century when Chicago become the candy capital of the world. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash looks at the past and future of candy. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Go here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Spy Who Sent Himself into the Nazi Death Camps Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Despite the obvious danger, hundreds of thousands of people serve in the Polish Underground during World War II. At a time when the world largely doesn’t know what’s going on behind the walls of Auschwitz, one man volunteers to go inside the concentration camp. In this piece for Backstory, Larry profiles the amazing tale of Witold Pilecki and others who chose to fight back against Nazi tyranny. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Playboy to Ali: The Chicagoan who was the Father of Contemporary Sports Art Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

LeRoy Neiman was an American artist known for his vivid, expressionist paintings of athletes, musicians, and sporting events. Muhummad Ali, Mickey Mantle, Frank Sinatra were just a few of his subjects, and the masses were drawn to his art because they could relate to the subject matter. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash takes a fresh look at Nieman, and why his style--situated at the confluence of art and commerce—is perhaps more influential than he gets credit for. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Fight to Save Bees Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

The honeybee is perhaps the lynchpin to planet earth’s entire ecosystem, but their existence is very much threatened. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash connects with three Chicago area people, two scientists and a beekeeper, who are attempting to help restore the balance of nature. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Nazis’ Legal Reckoning Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

The Allies defeat the Nazis, “but now what?” asks Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson. He argues the victory would be incomplete without a legal reckoning. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash introduces us with two people in the present day with a personal connection to the Nuremberg Trials, who shed new light on this important historic event. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Diamonds Are Forever: Chicago’s Senior Baseball League Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Baseball is a slower game, and in this Chicago area league, it’s even slower. And the only vital analytic in the Chicago North Men’s Senior Baseball League is 65—the minimum age to play. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash introduces us to a group of men still chasing a lifelong dream. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

America’s First Celebrity Sex Scandal Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

One author describes it as “Romeo and Juliet meets the shining.” Arguably America’s first celebrity sex scandal, and one that ended in tragedy, Larry Potash brings us the sordid tale of Frank Lloyd Wright, his mistress, and murders that shocked a nation. 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 to WGNtv.com/backstory, or follow Larry Potash on your favorite social media. Click here to see how to download the free WGN+ app.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.