Rarified Heir Podcast

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Rarified Heir Podcast Episode #110 Brendan Wayne (Part 2) (John Wayne) Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we bring you part two of our conversation with Brendan Wayne, who portrays The Mandalorian on Disney+ as well as being John Wayne's grandson. We pick up on this episode where we left off on the last one. We talk to Brendan about his own acting career beginning with the film Cowboys and Aliens, CSI and all the way up to the Star Wars universe. We also go deep into a little known world Brendan inhabits which is coaching girls and young women's soccer. Who knew?

We also get into more conversation about John Wayne, the grandfather, the icon, the politics and the actor. Somehow, this is a very different conversation about The Duke that has nuance and personal touches that humanize the greatest film icon of his generation by getting an up close and personal take from Brendan. So sit back and relax Pilgrim and take a listen to the latest Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone, has a story, ya yellow belly.

Rarified Heir Podcast #109 : Brendan Wayne (John Wayne) Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

Today on part one of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Brendan Wayne. Hmmm…now how might you know that name? Well some of you might know his grandfather, likely the most famous international star ever, The Duke, John Wayne. However, other listeners might know Brendan Wayne as The Mandalorian, from the massive Disney+ show, The Mandalorian. The thing is that in addition to inhabiting a pretty major role in the Star Wars universe, we came to interview Brendan through, of all things, girls soccer. Huh? Yeah, you are going to have unpack that one a bit.

We talk to Brendan about quite a lot of things on this episode. But because he's enthusiastic, excited and interested in talking about pretty much everything, it comes across more like a great conversation than an interview. We do however discuss The Duke's films, his close relationship with director John Ford, his boat and how it played a part in one of his films and his closeness to Brendan's mother Toni. We also talk Brendan's classical acting training, the dance store Capezio, trying to take a girl on a date but her dad cornering him to talk about, who else, his grandfather and a lot more. What we loved about this conversation the most though is Brendan's dedication to his family and his soccer teams. No really. The man is a teacher and coach as well as the fucking Mandalorian. If this were the 1970s this truly would be a very special Rarified Heir Podcast after school special episode. Well, we think it is. Take a listen and see for yourself.

Rarified Heir Podcast #108: Eric Bonerz (Peter Bonerz) Dec 13, 2022

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Eric Bonerz whose father Peter Bonerz you all know from his acting and directing career. Likely, most of you know Peter Bonerz as the role of Jerry the Dentist on The Bob Newhart Show. But did you know that Peter directed some of the biggest (and some of the most bizarre) television shows of all-time? From Wingsto Murphy Brown to Home Improvement to Friends and News Radio, Peter Bonerz has more than 350 directing credits to his name. We also learn about some of his pilots & short lived shows like Apple Pie which did not make it. One, about humans playing dogs with Chuck McCann and Charles Martin Smith, might be the weirdest of them all.

We talk to Eric about being on set like Catch-22 and Medium Cool and how his dad made it a point to be home for dinner and to be a parent who was present. Always. We also discuss Eric's own career, working at the Beastie Boys (wink, wink) store X-Large, his offbeat Bay Area band Eskimo and how he was the PD on the internet radio channel LuxuriaMusic.com which is yours truly favorite radio station.

If The Day The Clown Cried, Yul Brenner, the band Primus, tagging along with Adam Arkin or seeing Keir Dullea eating sushi alone in the 80s mean anything at all to you, you must listen to this episode. The Rarified Heir Podcast's latest episode begins, now.

Rarified Heir Podcast #107 Stan Warnow & Deborah Scott Studebaker. (Raymond Scott & Dorothy Collins) Dec 06, 2022

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to siblings Stan Warnow and Deborah Scott Studebaker whose father was the composer, musician, innovator, band leader and inventor Raymond Scott. While you may not know the name Raymond Scott, you absolutely know his music. That's because while he may not have composed for cartoons, his music is the DNA of most if not all, Looney Toons & Merry Melodies Warner Bros. cartoons. Believe me, you know the song "Powerhouse" & "The Toy Trumpet".Now if that's all Raymond Scott was known for, that would be a pretty great legacy. But he also composed for big bands, recorded jingles for the likes of Proctor & Gamble and Hamm's Beer, was the orchestra leader on the radio and television show "Your Hit Parade", invented the Clavinex & Electronium (precursors to the modern synthesizer) and much more. He was a man more comfortable with "the work", than the fame or celebrity that came along with it. He was happier in his workroom than he was on camera. So exacting was his vision that he often alienated musicians and singers with his demanding ways. Yet his genius was hard to overlook as none other than Barry Gordy of Motown hired him in 1971 after seeing the Electronium in action to become the Director of Motown's electronic music and research department in Los Angeles. The man had ten careers or perhaps only two, as Deb explains.

We also talk about to Deb about her mother, entertainer Dorothy Collins who was a nightclub performer, starred on Broadway in Steven Sondheim's Follies and on television on Candid Camera & Hollywood Palace among others. It's a wild ride discussing the very earliest electronic music, the music that defined all of our youth, and a man so driven by his passion, he essentially invented the fax machine decades before it became a reality. Enjoy, the latest episode of Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Rarified Heir Podcast #106: Ethan Lawrence Encore. (Anthony Lawrence) Nov 29, 2022

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Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to screenwriter Ethan Lawrence about his screenwriter father Anthony Lawrence, who might be one of the most prolific film and television writers in the history of the Writers Guild with close to 500 credits to his name. From Elvis films like Roustabout to biopics to series like Outer Limits and Bonanza to sci-fi cult favorite The Phoenix, Lawrence career spans five decades. Believe it or not, he's still writing short films and novels today.

Ethan talks to us about growing up with his four siblings in Palos Verdes and later Ojai, California and spins yarns involving everyone from Shelley Winters and Kurt Russel on the set of the John Carpenter Elvis TV movie, to doing karate with Chuck Norris as a kid, hanging with actor Judson Scott at his house as The Phoenix imploded and the anything goes insanity of spending summers at the Manitoba ranch of hockey legend, The Golden Jet, Bobby Hull.

If shows like The Sixth Sense with Cary Collins, The Planet of the Apes TV series or Hawaii 5-0 with Jack Lord mean anything to you, you must take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Rarified Heir Podcast #105: Quincy Coleman Encore (Dabney Coleman, Jean Hale) Nov 22, 2022

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we present an encore episode with Quincy Coleman, daughter of actor Dabney Coleman and actress Jean Hale. Ironically, this comes on the heels of our encore episode with James Coburn's son, James Coburn. Which means we have now spoken to the children of all-four leads from the film In Like Flint including Tony Cobb, son of Lee J. Cobb and Richard Duggan, son of Andrew Duggan. Weird.

We spoke to Quincy about a variety of subjects from her dad's favorite Mexican restaurant, her own health issues, her singing career, her mom's criminally unheralded acting career, her parents acting classes in New York that featured many up-and-coming stars, her dads funny but intimidating on screen personality plus growing up in Los Angeles, attending the same college on the East Coast and much more. It was great talking to Quincy and we hope you will like our conversation with her because we sure did. Now if Josh only remembered that her dad was the Commodore and not the Commander on HBO's Boardwalk Empire that would have made this an ideal episode. Oh well. Take a listen to Quincy Coleman on this edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast.

Rarified Heir Podcast #104: Kelly Conway (Tim Conway) Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Kelly Conway, daughter of genius comedian Tim Conway. Many of you know Tim Conway from his television career on The Steve Allen Show, McHale's Navy and likely The Carol Burnett Show. Some may know him from his film career in Disney films like The Apple Dumpling Gang or The Private Eyes with Don Knotts among others, like Gus or The Prize Fighter. You might even know him from Spongebob Squarepants or 30 Rock. After all he was nominated for 13 Emmy awards and won six times as a performer and writer. But many of you may not know about Conway's impact on his brood of six, count them six children. We spoke to Kelly about her experience with dad and writing her book, My Dad's Funnier Than Your Dad. And you ain't kidding anbout that!

Kelly recounts to us her life growing up in the San. Fernando Valley as the eldest and oldest in a house where dad made their living room a movie theater (with tickets, popcorn counter and turn style) or sewing slipcovers or sport coats himself. We talk about his relationship and her family relationship with Ghoulardi's Ernie Anderson (father of director Paul Thomas Anderson) as well as folks like Steve and Eydie, Mike Connors, Harvey Korman and Bob Newhart. We also delve into Kelly's story of how she fought for her father's healthcare during his later years and the legal battle she waged simply to see her father when his stepmother refused to allow her to do so. It's pretty heavy stuff and frankly, opened up the topic to host Josh Mills about his own issues with his mother's end-of-life healthcare as well. You will laugh, you might cry but you certainly won't forget this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast with Kelly Conway. Take a listen.

Rarified Heir Podcast #103: James Coburn Encore (James Coburn) Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast encore edition, we are talking to James Coburn, son of, well James Coburn. We spoke with James during the Covid crisis and James was the perfect antidote. We learned about an array fascinating things the younger Coburn shared with us such as: being on the set of Peckinpah film, Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid in Mexico and In Like Flint in Jamaica, his dads love of cars (very fast cars), his good friend Bruce Lee, the Z Channel, a 4 year odyssey in Africa, the Muppets and much much more. Come to think of it, we need to get back with James to talk about the biography he and his wife were working on about his father when we recorded this episode. Maybe it's time for part two if our interview. But for now, take a listen to this interview recorded during the time Covid. Oh so long and not very long ago. You are listening to the Rarified Heir Podcast.

Rarified Heir Podcast #102: Lisa Sutton (Lynn Anderson, Glenn Sutton) Nov 01, 2022

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to country music royalty. We are talking to Lisa Sutton who's has not one but four musical legacies and estates to look after. Her mother, the great singer Lynn Anderson is best known for her iconic #1 hit, "Rose Garden" and released, count 'em, 72 singles in her career. Lisa's father, was Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member Glenn Sutton who produced "Rose Garden" and wrote the Grammy winning David Huston hit "Almost Persuaded" as well as "What Made Milwaukee Famous (Made A Loser Out of Me)", "Your Good Girls Gonna Go Bad" & countless other songs. The architecht of Countrypolitan sound of the 60s, Glenn's songs were recorded by everyone from Etta James to The Louvin Brothers to Jerry Lee Lewis and Rod Stewart. What's more, Lisa's grandparents were Casey Anderson and Liz Anderson. Liz wrote many country music hits in the 50s and 60s including "Wife of the Party" and "Mama Spank" and it was Casey who invited an iconic soon-to-be country music icon back to their house for pancakes after a show that led to Country music history. What's more Lynn talks to us about growing up in a household where being the 'hero child' was something of the norm, where riding horses was a huge part of life. What's more, Lisa is so invested in her family legacy that the amateur Rosarian, even brought about the comeback of the world champion Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Rose. From songwriting credits, to intellectual property to memorabilia to following through on her parents and grandparents wishes, we don't think you will find anyone more dedicated to her family legacy than Lisa Sutton. And it's all next on the Rarified Heir Podcast.

Rarified Heir Podcast #101: Ron DeFore (Don DeFore) Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Ron DeFore, son of actor Don DeFore and singer Marion Holmes. Ron came to us via a previous guest, Peter Ackerman so there is a true classic television connection. Don DeFore is best known for his roles as "Throny" in The Adventures of Ozzy and Harriet as well as Mr. B on Hazel. What we didn't know when we were connected was that Don DeFore is the stuff of legend to Disneyland fans the world over. Why? Because Don owned the only restaurant in Disneyland history that featured a celebrity's name on it. For five years, at the inception of Disneyland, you could chow down on home fixings at the Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbeque restaurant in Frontierland. What's more is that son Ron wrote a book that discusses that chapter in his life (and more) entitled Growing Up in Disneyland. And that's literally too. Because when Walt gave the restaurant to his father, the DeFore's bought a house in Anaheim and spent summers, weekends and holidays at Disneyland. A 10 year old's dream if ever there was one.

We also talk to Ron about his mother, who while little known today, made one song very, very famous. Of course Josh picks the wrong song but you'll hear all about it on the podcast. What's more we discuss, President & actor Ronald Reagan, Captain Disco, 'The Flying DJ", John Lennon, The Odd Couple, long-lost Polynesian restaurant favorite Kelbo's, more stories about SAG and how Don DeFore was instrumental in getting the Emmy Awards televised for the first time ever as the President of the Television Academy and much more. So set your internal clocks back a little bit for this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

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