Rarified Heir Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode #280: Claudia Cowan (Warren Cowan, Barbara Rush) Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to San Francisco television journalist Claudia Cowan whose parents were the actors Barbara Rush and publicist Warren Cowan. And as we learned on this episode, once wasn't enough for this Hollywood power couple as Claudia tells us. Her parents got hitched twice. The second time, was slightly more clandestine as you will hear. So what was it like to have a father who represented clients his mother starred in films with? We dig into it and a lot more on this whimsical episode.

Claudia tells us what it was like to have a father whose clients included Ronald Reagan, George Burns and Kirk Douglas among many, many other A-list celebrities and a mom who starred in films with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Ernie Kovacs to Bob Crane and Hope Lange. As you may remember, we spoke to the children of both of Crane and Lange on recent episodes, so this episode comes full circle.

Along the way we discuss things like Top Ten lists & celebrity golf tournament PR which her father invented, her mother finding love late in life after Warren's passing as well as things like The Rat Pack, The Beatles and other pop culture icons. Claudia was open and honest and a lot of fun as a guest and we covered everything from her home life, to her personal life behind the scenes as well as her career in local television in the Bay Area. It's all here on this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode #279: Inara George (Lowell George) Mar 17, 2026

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to singer and musician Inara George about growing up the daughter of beloved musician Lowell George. Perhaps best known for his time in the band Little Feet, Lowell George passed away in 1979 at the age of 34, just shy of Inara's fifth birthday. We spoke to Inara about the need and the restlessness of overseeing a legacy run by her mother and the toll it takes keeping it alive in 2026. Of course, we also spoke to her about her own career as a singer as well. So just how difficult is it for someone with both a new album out in March entitled, Songs of Douglass and Littell as well as a Record Store Day tribute album to her father in April, Rock and Roll Doctor: Lowell George Tribute, well, it's complicated.

We spoke to Inara about her family roots in Los Angeles, where her grandfather made quite a name for himself as a studio supplier for expensive and exclusive garments for the movie studios brought him in contact with names like Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth and Greta Garbo. And with an upbringing like that, just how did his son got from the marching band at Hollywood High School whose best known Little Feat song "Willin'" has more 54 million streams on Spotify? We discuss it all.

Along the way we talk about connections including Cambodian rock band Dengue Fever, Inara's bandmate in The Bird and The Bee Greg Kurstin who has produced records by Adele and Paul McCartney among others and discovering that Inara and host josh Mills went to the same college in Boston although not at the same time. If names like Jackson Browne, Frank Zappa comingling with folks like W.C. Fields and appearances on F-Troop are your bag, then this is your episode to dig into. Take a listen.

Episode #278: David Pressman (Laurence Pressman, Lanna Saunders) Mar 10, 2026

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Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to David Pressman, son of actors Lawrence Pressman and Lanna Saunders. Now if you are a fan of soap operas, you know Lanna who starred on more than 500 episodes of the NBC daytime show Days of Our Lives as Marie Horton. And if you are a fan of film you know Lawrence Pressman for his many roles starring in movies like 9 to 5, Making It and American Pie. From television, you know Lawrence Pressman from Doogie Howser M.D., The Bob Newhart Show, M*A*S*H & likely hundreds of other programs. He's a very familiar face, you just know brings a comedic edge to many of his 'oily' roles And he's still with us at age 86. (It must be all that craft service, ahem).

As we learn and as we have heard on recent episodes and guests, David was born into an acting family that goes back, generations in fact – evidently his great grandfather performed on the Russian/Ukrainian stage when Minsky's Follies was simply known as Minsk. You get the picture. We are talking a long time ago! And it was the stage where both David's parents got their start as well on Broadway and other regional theater alike.

But when the family moved to Los Angeles from New York when David was 7, the cameras took over for the footlights as Hollywood came calling for both his parents. And guess what? It came for David too as he had roles in films & television alike in big budget films such as Tropic Thunder & Blades of Glory as well as tv shows like Newhart, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Monk and many others. We dive deep into some behind the scenes stories involving Steve Coogan, Jane Fonda, Bob Newhart (him again) and Ben Stiller. This is a fun one. Take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast right now.

Episode #277: Christopher Murray (Hope Lange, Don Murray) (Part Two) Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to guest, actor Christopher Murray on part two of our conversation about growing up the child of powerhouse actors Don Murray and Hope Lange. On part one last week, we discussed his parents career as well as his own. In addition we learned about his grandparents career in 'the business' as well. On this episode, we dig in to some truly cosmic connections. Such as? Well for starters, how many actors outside of Laura Dern could say that both parents and child were directed by David Lynch?

Christopher tells us stories about his own life and how he ingratiated himself with co-star Sean Connery on the set of the film Just Cause, what it was like spending time on the set of the film Klute with Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland directed by his stepfather Alan J. Pakula & what it was like travelling with him as well. We also discuss backstage gossip from the film his parents worked on Bus Stop, travelling to Morocco and Italy with Pakula and much more.

On this, our part two of our conversation with Christopher Murray, we really do get to hear some of the charmed life he has lead but also some of the truly shattering heartbreak as well. And through it all, Christopher never shied away from either the good or the bad. Our conversation was at times silly, at times crushing and other times wonderfully wholesome. This is a fun one and we are glad we had two episodes to tell Christopher's story. The Rarified Heir Podcast. Off we go!

Episode #276: Christopher Murray (Don Murray, Hope Lange) (Part One) Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to actor Christopher Murray, son of the acting dynamo parents, Don Murray and Hope Lang. Born into show business – his grandparents we in show business too, Christopher tells us all about his life growing up with two famous parents. When both your father are Academy Award nominated actor for his first film, Bus Stop with Marilyn Monroe and your mother earns one at age 24 for Peyton Place, it's probably likely, acting will be your calling.

So on part one of our conversation with Christopher, we get quite a bit of background on both of his amazing parents. Like what you ask? Well, how about the work his parents helped displaced Europeans during WWII and the Korean War that still is making inroads to this day? Or possibly how his mother provided a safe haven for good friends and gay Hollywood couples during his youth? Or maybe it's how after his parents' divorce, his step-father became iconic film director Alan J. Pakula? And that's just the beginning.

If Elvis Presley, Roddy McDowell, Charles Laughton, Sean Connery, Kathleen Turner and Eleanor Roosevelt mean something to you, then this is your episode. The Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story. This one has two. And we haven't even mentioned his parents Broadway yet, have we?

Episode #275: Christopher Lewis (Jerry Lewis) Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Christopher Lewis, son of comedian, writer, director & auteur Jerry Lewis. Ostensibly, we spoke to Christopher to talk about the publication of the book he shepherded from his father's archive, Jerry Lewis On Being a Person. But what we got was quite a bit more as we had hoped.

Christopher sat down with us for quite some time to talk about his father and what it was like being the son of "The King of Comedy" which we learned, became his monicker after the Martin Scorsese film was released. We also learned about – and you knew this was coming, how could it not? – the unreleased film, The Day The Clown Cried. Perhaps the most talked about film no one has ever seen, heard from Christopher what is holding up its release to this day & why he thought it was never released.

We also dug into some fantastic things like the films his dad made for himself and not a studio with stars of the day which was totally fascinating. We spoke about his time in Vegas as part of the MDA Telethon, the Jerry Lewis donation to the Library of Congress, the forgotten TV show of the 70s Pink Lady and Jeff (trust me, it's a corker) and which comedian made him laugh. And without further adieu, we bring you Christopher Lewis about "Le Roi du Crazy," his dad, Jerry Lewis.

Episode #274: Hugo Morley (Robert Morley) Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Hugo Morley, grandson of the great actor, pitchman, foodie and much beloved Robert Morley. It's strange what stays with you as a you grow older but for host josh Mills, the obsession with the Morley film, Who's Killing the Great Chef's of Europe is right up there on this episode. We discuss this offbeat comedic crime caper as well as Morley being the face of an entire nation as the spokesman for British Airways. And that's just the Yank version of Robert Morley.

For Britons and Australians, Robert Morley was known more for the 100+ films he made, beginning in 1939 which garnered him an Academy Award nomination opposite Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power in Marie Antoinette. We also learn about Hugo's father, noted U.K. theatre critic Sheridan Morley, an especially wonderful friendship with Carol Channing, along with Yul Brenner, Eli Wallach, David Tomlinson and Griff Rhys Jones as well. All played a part in Hugo's time with his grandfather and his father.

Of course we discuss his grandfather's love of cuisine, time spend at grandpa's back garden pool and his ever present cigars. And did we mention Robert Morley's time in the Muppet movies? Well, sit back and relax and check out this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast and learn about how to become a bartender and not make a mixed drink to boot. Everyone has a story.

Episode #273: James Tomlinson (David Tomlinson) Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we speak to James Tomlinson, the son of actor David Tomlinson. It's not every day we talk to a guest who was on the set of Mary Poppins(cough) he wasn't that impressed), met Walt Disney, received Christmas gifts from the Walt Disney Company each year because it's not everyone whose father was Mary's employer, Mr. Banks in one of Disney's most beloved hit movies of all-time.

While we do speak about James' father's career on the London stage and in films like Bedknobs and Brooksticks, Up The Creek & Warning for Warriors we also speak about his father's time in WWII which was beyond difficult, it was also tragic for him and his family. And when we discuss his grandfather who led a very, unconventional life, or lives, it's not your typical stiff upper lip British stereotype at all. We get into it, believe me.

Along the way we discuss Tominlson's friends like comedian Peter Sellers, horror movie icon Vincent Price as well as a co-star who made an impression on him that wasn't quite….good. That's all we will say for now. We also discuss boats, sailing, California in the 60s, what it was like to fly on Walt Disney's private plane and much more. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and this is one of our favorite episodes….. Why? Because it's "Practically perfect in every way".

Episode #272: Patricia Weidenfeld (Pat Cooper) (Part Two) Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Today on an another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we bring you part two of our conversation with Patricia Weidenfeld, daughter of comedian Pat Cooper. As you heard on the first episode, Weidenfeld's life as a child of a show business comic was pretty terrific until it wasn't. Learning rather abruptly at age eight that her father had a family prior to hers after being accosted outside a Broadway theater, Patricia tells us more on part two of our conversation than she has ever told anyone publicly, at any time before. It turns out that the Broadway incident was the first in a series of jarring revelations and family secrets that her parents kept from her over the years. How she learned about them is another story entirely.

Patti was amazingly open, honest and truthful in this conversation for the podcast about some deeply personal stories that she had never spoken about prior. Her complex relationship with the father she thought she knew and the father she learned he was at the end of her life are nothing short of revelatory as well as heartbreaking. But through it all, Patti expressed to us via her complex and jumbled feelings a genuine sense of love, affection and pride as well as confusion, hurt and pain through the years as she looked back on it all. This episode took quite a while to lock in as Patti had to take some time contemplating things before telling us her remarkable story in such a public manner. The fact that she does so with such authentic emotions and feelings is a testament to who she is as a human being. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and this one isn't easy. Everyone has a story.

Episode #271: Patricia Weidenfeld (Pat Cooper) (Part One) Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

Today on an another encore edition of the Rarified heir Podcast, we bring you part one of our conversation with Patricia Weidenfeld, daughter of 'The Outrage Comic', Pat Cooper. Known for his explosive (but funny) temper on stage and his somewhat rogue temperament in the business, Cooper's humor revolved around his Italian heritage and calling out things that bothered him, his album cover parody, his seemingly endless Vegas showroom shows, a well-known Seinfeld episode and in later life, his time on The Howard Stern Show.

We spoke to Patti about growing up with a father she loved dearly and a mother who seemed to smooth everything over when things went a little awry. We talk about Pat's years growing up in Coney Island, how he got his start in comedy, his early years making his bones on The Ed Sullivan Show, an appearance on the Tom Snyder's Tomorrow show that froze his career in limbo after he called out an show business injustice and more. We also get into their move to Las Vegas in the 1970s, numerous dates in Atlantic City, guest hosting shows like The Merv Griffin Show and other gigs that took him on the road. Life in the Cooper household seemed perfectly as it should be. Until it wasn't.

Some things she heard from her parents didn't add up. It seemingly boiled over during a visit to New York City outside a Broadway Theater when her family was confronted by a person claiming to be Pat's son, hijacking their family outing. Who was that person and why hadn't Patti ever heard of or seen him before? And why here and why now? Take a listen to part one of our interview with Patricia Weidenfeld to hear what turns out to be the first out-of-nowhere moment that in many ways turned her idyllic life upside down. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story. Take a listen.

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