Rarified Heir Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode #250: Sharyn Felder (Doc Pomus) (Part One) Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Today on part one the Rarified Heir Podcast, we speak to Sharyn Felder, daughter of one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, Doc Pomus. While you may not know the name Doc Pomus, you absolutely know his songs. Everyone from Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Dr. John, B.B. King have all recorded Doc Pomus songs…the list goes on and on. And we'll get to those songs he wrote shortly.

On the day we spoke to Sharyn, it was release day of a new box set of her father's music, You Can't Hip a Square: The Doc Pomus Songwriting Demos on Omnivore Recordings, a six-CD set of lost, archival tracks that are a fascinating look into Doc's music and his voice. We also get to hear the back story of how the music survived, the family archive as well as some famous people who also sang on the demos as well as the famous names whose sides didn't survive.

Along the way we discuss more famous and infamous characters who were part of Doc's inner circle and those who sought out his help when the ships were down. And let us tell you, it's one hell of a list. Like who? Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm when they were in Ronnie Hawkins band, Bob Dylan at a creative low point , Dr. John when he was struggling to quit heroin, Phil Spector, Bobby Darin, Otis Blackwell and many more. Somehow we concluded part one with a tale about the Runyon-esque existence her father lived to the fullest and the literal death of a clown. It's funny/not funny. Take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast.

Episode #249: Eric Bonerz (Peter Bonerz) (The Return) Aug 19, 2025

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Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to returning (or is it returning, returning, oh well, whatever, never mind), guest Eric Bonerz, son of actor/director Peter Bonerz. We had such a good time talking to Eric in our first conversation, we brought him back to discuss more of the wild and the wacky things we connected on the first time around.

Of course, like many of our guests, we discussed the weird and wonderful connection we have to the Oakwood School like so many of our past guests. Be it Peter Rafelson, Carnie Wilson, Jason Everly or many others nothing bonds us closer than Gorilla Glue like Oakwood. But this time around we delve deep into more on his dinner with cartoonist Chuck Jones as a small kid, what it was like mixing a track with Trent Reznor at the infamous house where Sharon Tate was murdered (really), befriending director Harmony Korine while running the X-Large store in New York for The Beastie Boys, and drumming for Free Kitten from then Sonic Youth's co-hort Kim Gordon & much much more. This is the Rarified Heir podcast and everyone has a story.

Episode #248: Noopy Rodrigues (Rose Marie, Bobby Guy) Aug 12, 2025

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Today on another encore episode of Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Noopy Rodriguez, daughter of comedian, actor and singer Rose Marie & musician Bobby Guy. Noopy (not her real name as we find out on this episode), let's us in on the lives of her larger than life parents. When your father is the first trumpet player with The Tonight Show band and your mother is a comedy icon for her role as Sally onThe Dick Van Dyke Show, there is a whole lot to dig into.

Noopy was incredible generous with her time and her stories as many veered from nostalgic to downright difficult in talking about her father. But somehow through it all, we learned quite a bit about her parents and what it's like keeping a legacy alive as we dig into her efforts to bring us the CD Rose Marie Sings: The Complete Mercury Recordings & More which was from found recordings in her mother's possession for years.

Along the way, we hear about her time on The Tomorrow Show with Ton Snyder, haunted cars, Rosalind Russell, Phil Silvers, Morey Amsterdam, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and a guy named Popcorn who you have never heard of, unless of course you were connected….if you know what I mean. We get into Broadway, film, television recording, what it was like being raised by a single mother and much more. It's incredibly familiar territory for host Josh Mills who connected with much of what was discussed. Take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode #247: Robert Crane (Bob Crane) Aug 05, 2025

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Today on another episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Robert Crane, son of actor Bob Crane. Sadly, more has been spoken about the unsolved murder and the details surrounding the life of Bob Crane, the star of the hit 1960s television show Hogan's Heroes than about his actual career. Be it autobiographical movies like Auto Focus starring Greg Kinnear or books like My Unhollywood Family and Crane: Sex, Celebrity and My Father's Unsolved Murder both written by his son, our guest, the mystery surrounding Bob Crane's death somehow has eclipsed all else.

Today, we spoke to Robert about not only the devastation of losing his father in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1978 but also spending time with at KNX radio where his dad's massively popular radio show in the 1960s made him one of the most popular DJs in the country. We discuss what Bob was like as a father (both the good and the bad), the fractured family dynamic of Bob's first marriage and the fractured relationship with Bob's second family. We also change gears and discuss Robert's connection to SCTV via a book with Dave Thomas and his professional relationship as John Candy's publicist and assistant for more than half a decade.

So yes, on this upcoming episode, we dig into the hard stuff as well as the personal stuff which made Bob Crane a fun loving dad as well as the tough stuff which never quite leaves you, even close to 50 years later. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and this is one interview, you wont forget. Take a listen.

Episode # 246: Peter Knego (Peter Coe, Rosalee Calvert) Jul 29, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Peter Knego, son of actor Peter Coe and model Rosalee Calvert. Peter doesn't pull many punches on this episode as we discuss the mercurial character that was his father. Known for his roles in films from the 1940s onward, be it Gung Ho!, Gypsy Wildcat or Louisiana Hussy, Coe is best remembered for his for his wild offscreen ways, his dark good look, his many wives and more. In fact, many will remember Peter Coe best for his horror film career in films like House of Frankenstein & The Mummy's Curse both which starred Lon Cheyney Jr. However it might be his lasting friendship at the very end of his life with b-movie director Ed Wood that piques the most interest with fans. In fact, Wood died in Coe's apartment. And our guest Peter was there to witness it all believe it or not. We discuss this fascinating and disturbing story coming up.

We also discuss Peter's mother, model Rosalee Cavlert who might have been the most famous model of the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, while she did act, she often played a model in films like Made in Paris and The Oscar, both starring host Josh Mills' mother, Edie Adams. We talk about Peter's time with his mother growing up pretty much in poverty while somehow living in an exclusive enclave of Los Angeles. The story Peter weaves about how this happens is fascinating.

Along the way we discuss couture designer James Galanos, Atlantic Records music mogul Ahmet Ertegun, how Coe escaped the Nazi's, the cult rock band Sparks, Bela Lugosi, having dinner with Mel Brooks, grade Z actor Paul Marco & much more. Peter is nothing if not self-effacing, straight forward, funny, matter of fact and quite happy to tell us both the good and the bad of growing up the child of a celebrity. Take a listen. Everyone has a story. Rarely are they this unique.

Episode #245: Peter Rafelson (Bob Rafelson) (Part Three) Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Today on another brand new episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we have a first in our history. We bring you the first ever, three part episode. Our guest today is Peter Rafelson, son of director Bob Rafelson. Admittedly, we sort of lied to you on because there really wasn't going to be a third episode. But after our chat with Peter on the first two episodes, we decided there was more to discuss and we bring you the result. It's a fun one too.

On this episode, we discuss Peter's remembrances of his father's favorite LA restaurants – from Dan Tana's to The Cock and Bull, Hamburger Hamlet and a mob joint at the end of Sunset whose name is lost to the mists of time. Somehow this turns into a discussion about visiting the Playboy Mansion in elementary school, dressing in drag while dining for a very specific purpose and sneaking into a nude stage production at age nine. Clearly, the Wild Child we discussed in prior episodes still has stories to tell us that will delight and amaze you. From there we learn about what kind of car his father drove and why he (and his mom) got a new one every year. Thank you Colgems!

We segue from here to Peter's own career in music and a discussion about the most unlikely place he met a member of Fleetwood Mac who recorded a song of his, watching Madonna clear the hall of Teamsters before a surprise appearance on network television, meeting Prince in the rafters of a private home, playing piano alongside Burt Bacharach on a piano bench, driving Babs home after a one take recording and so much more.

We really hope that our white lie was worth it and you enjoy the first ever three part interview on the Rarified Heir Podcast with Peter Rafelson. As you know, everyone has a story. This one just has three parts. Take a listen.

Episode #244: Peter Rafelson (Bob Rafelson) (Part Two) Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

Today on part two of our conversation on the Rarified Heir Podcast, this episode continues our conversation with Peter Rafelson, son of director and producer Bob Rafelson. Recorded the week after part one, this episode delves into some pretty heavy as well as some pretty of the wall stuff. And as you have heard on part one, it seems like that was par for the course in the Rafelson household in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the leading figures in the American New Wave filmmakers, Bob Rafelson was responsible for producing or directing some classic, seminal films that influenced generations of film makers. It's quite a resume including films like The Postman Always Rings Twice, Head, The Last Picture Show, Easy Rider, The King of Marvin Gardens, Mountains of the Moon, a film we discuss at length, Stay Hungry as well as an unfortunately named anthology, Porn.com.

Beginning with Davy Jones, we also discuss what each member of The Monkees was like off camera, how he spent the Summer of 1975 pumping iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Alabama, his role in the Alan Parker movie Fame, how the magazine Psychology Today saved his bacon growing up as a kid and everything in between. We discuss dyslexia, smoking pot with your teachers, trade school, working with his dad scoring a film and much more. So get ready for part two of our conversation with guest Peter Rafelson and learn what it was like having The Monkees instruments in his basement for years after the show ended its run. It's up next on part two of our conversation with the son of an Easy Rider or a Raging Bull. We're just not sure which one it was. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode #243: Peter Rafelson (Bob Rafelson) (Part One) Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Today on part one of the latest episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are speaking with musician, producer, entrepreneur and much more Peter Rafelson. Son of director and producer Bob Rafelson & production designer Toby Carr, Peter spent this episode really digging deep and getting into some intense as well as humorous stuff about growing up the son of an easy rider. Or is that a member of The Monkees? No matter. We get into it all and then some on this episode.

Fans of the sixties and seventies counterculture will know the work of Bob Rafelson for his associations with very specific touchstones of American film and television thar forever changed the course of the entertainment industry. From The Monkees to Easy Rider, from Five Easy Pieces to The Last Picture Show, Bob Rafelson along with partners Bert Schneider & Steve Blauner ushered in a new wave of independent film in Hollywood that smashed convention as well as the studio system. Along with writer, star and co-hort Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson directed films like The King of Marvin Gardens, Stay Hungry, The Postman Always Rings Twice and many more. Bob Rafelson was in the epicenter of films that brought an independent streak to a staid industry and never looked back.

Our conversation with Peter centered around the growing up too fast where he learned about drugs, revolution and the FBI is one for the ages. Along the way we talk about Madonna, Abbie Hoffman, The Black Panthers, Dennis Hopper, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sally Field, how he ended up with the Monkees instruments in his bedroom and the death of his sister under troubling circumstances. Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you part one of the latest episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast with guest, Peter Rafelson. Take a listen.

Episode #242: Dick Smothers Jr. (Dick Smothers) Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Dick Smothers Jr., son of, who else, comedian & musician Dick Smothers, one half of the comedy team, The Smothers Brothers. On this episode, we explore some pretty intense stuff as we get into what it was like growing up with a famous father and a famous uncle whose comedy was a touchstone for comedians of the 1960s. And while Dick Smother's was perhaps one of the best straight men in comedy, the story Dick Smothers Jr. tells us story is anything but rosey. We learn about the attention his dad craved and the strained relationship they have to this day.

Moreover, we talk about heavy metal and Dick Jr's 80s band Kamikaze, his fascination with Alister Crowley as well as black magic and his one-time career choice to become an adult actor. Yes, this episode delves into another kind of celebrity, pornography. One we haven't spoken about this before or acter this episode first aired but we delve into it extensively here. We discuss why Dick Jr. chose to become a porn star, why Dick Jr. didn't change his name because…well….he already had the best name in blue movies and what it was like talking to the press knowing his famous name would draw attention. And therein lies the rub. Pun intended. This episode is a frank and serious discussion and we learn a lot about why Dick Jr. chose that career path, his relationship with his father, the challenges of being in 'the industry' and much more. Puritans beware!

So if black magic, pornography and heavy metal were on your Bingo card for this episode of the podcast, you are in luck! Because this is another episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast where everyone has a story. This one is likely one you have never heard before. Take a listen. Yo-Yo Man fans, hang onto your hats!

Episode #241: Kristi Callan (K Callan) Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to musician Kristi Callan, daughter of acting lifer, K Callan. Active since 1956, K has had many lives – in the theater, on television, in commercials and movies. In 2019, she co-starred in the hit film, Knives Out, in the 70s she was Cousin Liz in a famous episode of All in the Family, in the 90s she was Martha Kent on the beloved series, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, she's pitched Sanka and Anacin and is also the author of several books on acting and the life of an actor that might be her most well-known endeavor. And she's still going strong in 2025.

Kristi talks to us about growing up with a very understanding mom who was nurtured her and her sister's interest in music while growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s. In fact, music fans will know Kristi's various music projects from hither and yon in bands like Wednesday Week, The Roswells Sisters, a Cheap Trick cover band, Cheap Chick and a newer project The Dime Box Band. In fact, her musical world and her mother's acting career once intersected perfectly on a transatlantic flight involving The Ramones, who were fans of her mother's. We also hear about long lost LA venues like The Starwood and the Music Machine as well as perhaps one band you have never heard of, Goat Deity with future member of Paisley Underground darlings, The Dream Syndicate. We go the extra mile for your muso's on this episode.

So if movies like Joe or The Onion Field or American Gigolo are your thing, or possibly TV shows like James at 16, St. Elsewhere or It's a Living float your boat, get ready for a walk down memory lane on this episode. The Rarified Heir Podcast, everyone has a story. Kristi has several of her own and more of her mother as well.

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