Rarified Heir Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode # 230: Sara Karloff (Boris Karloff) Apr 08, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Sara Karloff, daughter of the great Boris Karloff. Sara sat down with us to discuss what life was like with her father, one of, if not the most famous of the actors from the golden age of Universal Pictures monster movies along with Bela Lugosi and Lon Cheyney among a few others. Sara talked to us about her father's love of dogs, his roots in England, his favorite sport as well as his roles in films like Frankenstein, The Mummy and others that made him an icon.

Sara has been tasked with guarding her father's legacy and keeping his name alive. When we spoke with her, that meant, working on a restoration of a silent film, King of the Kongo amongst other things. We even spoke with her about her father's last American film Targets and how she might looks to animate some of her father's audio recordings as well.

Sara was a terrific guest as she spoke about the past, present and future of her father and his legacy. She's very much keeping it alive through film, a deal with Legendary comics and much more. So stick around and hear all the dastardly details of growing up with one of the most famous actors of all-time. Another child of a celebrity, interviewed by the child of a celebrity. Take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode #229: Deanna Brown (James Brown) Apr 01, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Deanna Brown, daughter of TGOF James Brown. Deanna tells us all about growing up with Mr. Dynamite and his loving as well as his difficult ways. A one woman advocate for the Augusta, Georgia Tourism Board, Deanna gives us details about The James Brown Family Historical Tour, the charity work that the family keeps alive in their father's name and the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils along with much more.

We hear about Deanna's years growing up around the man known as The Hardest Working Man in Show Business when he wasn't on the road. We discuss his business acumen, his work for civil rights and his interest in helping the less fortunate. Deanna was transparent, honest, forthright and candid to say the least.

We also hear some very funny as well as some very sad stories too. She really didn't hold back. From Eddie Murphy and Soul Train to her father's sudden passing, we hear it all. So sit back and let the daughter of Soul Brother Number One tell it like it is. Or was, growing up with a celebrity known the world over. It's Mrs. Please, Please, Please, next up on the Rarified heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode #: 228: Michael Rivers (Johnny Rivers) Mar 25, 2025

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Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Michael Rivers, son of rock n' roll icon Johnny "Secret Agent Man" Rivers. Retired and in great health at age 82, Johnny Rivers has lived many lives as one of the groundbreaking musicians in the LA music scene since the early sixties. From session man to Sunset Strip headliner to #1 recording artist to the Monterey Pop Festival, record label owner and publishing mogul and beyond, Johnny Rivers has met and worked with everybody. From Alan Freed to Elvis Presley, from Roger Miller to PF Sloan, from Rickey Nelson to John Phillips, Johnny Rivers knew everyone.

Michael was kind enough to join us as a guest today to give us a first-hand look into his father as both a dad and a celebrity. From having a charge account at the flagship Sunset Strip Tower Records to falling asleep in a booth at the ultra-exclusive On The Rox club above the famed Roxy nightclub on the Strip, Michael went with his dad everywhere. From recording sessions on Hollywood Blvd. to dinners at the Strip's most iconic vegetarian restaurant The Source, Michael was taken everywhere with his divorced dad, even places kids couldn't usually go. Not many of us remember the smell of the AMPEX tape machine at United Western Recorders in Hollywood like it was yesterday, but Michael can.

We discuss how Johnny Rivers biggest hit, the theme song to the aforementioned "Secret Agent Man" came about to what it was like touring with his dad as first a tour manager and then a drummer in the 80s on Summer break. We also hear about how Johnny was a prudent businessman who bought property in Beverly Hills and Big Sur in the 1960s which he still owns to this day. If Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip, The Whisky A Go-Go and an unmade sequel to Easy Rider are up your alley, hang on, this episode is just around the corner. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story.

Episode # 227: Jason Everly (Phil Everly / The Everly Brothers) Mar 18, 2025

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Today on another edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are Jason Everly, son of Phil Everly of the famed Everly Brothers. We connected with Jason after listening to his radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio on the Fifties Gold channel. It sparked a memory that Jason and host Josh Mills had attended the same middle school together at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles going back to the Carter administration. After rummaging around and finding a school yearbook, we emailed Jason with a photo of himself in 7th grade, asked him to be on the podcast and he graciously accepted.

We covered a lot of topics on this episode, from intimidating science teachers to the time Paul Simon called Jason up to find out the best way to approach his dad for potential Simon and Garfunkel / Everly Brothers tour in the nineties. We also discussed the roots of the Everly Brothers, how Phil was a down-to-earth dad who spent a lot of time bonding with his son playing made up games and drawing together. We discussed the how his father and uncle essentially created a genre that became known as country-rock, how Phil helped his friend & arranger Warren Zevon title one of his biggest hits, the time Paul McCartney told Billy Joel that Phil Everly was his musical hero and much more.

We also discussed the Everly Brothers infamous split, a famous cousin who was on a wildly popular television show in the 1970s, the evolution of radio performers Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil, the hard scrabbled life the boys led until they found fame and fortune, Graham Nash, Kitty Wells, which song of the Brothers gets licensed the most, Jason's acting career and much more. What's our favorite part? When Jason mixed up our science teacher Sol Rubenstein with guitarist Saul Hudson aka Slash from Guns-n-Roses. Your favorite part is coming up next on this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode # 226: Drew Friedman (Bruce Jay Friedman) Mar 10, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to illustrator & cartoonist Drew Friedman, son of the great writer, screenwriter and author, Bruce Jay Friedman. Known for his pop culture writing, including screenplays like Stir Crazy with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor and Doctor Detroit, Bruce Jay was part of the well-heeled Manhattan literary, pop culture and social scene, with his own table at the once-fashionable & paparazzi friendly Elaine's restaurant in the 70s and 80s. Bruce Jay Friendman was also a novelist with books like The Lonely Guy (which became a film with Charles Grodin and Steve Martin) & as well as a playwright for productions like Scuba Duba &Steambath which became a PBS production in 1973.

This literati scene rubbed off on Drew who was always obsessed with drawing and cartoons from a very early age. This passion led to a career as a cartoonist for magazines like The New Yorker, National Lampoon, Spy, Newsweek and many more. In turn, this led to caricature books & illustrations with titles like Old Jewish Comedians, Maverix and Lunatix: Icons of underground Comics and All The Presidents. Drew Friedman became famous for his lifelike if sometimes slightly demented images of B-movie actor Tor Johnson, public access television host Joe Franklin, comedian Ernie Kovacs (ahem) and Groucho Marx and many more.

The aptly named Drew Friedman is our guest this week because this is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story. This one is fascinating. Take a listen.

Episode #225: Cam Clarke (King Family) (Part Two) Mar 04, 2025

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Today on part two of our conversation on the Rarified Heir Podcast is with Cam Clarke, best known as a member of the King Family as well as his outstanding voice over acting career, we delve into some pretty great stuff. Oh sure we talk about his recently released book, Now They're All Here: the King Family, but also get into some stuff that frankly, makes doing this podcast in the first place, so rewarding. Yes there are laughs, but as you hear, there are also some tears.

We discuss everything from fan conventions, B-movie science fiction films his father Robert Clarke starred in, meeting Jeff Goldblum, being mistaken for another celebrity when his car broke down on the freeway and the book Interview with a Vampire among many other things. We also discuss the Mormon / Christian rock album, stage production and film Saturday's Child, written by his brother Lex de Azevedo that featured Cam at age 16.

Along the way, we discuss a heartwarming green room encounter with a member of the cast of One Day at a Time, an Irwin Allen TV show from the 70s, stalkers and why meeting your idols can be either everything you want it to be or a terrible experience. Regardless, Cam was engaging, honest very funny. As always. So take a listen to part two of our conversation with Cam Clarke because this is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story.

Episode #224: Cam Clarke (King Family) (Part One) Feb 25, 2025

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Today on an all-new episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to returning guest Cam Clarke, a well-known voice actor and member of The King Family. While this is part one of two episodes, we begin our discussion around Cam's new book Now They're All Here: the King Family. Much more than a coffee table book, this project took years to put together with input from many King family members and comes in at a hefty 300+ pages on this history of America's First Family of Song. In fact, it comes out today, February 25th so buy one from your local independent bookseller after this episode.

Like in our last conversation with Cam, we delve into the 30+ member King Family's origins, their television series & specials in the 1960s, the familial bonds of working together with your family as well as Can's place within the dynamic. We also discussed how and why the book came about, why it was Cam who put the book together and somehow that involves another book about a very famous costume designer who happens to appears often on QVC. If you listen, you'll hear that story too.

We also discuss Cam's career as an in demand voice-over actor, the weird connections he has to about 80 former guests of this podcast as well as the small, but not-so-insignificant details of being the child of a celebrity. What songs did his mother sing to him as a child at bedtime? Doesn't it just give you all the feels?

We hope you enjoy this new podcast episode with Cam because we are again speaking with a child of a celebrity, interviewed by the child of a celebrity. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story. Take a listen.

Episode #223: Josh Langsam (Cab Calloway) Feb 18, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are speaking with Josh Langsam, grandson of the great Cab Calloway. Our conversation with Josh was full of amazing family connections as well as a terrific lists of firsts from Cab Calloway that was fascinating to learn about. From fashion to language to composing and performing, Cab Calloway was both an entertainer as well as a cultural icon. While many of us knew him first from his appearance as Curtis in The Blues Brothers film, as the basis for both Jake and Elwood.

While that film helped bring Cab back into popular culture, Cab's influence on popular culture in the first half of the 20th century. A song writer and performer whose song "Minnie The Moocher" sold one million copies – the first black entertainer to do so. He was also the first black entertainer to have a radio show and even was made into a cartoon in a Betty Boop short. And if that's not enough, none other than George Gershwin based the character Sportin' Life in the smash hit Porgy and Bess on Cab as well.

We spoke to Josh about his grandfather's legacy and how he is working to enhance his legacy in 2025 and beyond. We spoke about Josh's plans for the estate and frankly, the what's and how's of running such an estate. We learned a lot from Josh on this episode as there was a lot to learn. So sit back and take a listen to the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

Episode # 222: Jamie Perrett (Peter Perrett) Feb 11, 2025

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Today on an all-new edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to musician/producer Jamie Perrett, son of singer/songwriter/musician Peter Perrett. Best known as a founding member of the U.K. punk band, The Only Ones, Peter has been a somewhat mythical figure in popular music for the last thirty plus years for reasons you will soon hear. Founded in 1976, The Only One's released three albums and their standing as one of the classic, first wave punk bands of the time is cemented with Peter's best known song, "Another Girl, Another Planet." Called "One of Rock-N-Roll's great survivors," in Mojo, Perrett's recently released solo album, The Cleansing is getting rave reviews for it's subject matter which The Guardian called a darkly humorous gem and a triumph.

Our conversation with Jamie centered around his role as producer and facilitator of The Cleansing, as well as his new single "Glory Days," which was released the day we spoke. We really dug into things with Jamie who was brutally honest and open about growing up in an unconventional and chaotic household. The stories you will hear Jamie tell are about as raw and frankly, difficult, as you have ever heard on this podcast.

Somehow we also get to how Jamie discovered his own music, how making music with and touring with his father is really just a way to explore an unspoken love between them and what it was like growing up & recoding songs about his childhood which included abuse, neglect, fractured relationships and the complexities of growing up with broken promises. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast. Get ready to pick your jaws up off the floor.

Episode #221: Gary Hall (Huntz Hall) Feb 04, 2025

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Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Gary Hall, son of comedian Huntz Hall. If you are a fan of The Bowery Boys or The Dead End Kids, you absolutely know Huntz by his trademark hat and his verbal and physical comedy. Along with his pal Leo Gorcey, Hall made countless films together – there were 48 alone for The Bowery Boys – and even appeared together on Broadway which kicked things off in 1935. They were so indelibly linked together that The Beatles wanted to put them both on the cover of their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band but only one of them is on there. Hear why on this episode!

We also talk to Gary about his often strained if loving relationship with his father who was often at work and play so much there wasn't much of a bond between father and son. We discuss much of his film career including later films like The Phynx, Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood andValentino. We also discuss how Huntz and host Josh Mills' mother, actress Edie Adams starred in a production in the late 80s of the classic Arsenic and Old Lace along with Dody Goodman, Jonathan Frid and James Mac Arthur. Whoa, that a trip that would have been! Moreover, we get a dose of classic Hollywood upbringing when we discuss Gary's involvement with the school administration of The Oakwood School, which Josh attended and many of our podcast guests have come from.

This is the Rarified Podcast. Everyone has a story.

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