South Fellini Presents Legends of Philadelphia

Latest Episodes:

Legends of Philadelphia: What’s The Deal With The Wanamaker Christmas Light Show? Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Normally, this time of year, as shoppers raced to buy last-minute gifts for the holidays, Macy’s in Center City would host the annual Christmas Light Show in the Grand Court atrium. The beloved Philadelphia tradition boasts 100,000 lights intricately arranged four stories high and perched above the world’s biggest pipe organ. The show, which began in 1956, spawned a few imitators, entertained countless families, and remains relatively unchanged from its debut. So grab a spot on the floor under the big eagle statue and get comfy as we dive deep on the Wanamaker Christmas Light Show.

The Feast of The Seven Fishes Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

For many Italian-Americans, Christmas Eve brings with it a nostalgia-fueled celebration. This hours-long dinner consists of at least seven different types of seafood and as many family members as you can squeeze in the room. Firmly rooted in Italy’s Roman Catholic background, the Feast of Seven Fish is a delicious blend of the sacred and secular, the old world and the new.

The First Thanksgiving Parade and The Origins of Black Friday Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

When we talk about “thanksgiving day parades” most people think of New York, and Macy’s, and 34th street. But the truth is that the first thanksgiving day parade was right here in Philadelphia. If that wasn't enough of a contribution to the commercialization of the holiday season; the “Black Friday” tradition and name were born here too. So today we’re looking back at the history of Philly’s War on Christmas.

Robert Crumb [Bum] Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Robert Crumb is a dirty cartoonist whose independent comic work is known for satirizing contemporary American culture. Inspired by psychedelics and cartoons from the 1920s, Crumb published the first successful underground magazine, Zap Comix. Though his work often flirted with scatological and pornographic themes, Crumb is best known for creating counter cultural icons Fritz the Cat, Mr. Natural, and the “Keep on Truckin” guy. So, today we’re gonna talk about Philadelphia's filthiest independent illustrator; R. Crumb.

Errors & Omissions Part III Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

We’re in our 33rd week of the podcast which is a pretty neat achievement I think. And we’d like to slow things down for a look back at the past ten episodes. One of the most fun things about doing Legends of Philadelphia are all the great comments, emails, and DMs we get on the social medias. Listeners clued us in when we were wrong and shared new stuff that we didn’t know before. So, today we’re going to dig through the last ten episodes and talk about what’s next.

In Search of The Philly Pizza Slice Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

We’ve had a lot of heavy topics the last few weeks since we were gearing up for halloween. But all that is behind us now and so we thought we’d enjoy a lil palette cleanser today. Numerous regional variations of pizza in the United States have been developed, with many bearing only a casual resemblance to the Italian original. The thickness of the crust, the density of the cheese, the consistency of the gravy are what make a local pizza unique. SO in this episode we’re going to explore the variety of Philly style pizzas.

Mischief Night Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

Locals know the night before Halloween as Mischief Night. The term isn't used everywhere, and it sometimes confuses newcomers to the Philadelphia region. Mischief Night is an informal holiday on which children and teenagers engage in pranks and vandalism. In practice, this night is the “trick” part of “trick-or-treat” and not everyone agrees how it ended up that way. So we’re gonna take a look at the origins and endings of Mischief Night.

The Haunting of Eastern State Penitentiary Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

With its looming, gloomy high stone walls, crumbling corridors, and stark cells that once housed thousands of hard-core criminals, Eastern State Penitentiary certainly looks haunted. Its 142-year history is full of suicide, madness, disease, murder and torture, making it easy to imagine the spirits of troubled souls left behind to roam its abandoned halls. So today we’re going to do some ghostbusting at Eastern State Pen and find out if it’s truly haunted.

Joey Coyle: Crumb Bum Millionaire Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

Joseph William "Joey" Coyle was an unemployed longshoreman in Philadelphia who, in February 1981, found $1.2 million in the street, after it had fallen out of the back of an armored car, and kept it. His story was adapted into the 1993 film Money for Nothing, starring John Cusack. Today we’re going to take a look at the true story behind the disney legend.

The 1976 Presidential Debates at The Walnut Street Theater Oct 05, 2020

Show notes

In 1976, Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter managed to convince sitting President Gerald Ford to meet for three historic, prime time debates. Americans hadn’t witnessed such a political contest in 16 years and were eager for the face off. Philly’s Walnut Street Theater was the location chosen for the first debate of the modern era but, unfortunately, it was a bit of a disaster. So, in today’s episode we’re going to examine Philadelphia's epic debate gaffe.

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