The Backstory with Patty Steele

Copyright: 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia

Latest Episodes:

The Backstory: The Glamorous Ghost of Mar-a-Lago Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s long-time property in Palm Beach, gets a lot of press these days. But it’s an architectural marvel. The thing is, its past is way more glittering than its present. It was built in the roaring 1920s by a young woman who was, for most of her life, the richest woman in America. This is about where her money came from and how she spent it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Murder in the golden age of Hollywood Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

The murder of movie star Lana Turner’s mobster boyfriend by her 14-year-old daughter was the biggest story in Hollywood in the late 1950s. But did young Cheryl really wield the knife? Or did she take the hit for her mother?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Test tube holds Thomas Edison’s dying breath Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

Two of the most famous inventors of the late 19th and early 20th century were Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. They were great friends and shared a strong belief in the afterlife. That connection led Ford to obtain a test tube from Edison’s son…allegedly containing Edison’s dying breath.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Millions gazed at Lincoln's decomposing face Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

Hard to imagine loving a politician so much that a third of the entire U.S. populace shows up to watch his funeral train go by and millions file past his open coffin. But sadly, Abe Lincoln was decomposing before their eyes. His two-week journey home was on a train meant to be the 1860s version of Air Force One, and his only trip on it was after his death.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: The Superfreak Behind Superfreak Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

44 years ago this month, the song Superfreak was released by funk legend Rick James. But success didn’t sit well with him .. eventually leading to prison and an early death.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Abraham Lincoln dreams of his own murder Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

April 15th will be the 160th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He was noted for having a personality that was a unique combination of strength and determination, softened by incredible sensitivity to the pain of others. So, he was aware of the passions that influenced Americans on both sides during the Civil War. Did that knowledge and sensitivity allow him to predict the events of his own murder?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Robert Downey Jr. reinvents himself Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

Robert Downey Jr. has had an amazing career—huge movies as a young actor and even bigger ones in his 40s and 50s. But in between, he spent serious time in prison on drug charges. How did he find sobriety?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Tiny kidnap victims survive the Titanic disaster Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

The 113th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic is just weeks away, but the disaster still resonates. Two of the 710 survivors were tiny little boys, traveling with their father under an assumed name...after he kidnapped them from his ex-wife. They were the only children to survive without a parent or guardian that night. The older son, just 4 at the time, lived until 2001 when he was 92. He shared their amazing story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: How come there were no women’s running shoes until 1978? Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

The Boston Marathon is next month, but women weren’t officially allowed to run in it until 1972. Officials said it would shock a woman’s body to run more than one and a half miles at a time! In 1966 one woman began to change all that by sneaking into the race wearing her brother’s shorts and a new pair of men’s running shoes since they didn’t make them for women until a dozen years later. But Bobbi Gibb’s finish time was outstanding.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Backstory: Charles, Camilla, and Diana: Proving your virginity Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

What’s the real story behind the love affair and long delayed marriage between King Charles and Queen Camilla? Their love affair predated his marriage to Princess Diana by almost 20 years. But British rules about virginity caused one of the biggest scandals in history. This is how it all came down.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Backstory with Patty Steele

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected