This person died 2014 age 86. In high school he played football and basketball. In 1950, when the Korean War broke out, he was drafted. An understated comic actor, he was especially adept at conveying life’s tiny bedevilments. He was a genuine star but as an actor something of a paradox: a lantern-jawed, brawny athlete whose physical appeal was both enhanced and undercut by a disarming wit. He came to acting late, and by accident. He was best known as the amiable gambler Bret Maverick in the 1950s western “Maverick.” Today’s dead celebrity is James Garner.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 84 Vocal Bedrock (Johnny Cash) and Episode 62 Lord of Horror (Christopher Lee).Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Michael Warburton.LINKS:Transcript of this episodeJames Garner on Charlie RoseGarner on why he quit Maverick and Rockford filesJames Garner interviewed by Tom Snyder on the Late Late ShowDead or Alive quiz gameFamous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, ThreadsFamous & Gravy official websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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1:01:48
Magical Thinker (Joan Didion)
This person died 2021, age 87. As a teenager, she typed out chapters from Hemingway novels to see how they worked. Her attraction to trouble spots, disintegrating personalities and incipient chaos came naturally. She came to prominence with a series of incisive, searching feature articles in Life magazine and The Saturday Evening Post that explored the fraying edges of postwar American life. In two early groundbreaking essay collections, she turned her cool, apprehensive gaze on the hippies of Haight-Ashbury, on eccentrics and searchers like Howard Hughes, on the film industry in the post-studio era, and on the death-tinged music of the Doors. Today’s dead celebrity is Joan Didion.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 96 Ranch Dresser (Paul Newman) and Episode 52 Electric Vanities (Tom Wolfe).Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Alice Florence Orr.LINKS:Transcript of this episodePodcast Review websiteJoan Didion 1992 InterviewJoan Didion 1971 InterviewDead or Alive quiz gameFamous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, ThreadsFamous & Gravy official websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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59:34
Soul Queen (Aretha Franklin)
This person died 2018, age 76. She had a child two months before her 13th birthday. She started teaching herself to play the piano before she was 10, picking up songs from the radio.In 1969, she dropped her husband as manager and eventually filed restraining orders against him. She also went through a period of heavy drinking before getting sober in the 1970s. Rolling Stone magazine put her at the top of its 2010 greatest singers of all time. Her music defined a modern female archetype: sensual and strong, long-suffering but ultimately indomitable, loving but not to be taken for granted. Today’s dead celebrity is Aretha Franklin.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 90 Big Adventurer (Paul Reubens aka Pee-wee Herman) and Episode 31 The Greatest (Muhammad Ali)Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Matt Anderson.LINKS:Transcript of this episodeAretha Franklin, great gownsAretha Franklin Snickers commercialAretha Franklin stands in for PavarottiAretha Franklin Obama Inauguration Matt Anderson on LinkedInImagination Factory, Matt Anderson’s organizationDead or Alive quiz gameFamous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, ThreadsFamous & Gravy official websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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1:03:56
Divine Neighbor (Fred Rogers)
This person died 2003 age 74.He was an ordained Presbyterian minister. He once volunteered at a state prison in Pittsburgh and helped set up a playroom for children visiting their parents. Eddie Murphy parodied him on "Saturday Night Live." One of his sweaters hangs in the Smithsonian Institution. He composed his own songs for his show and began each episode in a set made to look like a comfortable living room, singing "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” Today’s dead celebrity is Fred Rogers.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like 90 Big Adventurer (Paul Reubens aka Pee-wee Herman) and Episode 40 Eve’s Dropper (Dick Clark).Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Jennifer Keishin Armstrong.LINKS:Transcript of this episodeFred Rogers 1969 testimony before CongressFred Rogers 1997 Lifetime Achievement award at the EmmysFred Rogers talks about meeting Eddie Murphy on David LettermanSCTV Battle of the PBS Stars: Julia Child vs. Fred Rogers Ministry of Pop Culture SubstackDead or Alive quiz gameFamous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, ThreadsFamous & Gravy official websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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59:38
Crikey Inner Child (Steve Irwin)
This person died in 2006, age 44. He was an ebullient staple of American talk shows. His American-born wife was his business partner and on-screen co-star. His fame engendered books, action figures and interactive games. For a time, tube-watching pub crawlers played a drinking game, hoisting a glass every time he said, “Crikey!” or, “Isn’t she a beauty?” His television show, “The Crocodile Hunter,” was seen in more than 100 countries on cable television. Today’s dead celebrity is Steve Irwin.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 67 Golden Rose (Betty White) and Episode 17 Modest Moonwalker (Neil Armstrong). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host John Watts. LINKS:Transcript of this episodeNew York Times Obituary for Steve IrwinSouth Park impersonation of Steve IrwinSteve Irwin tackles Florida Gator mascot on ESPNCompilation of Steve Irwin being attacked by wildlifeDead or Alive quiz gameFamous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, ThreadsFamous & Gravy official websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We explore the lives of notable people who’ve just died—celebrities, icons, cultural figures—and asks what their stories can teach us about ourselves. It’s part obituary podcast, part biography, and part existential detective work.Think you know everything about some of modern history’s most recognizable figures? We’re Amit and Michael, two pop culture enthusiasts who upend your assumptions about the iconic and the famous. Because that’s where you find the “gravy” – the rich, flavorful sauce that brings out the best parts of the dish that is life.Each episode we’ll put the lives of recently deceased celebrities under the microscope to consider the not-so-obvious ways these icons of culture left their impact and imprint on modern history. It’s a hilarious and fresh perspective on the celebrities you thought you knew.Listen to episodes of Famous & Gravy early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/famous-and-gravy/ now.
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