Historical Figures

Wayne Simmons had a dramatic 27-year career with the CIA taking down cartels and busting arms smugglers — or did he? The ex-CIA military analyst and cable news star stands accused of being a fraud. Hosted by the reporter who broke the story, Impostors follows the investigation into who Wayne Simmons really is… Hero, or conman? Impostors is a Spotify Original from Parcast. Produced by Topic Studios and Transmitter Media. Hosted by Alex French. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dracula wasn’t the only frightful fiction conjured by Irish author Bram Stoker… In this retelling of “The Judge’s House,” a Cambridge student is overcome with curiosity — then dread — as he faces an evil man’s terrifying legacy. Listen to Part 1 right here, then search “Haunted Places: Ghost Stories” to hear Part 2, when the Judge himself comes calling…  Haunted Places: Ghost Stories is a Spotify Original from Parcast. Every Thursday, find a new tale of terror from some of history’s greatest authors. Listen free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This season, “L” stands for love… and lawless… and lethal. Beginning February 1st, uncover history’s most infamous couples in this collection of episodes from across Parcast Network. Follow the misdeeds of married mafiosos. Enter the transgressions of casanova cult leaders. And demystify the lives of coupled kingpins, pirates, and spies… Because in this limited series, romance takes a sharp turn into the radical.  Get a preview of Criminal Couples right here, then search “Criminal Couples” to find and follow the series. Episodes air every Monday. Listen free, only on Spotify.

They’re a powerful political dynasty with no shortage of tragedies, scandals and controversies. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, revisit the most shocking moments in the Kennedy family history — from conspiracies and cover-ups to assassinations and affairs — in this Parcast limited series.  All 12 episodes are available January 19th. Listen free, only on Spotify. 

The clock’s winding down on the final moments of the year and people around the world are putting their charms and traditions to work, shoring up good fortune for the future. But it’s not always our own personal luck that’s on the line… In this story, a night of superstitions weaves together the fates of merrymakers eager for fresh starts.  This episode is presented by Superstitions, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Follow Superstitions free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open…  This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and a belief that the blaze was no accident. This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her young children. Or did it? Strange events, prescient remarks, and a lack of human remains hinted at more nefarious — though no less tragic — outcomes.  This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!  In 1483, two princes got caught in the center of a bloody war for the throne of England — and became one of the biggest murder mysteries in British history.

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!  In 1483, two princes got caught in the center of a bloody war for the throne of England — and became one of the biggest murder mysteries in British history.

In the 1940s and ‘50s, Gloria Grahame was known for her sophisticated acting style and signature lipstick. But what really thrust her into the public eye was her tumultuous personal life. As events escalated at home, Gloria’s career backslid into oblivion. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates, free and only on Spotify!

Chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer etched his name into the history books with his World Championship win in 1972. But after his peak, he became a paranoid recluse, withdrawing from his friends, family and country further into his own deeply troubled mind. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates, free and only on Spotify!

Auto engineer and inventor John DeLorean built an enormously successful career at GM in the ‘60s and ‘70s, creating the blueprint for the iconic American muscle car. But he’s mostly known for his eponymous car and motor company, which failed when he became entangled in a cocaine trafficking scheme. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates, free and only on Spotify!

He built a Christian theme park and launched a satellite into space so he could preach the word of God to everyone, everywhere, all the time. But when Bakker’s cooked books and sexual proclivities worked their way onto the television screens in 1987, not even his larger-than-life fame could save him from disgrace…  This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates, free and only on Spotify!

In 1770, Marie Antoinette arrived in France from Austria and married the future King of France. Though, in Versailles, she enjoyed every possible luxury, in the streets of Paris, the people whispered increasingly vicious things about her which eventually led to her grim demise. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates, free and only on Spotify!

He famously won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. During that period, Lance Armstrong was adamant that he never took performance-enhancing drugs. But in reality, the so-called "cleanest athlete in sports" was running the most sophisticated doping ring in history.

In the 1940s, screenwriter and author Dalton Trumbo was at the top of his game. Despite his talent and success, Trumbo's decision to join the Communist Party at the height of the "Red Scare" led to him being disgraced, blacklisted and jailed. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

It is often referred to as “Hollywood’s first scandal.” At the center of it: Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, a world-famous star whose association with sexual assault and murder would send shockwaves through tinseltown in the 1920s. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

Ultimately becoming the third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr spent his life’s work clawing his way up through the world of Congressional politics in the late 1700s. This would culminate in a deadly duel with Alexander Hamilton that would leave Burr's reputation irreparably tarnished. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

Jerry Lee Lewis was a rock and roll superstar whose early 1950s fame rivaled Elvis's—until his scandalous marriage to a 13-year-old cousin derailed his career at the height of his popularity. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

Nearly a century before Bernie Madoff stole billions, Charles Ponzi was the dapper Italian con artist who laid the foundations for his scam: the Ponzi scheme. By 1920, Ponzi’s fall would be painful. But it was a fitting end for a man who scratched and crawled his way to the top. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

He had it all—respect, wealth, beautiful Hollywood girlfriends. A golden finger that seemed to make everything he touched into a success. The same obsessive perfectionism that had pushed Howard Hughes to the top in the ‘20s and ‘30s would take over his life, and leave him a shell of the all-American golden boy he once was. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls From Grace, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Famous Fates free and only on Spotify.

If you enjoy the true stories told in Historical Figures, check out this episode from our series Gone: In December of 1812, the daughter of disgraced former Vice President Aaron Burr, boarded a ship in South Carolina to travel north to see her father. Theodosia Burr Alston was never seen again.

In the first half of the 20th-century, Leon Trotsky was a revolutionary writer, a communist leader, and a man assassinated on the orders of Joseph Stalin.

He was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 400s, B.C.E. Socrates believed in provoking people into bettering themselves and society, but it was this very attitude that led to his execution.

He inspired the phrase “15 minutes of fame,” and proved to the world that anything could be the subject of great art—anything at all. In his later years, Andy Warhol survived an assassination attempt, only to die due to medical negligence.

For his book, “The Old Man and the Sea,” Ernest Hemingway was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature. But despite his success, he was haunted by a deep sadness—and no amount of travel, women, or alcohol could ever help him escape.

He was a leading figure in grunge music, and he can still be heard on the radio today. When he died at age 27, Cobain left the world brimming with questions… and conspiracy theories.

He redefined the way a guitar could sound, permanently changing the popular music soundscape. Jimi Hendrix was a singer, songwriter, innovator, rock god, and tragically, a member of the 27 Club.

He was a law enforcer, gambler, and performer. When you picture an Old West Cowboy, Wild Bill Hickok is likely what comes to mind. And true to that image, he died after being shot in a saloon in 1876.

He was America’s first-ever Public Enemy Number One, and the man behind the “Scarface.” Al Capone changed the face of crime in the 1920s before his ultimate arrest for tax evasion. And by the time Capone got out of prison, he had already entered his final years of decay.

His death was the spark that lit the wildfire of World War I. While Franz Ferdinand is most remembered for his final moments, he led a fascinating life of royal intrigue.

A military general, Julius Caesar rose to power as part of the Roman Triumvirate, but then took power as a dictator in the first century BC. But this great power led to his infamous death.

As the 16th President of the United States, he was revered for tirelessly leading the U.S. through the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was also the first American President to be assassinated.

Just like his older brother, John, Robert Kennedy’s promising political career was cut short by assassination. But in that brief time, he left an indelible mark on American politics.

Nicknamed “The People’s Princess,” Princess Diana used her public profile to serve charities and work as an activist through the 1990s. But her bitter divorce from Prince Charles led many to believe her death was no accident.

Her death is memorialized in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, but the Empress of the Nile’s life held an equal caliber of drama.

Records say he was shot to death at age 21. But legends say otherwise. Ride deeper into the tales—tall tales—and iconic fate of Henry McCarty, better known as “Billy the Kid.”

Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: This famous Queen ruled Egypt during the mid-14th century, BC, over a period of immense religious upheaval. With her husband, she conspired to convert all of Egypt from the traditional polytheistic religion to the worship of a single God.

The circumstances of Anastasia Romanov’s death cemented her iconic status in pop culture. But in life, she was the playful youngest sister, a girl who never asked for her tragic destiny.

In the 1950s, James Dean starred in hits East of Eden, Giant, and Rebel Without a Cause. Surrounded by fast cars, cigarettes, and adoring girls, Dean became synonymous with teen rebellion. But did this devil-may-care image lead to his death at age 24, or was it just a tragic accident?

Today, she’s a pop culture icon. In her time, she was a star of the silver screen. But Marilyn Monroe’s pain behind the scenes led to one of history’s most controversial deaths.

For centuries, Mexico lived under the rule of Spain. In that time, a discriminatory caste system was created to keep non-Europeans in their place. However, one priest, inspired by the thinkers of the Enlightenment, would cast the first stone and help bring about Mexico’s independence.

Best remembered for his invention of the calendar we still use today, Pope Gregory XIII became a voice for reform in the Catholic Church by pulling the Vatican out of the dark ages and into the modern era.

This 14th Century sultan of Mali became renowned for being the richest man who ever lived. During his 25-year reign, he helped Mali become one of the wealthiest and largest nations in the world.

A first-wave feminist of the 1800s and 1900s, Professor Margaret Murray was known as both "The Old Woman of Egyptology" and "The Grandmother of Wicca." She was one of the first to take up the subject of the witch-cults of England.

In the 1790s, Toussaint L’Ouverture emerges as a leading member of the most successful slave revolt in the Americas. This led to the formation of the country we know today as Haiti. 

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf married as a teenager and was a mother of four before she had a college degree. But her remarkable life was characterized by beating the odds. Despite an abusive husband, political persecution, and frequent fear for her life, she was elected President of Liberia in 2005 -- becoming the first democratically elected female head of state in all of Africa.  Sponsors! Bombas - Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/HISTORICAL.

In December 1955, Rosa Parks made history by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Her resolve In the face of unfair treatment based on the color of her skin stands as a key point of the Civil Rights Movement.

Anyone who has ever enjoyed a wine and cheese night owes their good time to Louis Pasteur. This 19th century microbiologist and chemist developed the process now called pasteurization, as well as the first vaccine for rabies. Not only was Pasteur the father of germ theory, he was also a master of disguise, often using deception to outsmart his rivals and come out on top.