Laughs from the Past

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com​​​​​ and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order A local man and his daughters are out hiking in a remote section of what’s known as the Ice Valley. Noting an unusual burning smell, they investigate a few meters off the trail - and come across a frightful discovery: a woman's body, charred, and wedged between a rock pile.

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com​​​​ and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order Christmas Eve of 1021 would mark the first recorded instance of the mysterious medieval dancing plague, a malady that would continuously pop up and subsequently disappear throughout medieval Europe for the next 500 years. And on today’s episode of Laughs from the Past, we’re going to find out exactly what drove these devious dancers.

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com​​​ and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order Get ready for an absolute roller coaster of a tale! In today’s episode of Laughs from the Past, we’re going back to early 20th century Dublin, Ireland where we’ll investigate the unsolved and enduring case of the stolen Irish Crown Jewels.

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com​​ and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order In this episode of Laughs from the Past, we’re going to venture into the outback and take a look at one of the more profound John Does in police history - the notorious Tamam Shud case.

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com​ and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order. In today’s episode of Laughs from the Past, we’ll investigate the mysterious organization known as Cicada 3301 that popped up around 2012 only to vanish without a trace after five years of cryptic, coded messages.

This season of Laughs from the Past is presented by Kushy Dreams. Go to https://kushydreams.com and use promo code 'LAUGHS' for 20% off your next order We’ll spend the first half of today’s episode telling the story of the mysterious disappearance of Mary Celeste, and then we’ll put our detective hats on and conduct an investigation of our own.

300 million Yen stolen from a Japanese bank. Who do you think did it? The obvious answer for many would be to point to a group like the Yakuza. A large, dangerous transnational crime syndicate with the capability of stealing this much money from a highly secure Japanese bank in the streets of Tokyo. But as we’ve learned throughout this season, some of the most daring heists have been performed by some of the most surprising people.

Charles Joughin was arguably the last person aboard the Titanic when it sank into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic ocean on April 15, 1912. Yet somehow, the ship’s chief baker survived for hours in the subzero temperatures until he found a lifeboat. What allowed him to stay so calm and live through one of history’s biggest disasters? To answer that, we have to go into the detail of what Joughin experienced on that fateful day.

There was nothing remarkable about the train traveling from Glasgow. The 12 cars powered by a single diesel locomotive made up a mobile post office known as the Up Special. It was carrying postal staff who sorted mail and packages en route to London as it had done every night without incident for 125 years. It was completely unremarkable -- that is, until the night of Aug. 8, 1963.

After World War II, a critical MI5 spy named Juan Pujol Garcia faked his own death, keeping it secret for almost four decades. And that’s not even the most interesting thing about him.   Welcome to Little Laughs, and today we’re talking about the unbelievable story of Spanish nationalist turned amatuer spy turned top British intelligence agent, Juan Pujol García.

For the fifth episode of the 'Heists' season, we are taking back in time to an episode from the first season of Laughs from the Past. Let's take a look at the first bank robbery in U.S. history.

Humans have enlisted animals to help fight their wars since prehistoric times, and some of the world’s earliest historical sources tell of battles between ancient warlords in horse-drawn chariots. Dogs and horses were probably the first animals used in war, and many are still used today. But, an even wider range of creatures have been used to fight human battles throughout history. Today we will discuss some of the most bizarre historical uses of animals in war.

The perfect pilferage. The stickup of the century. The heist of all history.  Call it what you want, every true thief dreams of that one flawless, in-and-out, set-for-life job. And on January 17, 1950, for one night in Boston, it all came together. Months of meticulous planning. Perfectly made custom keys. Ingenious outfits. This robbery had it all. In episode four of our heists season, we’ll tell the story of the Great Brinks Robbery of 1950. Who was involved? How did they pull off the near-perfect theft? And what happened afterwards?

In 1918, a division of U.S. troops found themselves caught behind German lines. They were trapped, helpless and unable to call for backup. The only thing that could save them was a bird. Cher Ami, a carrier pigeon, became remembered as a hero of World War 1.

You don’t have to be an art historian to be familiar with Mona Lisa. It’s the most famous painting in the world. But why is this painting so popular? Maybe because it was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and maybe because of her mysterious smile. It was painted in the early 16th century but it was made famous worldwide thanks to a daring burglary over 100 years ago. Vincenzo Peruggia was the man responsible for making the Mona Lisa what it is today.

It was mid-January 1912, and the 43-year-old Royal Navy officer was nearly 800 miles into a journey to one of the last unexplored places on the globe: the South Pole. Scott’s five-man party had already endured brushes with blizzards and frostbite during their trek. They were now less than 80 miles from the finish line, but a single question still loomed over their progress: would they be the first group of men in history to reach the South Pole, or the second?

In 1855, Wild West outlaws were in their prime. Cowboys had been looting banks and trains for decades now and the art of the heist was being forged. Across the pond, some Brits were catching on to the evolving world of thievery and decided to craft their own plot. The goal? To break into the South Eastern Railway train in London, steal the 1 million dollars worth of gold on board, and escape the scene leaving no trail of a robbery. Let’s find out if they were able to pull it off, in today's episode on “The Great Gold Robbery of 1855”.

At the start of the 20th century, the Russo-Japanese War would break out as the result of both trying to expand their empires. Striking first, Japan would corner and defeat the Russian Far Eastern Fleet in Port Arthur in modern day China.    In response to this resounding defeat, Tsar Nicholas II authorised an unbelievable proposal from his government. Forty-five ships from the Russian Baltic Fleet would sail 18,000 miles around the world from its bases in northern Europe to defeat the Japanese navy and relieve the trapped Russian ships.   From the outset the expedition was doomed to failure, rendering it one of the greatest naval follies of history.

The Crown Jewels of England and Scotland. Passed down over 800 years of monarchy, they continually represented the power and stability of the English crown. The ultimate heist material. In 1671, Thomas Blood would attempt just this, in one of the most infamous heist attempts in history, Blood’s cunning long con would end in one explosive day. In our inaugural episode of Laugh from the Past’s heists season, we’ll tell the story of an attempt to steal the most invaluable objects in the western world.

May 6th, 1927 in Manchester, New Jersey the LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and crashed into the earth. Of the 97 passengers, 62 survived, but only one survived by hanging onto the side of the craft as it plummeted to the ground. That man happened to be a gymnast and acrobatic. This is the story of Joseph Spah.

We made it! From the civil war to unanswered mysteries to famous children, wacky cults, the wild west, and much more we've reached 100 episodes.  In this 100th episode special, we reminisced on some of the greater moments from Laughs from the Past History. 

It all began with the birth of William Stiles in 1805. A rare genetic defect, called ectrodactyly, caused the boys’ fingers and toes to become fused together to form ‘claw-like extremities’. This condition would persist across generations of the Stiles family, who would learn to capitalize on their misfortune by joining the circus, profiting off popular freakshows. Their success and reputation continued to grow into the mid 1900’s, that is until Grady Stiles (or Lobster Boy) would single handedly tarnish the Stiles Family reputation, leaving him with a bullet in his head. 

The Shootout at the O.K Corral is perhaps the most classic tale of cops and robbers in the Wild West. Yet, over 100 years later our memory of that day is often romanticized and there is still much up for debate. Were the Earp brothers truly noble lawmen who sought to tame the Wild West OR merely brutal vigilantes who committed a small-town a massacre?

Imagine you were chilling in the 1400s. It’s the midst of the dark ages, and your life is probably pretty dull. Because of the bubonic plague, average life expectancy has now dipped to below 40, and you want to leave a lasting impact on the world. A mysterious legacy that will leave generations of people obsessively studying your work, with no solution in sight.  The result? The Voynich Manuscript.

The most successful train robber of the Wild West. Leader of the “Wild Bunch.” Originator of the Hole-in-the-Wall Hideout. Butch Cassidy, truly a Wild West legend in life, and death. But perhaps there’s even more to his story than meets the eye. In today’s episode of Laughs from the Past, we’ll dive into the remarkable story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, two of the most successful, well-liked, and ingenious outlaws of the Wild West.

Zeus. Poseidon. Apollo. Athena. These are the legendary gods of Greek mythology. But there’s one more you’ve never heard of. He’s known as The Uncatchable. A modern-day criminal Robin Hood. His name is Vassilis Palaiokostas, and he is the only person in history to break out of maximum-security prison. Twice. Using a helicopter. And he’s still on the run.

October of 1870 in Labette County, Kansas was a curious time. If you had passed through, you would have likely met a family of spiritualists known as the Benders. They operated a general store along the Great Osage trail. Travelers could stop by for goods, a meal, or even spend the night. It was, for many, quite the welcome sight. But what was truly happening inside that seemingly warm general store, staffed by a welcoming family always offering to take in travelers, was much darker.

Welcome to Little Laughs! The new series where we take shorter dives into historical stories that are just as bizarre. It's the same Laughs from the Past you love, condensed into 20 minute episodes. Today’s inaugural episode dives into the wild story of Cold War era CIA invention and the true tale of its first and only use in the Arctic.

In the mid 1800’s, there was growing conflict between Apache Tribes and American settlers that were moving deeper into the Southwest region. These tensions would eventually boil over and result in a 75 year period of raids, battles and abductions called the Apache Wars. Yet, the relationships between the Apaches and incoming settlers wasn’t always hostile. In today's episode, we’ll take a look at what is widely considered the sole spark of the Apache Wars, the Bascom Affair. A story of lies, incompetence, and bloodshed.

Jesse James may be the most prolific outlaw in America’s history, but he did not act on his own.  Accompanied with his brother, Jesse formed the infamous James-Younger gang that would wreak havoc on banks and trains from Texas to Minnesota, and everywhere in between. In less than a decade the gang would unleash a barrage of over 20 robberies, netting a profit of over 200k dollars. That’s 4.5 million in today’s money.  However, all of this would come to an end during the Great Northfield Raid, where the gang discovered that Minnesotans fight back.

In today’s episode of Laughs From The Past, we’ll dive into a little-talked about story of Mexican-American relations and a violent frontier society—culminating in a murderous spree that sent the people of the Colorado Territory into a panic in the spring of 1863.The Wild West was truly wild. Welcome to America’s first serial killer, folks.

If you had visited the Darke County Infirmary around 1869, you would probably not have spared a second glance at the dark-haired, unassuming 9-year-old girl many referred to as “Annie". Yet, this little girl would go on to become the national celebrity of the late Wild West. As the preeminent star of Buffalo Bull’s Wild West show, this formerly unassuming girl would go on to win numerous sharpshooting medals, performing for royalty and surging crowds alike. Get your shootin’ ears ready folks.

It’s the winter of 1847 in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and the Donnor party is stranded in the vicinity of Truckee Lake. The various families are separately camped in a number of old hunting cabins, with some of them separated by nearly a day’s trek Survival is bleak.

On a mountain slope deep in the wilderness, a terrible scene plays out. A party of 13 people stumble through the 12-foot snow drifts, crudely fashioned snowshoes clinging to their feet as they over the snow and around the trees. The majority of them are suffering from snow blindness, barely able to see more than a few feet in front of them. Upon closer inspection an even more horrible image emerges. Various chunks of meat, frozen rock solid, are slung on people’s backs, tied to their clothing, and dragged in the snow behind them. But this is no animal meat…

From simple beginnings in Illinois, the legendary gunfighter would become a legend synonymous with the Wild West. James Butler ‘Wild Bill Hickok’ was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his work across the frontier as a drover, wagon master, soldier, spy, scout, lawman, gunfighter, gambler, showman, and actor. In this episode of LFTP we’ll attempt to discover if ‘Wild Bill’ was truly a wild outlaw or a misunderstood peacekeeper and learn of the raucous events that led to his eventual and mysterious demise.

On September 15, 1896; Crush, Texas (a town created only a few weeks before) would become the second largest town in all of Texas. One week later, it would not exist. The man responsible was William Crush, a Texas railway agent, who took advantage of the lack of entertainment in Texas and came up with a new marketing scheme that would bring tens of thousands of Americans to rural Texas. It was to be a spectacular 19th Century publicity stunt with a carefree carnival atmosphere. Little did he know how explosive the event would be. It ended in explosions, flying metal and death.

The Wild West is an era made famous by its many outlaws. Names like Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, and Calamity Jane are still remembered for their tales of robbery, gunfighting and murder. One name that is often forgotten is Sam Bass. This Indiana orphan would go on to lead the “Bass Gang”, a posse of bandits that sought to perfect the art of train robbery. Bass treated thieving as a sport, this unbreakable addiction would later prompt the “Bass War” and “Round Rock Shootout” where Texas Rangers and the Bass Gang face one another head to head.

Some call it a cruel massacre. Others term it a heroic last stand. Some argue it was the ultimate sacrifice that helped to inspire the Americans to victory in the Texas-American War. All of it may be up for debate. But what we do know is that the Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution—and its legacy continues to live on in American minds today. In the second episode of our Wild West season, we’ll dive into the Texas Revolution, the legendary characters defending the Alamo, and the bloody last battle of the fort.

A cattle rustler, cowboy, gambler, horse thief, outlaw, and murderer, Henry McCarty—better known as Billy the Kid—epitomizes the Wild West era. With at least 8 “confirmed” murders before his untimely death at only 21, an orphan born in the Irish slums of New York City rose to become one of the most notorious figures of the Wild West. In the first episode of our Wild West season, we’ll examine how Billy the Kid went from robbing Chinese laundromats to becoming one of the most sought-after gunslingers of the era.

The story of a hippie cult centered around a Los Angeles vegetarian restaurant sounds destined for infamy, but the Source Family has largely remained unknown. The countercultural tale of Father Yod , his restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, and his rock band-turned-cult remains one of the most fascinating anecdotes of the new age. However, it begs the question: How does a group of hippie vegans become a free-loving cult who will follow their leader anywhere... except off a cliff?

The Branch Davidians may be one of the longest-running cults on our list, established in the early 1930’s. After decades of shifting power, the Davidians would find themselves bunkered down in their commune in Waco, Texas. FBI and ATF agents charged their grounds firing assault rifles, hoisting ladders onto the roof, throwing tear gas grenades, and crushing their cars with tanks. On this episode, we will find out what led up to this all-out war in the middle of nowhere Texas.

One of the most infamous cult-related events to ever occur involves a man named Jim Jones and his new religious movement termed, “The Peoples Temple”. This racially focused, communist cult claimed to reach a massive 20,000 members and could gather as many as 3,000 members with as little as 6 hours notice. As they grew in size and scope they were forced to accommodate as they bounced around in California before landing in Guyana in 1974. It was here that the United States experienced the single greatest loss of American civilian life until 9/11.

Aum Shinrikyo, have you ever heard of them?  This Japanese doomsday cult was founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984 and was operating as recently as 2005. This dangerous and massive cult brought together the ideals of Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and most importantly yoga. To no surprise, they also took part in their fair share of hallucinogenic drugs. However, they would later begin creating their own, not so fun, drugs that would dismantle their group and land 16 members the death penalty. Im Jake blah blah blah

People often ask, “What could make cults more interesting than they already are?”. Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles certainly had a good answer to that question and they turned their idea into a reality through the Heavens Gate Cult. The cult made famous through their journey to board an extraterrestrial spacecraft in 1974. Evil space aliens, ancient astronauts and flying saucers. 

The Manson Family was a desert commune and cult active in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s which was led by Charles Manson. The group consisted of approximately 100 of his followers who lived an unconventional lifestyle with habitual use of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD. So how did these sex having, drug-taking cult become a household name? In this episode, we will dive into how Charles Manson infamous cult and how one of the most absurd trials in history played out. 

Dock Ellis stood at the mound 6 foot 3, armed with a mean fastball. Throughout the course of his career, he suited up for 5 ball clubs and concluded his 12 years in the big leagues with a 3.46 ERA and 1 no-hitter. However, years after that no-hitter Ellis’s popularity peaked when admitted to the public that he had accomplished the feat while tripping on LSD. On this episode, we will dive into the events of that day in 1970 as well as the game 4 years later where he attempted to hit every player on the Cincinnati Reds. 

When the United States entered World War II every able-bodied man was expected to volunteer for the war effort. Some of the most renowned names in baseball volunteered - Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio all served. During these years the MLB suffered a serious loss of talent. In response, women stepped up to the plate to fill the void in professional baseball and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was founded. This league produced stars like Dorothy Kamenshek who have had a lasting impact on women’s sports.

Moe Berg was many things. A Princeton Grad, a speaker of 10 languages and a Major League Catcher but the title that draws the most attention is likely as an undercover spy during the height of WW2. On this episode we will learn how this genius ballplayer played a massive role in Europe as a member of the OSS and how he was able to supply the United States with vital photographs from behind enemy lines.

We were joined by Craig Calcaterra, baseball writer for NBC sports and history enthusiast, to discuss the origin of the many signs used during a baseball game. 

The Sultan of Swat, The King of Crash, The Colossus of Clout, THE GREAT BAMBINO! These are just a few of the nicknames of George Herman “Babe” Ruth. The babe terrorized the MLB for 22 seasons, accumulating 714 home runs, 2214 RBI’s, and a lifetime .342 batting average. If those numbers are too old school for you, how does 182 Wins Above Replacement and a career 1.164 OPS sound? But the Babe is remembered almost as much for his exploits off the field as his performance on it.

Jackie Mitchell was a strong woman with curves so impressive they made headlines: her nasty curveball, dubbed a “drop ball”, would win her a place in baseball history. She was one of the first women to play professional baseball and struck out two Yankee legends in an exhibition game. Yet, her career wouldn’t end there - she would later go on to pitch for a team with a literal cult following.