The Gilded Gentleman

Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Stephanie Herdrich joins Carl for an in-depth look at how the career and personal life of Gilded Age artist John Singer Sargent evolved over his ten-year period in Paris from the 1870's to the mid 1880's.  Sargent is the subject of a major new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that focuses on this period beginning in his late adolescent years and leading up to the creation of his masterpiece -  the grand, imposing and scandalous portrait of Virginie Gautreau, known as  "Madame X". Stephanie discusses some of Sargent's greatest works during this period, as well as some of his most important professional and personal relationships, all of which contributed to a boundary breaking artistic vision. This show was edted by Kieran Gannon.

The Irish-born Augustus Saint-Gaudens came to this country as a small child and over the course of his career and life, reaching into the early years of the 20th century, became an artist that truly defined a look for America in sculpture.  His extraordinary natural talent grew into a master artist who was able to create lifelike depictions in marble and bronze that brought a realism never before seen in American sculpture. Saint-Gauden's style combines realistic imagery, allegory and architectural elements to create unique and very modern experiences for viewers. He's perhaps best known for his monumental casts of Civil War heroes from Admiral Daniel Farragut, General William Tecumseh Sherman and President Abraham Lincoln.Joining The Gilded Gentleman for this episode is Thayer Tolles, the Marica F. Vilcek Curator of American Painting and Sculpture at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Thayer is a noted historian, writer and specialist in Saint-Gaudens life and work. This episode offers a full view of Saint-Gaudens extraordinary life and a detailed look at some of his most famous works. Listeners can also visit the Saint Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish, New Hampshire. 

With the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Gala on the first Monday of May and the new exhibition on John Singer Sargent and Paris, there is most definitely fashion in the air.  In this ENCORE episode with listener favorite Dr. Elizabeth L. Block we delve into the stories of some of the most important designers and couture houses of Belle Epoque Paris. This episode was based on Liz's first book, "Dressing Up: How American Women Influenced French Fashion". Don't miss LIz's news book "Beyond Vanity: The Power and History of Hairdressing" and our accompanying episode.

During the 19th century and culminating in America's Gilded Age, the public's deep fascination for all things Egypt led to "Egyptomania," a craze which affected design, style and cultural and social thought. As a result of wave of exploration and discovery, predominantly by French, English and American parties, the world gained a view into one of the world's most ancient cultures. Architecture, fashion and interior design were all influenced by the passion for this emerging ancient culture. In this show, Carl is joined by scholars and Egpytologists Dr. John Darnell and Dr. Colleen Darnell to delve into not only how an understanding of ancient Egypt was evolving during the 19th century but its social and cultural impact. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for a list of all showsFollow Carl on one of his walking tours! Find out more information at Bowery Boys Walks

This week The Frick Collection will reopen its doors to the public after a renovation and restoration of nearly five years and a cost of $220 million dollars. Visitors will again see the elegant Beaux Arts mansion once occupied by Gilded Age industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his wife and daughter. They will also see the priceless collection of masterworks of art from the Renaissance through the 19th century, much of acquired by Frick himself. In this episode, a companion show to the Bowery Boys "House of Beauty: The Story of the Frick Collection", Carl talks with managing educator Caitlin Henningsen about her work researching the domestic staff who worked in the mansion, just who they were and what their roles in the household were. They also speak about how Frick thought about blending art with domestic space in several of his homes and what he wanted to achieve with this mansion before it became a museum after his death in 1919.  Caitlin and Carl also discuss, thanks to extraordinary archival records,  how the Fricks entertained in a grand Gilded Age style in the very dining room visitors see today.   Find PART ONE over at the Bowery Boys podcast House of Beauty: The Story of the Frick Collection

Between the late 1890s and early 1920s, over 2 million Jews from Eastern Europe made the long, arduous and unsettling journey to America to escape persecution and violence in their native countries. Many of these Jews were fleeing Russia, where a state sanctioned antisemitism forced many to escape for their lives.  This mass immigration was, in large part, the result of the efforts of three entrepreneurial men whose efforts insured escape for tens of thousands. -- Albert Ballin, the director of the Hamburg-America line; Jacob Schiff, the German born New York based philanthropist and financier; and the Gilded Age financial titan J.P Morgan, all insured methods of escape that would otherwise not have been possible.  So much of this story has not been told until now and it is through the research and writing of historian Steven Ujifusa that has finally brought the full story to light.  Steve joins The Gilded Gentleman table in this episode to discuss what exactly happened, the enormous difference Ballin, Schiff and Morgan all made in helping so many to escare. In addition, Steve shares his own story as well and how he was able to uncover little-known material to tell the larger story. 

New York's NoHo neighborhood, wedged between Greenwich Village and the East Village, holds the stories of many people and places that then went on to become deeply associated with the Gilded Age.  The Astor family began their dynasty here in both investment and real estate as did the well known Dutch-American merchant family the Schermerhorns.  Caroline Schermerhone who went on to become the famed Mrs. Astor grew up right here on Bond St along with many members of her family.  NoHo today still contains many remnants of its early 19th century glamorous past as well as sites where the tensions between the wealthy residents of the Lafayette Place neighborhood classed with the growing immigrant population just one street away on the Bowery. Master Bowery Boys Walks tour guide Aaron Schielke joins Carl for a look at this fascinating neighborhood which includes stories of the rich and famous as well as the macabre details of a dramatic and grisly 19th century murder that took place on Bond St in the heart of NOHO that remains unsolved to this day. 

Belle da Costa Greene is a truly unique historical figure. As the librarian of Gilded Age financier J.P Morgan's extraordinary personal collection of rare books, manuscripts and historical objects,  Greene was one of the most visible and formidable players in the art world of the early 20th century.  She sourced precious objects from major galleries and at auction not only in New York, but also throughout Europe with her deep expertise and drive.  As Belle competed regularly against other major collectors in this male dominated world and was covered regularly by the press, although much of her own personal story remained unknown or the subject of speculation. Belle was born into an affluent African-American family in Washington DC but upon moving North with her mother, she passed for white. With new research and curatorial insight, even more is now known about this exceptional woman and her role in creating one of the world's most important libraries and museum collections.   Carl is joined by Morgan Library and Museum curator Philip Palmer to discuss and delve into the world and life of Belle Da Costa Greene. This episode was edited by Kieran GannonVisit the Morgan Library and Museum and check out the Belle da Costa Greene exhibition (through May 4, 2025) And listen to the Bowery Boys podcast on the history of the Morgan Library and Museum

Edith Minturn was a Gilded Age society beauty. Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes was a New York architect passionate about preserving the city's past.  When John Singer Sargent accepted the commission to paint their portrait as a wedding present, he perhaps didn't realize how difficult it would prove to be. Capturing Edith Minturn Stokes' strong personality as one of the era's "new woman" resulted in a portrait that in some ways was as scandalous as his famous "Madame X". Author and Historian Jean Zimmerman joins The Gilded Gentleman to reveal the real story behind this famous portrait, along with just who Newton Phelps Stokes and Edith Minturn really were. The third part of this story is of course Sargent himself who broke new ground and broke a few conventions in portraying "Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Phelps Stokes" as they really were. This episode was edited by Kieran GannonGet your tickets for the Bowery Boys Gilded Age Weekend, featuring Carl Raymond, the Gilded Gentleman -- May 29-June 1

Of all the balls and parties thrown during the Gilded Age, the extravagant evening hosted by Bradley and Cornela Martin at the Waldorf in 1897 was perhaps the most legendary, but also the most filled with misconceptions. February 10, 2025 was the 128th anniversary of this grand ball that topped them during New York's opulent Gilded Age. To celebrate, we are offering an ENCORE presentation of the episode on the ball with historian and author Rick Hutto whose family is descended from the Bardley Martin's themselves. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for an entire list of shows. This show was edited by Kieran Gannon

Who doesn't like to get a valentine -- perhaps even from a mysterious admirer? The practice of sending valentines goes back centuries, and these well-designed romantic messages could have many meanings -- highly spiritual, an expression of friendship and love, or even a proposal of marriage.  In this episode Carl is joined by historian and collector Nancy Rosin whose own collection of over 12,000 valentines from the past 400 years has recently been archived at the Huntington Library. Nancy takes us back to the early Roman days, through the MIddle Ages and into the "golden age" of valentines in the early 19th century and, at last, into the extravagant Gilded Age.  Nancy  shares some of the most significant examples from her collection and leads us into very personal worlds of beauty and love from the 17th century to our modern day.   Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more informationThis episode was edited by Kieran Gannon

Historian Dr. Elizabeth L. Block, author of "Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing," returns to the show for an insightful and fascinating look at hair and hairdressing in the Gilded Age.  Hairstyles and the methods of hairdressing evolved dramatically over the 19th century from an "at home" activity shared by sisters and female relatives to salons opening often with female entrepreneurs which gave women significant agency and power. In addition to making a social statement through one's designer gowns from the great Paris couture houses, Gilded Age hostesses made sure that in addition to the dresses and jewels, they wore the most fashionable hairstyles of the day.  This show was produced by Kieran GannonRelated Gilded Gentleman podcasts: Gilded Age French Fashion: The House of Worth and Beyond  Gilded Age Undergarmetns: What Did Mrs. Astor Wear Under There?  

To ring in the new year, join Carl and listener favorite guest Don Spiro for an encore presentation of the history of champagne.  Don, vintage beverage specialist and former professional bartender, looks at just how champagne first came to be, how its style evolved over time and just what contemporary champagne makers are offering today. So pop a cork and enjoy the fizz as Don and Carl go back in time and trace the bubbling, effervescent history of champagne.  Make sure to listen to Don's previous appearances on the Gilded Gentleman podcast -- shows on burlesque, absinthe and the golden age of Gilded Age cocktails!This show was edited by Kieran Gannon and produced by Bowery Boys Media.Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more episodes.

Grace Church, a soaring neo-Gothic church built in 1846, still sits today at the famous bend in Broadway at 11th Street.  Throughout the 19th century it was the most fashionable church for old New York society, even when the elite moved up the island of Manhattan.   Grace represented the early world of the Astors, the Schermerhorns and other families who had their beginnings in the neighborhood around Lafayette Place. The church which has a vibrant congregation today was the scene over its history of many famous events including the christening of Edith Wharton in 1862, the wedding of Tom Thumb in 1863, the wedding of one of the most famous "million dollar princesses" Consuleo Yznaga, the future Duchess of Manchester in 1876 and the funeral of famed social arbiter Ward McAllister in 1895. In this episode from the archives of the Bowery Boys history podcast, Greg Young and Tom Meyers trace the history of this landmark church as well as pay a visit themselves for a talk with the Reverend Harry Krauss, Grace Church historian. For lots of historic images from this show, visit the Bowery Boys website.

The world of Vienna at the end of the 19th century was a world of change.  New design, new fashion and new philosophy  -- and new music.  But amidst sweeping change, the Viennese drank champagne and were swept along by the works of the great Johann Strauss II, known appropriately as the "Waltz King". One of his greatest works is the operetta megahit Die Fledermaus which, beneath its frivolity and popping champagne corks, lies a darker vision and foreshadowing of a very different world to come. In this episode, Carl is joined by returning musicologist and professional musician Dr. Christopher Brellochs for a look at Strauss and his most famous work -- how he created it and what he was trying to communicate to audiences.   In addition, Carl and Chris take a look at another blockbuster operetta, The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar and discuss how the musical form has evolved into a modern era.  Lastly, this episode ends with a look at just how works like Die Fledermaus and The Merry Widow have influenced our modern Broadway musical theatre today. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more episodes.

Join Carl and Dr. MIchael Carter, Senior Properties Historian for English Heritage, to celebrate an English country Christmas.  Carl and Michael center their discussion on Wrest Park, home to the De Grey family for over 600 years.  In the 19th century, the original house was torn down and a French inspired mansion rose in its place, still surrounded by the 18th century gardens which guests can still see today. Michael shares stories of some very special Christmases celebrated at Wrest Park during World War I.  and then takes us back into history to discover the origins of some of our most celebrated traditions from plum pudding to Twelfth Night. For information on the American Friends of English Heritage, click here. 

This new Broadway season includes the revival of the classic musical GYPSY: A Musical Fable by Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents. This new revival stars Audra McDonald as the irrepressible Mama Rose,in this iconic show based on the memoirs of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee.  To celebrate the revival and to take us back into the world of vaudeville and burlesque, listen favorite Don Spiro returns to the show to share the history of burlesque -- what it was and wasn't in the Gilded Age years --  and how it all developed into the dynamic new renaissance of the art we see today. 

David Belasco -- playwright, producer, impresario, theatre manager, and theatrical visionary -- was one of the most important names in the world of the Gilded Age stage.Beginning his life and career in San Francisco following the Gold Rush years, Belasco moved to New York to revolutionize how theatre was seen and produced in the last years of the 19th and into the 20th century. In addition to writing such hits as plays "Madame Butterfly" and "The Girl of the Golden West" which went on to become even more popular ad Puccini operas, he was responsible for launching the careers of Maude Adams (the first Peter Pan), Mary Pickford and Barbara Stanwyck. He was known for often wearing the robes and clerical collar of a Catholic priest, despite his Jewish heritage and thus began to call himself  "The Bishop of Broadway". Belasco owned and operated today's Belasco Theatre on 44th St which continues to bear his name. The theatre, built in 1907, is home to current Broadway hits and still contains the once lavish apartment now abandoned in which he lived on the theatre's top floor.   It's said that perhaps Belasco has never quite left his eponymous theatre and reports have persisted over the years of sightings and strange occurrences that indicate his possible presence even today. 

Along with their acclaimed novels and short works of fiction, Henry James and Edith Wharton both extensively explored the genre of the ghost story, enormously popular throughout much of the 19th century. In nearly all of their ghostly tales, James and Wharton explore the inner depths of the human psyche and the all-too-human emotions of fear, abandonment, passion and loss. Carl is joined by returning guest Dr. Emily Orlando, author and professor of English at Fairfield University, for an in-depth look at examples of the ghost story from both Henry James and Edith Wharton. Carl and Emily delve into James'  techniques of horror and suspense in his masterpiece "The Turn of the Screw" and how Wharton explored the ambiguities and challenges of marriage and abandonment in several of her stories including "The Lady's Maid's Bell", "Afterward", "Pomegranate Seed" and perhaps her own masterpiece -- "All Souls". Orlando was also featured in the Gilded Gentleman episode -- Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence 

Stories of the Gilded Age so often focus on the world of adults and more often on the highest layer of elite society.  Of course, there was much, much more to the story of America's social and economic growth  at the end of the 19tth century that involved those of the middle and lower classes - and also included children. Listener favorite Esther Crain, author and creator of Ephemeral New York, joins The Gilded Gentleman for a look at the world of children during the Gilded Age. As she shared in the episode "Invisible Magicians: Domestic Servants in Gilded Age New York" with writings by actual servants, Esther has uncovered documents written in children's own voices that capture their world and reality. From a 12 year old boy in Gilded Age Harlem to a teenage girl on what would become Manhattan's Upper East Side, we can finally meet children who are both seen and heard. 

Elizabeth Wharton Drexel was a quintessential ingenue of the Gilded Age. Eventual heiress to the Drexel banking fortune, elegant and sophisticated, Elizabeth married but was widowed unexpectedly. But she married again, this time to Harry Symes Lehr, a bon vivant and social playboy.  But she soon learned her life was to become a reality far from what she ever expected. This episode tells the story of Elizabeth Drexel and Harry Lehr along with the world in which they lived.  In 1935, after Harry's death, Elizabeth wrote what we would perhaps today call a "tell all" memoir -- King Lehr and the Gilded Age -- recounting the challenges of her marriage but also the frivolity and froth of the Gilded Age from her own observances as an up-close participant. Her observances are some of the most acute and incisive we have on the period. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more information and episodesThis episode was edted by Kieran Gannon

Just the name "Tiffany" evokes the glamour and elegance of the Gilded Age. But there is much more to the story than just the eponymous retailer who continues to sell fine jewelry and decorative objects today. Carl is joined by Lindsy R. Parrott, the Executive Director of The Neustadt Collection, one of the country's most important collections of Tiffany glass and archival materials, to discuss the two Tiffanys - Charles Lewis Tiffany who began the original retail silver and jewelry and his son Louis Comfort Tiffany who created revolutionary designs in stained glass.   

It's nearly the end of the summer but there's still time for one more visit to the seashore and, in particular, one place that was so very popular in the Gilded Age -- Coney Island.  Join Carl and guest Esther Crain for an encore presentation of “In the Good Old Summertime: Where the Gilded Age Played.” And coming soon -- Esther will be joining Carl this fall for a brand new episode – “Children of the Gilded Age: Seen and Not Heard (Until Now).”  ----As New York continued its march up the island of Manhattan, there were few places where New Yorkers that couldn't escape to Newport could find somewhere to relax, play, stroll, and find some shade. The development of the great Central Park provided some much-needed relief but it took some time for it to become a place that was accessible and viable for all of New York's social classes. Out on the far coast of Brooklyn, the resort of Coney Island developed rapidly and became a truly great escape with its famous amusement parks where one could find adventure and perhaps a bit of romance. Esther takes us on a journey to visit these spots and spaces where Gilded Age New Yorkers could cool off, forget the realities of life for just a bit and have a really good time.  More about Carl's special guest:  — Esther Crain, an author, historian, and native New Yorker. In 2008 she launched the website Ephemeral New York, where she writes and publishes stories every week that chronicle Gotham's past through old photos, newspaper archives, vintage artwork, and other artifacts.

In this special episode created in partnership with English Heritage, Carl is joined by curator Christopher Warleigh-Lack for a look at the once royal residence of Osborne House on England's Isle of Wight.   Christopher guides us through inside the grand estate where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent summer and Christmas holidays.  Following Albert's sudden death, Victoria continued to come to Osborne and even spent her final days here by the sea. A visit to Osborne House today reveals an intimate view of the private life of Queen Victoria and her family. For more information on the American Friends of English Heritage, click here. 

Carl is joined by Cornelia Brooke Gilder, noted Berkshire historian, author and Lenox native, for this special show which delves into the artistic and literary life of the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts as well as its role as a Gilded Age summer enclave. From the early 19th century the lush, green landscape of the Berkshire mountain inspired writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and artists such as Daniel Chester French. By the Gilded Age, the vast expanse of land was dotted with the sprawling estates of Vanderbilts, Morgans and Sloans, built by architects well known in Newport circles such as Richard Morris Hunt and Charles McKim. Throughout the 19th century, the Berkshires attracted a British artistic elite as well, from acclaimed actress Fanny Kemble to Henry James. In this episode, Carl and "Nini" (as she is known to all) discuss Berkshire history as well as three particular estates one can still see today - Ventfort Hall, the great Jacobean inspired manor owned by JP Morgan's sister, Edith Wharton's grand estate The Mount and the "cottage" Pine Acre, once owned by the family of Wharton's husband Teddy's. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more information and images

Historian and scholar Connor Williams joins Carl for this look at the Gilded Age retreat of the Adirondacks.  A number of Gilded Age families came to this leafy paradise despite the dusty two day journey in an attempt to escape the city and recharge in nature.  The Gilded Age saw the rise of the "great camps" -- extensive properties owned by families such as the Vanderbilts and the Morgans. While certainly not as lavish as their Newport cottages, these escapes still had elegant meals, fully stocked bars and dozens of domestic help to keep it all running.  Great Camp Sagamore, once a Vanderbilt property, still welcomes visitors today on the shores of Raquette lake as it has for over 125 years. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for a full list of episodes

Carl is joined by curator Frank Futral for a special on-location visit to the Vanderbilt Mansion in New York's Hudson Valley.  Built for Frederick Vanderbil tand his wife Lousie by legendary firm  McKim, Mead and White, the mansion is a work of art itself combining classic Beaux Arts style with unique and rare architectural elements brought from Europe.  Frank takes Carl on a room by room tour of the mansion to explain just how this magnificent house was built and just how it is very different from the great mansions of Newport. Visit the Gilded Gentleman website for more information

To celebrate a month of diversity, courage and pride, we are rereleasing this episode which continues to be one of the most talked about shows on The Gilded Gentleman so far. The story of Murray Hall -- a Gilded Age bail bondsman, Tammany Hall representative and loving and devoted father -- is one that few know. It's a story that leaves you inspired and one that is impossible to forget and one that when you first hear it, takes you by surprise.  Murray's story, like countless others nearly forgotten, is one that is deeply relevant in our modern world long after his own death in 1901. Murray Hall lived an extraordinary life in a small nondescript house in New York's Greenwich Village that still remains  as a testament to his story  today. 

Carl is joined by veteran journalist, writer and tour guide Michael Morgenthal for a journey through the pages of 19th century newspapers.  Michael traces the history of several of our most well known newspapers today including the New York Post and the New York Times as well as how Gilded Age journalists and readers had - in their way - the (nearly) 24 hour news cycle that we are so accustomed to today. By the end of the Gilded Age there were over 20 daily newspapers published in New York City alone. Each has a slightly different focus, much as our papers do today, and they scooped their news in a variety of ways.  This episode takes a look at New York's newspaper history and just what it was like in the Gilded Age. Michael shares the story behind several influential figures including Alexander Hamilton  and famed poet and publisher William Cullen Bryant, leading up to the great wars for sensational journalism fought by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. In addition, you'll discover when newspapers adopted the popular tabloid size, and when actual advertising began to be used to create income.  

Carl visits the Museum of the City of New York where he's joined by Collections Manager for Costumes and Textiles, Elizabeth Randolph, to discuss the famous dress Alice Vanderbilt wore to her sister-in-law Alva'a ball, while inspecting the original dress itself. On the evening of March 26, 1883, Alva Vanderbilt threw her famous costume ball to officially open her new "Petit Chateau" on Fifth Avenue and to secure her place in Gilded Age society.  Her sister-in-law, Alice, not to be outdone, arrived at the ball and created  one of the most talked about fashion statements from the Gilded Age to today.  Alice had the famed British-born Parisian couturier Charles Frederick Worth design a gown that represented "electric light" - a new idea in 1883.  Encrusted with gold and silver threads, Alice's gown caught the attention of not only the guests at the ball, but the press whose reports of her dress ranged from the credible to the outrageous. Jose Mora, the noted society photographer of the era, captured Alice in a famous photograph in which Alice, wearing the dress, holds a torch high above her head.  Myths about the dress have circulated for years - that there was a concealed battery back in the bodice, that the dress itself somehow "lit up", and on and on.  Miraculously, the original dress survives today and is in the collection of the Museum of the City of New York. With deep gratitude and thanks to the Museum, I was allowed to see the actual dress and record this interview with Elizabeth Randolph. With the dress laid out before us, we explored the story of what's true, what's not, and just what effect (both visual and social) Alice would have made wearing the dress on the night of Alva's ball. 

Renowned historian and author Richard Jones delves deeply into one of the world's most fascinating unsolved series of murders.  True crime fans may think they know the major elements of the grisly set of Jack the Ripper murders and the resulting investigation, but this show uncovers some angles and aspects that shine a wider light into these horrors of late Victorian London. Carl and guest Richard Jones delve into all aspects of the crimes themselves - from what happened, to what clues were and weren't at each murder site, to how the police attempted to quickly find the killer, and to how the press manipulated and were responsible for giving us the impressions of the case we have today.   Richard shares his insights and analysis on possible suspects, why these murders were unlike any others up to this point, and most importantly, offers deeply human insight into just who the victims were themselves - which may surprise you.  Don't miss this insightful look into a set of crimes that still grips the public nearly 150 years after they occurred.

Royal historian and author Tracy Borman returns to The Gilded Gentleman following her appearance on Crown & Scepter: The Coronation Show last year.  Tracy is a noted historian and a frequent guest and commentator on the BBC as well as many documentaries and programs internationally.   Tracy's most recent book "Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter That Changed History" serves as the basis for this episode, along with Tracy's insights on the mother daughter relationships in the lives of two modern monarchs - Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.  Mother daughter relationships can be loving, supportive and at times challenging.  In this episode, Tracy Borman discusses several royal mother/daughter relationships that may have changed history.   Elizabeth I was barely three years old when her father Henry VIII ordered her mother's execution for failing to provide a royal male heir.  Tracy's revelatory new research and insight explains just how Elizabeth honored, and even emulated her mother throughout her own long reign and how she continued to dispel myths that had been created by a malicious court. Like Elizabeth I, neither Queen Victoria nor Queen Elizabeth II ever thought that they would be queens themselves and Tracy offers additional in-depth insight as to how these women - along with their own mothers influenced the throne. 

Just over a year ago, as Broadway opened a revival of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd, The Gilded Gentleman was honored to sit down with one of the stars of the original 1979 Broadway production.Sarah Rice, who went on to a distinguished career in opera as well as leading roles in musical theatre, originated the role of Johanna playing opposite such Broadway legends as Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou. Sarah covered how she got started in theatre, came to New York with two cats and a piano to join the cast of the original The Fantasticks, and then was cast in her career changing role as Broadway's first Johanna.  Perhaps most fascinating in Sarah's chat with Carl were her reminiscences and recollections of being directed and prepared for the role by the great masters Hal Prince and Stephen Sondhiem themselves.  Sarah ultimately became one of today's most important interpreters of Stephen  Sondheim's music.  Sarah passed away suddenly earlier this winter and her loss is a profound one for those who knew her personally and those who were touched by her beautiful voice and many appearances on stage.   As a tribute to her memory and her artistry, The Gilded Gentleman is revisiting the interview portion of last Spring's show as a tribute to her memory. 

Join Carl and  British country house historian Curt DiCamillo for a look into the world of the Edwardian country house.  Audiences became fascinated in these houses through the blockbuster Julian Fellowes series "Downton Abbey" and his earlier film "Gosford Park",  with their colliding worlds of upstairs and downstairs and interlocking social dramas. Curt discusses this fascinating period in British history and how the country house in Edwardian times brought society closer to a modern age. Curt explains how country houses as estates for the British aristocracy evolved over centuries and how they reached their height in the reign of King Edward VII, who took the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Victoria. The country house greatly expanded during this time and some interiors reflected influences from Britain's growing empire.  Grand dinners, shooting parties, and elegant tea parties were all backdrops to great social intrigue and sometimes scandal.  In this show, Curt shares several examples of great Edwardian country houses (including one current royal estate), what they looked like, how they operated, and how they can be visited today.  The Edwardian period was a glittering one, much like America's Gilded Age, but a short one, which vanished from view as Britain and Western Europe entered a world-changing war.  Related show with Curt DiCamillo:  The British Crown Jewels: History and Mystery

Fashion historian and author, Dr. Elizabeth L. Block returns to The Gilded Gentleman for a truly "undercover" investigation.  This time, Liz joins Carl to discuss the world of corsets, bustles, straps and stockings, all of which comprised the undergarment engineering that helped make the glorious gowns by Worth and other designers appear as glamorous as they did. In addition to the architecture and the food, it is the fashion of the Gilded Age that always elicits comments and sighs at the very beauty and craftsmanship of the great gowns that swept by on ballroom floors.  But the stunning and costly gowns, whether for a ball or for wear during the day, required a complex combination of undergarments to not only make the wearer feel comfortable, but also to give the outer clothing its required shape.  Dr. Elizabeth Block joins Carl for a discussion that includes insight into not only what garments were required, but also just how they were made and how they were worn.  You may be surprised at just how comfortable and wearable some undergarments actually were.  Liz and Carl's discussion includes a look at such curious accessories as the "lobster bustle" and even a corset for men. Related episode:  Gilded Age French Fashion: The House of Worth and Beyond   LinksElizabeth Block - 

 The small two acre square known since the 1830's as Gramercy Park has also been called "America's Bloomsbury". Taking the reference from London's famous neighborhood once home to many great writers and artists, New York's Gramercy Park has similarly included noted cultural icons from architect Stanford White to actor Edwin Booth to the great politician Samual  Tilden.  Wandering along the park today it's easy to gain a view back into the past - many of the original Greek Revival brick townhouses and brownstone mansions remain, some still in private hands.The park in the center is one of the most unique in America - it is a private park, not a city property and it's upkeep has been managed since its inception in the early 19th century by the property owners around the park itself.  Writer and historian Keith Taillon joins Carl for this episode to look back into  this hidden pocket of New York City's past and unlock its history. The Gilded Gentleman website

Carl is joined by noted architect, interior designer and author Phillip James Dodd for an in-depth discussion of the "look" of the Gilded Age  - a style known as American Beaux-Arts.  Architecture constructed during the height of America's Gilded Age most certainly had a distinctive look.  It was a uniquely American combination of stylistic elements of classical antiquity, the Renaissance palaces of the Medici, as well as the more flamboyant styles of France's Belle Epoque.  But just how does one define the eclectic style that came to be known as American Beaux-Arts and who were its most famous and influential practitioners?  In this episode Carl and Phillip James Dodd discuss these concepts in general to arrive at a definition and understanding, but also take a look at major examples, such as the facade and Great Hall or the Metropolitan Museum of Art,  the New York Public Library and the Morgan Library, as well as the architects who created them:  Richard Morris Hunt, Charles Follen McKim, and the architectural team of Carrè re and Hastings.  After having listened to this unique episode, you'll look at the Gilded Age and New York City with whole new eyes. 

In the previous episode "Dandies: Gentleman of Style from the 19th Century to Today", Carl was joined by cultural historian and maker of fine custom clothing, Nathaniel Lee Adams for a look at this most interesting breed of society's tastemaking men.  In this new episode, Carl and Natty take the discussion further and focus on the early 20th century, when a new brand of dandy was emerging  - one with style perhaps, but also often tinged by scandal. Being a "dandy" is generally thought to be more than just being a stylish dresser.  There is attitude, perspective and perhaps even a sense of the revolutionary that ties many of history's so-called dandies together.  In this episode, Carl and Natty start with the world of the dandy immediately following the death of Oscar Wilde and begin with a discussion of the British author and caricaturist Max Beerbohm and the  American self-proclaimed inventor of the tuxedo, Evander Berry Wall.  They then discuss the fascinating, complex black American boxer Jack Johnson, who in order to fight not only his opponents but the pervasive prejudice of his time,  created a boundary-breaking persona of style laced with scandal.  Returning to Europe the discussion continues Oscar Wilde's own nephew and writer (and also boxer),  Arthur Cravan, the War Poets including Rupert Brooke and Siegfried Sassoon, the minimalist Austrian architect Adolf Loos and finally one of the most polarizing personalities of them all, the flamboyant Italian poet and would be revolutionary, Gabriele D'Anunzio.  

In this episode, journalist and biographer Maria Teresa Cometto joins The Gilded Gentleman for a look into the life of New York-born 19th-century sculptor Emma Stebbins.   Emma Stebbins is most noted for her iconic bronze statue, The Angel of the Waters, which was placed on Central Park's Bethesda Terrace in 1873.  Maria Teresa Cometto is the author of the recently published "Emma and the Angel of Central Park", the first extensive biographical look at Stebbins' life. Many locals and visitors may be aware of parts of the story of Emma Stebbins - that her Angel was the first public statue in New York produced by a woman and that her life included a domestic partnership with another woman.  But there is much more in the story.  This is the story of a creative artistic woman whose life, which began in early 19th-century New York, expanded and flourished in a community of fellow artists and sculptors in mid-century Rome.  This is a very Italian story in many ways, set against the backdrop of the ruins, museums, and palaces of classical Rome.  Emma's story includes love, betrayal, inspiration, tragedy, and even a bit of mystery.  Her most well known creation, the famed Angel of the Waters, while perhaps her most significant work, is indeed only part of the story. 

Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish, known to all as just Mamie, was another of the larger-than-life personalities during the Gilded Age. For this episode, Carl is joined by historian and writer Keith Taillon and actor Ashlie Atkinson, who portrays Mamie Fish in HBO's "The Gilded Age", for a look at just who this complicated and fascinating woman really was. If you received an invitation to a party at Mamie Fish's - you went.  Mamie Fish, who had an iron clad family pedigree and enough money to compete with other Gilded Age hostesses, was known as a "fun maker".  While at Mrs. Astor's you may have cemented your role in society, at Mamie's, you just had a really good time.  Her parties bordered on the outrageous, from inviting an elephant as a guest to co-hosting the famous dinner for dogs, some of them adorned with diamond collars.  But who was Mamie Fish - and why do we find her fascinating today?  Historian Kieth Taillon and actor Ashlie Atkinson offer deeply insightful perspectives on this woman who perhaps sought to break out of the role prescribed to her and shake up society.  Mamie Fish, when looked at through a modern lens, was challenging, complicated, conflicted and certainly controversial. But given the Gilded Age's restrictions and gender rules, it's interesting to consider how much she could also be considered a rebel and revolutionary for her time. 

Edith Wharton published The Age of Innocence at a very important moment in her life.  When the novel came out in 1920, she had been living in France full-time for nearly 10 years and had seen the devastating effects of World War I up close.  Her response was to look back with a sense of nostalgia to the time of her childhood to recreate that staid, restrictive world of New York in the 1870s that, despite its often social cruelty and harsh judgements, seemed to have some kind of moral center.  It was a world in which Wharton as a creative woman, however, could not live and work, and thus, she transferred her life in stages to France.  In this episode, Dr. Emily Orlando, a noted Wharton scholar, joins Carl to delve into the background of this novel, take a deep dive into the personalities of the major characters, and discuss what Wharton wanted to say in her masterpiece.  Related Episodes: A Sprig of Witch Hazel:  Edith Wharon's Secret AffairEdith Wharton's Paris

It's ball season! Time to call the carriage for your visit to the Gilded Age's greatest parties.Balls were the most lavish entertainment one could attend in the Gilded Age -- from Mrs. Astor's annual Opera Ball for around 400 guests to smaller affairs for only 200 or 300 hundred. But that ball was far more than an elegant night out. Being invited signaled that you were "in" society. Who you saw there often determined how you navigated society, and whom you could introduce your daughter to indicated possible prospects for the marriage market. Your every move was being watched, cataloged, and judged.  Venture back to the Gilded Age to revisit ball season in this classic Gilded Gentleman episode - find out what you had to wear, how you had to behave, what you had to eat, and even how to interpret the secret language of a lady's fan. Visit the website for more images and information

Viewers were introduced to Emily Roebling on the second season of The Gilded Age. Now learn the entire story of the Roebling family -- father, son, wife -- the engineers responsible for the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. As a special bonus episode to end the year, enjoy this 2023 show from the Bowery Boys podcast archives, looking at the extraordinary individuals responsible for this 19th century marvel. Greg and Tom walk through the history, then chat with Kriss Roebling, Washington and Emily Roebling's great-great grandson, who leads specialty tours of the bridge today. The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge was a technological wonder when it opened in 1883.  The story of its construction, which took over 14 years, is an odyssey of passion, ingenuity and tragedy.   In the end, it was Emily Roebling, wife of Washington Roebling who, in the face of her husband's debilitating illness, dedicated herself to completing the project in the male dominated world of engineers and contractors. Visit the Bowery Boys website for images and other information

Delmonico's began as the dream of two Swiss immigrants in the 1820's and grew to be a social center of the Gilded Age.  Prohibition shuttered Delmonico's along with other great New York restaurants. Italian immigrant Oscar Tucci looked at the closed great brownstone former restaurant at 56 Beaver St and decided to reopen it - first as a speakeasy, then as a full continental restaurant that went on to welcome the famous, not-so-famous, and never famous to dine side by side and celebrate tradition and connection. Max Tucci, Oscar Tucci's grandson, has returned as part of the team to reopen Delmonico's and carry on his family's traditions.  Max's story, which he shares in today's show recorded at Delmonico's, is about great food, but also about something more: It's about honoring tradition and one's ancestors.  Related episode:  The Delmonico Way: A Conversation with Max Tucci

Carl is joined by actor Simon Jones, whose distinguished career has included King George V on "Downton Abbey", stage productions on Broadway and the West End,  and his current role as Bannister on HBO's "The Gilded Age".Simon takes us backstage as he discusses his career from his earliest roles, including in the radio drama version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and film version, his role as Brideshead in the iconic 1981 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited", and his work with John Cleese and "the Pythons" among others.  Simon also discusses his experiences with his many well-known co-stars and colleagues over the years, including Sir Laurence Olivier, Dame Maggie Smith,  Lauren Bacall, Penelope Keith and Angela Lansbury.  In addition, Simon takes us behind the cameras and shares some fascinating insight on creating the role of Bannister on HBO's "The Gilded Age". 

Ulysses Dietz, noted curator, author, and historian is the great-great grandson of President Ulysses S. Grant.  In this unique and very special show, Ulysses takes us behind the doors of several of Newport's great mansions to understand how architecture, design and decorative arts all combine to tell the story of how this social community came to be and grew during the Gilded Age.  Ulysses shares insight into some of the famous personalities of the Gilded Age, including Alva Vanderbilt, and the architects Richard Morris Hunt and Ogden Codman, Jr., as well offering a look at several mansions, including Chateau-sur-Mer, the Breakers and Marble House.  Ulysses also discusses several objects he included in an exhibition he curated in Newport last year that tell the behind-the-scenes tale of aspects of the Gilded Age and its personalities that we perhaps never knew. Related shows:Architect of the Gilded Age: The Triumphant Tale of Richard Morris Hunt  Social Climber: The Iron Will and Determined Rise of Alva Vanderbilt  

Christmas traditions evolved over the 19th century, combining influences from the days of the Dutch settlers with British practices inspired by the work of Dickens, and along the way, they became something truly American.  In this special holiday episode,  the Gilded Gentleman visits with Ann Haddad, House Historian of New York's 1832 Merchant's House Museum, and takes a look at how the well-to-do Tredwell family and their servants would have celebrated the holiday around mid-century.  We then travel outside the city up to the Hudson Valley for a visit with Maria Reynolds, curator of the Mills Mansion in Staatsburgh, New York,  a grand Stanford White designed country house right out of the Gilded Age. For the Mills family, the holidays of 1899 and 1900 in the country included many outdoor winter activities, including sledding and skating and even, with a great greenhouse on the estate, some special items served on holiday tables.  And through some unique archival material, we'll even get a sense of just who may have come to visit for a holiday dinner. 

Financier Jay Gould was one of the most famous — and infamous — of the Gilded Age robber barons. He was ruthless in his business dealings, tangled with the Vanderbilts for control of the railroads and fought battle after battle on Wall Street. But there was a less contentious side to him as well. Gould sought respite from New York City with his family at his country home, Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, a rolling estate where instead of Wall St. warrior he could be father and husband. Lyndhurst may be familiar to viewers of the HBO series The Gilded Age since a number of its rooms served as filming locations in the show.  The mansion and estate are owned and managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and visitors are welcomed year-round. In this unique episode, The Gilded Gentleman travels to Lyndhurst for a look inside both the Mansion and the life of Jay Gould. Howard Zar, executive director of Lyndhurst, joins Carl for a fascinating interview recorded in the picture gallery in Jay Gould's own mansion. Surrounded by Gould's precious hand-chosen art collection (still hung as Gould intended), Howard and Carl delve into what life was like at the Mansion and what visitors can see today. As a special treat, follow along with Howard and Carl on a tour through the Mansion visiting Gould's reception room, library, private office and dining room. 

The Gilded Age was a period of rapid industrialization and innovation - and that was abundantly true in terms of what was happening in the kitchen.  New marvels like refrigeration, the availability of ingredients like baking powder, and new tools from egg beaters to meat slicers, all made creating over-the-top meals much easier than ever before.  Becky Libourel Diamond, food historian and author of the just published Gilded Age Cookbook, shares some rich insights into a number of these kitchen innovations, along with stories of recipes and dishes that defined grand Gilded Age dining.  In this season of holiday entertaining, Becky even shares some ideas from her book on how to create your own Gilded Age-inspired holiday dinner. 

One of the most fascinating story lines in Season One of the HBO series "The Gilded Age" was that of the young black writer Peggy Scott and her Brooklyn family.  Elements of Peggy's father's character were based on scholar Dr. Carla Peterson's own ancestral family.   In her groundbreaking book, Black Gotham: A Family History of African-Americans in Nineteenth Century New York City, Dr. Peterson sheds light on how this community grew, how diverse the community actually was, and she provides insight into leading figures and their contributions often missing in standard accounts of the period.   In this episode Dr. Peterson discusses the path of her own research, which ultimately revealed a richer, deeper sense of community and identity than many realized. 

Celebrate the opening of the opera season Gilded Age style!  In this encore episode, Carl delves into how the Metropolitan Opera came to be and what it meant to those bejewelled Gilded Age audiences.  Most of the drama took place in the audience - and not so much on the stage. On the night of October 22, 1883, the brand new Metropolitan Opera House opened its doors.  The new theater was able to accommodate many more prime seats than the old Academy of Music, and as a result, "new money" socialites like Alva Vanderbuilt could finally get their dream - a private box at the opera.  But most of these opera goers weren't there for the music. They were there to jockey for social position, play the game of "see and be seen" and hopefully get one's daughter married off to an appropriate fortune.  This episode goes in to the drama -- on stage and off -- that accompanied that first opera season at the net Met - so put on your favorite gown from Paris, don your top hat and cane and join The Gilded Gentleman for a Gilded Age night at the opera. Visit the website for images related to this subject. And check out the whole list of episodes from the Gilded Gentleman here.