

Astonishing Legends
Astonishing Legends Productions
The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That's what co-hosts Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, and co-executive producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have discovered the thrill of exploring the mysteries of our world, showing that the unknown can be both captivating and intriguing. Welcome to Astonishing Legends!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 13, 2024 • 1h 53min
The Entity Part 1 with Xavier Ortega
Astonishing Legends finally tackles the infamous Entity haunting case from the 1970s, featuring an exclusive interview with researcher Xavier Ortega from GhostTheory.com. This is the story of Doris Bither, a single mother in Culver City, California, who was repeatedly assaulted by spectral entities in her home. Ortega shares new information from his interviews with Bither’s sons, providing unprecedented insight into the family’s experiences.For the first time, it’s revealed that the paranormal activity began after Bither attempted to communicate with entities through Ouija board seances. Listeners will hear about strange phenomena witnessed by multiple observers, including apparitions, unexplained noises, and physical attacks. Scott, Forrest, and Xavier will share details of spectral assaults in Part 1 of this series that most folks haven’t heard about. This is a deep dive into one of the most disturbing paranormal cases in American history, with new revelations that have never before been shared publicly.Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Oct 1, 2024 • 3min
Special Announcement on Hurricane Helene
A special announcement regarding Hurricane Helene.https://reddit.com/r/ashevillehttps://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helenehttps://umcmission.org/United Way link updated from link in the announcement:https://www.unitedway.org/hurricane-helene#

Sep 29, 2024 • 2h 20min
American Bloodfalls with Tom Maxwell Part 2
In our conclusion to our two-part series on American Bloodfalls, we dive deeper into the mysterious phenomenon that baffled witnesses across 19th-century America. Our special guest, Tom Maxwell, guides us through more perplexing incidents of blood and meat raining from the sky, from the famous Kentucky Meat Shower of 1876 to the final recorded event in 1902. We examine the scientific analyses of the time, which often identified the fallen material as animal tissue yet failed to propose any reasonable theories about its origins. Tom helps us navigate the theories proposed over the years and why they fall short when confronted with eyewitness accounts and the scale of events. We’ll discuss connections to biblical accounts and consider how these events might reflect their time's cultural and spiritual climate. Then, of course, we’ll get to the theories, even though the mundane ones have been tough to identify with this legend. But yes, portals and UFOs will probably make the scene. Tom helps us grapple with how these occurrences challenge humanity’s modern, materialist worldview and why meat showers and bloodfalls seem to have ceased by the early 20th century. Even after all of this time, they continue to defy explanation. However, that won’t stop us from trying to figure it out.Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Sep 15, 2024 • 1h 56min
American Bloodfalls with Tom Maxwell Part 1
Bloodfalls and meat showers - phenomena that sound more like biblical plagues than historical events. Yet, reports of these bizarre occurrences peppered the American landscape for over a century. From Alabama to Massachusetts, Tennessee to California, eyewitnesses sometimes described small red clouds followed by downpours of blood, flesh, and viscera. Some were subjected to the red rain on entirely cloudless days. While many saw divine judgment, skeptics suspected elaborate hoaxes. Scientists proposed numerous theories ranging from vomiting vultures to atmospheric anomalies, while newspapers spread the stories far and wide. But what really happened during these grisly events? Were they connected or separate phenomena with similar descriptions? And why did they seem to stop abruptly at the turn of the 20th century? Join us as we delve into this bloody chapter of American history with our special guest, Tom Maxwell, former frontman of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and bloodfall expert, for Part 1 of this 2-part series. Together, we'll examine not just what fell from the sky, but what these incidents reveal about 19th-century America - its people, its science, and its struggle to make sense of a rapidly changing world. From the fringes of meteorology to the depths of human nature, this is the strange, gruesome, and utterly captivating story of America's reign of blood and meat.Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Sep 2, 2024 • 25min
Special Announcements for Season 2 of Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf!
Richard & Susan drop in with some important upcoming dates and announcements about all things RHPB, including a couple of SPECIAL UPCOMING EPISODES you’ll want to know about right away… Enjoy!

Aug 25, 2024 • 1h 29min
The Body on the Moor Part 2
The authorities may have finally learned of the man on the moor's identity, yet, as they say, this only raised many more questions than his real name answered. As police questioned his family, his neighbors, service providers, and even an ex-girlfriend, a picture of a pretty peculiar man emerged. "Neil Dovestone" went by the name David Lytton. However, even his legal name was perhaps a privacy screen to hide his emotions and past behind, as his given name was David Keith Lautenberg. Described as a kind and conscientious man, Lytton also led a very ascetic and minimalist lifestyle, adding to the mystery of his mindset. Those who knew him in England, even his partner at the time, Maureen Toogood, had no idea he had quietly moved to Pakistan after abruptly cutting off contact to live there for several years. Even with more pieces to the puzzle now in place, there's still no clue as to what led him to where he chose to end everything and why. Was it solely his doing, or was someone else involved? What seems likely is that his body was staged postmortem so it would be found in a more peaceful pose. Although you may think this story is "Case Closed," the official status from the UK courts is that it's still an "Open Conclusion." Join us once again for Part 2 as we learn more about a man whose life was as much of an enigma as his death.Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Aug 18, 2024 • 1h 17min
The Body on the Moor Part 1
On Friday, December 11, 2015, at 9:04 a.m., a man started a train journey at Ealing Broadway Station in west London, England. At 9:50 a.m., he arrived at Euston station to book an over two-hour trip to Manchester. The next day, at 10:47 a.m., his body was discovered by a cyclist close to the Chew Track near Saddleworth Moor in the Peak District National Park. The man was 6 feet 1 inch tall, white, of slim build, and had receding grey hair and blue eyes and determined to be between 60 and 70 years of age. However, this description was the only identifying factor initially discovered about him. He had no ID, wallet, phone, or keys, nothing to tell who this man was. He was dressed nicely but inappropriately for a hike in such inclement weather. The only item found on his person was a container of Pakistani origin labeled for thyroid medication but which now contained strychnine. This was the poison that led to his death. The cyclist also found the man in an odd position; his arms crossed over his chest and next to the trail as if peacefully napping. This was another puzzling clue, as victims of strychnine poisoning are usually writhing in agony before their horrible demise. The pathology technicians who examined the body gave the unfortunate stranger the name of "Neil Dovestone" after the Dovestone reservoir near his resting place. So, who was "Neil Dovestone," and why did he travel such a long distance to this particular spot for a careless hike, or was it for a darker purpose? Who removed his identifying items, and did he take his own life or fall victim to murder? Join us for part one of our investigation into The Body on the Moor.Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Jul 21, 2024 • 3h 11min
The Betty and Barney Hill Abduction Part 2
Kathleen Marden, Betty Hill’s niece, discusses the UFO phenomenon, debunking hoaxes, and societal taboos surrounding the Betty and Barney Hill abduction. Topics include alien encounters, detailed descriptions of abductions, and the impact on abductees. The conversation also explores interdimensional aspects, memory recall, and the psychological implications of alien encounters.

4 snips
Jul 14, 2024 • 1h 44min
The Betty and Barney Hill Abduction Part 1
A couple encounters a UFO on a road trip, undergoes hypnosis to reveal the truth, and faces eerie experiences leading to their alleged abduction. The podcast explores encounters with aliens, psychic abilities, and hypnosis, delving into the aftermath of the mysterious encounter and discussing skepticism, interracial marriage challenges, and unexplained phenomena.

Jun 30, 2024 • 1h 1min
Live from Monster Fest 2 w/ Scared All The Time
Scott and Forrest are joined by Chris Cullari and Ed Voccola, the hosts of Scared All The Time, for a live show at Monster Fest 2. Featuring live listener stories and EVP’s collected live on site from the Sallie House DR60!Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.And check out more from our hit network show Scared All The Time!


