You Must Remember This
Karina Longworth
You Must Remember This is a storytelling podcast exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. It’s the brainchild and passion project of Karina Longworth (founder of Cinematical.com, former film critic for LA Weekly), who writes, narrates, records and edits each episode. It is a heavily-researched work of creative nonfiction: navigating through conflicting reports, mythology, and institutionalized spin, Karina tries to sort out what really happened behind the films, stars and scandals of the 20th century.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 24, 2015 • 47min
38: Star Wars Episode XII: Bob Hope vs. Bing Crosby
Bob Hope is remembered as the 20th century celebrity most devoted to entertaining the troops. Bing Crosby, Hope’s partner on seven Road to… films, sang the song that became an unlikely alternate national anthem during World War II. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 17, 2015 • 42min
37: Star Wars Episode XI: Charlie Chaplin
A look at Charlie Chaplin’s clash with rising fascism and why Hollywood feared taking on Hitler. The making of The Great Dictator, its risky secrecy, changing endings, and that famous humanist speech. Scandals, FBI scrutiny, and how politics and personal life pushed Chaplin toward exile.
Mar 10, 2015 • 47min
36: Star Wars Episode X: Errol Flynn
A fast-paced look at a swashbuckling movie star whose charm hid a messy past. Tales of rise to fame, violent affairs, and studio image-making. Courtroom drama over a sensational rape trial and the public fallout. Decline marked by addiction, exile, and financial ruin. Controversy over alleged wartime espionage and tangled friendships round out the story.
Mar 3, 2015 • 44min
35: Star Wars Episode IX: Olivia de Havilland and John Huston, with Special Guest Rian Johnson
A dive into John Huston’s restless early life, daring wartime filmmaking, and the controversies around staged combat footage. A look at Olivia de Havilland’s screen persona, her clash with studio power, and the landmark lawsuit that reshaped actor contracts. Personal romances, on-set tensions, and the cinema that followed WWII are highlighted in brisk, dramatic turns.
Feb 24, 2015 • 47min
34: Star Wars Episode VIII: How Norma Jeane Became Marilyn Monroe
A deep dive into the making of Marilyn Monroe through her tangled family history and uncertain parentage. Childhood trauma, foster homes, and early idolization shaped her identity. The transformation from Norma Jean to a bleached-blond model and name change is traced. Scandals, nude photography, and rising press attention propelled her into stardom while shaping her public persona.
Feb 17, 2015 • 1h 4min
33: Star Wars Episode VII: Lena Horne
Lena Horne, legendary singer, actress and civil rights activist, appears through archival songs and clips. The conversation traces her rise from Cotton Club chorus to MGM stardom, wartime USO work and pinup status, Hollywood tokenism and studio limitations, and her later reclamation of voice with bold performances and activism.
Feb 10, 2015 • 40min
32: Star Wars Episode VI: Marlene Dietrich
A deep dive into Marlene Dietrich's transformation from Weimar violin student to Hollywood androgynous glamour icon. Tales of wartime courage, USO frontline tours, and secretive intelligence and propaganda work. Postwar disorientation, financial ruin, and a fraught attempt at cinematic reinvention round out her complicated life.
Feb 3, 2015 • 47min
31: Star Wars Episode V: Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles
A deep dive into the studio machine that erased Rita Hayworth's origins and reshaped her image. Tales of exploitation, control, and the men who managed her career and marriage. The tumultuous romance with Orson Welles, their creative collaborations, and how films mirrored their private unraveling.
Jan 27, 2015 • 42min
30: Star Wars Episode IV: Gene Tierney (Or: The Many Loves of Howard Hughes, Chapter 5)
Dive into the captivating life of Gene Tierney, a star of 1940s film noir, whose personal life was as dramatic as her roles. Discover her tumultuous relationships, including with Howard Hughes and Jack Kennedy, revealing the complexity of love and fame. Explore her struggles with mental health, intertwined with her Hollywood successes. The narrative examines how motherhood and personal tragedies shaped her resilience and legacy in film, offering a poignant glimpse into the soul of a legendary actress.
Jan 20, 2015 • 43min
29: Star Wars Episode III: Hedy Lamarr
A portrait of Hedy Lamarr as both scandalized screen beauty and secret inventor. Tales of her controversial film Ecstasy and constrained marriage to an arms mogul. Her daring escape to Hollywood, style influence, and stalled studio career. The surprising story of her frequency-hopping invention and its late impact on modern wireless technology.
