1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History class from how 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot Com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: I'm probably I'm Tracy Wilson, and today we are talking 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: about figure in film history that is very near and 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:22,799 Speaker 1: dear to my heart. Uh. And you may not know 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: her name off hand, but you have seen her and 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: you know her face. Uh. I think you maybe know 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: her hair. You do for her famous role, and you 9 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: probably have heard her famous scream because after she appeared 10 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: as the love interest for Dr. Frankenstein's monster in the 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: Bride of Frankenstein, Elsa Lanchester really became a film icon. 12 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: But her life story is so fascinating and insane in 13 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: a good way. Um, that it's really better than many 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: of the fictional stories she was part of. But she 15 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: it really is an icon of horror. Uh. And particularly 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: you know in those were in the fall and Halloween time. 17 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: There are often lots of showings of The Bride of 18 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: Frankenstein that go on where you can go see it 19 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: in the theater, sometimes remastered. I always try to catch it. Uh. 20 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: And for the purposes of this podcast, we're primarily focusing 21 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: on Else's early life leading up to her legendary role 22 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: in James Wales's follow up to Frankenstein. She was just 23 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: such a character that we would like run on for 24 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: literally days and days and days if we tried to 25 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: cover her entire life in depth, because she had a 26 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,279 Speaker 1: very long career, she had a lot of interesting friends, 27 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: she did a lot of interesting things. But as it is, 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,639 Speaker 1: we still have to do a two parter even just 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: covering kind of her early life leading up to her 30 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: launch into Famous Frankenstein's Monster's Bride. H And I just 31 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: I she's one of those people that when I talked 32 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: to people about her as I do, uh, and I 33 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: start telling them things about like her childhood, they give 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: me this look like this cannot be a real thing, 35 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: because it's pretty radical, especially considering when up Yeah, so, yeah, 36 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: she was born more than a hundred years ago, and 37 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: some of the things that happened to her as a kid, 38 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: even if it were happening today, and some of those 39 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: things like that do happen today, it would still be 40 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: considered unconventional. Uh. So we're going to kick off with 41 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: sam Elsa Lanchester, and first we have to talk about 42 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: her parents. Her mother was Edith Lanchester, and she was 43 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: one of a family of eight children, and she was 44 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: born in eighteen seventy three in Brighton. Her father was 45 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: James Sullivan and he was an Irish policeman's son. Edith 46 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: and James met at a meeting of the Social Democratic Party. 47 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: They were both socialists and their politics were a really 48 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: huge part of their life together. Yeah, and the pair 49 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: never married, which is kind of interesting. And again keep 50 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: in mind we're talking about the Lady eighteen hundreds, early 51 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: nineteen hundreds. They did not believe in marriage, um. And 52 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: this actually proved to be a little bit problematic for Edith. 53 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: Her father and her brother's in when she had decided 54 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: that she was going to live, you know, basically in 55 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: a marriage type situation with James, but they were not 56 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: going to get married, her father and brothers kidnapped her 57 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: for her radical beliefs and they even um had a 58 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: certificate of insanity at the ready during this kidnapping, and 59 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: on it they cited quote over education as the cause 60 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: of her lunacy, like this woman clearly has learned too 61 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: many things and it's given her crazy ideas. So in 62 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: this context, a little bit problematic involved being kidnapped and 63 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: institutionalized by your family, Your family and they took her 64 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: to a mental asylum and this really was basically it 65 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: all boiled down to the fact that she did not 66 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: want to get married and they could not comprehend how 67 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: that could be a real life choice. Uh. And there 68 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: were protests on the part of um friends of Edith 69 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,839 Speaker 1: and James that were part of their political group, and 70 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: James Sullivan worked really, really hard, and there was lots 71 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: of paperwork and lots of hearings, and he find only 72 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: was able to secure Edith's release, and the case actually 73 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: became quite famous. It was known as the Lanchester kidnapping 74 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: and it was reported in international papers. And this incident 75 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: really severed ties between Edith and her family for many 76 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: many years, understandably uh. And it also interestingly led to 77 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: the reform of the so called lunacy laws in Great Britain, 78 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: because this was a woman who could speak very well 79 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: on her behalf. She clearly was not in any way 80 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: insane UM and yet she had been, but because of 81 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: loopholes in the legal system, they were able to say 82 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: that she was and have her committed. So it really 83 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: led to a good bit of her reform. Two years 84 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: after this kidnapping, James and Edith gave birth to a 85 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: son named Waldo that was and a little later Elsa 86 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: was born on October two. Uh. He had to say 87 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: that she had an unconventional childhood is something of an understatement. Again, 88 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: keep in mind early nineteen hundreds, uh, and it's no 89 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: surprise that a couple like James and Edith were not 90 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: going to be exactly average parents. There had actually been 91 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: a London City Council ruling around that time that all 92 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: children had to begin school at age five, but the 93 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: Lanchester Sullivan household was not entirely compliant with that. Waldo 94 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,679 Speaker 1: actually did go to school. He went to a boys 95 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: school that was run by a socialist headmaster that they 96 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,239 Speaker 1: had befriended. His name was Frederick Kettle. But Edith wanted 97 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: to home school Elsa because she felt like girls were 98 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: not really going to get a valuable education in the 99 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: school system. Right. So the family, responding in in part 100 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: to this, became really mobile. They didn't really stay in 101 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: one place for very long. In Elsa Lanchester herself, Elsa writes, 102 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: we were always moving away from something that had overtones 103 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: of legal involvement, however harmless. My mother always seemed to 104 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: have the law on her side. She knew every loophole 105 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: in dozens of by laws, vaccinations, census, night landladies who 106 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: would not make repairs and correct sanitary inspectors. My parents 107 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: moved six times to avoid having me vaccinated because my 108 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: brother Waldo had quote taken very badly six years before 109 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: the local green grocer, a socialist, would move our few 110 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: possessions in the night, which was called shooting the moon. 111 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: So yeah, they were already a kind of an untethered 112 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: lifestyle from pretty much day one, and because the family 113 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: tended to move around a good bit, they really did 114 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: avoid the prying eyes of the city council for quite 115 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 1: a while. But when also was six and a half, 116 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: the jig was up. They got caught. And despite the 117 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: fact that Edith could prove to the council that she 118 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: was extremely well educated and perfectly capable of passing knowledge 119 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: to her children, Elsa was not allowed to learn at home. 120 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: They did not have a home schooling setup um and 121 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 1: she had to enroll in a council school. But they 122 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: also had a provision that Elsa would stay outside during 123 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: morning prayers because, in addition to being socialists and uh 124 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: kind of on the move and anti vaccination, they were 125 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: also eight Theists, which again is kind of an odd 126 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: thing at this time in history. Um So Elsa would 127 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: not participate in the prayers. And she was very bright, 128 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: and she knew about a great many things because her 129 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: mother really had taught her a lot, but she struggled 130 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: with the curriculum and structure in the new school. She 131 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: tells a story in her biography about them asking her 132 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: a question I think about how to make change, like 133 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: how many coins went into paper money, and she kind 134 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: of panicked and ran away and cried because she didn't 135 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: know the answer. Uh. And because I think this is 136 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: somewhat my inference, because she was a bright child, I 137 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: think it really hurt her to not know a thing. 138 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: And so that did not last. Um she did not 139 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: do so well at the Council school, but eventually her 140 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: parents made arrangements for her to attend the same school 141 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: as Waldo that was run by their socialist friend Mr Kettle, 142 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: even though she was the only girl there. So she 143 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: went to an all boys school but was the only 144 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: girl in attendance. But this arrangement seemed to work out 145 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: much better for ELS's She speaks very fondly of that 146 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: time and the fund that she had learning and and 147 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: how it was less structured so it really suited her 148 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: learning style much better. In addition to all this thinking 149 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: about how her children should be educated, Edith, who was 150 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: called Biddy by her husband and children, also had the 151 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: family on a strict vegetarian diet. James, who went by 152 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: shamous in the household, was grudgingly allowed a little bit 153 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: of meat on occasion because he believed that it was 154 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: good for his rheumatism. Yeah, but Biddy allegedly would say 155 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: all of the things that um people say when they 156 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: don't want someone to eat meat. Where he would be 157 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,719 Speaker 1: eating these little amounts of meat. There was a lot 158 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: of pigs head discussion if you read her biography, and 159 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: they would boil a pig's head and he would eat that, 160 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,839 Speaker 1: but she would Biddy would always pass by him and 161 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: say like, I hope you're enjoying your corpse. And because 162 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 1: she really was a very strict vegetarian. Again, this is 163 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: a very surprising combo in this era to be an atheist, 164 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: socialist vegetarian that is anti vaccination and living in a 165 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: non marriage, living in a non marriage with your child 166 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: enrolled in an all boys school, even though she's a girl. 167 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: It's a really unusual set of circumstances. However, in this 168 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: vegetarian household, Elsa was really fascinated with and craved meat. 169 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 1: She writes in her book quote, the smell of frying 170 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: bacon coming from houses on the way to school made 171 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: me start to think that maybe my mother was a 172 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: bit evil. Eventually, she got into this habit where she 173 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: would use her allowance. She got a penny per week 174 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: for cleaning the kitchen on the weekends. Uh, and she 175 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: would spend this money that she earned on household chores 176 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: to purchase oxo or bovrel cubes, which is basically bully 177 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: on cubes beef bullyon. And she would eat them secretly 178 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: in kind of like this defiance of her vegetarian parents. Um. 179 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: And she talks about quartering them, like cutting them into 180 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: four pieces and eating one piece at a time, and 181 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: how she just thought it was the most delicious thing, 182 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: just kind of fascinating and just eat bullion. But his 183 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: salt is very good. It's salt is good, and you 184 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: know salt. The taste meaty if you have been raised vegetarian, 185 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 1: might be very yummy. If that's what you're craving. The 186 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: story also reminds me of like when I was a kid, 187 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: there were things that were purchased from the grocery store 188 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: that were for my dad's lunch that we were not 189 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: allowed to have, and that meant that I wanted that 190 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: the most. I wanted those little Debbie cookies more than 191 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: anything else that was being the house ever. Oh yeah, 192 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: And you know, kids will always I really think firmly, 193 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: and again I am not a parent, but kids will 194 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: always find a way to rebel. Uh. And you know, 195 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: for her, she lived in this very liberal, freethinking household. 196 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: Like to rebel she had to go in search of meat, 197 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: which I think is kind of charming. Uh. And now 198 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: we will return to the wonderful world of Elsa and 199 00:10:55,200 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: her dance training. Yeah. So, when Elsa was around ten 200 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: years old, her mother, Biddy, befriended an American artist and 201 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: dancer named Raymond Duncan. Raymond, at the time was teaching 202 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: arts and crafts classes in Chelsea and like leather making, 203 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: like making your own shoes, and just all kinds of 204 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: sort of interesting classes. And Raymond found Elsa to be 205 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: really quite a talented and interesting child. And when his sister, 206 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: who happened to be the famous dancer is Adora Duncan 207 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: decided to start a dance school in Paris. Elsa, who 208 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 1: was a legend eleven by now, UH, was hand picked 209 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: to be one of the first students there based on 210 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 1: Raymond's recommendation, and all the expenses for her training were 211 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: to be paid by the school, which is really quite 212 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: a cool opportunity for a kid. UH. Biddy went to 213 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: Paris with Elsa and got a job at the school. UH. 214 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: Reading her autobiography, I Elsa was not very happy about this. 215 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: She wanted to go off and do this by herself, 216 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: and her mom was. She describes her as hovering over 217 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: her all the time. The helicopter parents. Yeah, I think 218 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: it was neat to go to Paris. Yeah, well I 219 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: would think that to you. But she was eleven, very 220 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: independent and wanted to go do it by herself. But 221 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: to see where most parents would not be cool with that. Yeah, 222 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: let's talk about her independence. Every morning, students were supposed 223 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: to line up and kiss Isadora's hand and greet her. 224 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: But in Hels his own words, I just pretended to 225 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: kiss it because the gesture was too much like bowing 226 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: before royalty. It practice not favored and Biddy's and Shamus's world. Yeah, 227 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: she doesn't speak very well of visitor. It's not kid. No, 228 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: I would not be about that either because germs. Yeah, 229 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: well she if you see interviews with her when she 230 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: appeared on Dick Cabot quite some time ago, she talks 231 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: at length about her time Isadora Duncan's school, and it's 232 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 1: not kind. She does not think of the woman as lovely, 233 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: although the time she spent there she really liked. But 234 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: her account of her dance training under as a Door 235 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: Duncan is really hilarious. Elsa was a very witty woman 236 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: in her writing is really fun to read, and she 237 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: describes is a Door's training in the following way quote, 238 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: I soon learned that all Isadora could do was teach 239 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: us to run away from or toward an enemy, or 240 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 1: to become an autumn leaf or something like. She basically 241 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: thought she was going to get actual dance training, and 242 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: what she got was kind of interpretive dance training that 243 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,479 Speaker 1: was more about feelings and thoughts and less about technique. 244 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: Aside from the dance training, the students at this you know, 245 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: really chic school led super glamorous lives. Limousines would take 246 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: them to museums. There would be famous and important visitors 247 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: in the school all the time, and they were fed 248 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: lavish meals cooked by French chefs. Yeah, they got to 249 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: go to the louver all the time as a group 250 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: and think a cute little outfits made for them. But 251 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: unfortunately World War One was looming and most of the 252 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 1: children that had homes that were outside of Paris were 253 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: sent back to them. And also was among those kids 254 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: that that ended up leaving the school. Yeah. Shortly after 255 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 1: the assassination of Archduke Frances Ferdinand in nineteen fourteen, Mr 256 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: Kettle's Socialists School, which is where Elsa had returned after 257 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 1: her advance adventure in France, had to shut down. And 258 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: Elsa was twelve at this time, and the legal age 259 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: at which children were allowed to leave school was fourteen, 260 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: so there had to be some alternate arrangements for education. Yeah, 261 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: and to keep her education going, they kind of worked 262 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: out another interesting deal. They are always interesting deals, it seems. 263 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: In her family's story. Um Elsa ended up going to 264 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: a co ed boarding school at King's Langley in Berkshire, 265 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: and she earned her room and board there by teaching 266 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: dance classes two to three times a week, because even 267 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: though she's only twelve at this point, she had spent 268 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: time studying under Isadore Duncan's she had this clout that 269 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: they were able to kind of trade and say no, no, 270 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: she will teach your students the same thing she learned. Um. 271 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: But she says, of this arrangement, I knew I was 272 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: quite unfit to learn or teach. And after her time 273 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: being in France and you know, being well fed and 274 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: culturally stimulated, and you know, meeting interesting people at this 275 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: dance school, she really found it quite unpleasant to return 276 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: uh to London and and to you know, kind of 277 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: have what she felt was a very mundane life. She 278 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: found it unpleasant and she did not stay in the 279 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: assignment very long. So instead she eventually found work as 280 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: an assistant to one of Raymond Duncan's adult pupils named 281 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: Rose Benton, and she helped her out on this lecture 282 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: tour about Greek history and um Greek esthetics. But once 283 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: the tour fizzled out, because those things do not last forever, 284 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: Elsa continued to kind of trade in teaching engagements. So 285 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: as the war was going on, she was basically earning 286 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: her keep by teaching. Since the Lancester Sullivan household had 287 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: always been political, it's really not surprising that Elsa's brother, Waldo, 288 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: became a conscientious objector when his time was due for 289 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: conscription into the army. After a tribunal questioning where Waldo 290 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: was asked this long series of questions about his political 291 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: and moral views, he was sent to Wormwood Scrubs Prison 292 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: for a year in lieu of service. As the war 293 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: went on, he was recommitted to prison several times. And 294 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: and Else's account of this time, she says, I was 295 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: sure that Waldo's being a CEO was due to Betty's influence. 296 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: I was too young and confused to know what to think. Uh. 297 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: And after the war, Waldo was released and he came 298 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: home to live with the family, and like Elsa, he 299 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: worked on a wide range of jobs to make ends meet, 300 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: although he eventually settled into a career as a puppeteer or, 301 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: which their mother also worked in as well as one 302 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: of her many many things. And just as a brief aside, 303 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: it's kind of interesting, uh, Elsa, having grown up in 304 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: this very political household, was kind of not all that political. Again, 305 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: it's probably part of her rebellious spirit, but it was 306 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: like she kind of recognized that there were a lot 307 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: of mack nations going on on the world stage, but 308 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: she also recognized that she didn't always grasp what it 309 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: all was. And I think she also didn't want to 310 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: give it a level of import because she didn't want 311 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: to give in to her parents and make them think 312 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: that she was somehow supporting their ideals because she was 313 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: rebellious girl. Yeah, in her early adulthood, she was creatively, 314 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: very busy. In nineteen twenties she made her dance hall 315 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: debut as an Egyptian dancer, and she would perform in 316 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: theatrical shows and cabarets for her entire life. Also in 317 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: nineteen twenties, she co founded the Children's Theater in London, 318 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: and she worked there as a teacher for several years. 319 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:25,199 Speaker 1: And the way it was set up was that the 320 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: lessons were given to children for free, so any child 321 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: could come and take lessons uh and to make money, 322 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: the theater would put on performances that would fund the 323 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: school's um functions. Performances would include anything from like songs. 324 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: Sometimes they would do short plays, sometimes full length plays, 325 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: they would do dances, they would do adaptations of fairy 326 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: tales and novels and both play and dance form, and 327 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: these productions actually became really successful. Also worked very hard, 328 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: and her students also worked very hard, and they put 329 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: on really pretty impressive shows, considering that they were working 330 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: on a shoestring budget, but they became successful to the 331 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: point that they were actually making money, and that was 332 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,199 Speaker 1: a problem. H The London City Council called Elsa in 333 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: for questioning and they actually accused her of exploiting the 334 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: children under the Child Slave Act because they were now 335 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: actually turning a profit from these. The council forbade the 336 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: last performance of the show that was running at the time, 337 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: but Elsa arranged for the show to go on in 338 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 1: the school's practice room instead of the theater, and with 339 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 1: slips inserted into the program notifying the audience that all 340 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: proceeds for the show we're going to the Save the 341 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: Children Fund. After that, though, the theater floundered and it 342 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: was eventually shut down. But at this point Elsa had 343 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 1: already moved on to another project. Yeah, she was a 344 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: very busy lady. She and her partner at the time, 345 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: Harold Scott had had this vision for a nightclub where 346 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: they could perform midnight plays, and in that vision manifested 347 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: as a club called the Cave of Harmony. And this 348 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: actually becomes a very important kind of touchstone of her 349 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: early creative life. And in its early stages, the nightclub 350 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 1: was in a space that they were actually renting by 351 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: the hour, So they would move into this space late 352 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: at night, rent it for a few hours, put on 353 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,159 Speaker 1: their plays, and then leave. But before long, because it 354 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: was becoming very successful, uh, they moved to a dedicated 355 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: space and there they continued to stage their cabaret acts 356 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 1: and plays, and Elsa even had aloft built into the 357 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: space so that she could sleep there on late nights 358 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: if she wanted. But she also kind of used it 359 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: as her own little, uh special getaway, and she wrote 360 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: of her little balcony that she had built in this 361 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 1: comfortable den, I felt independent and secure. I could see 362 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 1: down onto the dance floor through a small window, and 363 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: I could retire if I wanted to, and just listen 364 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 1: to the music and the general babble. To supplement her 365 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: income and make enough to eat and pay the rent, 366 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: during this time, Elsa did all kinds of other odd jobs. 367 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: So she sat for painters and sculptors, and she took 368 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: on housekeeping work, and she also took on a series 369 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:05,400 Speaker 1: of jobs that technically we're acting, but weren't maybe entirely 370 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 1: on up and up, helping out couples who wanted to 371 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: get a divorce. Yeah, so this is kind of a 372 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: weird concept to me. I think it's awesome. Uh, it's interesting. Uh, 373 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you why I think it's weird once 374 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: we kind of explain what it is. So, in instances 375 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: where a wife had been unfaithful, most husbands just sort 376 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: of culturally at the time, would try to do the 377 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: right thing, and they wouldn't even though their wife had 378 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: perhaps wronged them, would not want her to be branded 379 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: a so called scarlet woman in a divorce, and so 380 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 1: they would arrange to stage these affairs of their own, 381 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: but often they weren't actual affairs, so also would sometimes 382 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: be contracted through a lawyer, and she would be hired 383 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: to meet with these men in a hotel and then 384 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: to appear in the morning so that the maid would 385 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,719 Speaker 1: see them alongside this gentleman in her pajamas, and this 386 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: enabled the maid to testify that the husband had been 387 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: seen in a hotel with a woman that was not 388 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: his wife, and this would cause the divorces to move 389 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: along very quickly at that point rather than dragging on, 390 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: because a man being unfaithful was more common and viewed 391 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: as a pretty open and shut case in divorce proceedings, 392 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: whereas a woman being unfaithful they would drag on and 393 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: get very messy. Yeah. Well, and the man was less 394 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: likely to be stigmatized forever a woman, right, although the 395 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: woman would also be stigma stigmatized, you know, had she 396 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: been revealed as an adulterer. So basically they stigma for everyone. Yeah. 397 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: If if the woman in the couple had been the 398 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: ones that committ adultery, her stigma would have been much 399 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: much greater than if the finding was on that of 400 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: the man. Yeah. Uh. And Lanchester is really clear in 401 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: her autobiography that this was in no way a sexual arrangement. 402 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: She's it's interesting because she is such a free spirit, 403 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: but there is a sort of um she has a 404 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: sense of propriety in her right dating where she will 405 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: be very open about some of her behaviors. But it's 406 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: written in a sort of prim way, which is interesting. 407 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: But she is really very adamant that no, no, this 408 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: was an acting job. To me, I was not doing 409 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: anything sexual. This wasn't um in any way untoward romantically. 410 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: But she does acknowledge that it's kind of outside the 411 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: realm of pure legality, like that she knows it's not 412 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: entirely right, and she didn't do it a lot because 413 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: she had some misgivings about it not being entirely legal. 414 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: But it's kind of a fascinating job for a girl 415 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: to have. Yeah, and you can go down a long 416 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: rabbit hole about what is more ethical in the situation. Yeah, 417 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: And just for clarity for her, it was not stigmatizing 418 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: because normally in such a case, even when it went 419 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: to court, the mistress was not called to appear, so 420 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: she could be she could remain anonymous as long as 421 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: the maid could say no, I saw a woman that 422 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: was not his wife, and usually the maids seemed to 423 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:56,640 Speaker 1: be in hon it. I'm imagining divorce hotel, and that's 424 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 1: like it always is, going down in the same hotel 425 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: with the same maid and same mistress, and let's make 426 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: a reality show out of that. They're actually still laws 427 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: on the books, and a lot of places that make 428 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: divorce proceedings go differently when there is a documented adultery happening. 429 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: So I kind of wonder anyone ever still does something 430 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: like this. Sure, I'm confident that's do you have the 431 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: adultery Hotel reality shop? That's okay, don't read that, Okay. So, 432 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: through the Cave of Harmony, Elsa was just making connections 433 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: with movers and shakers in the theater community. She was 434 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: making a name for herself as an actress. As her 435 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,879 Speaker 1: acting career started to take off, her entrepreneurial work at 436 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: the Cave started to become less and less of a 437 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: part of her life. And we're going to talk about 438 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: the next big part of her life in our next episode. Yeah. Uh, 439 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: it's because it launches really and becomes a lot more 440 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: about acting in her career. Uh, in the public eye then, 441 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: and um, yeah, we'll talk about all of that on 442 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: the follow up episode. Yes, do you have some listener 443 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: mail for us? Absolutely? I do. This particular piece of 444 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: mail is from our listener Alex, and he says, Hi, 445 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: Ali and Tracy, I've been saving up some things to 446 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: write about for a while now. Ever since I started 447 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: listening to the podcast, I finally had to write because 448 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 1: of your podcast on Filo Farnsworth. The first thing I 449 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,919 Speaker 1: had to share with you was the source of inspiration 450 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: the other source of inspiration for the character of Professor 451 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: Farnsworth and Futurama, namely Professor Hubert Dreyfuss. I took a 452 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,880 Speaker 1: class by him when I was in college and heard 453 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: from others that Farnsworth's character was based on him. After 454 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: one lecture, I was convinced he looks and even speaks 455 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: a lot like the character. Okay, to me, that is 456 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: so charming. I want to enroll in that school and 457 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 1: just take a class, especially now that Futurama is over. 458 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:44,719 Speaker 1: Later in the podcast, though, I was surprised to hear 459 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: about the location of Filo Farnsworth San Francisco Lab. I 460 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: work at the Exploratory um on Pure fifteen in San Francisco, 461 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: which sounds so fun to me, just three blocks away 462 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: from the old lab. I'll have to check it out 463 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: now that I know. Incidentally, I listened to your podcast 464 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 1: every day at work. I work in the biology lab 465 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: taking care of the living things that we use for 466 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: our many living systems exhibit, and I spend a great 467 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: deal of time working on things by myself, so it's 468 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: really nice to have a podcast to listen to every day. 469 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 1: He also writes back a couple other podcasts, but I 470 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: wanted to focus on the Farmsworth one because that's really 471 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: fun to find out that you live so close to 472 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: something that is so cool and fun. Uh. And I 473 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,479 Speaker 1: bet there's there's still a plaque there as far as 474 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: I know, so Alex, if you go check it out, 475 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:26,880 Speaker 1: take a picture of the plaque. I think I've seen pictures, 476 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: but it's better when it comes from a listener. It 477 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 1: is um. If you would like to write to us 478 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 1: and share your thoughts about uh, Filo, Farnsworth or else 479 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: there or any other things, you can do so at 480 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: History Podcast at Discovery dot com. You can also connect 481 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: with us on Facebook at facebook dot com slash history 482 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 1: class stuff, and we are on Twitter at Miston History, 483 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 1: and we are penning on Pinterest, so you can check 484 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: us out on all of those areas. If you want 485 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 1: to uh check out something having to do with today's 486 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: podcast subject, you can go to our website. If I've 487 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: been the word actors and a fun quiz will come 488 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 1: up called quiz no your Frankenstein actors uh. And it's 489 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: a fun little one on Moodie many actors you would 490 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: play Frankenstein because much like Hamlet, it's one of those 491 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: parts that everyone has to play. Uh, we have to 492 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: play Frankenstein or do we have to play Frankenstein's monster? 493 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: We're both both were talking. There are actors that play 494 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: both roles in that quiz, as well as some other roles. 495 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: And so if you would like to learn more about that, 496 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: or anything else that your mind can conjure up, you 497 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: can do so at our website, which is how Stuff 498 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 1: Works dot com. For more on this and thousands of 499 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 1: other topics, does it house to works dot com. Netflix 500 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: streams TV shows and movies directly to your home, saving 501 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: you time, money, and hassle. As a Netflix member, you 502 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: can instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming directly to 503 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: your PC, Mac, or right to your TV with your 504 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,560 Speaker 1: Xbox three, sixty P S three or Nintendo we console 505 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,160 Speaker 1: plus Apple devices, Kindle and Nook. Get a free thirty 506 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 1: day trial membership. Go to www dot Netflix dot com 507 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: and sign up now.