PODCAST · tv
Fanacek
by fanacekpodcast
Fanacek explores all things film and television by starting with a theme and then diving down the IMDB rabbit hole. We’ll explore acting credits, crazy guest stars, cool locations, awesome move posters, and absurd and obscure projects that have been lost to history.
Episodes
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The Hart to Hart Curse
There are so many movies that are thought to be "cursed"...Poltergeist, The Exorcist. Rebel Without a Cause, etc. But where are my cursed TV shows? Certainly there must be a few small screen productions that were cursed, right? Well, listeners, I submit to you a series that I believe to be…
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RFK & Mineo & Manson (Part 2)
Ok, now that we're all caught up on RFK, Mineo, and Manson 101, we can now focus our energy on some fun stuff you likely didn't know about Chuck Manson. Like it or not, Manson wormed his way into pop culture immortality. This episode shines a light on his involvement with Grandpa Al Lewis,...
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RFK & Mineo & Manson (Part 1)
Let's peer into the dusty basement of pop culture and find some gems that don't get discussed enough...and let's do it while connecting RFK and Sal Mineo and Charles Manson! Trust me, these 3 fellas have more in common than you might think, and I'm learning that all pop culture roads go through...
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Fanacek's Hollywood Tales Vol. 4
More fun pop culture stories from my life in NYC, L.A., and Nashville. In this episode we'll learn about a WWE champ and an Elvis impersonator hangin' at The Viper Room, my time with Rainn Wilson, NY's Gotham Comedy Club in the 90s, celebs at Clippers games, and a bunch more. Eat up!
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Fanacek's Hollywood Tales Vol. 3
The final installment of my Hollywood Tales. This time I chat about an A-list actress being a weirdo on an airplane, a Grey's Anatomy doctor getting shitfaced, the physical abnormalities of George Clooney, and my time with an up and coming actor named Jonah Hill.
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Fanacek's Hollywood Tales Vol. 2
Want more stories from the life of Fanacek? Well, here you go. This episode features Jason Lee asking for directions, one of the Saved by the Bell hotties telling me to eff off, several awesome folks from 90210, Susan Sarandon pissed at Hollywood, and my time on the Warner Brothers lot with 2...
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Fanacek's Hollywood Tales Vol. 1
I have stories. Tons of them. Having spent many years living in both NYC and L.A., I have been around celebrities for most of my life and now it's time for me to share some of these gems with you. Join me for Volume 1 as I reminisce about Pauly Shore and my time at The Comedy Store, The Laugh...
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S8 E12 Pilot Season Finale "Bosom Buddies"
All good things must come to and end as this is the Season 8 finale. But, we're going out with a bang as we take a close look at the (kind of?) classic sitcom, Bosom Buddies. Was it a little too "out there" and farcical? Yes. Did it die a quick death? Yes. Did it launch some epic careers? You…
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Boxed In - Trapped in 80s Television! Fast Times edition!
My book is finally here and available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/09jGbH3d After years of writing down every thought I've ever had about 1980s television, my book is finally complete and on its way to you! It's a 750 page opus that I think you will love! If you are already an 80s TV aficionado, I...
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Boxed In - Trapped in 80s Television! The Incredible Hulk Edition!
My book is finally here and available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/09jGbH3d After years of writing down every thought I've ever had about 1980s television, my book is finally complete and on its way to you! It's a 750 page opus that I think you will love! If you are already an 80s TV aficionado, I...
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Boxed In - Trapped in 80s Televsion! Tony Danza edition!
My book is coming! After years of writing down every thought I've ever had about 1980s television, my book is finally complete and on its way to you! It's a 750 page opus that I think you will love! If you are already an 80s TV aficionado, I promise you will earn even more. If you have zero...
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S8 E11 Pilot Season "Saturday Night Live"
Before there was SNL, there was NBC's Saturday Night. There was also Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell (Don't worry, it will all make sense when you listen to the episode). There's nothing I can say about SNL that hasn't been said already, so sit back, relax, and let me tell you about the...
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S8 E10 Pilot Season "The Jeffersons"
If it weren't for this series, I would probably be frying fish in my kitchen and burning beans on my grill. Oh boy, do I love this show. Easily the best theme song in sitcom history, and in my not so humble opinion, the best leading man in 70s sitcom history! The Jefferson broke new ground by...
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S8 E9 Pilot Season "Barney Miller"
Show of hands. Who enjoys dry humor, ensemble casts, urban blight, and weary sarcasm, most of which is largely confined to one room in a grimy, confined 1970s NYC police precinct? If your hand is raised, than Barney Miller is the television program for you! I love this series and you should too!...
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S8 E8 Pilot Season "What's Happening!!"
Call me crazy, but this series was likeable as hell and enjoyed a shockingly successful life in syndication. It gave us the big personalities of Fred "Rerun" Berry, Shirley Hemphill, and Danielle Spencer. It also gave us the charisma blackholes that are Ernest Thomas and Haywood Nelson. Never too...
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S8 E7 Pilot Season "Chico and the Man"
"Chico, don't get discouraged, the Man he ain't so hard to understand." Ah...Chico and the Man. I have to admit, this was a really fun rewatch. Freddie Prinze was full of charm and optimism and Jack Albertson was...well...Jack Albertson. This show isn't talked about as much as it should be as it...
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S8 E6 Pilot Season "The Bob Newhart Show"
This was a listener request and I was glad to deliver! Bob Newhart is a comedy legend and this pilot episode is arguably one of the best pilots I've ever watched. Watching our guy Bob weave his way through life all calm and collected while everyone around him is batshit crazy is...well...comedy...
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S8 E5 Pilot Season "Three's Company"
"Come and knock on our door"...Oh boy, did I love this show as a kid! Suzanne Somers, sexual innuendo, misunderstandings...did I say Suzanne Somers? Let's face it, this was not meant to be a thinking man's series, nor a critical darling (although it was nominated for tons of Emmy and Golden Globe...
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S8 E4 Pilot Season: "Taxi"
Taxi. The series that gave brought legends into our living rooms: Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman, and Christopher Lloyd. It's also the series that started Tony Danza down a path of only playing characters named Tony. Join me as I explore Taxi's shared DNA with the Mary Tyler Moore…
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S8 E3 Pilot Season: "Diff'rent Strokes"
Yes, it's another Fanacek episode about a show you probably don't enjoy, but you absolutely must revisit this pilot as it is almost as batshit crazy as the rest of the series. Mr. Drummond plays white savior to two black orphans who just lost their mother. Lucky for them, they don't have a chance...
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S8 E2 Pilot Season: "The Golden Girls"
That's right. The Golden Girls. The horniest show in television history...and maybe, pound for pound the "jokiest" show in television history. Take a ride with me as I travel back in time to discuss the pilot episode of this series while also examining the television and cultural landscape in…
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S8 E1 Pilot Season: "All in the Family"
"Boy the way Glen Miller played. Songs that made the hit parade.. Guys like us we had it made. Those were the days". Ahh...a classic intro for a classic show. This season I will be focusing on pilot episodes of classic television shows and there is no better pilot episode to start with than…
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Thom Shubilla, Author of King Kong Versus Godzilla "The Most Colossal Conflict The Screen Has Ever Known".
Welcome to 2026, folks! I'm starting the year off with a bang by bringing back author Thom Shubilla. Thom's new book, "King Kong Versus Godzilla" explores the origins of King Kong, Godzilla, and dozens of other movie monsters as Kong and Godzilla make their way toward their inevitable showdown in...
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The Season 7 Finale! Hall of Famer? Randy Quaid
Sure, the character of Cousin Eddie is a definite Hall of Famer and a Christmas staple...but what abut the actor playing him? Let's dive into the resume of Mr. Quaid and take a close look at the legendary directors and fellow actors he's worked with during his 50+ year career. We'll also chitchat...
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S7 E13 Child Star resumes: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Ahh...Thanksgiving season...the gateway to Christmas. A time for family, food, booze, football, and the Peanuts gang! This special has become a staple of my family's Thanksgiving season, and probably yours as well, so why not take a look at the young folks who lent their voices to this 1973...
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S7 E12 Hall of Famer? Warren Oates (Part 2)
More Fanacek and more Warren Oates! What could be better than that? This episode will pick up where we left off and look at Warren's late 60s credits before he crushes it in the 1970s. Warren also began the 80s with a bang, but sadly he died young at the age of 53 on April 3, 1982. Come with me…
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S7 E11 Hall of Famer? Warren Oates (Part 1)
Warren Oates. You either LOVE him or have no effing clue who he is. Either way, you need to join me as we journey through his credits to determine his Hall of Fame eligibility. Part 1 focuses on his early TV years as he guests on dozens of western TV shows like The Rifleman, The Westerner, Johnny...
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S7 E10 Child Star resumes: Justin Henry
At only 8 years old, Justin Henry was the youngest Academy Award nominee ever...but what did he do next? Well, I'm gonna take you on a deep dive of his acting resume while also blowing your minds with tales of making short films with the chick from Saturday Night Fever, watching Charmed without…
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S7 E9 Hall of Famer? Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon has had an odd career. Not quite A-List, not quite B-List; he's consistent but not always a star. Has he done enough in his nearly 50 year career to be called a Hall of Famer? I'm gonna do my damndest to dig into his resume and find out. I'm also gonna do my damndest to entertain you...
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S7 E8 Child Star resumes: Chris Makepeace
With a name like that, he has to be a nice guy, right? We loved him as Rudy in Meatballs and he stole our hearts in My Bodyguard, but what the hell else has he done and where did he go? I'll answer these questions and more as I take you on a journey that includes the murder of Bob Crane, my time...
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S7 E7 Hall of Famer? Margot Kidder
I get it. She's Lois Lane. But Lois Lane does not a legend make! I am compelled to dive into her acting resume to determine if she is a Hall of Famer. As I go through her credits, I'll also wow you with my commentary on Rob Zombie, Jayne Mansfield, Peter Fonda, abrupt 70s film endings, and…
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S7 E6 Child Star resumes: The Bad News Bears (1976)
Ahh...The Bad News Bears. One of the greatest kids sports flicks of all time. We all know what became of Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, and Jackie Earl Haley, but what about the rest of the squad? Ahmad Abdul Rahim? Ogilvie? Timmy? Tanner? Why don't we know what the hell ever became of these...
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S7 E5 Hall of Famer? Talia Shire
She's Connie from The Godfather franchise (nepotism much?) and Adrian from the Rocky films. But what else has Talia done to earn a spot in Fanacek's Hall of Fame? Follow me as I go through her screen credits and uncover some projects you've likely never heard of. I will also brighten your day…
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S7 E4 Child Star resumes: Oliver Robins & Ari Lehman
You may not know their names, but you've definitely seen their work...and you were likely scared shitless! These two fellas became famous for starring in Poltergeist and Friday the 13th respectively. But what happened next? What kind of careers did they have? Well, I answer these questions and…
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S7 E3 Hall of Famer? Morgan Fairchild
I've heard her describes as "The Incomparable Morgan Fairchild". But is she really incomparable? We're gonna take a deep dive into her screen resume and figure that shit out. We'll also chat about my abandoned Prisoner screenplay, missing Paul Reubens, and chatting with Eddie Deezen. Enjoy.
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S7 E2 Child Star resumes: Robbie Rist
My man Robbie Rist is THE original Cousin Oliver! And, for that, he will always be held in high regard in the annals of pop culture history. But what else did he do, you ask? A ton and I take a nice, deep dive on his screen credits while also getting chatty about Friday the 13th Parts 4-6, the...
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S7 E1 Hall of Famer? Paul Sorvino
I get it. You like Paul Sorvino. I like Paul Sorvino. We all like Paul Sorvino. But he is a Hall of Famer? Or is he just the guy from Goodfellas? He had a long, career. Some great, some not. Now it's time to comb through that resume and determine if he belongs in the Hall! Along the way, we'll…
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Season 7 Introduction
What to expect from the exciting new season of Fanacek!
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S6 E10 Even More Movies that became TV shows...80s Edition!
This is the last one, I swear! No more TV adaptations of 80s movies ever again! But let's end it with a bang as I chitchat about 1980's Fame, and as I wax poetic 1983's Blue Thunder, or as I contemplate 1988's Working Girl, all before I finally offer my in-depth thoughts on 1980's Stir Crazy. Who...
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S6 E9 More Movies that became TV shows...80s Edition!
You thought I was done with this topic, didn't you? Well, I did some sleuthing and found a few more 80s shows that became short lived, unbelievably bad television shows. And unbelievably bad television shows is kind of my thing! We're gonna chat about Richard Pryor's Bustin' Loose which did not...
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S6 E8 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1989
The 80s have finally come to a close, and the decade's final moments did not disappoint. Join me as I discuss the envelope pushing antics of the Conner family on Roseanne, the "they're not lesbians, I promise" relationship between Kate & Allie, and the trauma we all experienced watching Life Goes...
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S6 E7 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1988
We're closing in on the end of the 80s and things are getting crazy. Spinoffs are dominating the airwaves as shows like Empty Nest and A Different World crack the Top 10. Also, our televisions are being assaulted by continuations and reboots that we didn't want as Mission: Impossible, The…
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S6 E6 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1987
This is the 100th episode folks! 100 episodes of me yapping about stuff that most folks don't care about, but I love it and I'm grateful for everyone that listens. Join me as I take a look at 1987 television as I experienced it. We're gonna discuss Remington Steele and The Wonder Years. We're…
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S6 E5 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1986
1986. It was a great year to be alive. Sure, the space shuttle Challenger exploded killing everyone onboard and traumatizing the children who watching it on TV. But, rather than dwell on that, I'd rather talk about Night Court. And Amen. And T.J. Hooker. Hell, I'm even gonna educate you on Peter...
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S6 E4 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1985
We're halfway through the decade and sitcoms are starting to rule the airwaves! Audiences are losing interest in the rich folks of Dynasty, Dallas, and Falcon Crest as they fall in love with the likes of Tony Micelli, Alex P. Keaton, and America's favorite gynecologist, Dr. Huxtable. This episode...
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S6 E3 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1984
Forget about George Orwell's 1984. That book is a downer. Fanacek's 1984 will lift your spirits as we explore such shows as Crazy Like a Fox, One Day at a Time, and Murder, She Wrote. We'll also crack wise about some forgotten television shows that included the murderous Delta Burke, monkeys with...
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S6 E2 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1982 & 1983
I'm back and this time I'm exploring shows from 1982 & 1983. Luck you! We'll touch on such classics as Simon & Simon, Newhart, The Incredible Hulk, Cagney & Lacey, Webster, and M*A*S*H. I'll also explore some interesting programs that are forgotten or that I wish were forgotten...shows that…
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S6 E1 Fanacek's Year in TV: 1980 & 1981
Happy 2025! A new year and a new season of your favorite (doubtful) podcast, Fanacek! The next few episodes will deal with the programs that flooded our TV sets in the 80s. I can't really title the episodes "THE Year in TV" or "YOUR Year in TV" because I often focus on some weird shit. But rest...
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S5 E24 80s Actors: Movies vs TV (The Finale!!)
It's finally effing here! The finale in my 9 part series comparing movie and television actors of the 1980s. This fun filled episode has me discussing three different actors across two categories: Thank God They Left TV and Now You're Just Showing Off! The former takes a deep dive into the…
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S5 E23 80s Actors: Movies vs TV (Part 8)
This is a fun episode, folks. It's also a little depressing. But depressing can be fun, right? Well, fun or not, we're about to take a deep dive on three actors whose fall from grace left television as their only option in the 80s. George Peppard, George C. Scott, and Jan-Michael Vincent were…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Fanacek explores all things film and television by starting with a theme and then diving down the IMDB rabbit hole. We’ll explore acting credits, crazy guest stars, cool locations, awesome move posters, and absurd and obscure projects that have been lost to history.
HOSTED BY
fanacekpodcast
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fanacek have?
Fanacek currently has 145 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fanacek about?
Fanacek explores all things film and television by starting with a theme and then diving down the IMDB rabbit hole. We’ll explore acting credits, crazy guest stars, cool locations, awesome move posters, and absurd and obscure projects that have been lost to history.
How often does Fanacek release new episodes?
Fanacek publishes regularly with 145 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Fanacek?
You can listen to Fanacek on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fanacek?
Fanacek is created and hosted by fanacekpodcast.
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