PODCAST · history
The Pan Am Podcast
by Pan Am Museum Foundation
Experience the legacy of the world’s most iconic airline, Pan American World Airways! This program brings Pan Am’s 64-year history to life through engaging storytelling and insightful interviews with a wide range of voices connected to Pan Am’s story. Historian Tom Betti created and hosted Seasons 1 through 5, a celebrated run of history and humanities storytelling that earned numerous Muse Creative and Vega Digital awards, and the podcast continues in Season 6 with new hosts and a new creative team. The Pan Am Podcast is brought to you by the Pan Am Museum in Garden City, New York and is sponsored by the generous personal support of Mr. Adam Aron, CEO of AMC Theatres and President of the Pan Am Historical Foundation. The Pan Am Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and would appreciate your consideration of tax-deductible donations to support our work.
Episodes
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Episode 69: 90 Miles and Minutes to Spare
Send us Fan Mail Pan Am Podcast – Episode 69 90 Miles and Minutes to Spare The dramatic story of Pan Am's first flight and the race against time that launched an aviation legend. On October 19, 1927, the future of Pan American Airways hung in the balance. With a U.S. Post Office deadline looming…
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Episode 68: Pan Am Flight 73: 40 Years Later — Courage in the Face of Terror
Send us Fan Mail A Special 40th Anniversary Commemorative Episode of the Pan Am Podcast On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was preparing to depart Karachi, Pakistan, when four armed terrorists stormed the aircraft, beginning a harrowing 16-hour siege that would forever change the lives of the...
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Episode 67: A New Chapter Begins: Welcome Ken Andersen, Host of the Pan Am Podcast
Send us Fan Mail The Pan Am Podcast enters an exciting new chapter as we welcome Ken Andersen as the new host of the program. Since its launch, the Pan Am Podcast has become one of the Pan Am Museum Foundation's most successful educational initiatives, sharing the remarkable stories of the…
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Episode 66: A Farewell to Tom Betti
Send us Fan Mail In this final episode of Season Five, host and producer Tom Betti reflects on five years of preserving the stories of Pan Am, answers the question he has asked guests since the very first episode, and says farewell to the listeners who made this program what it became. After five...
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Episode 65: A Ticket Counter in London with Bill and Diane Studeman
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Admiral William O. Studeman, United States Navy, retired, and his wife Diane, former Pan Am stewardess and one of the most gracious ambassadors the airline ever had. Their connection to Pan Am runs deeper than most. Diane grew up in…
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Episode 64: The Best Job We Ever Had with Florette Vassall and Diane Krumholtz Lyras
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by two women who gave the best years of their careers to Pan American World Airways, and who have remained close friends for more than four decades since the airline closed its doors. Florette H. Vassall was born in New York City, the daughter of...
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Episode 63: Operation Babylift: Carried Home and the Bonds That Endure
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Tom Betti is joined by three special guests - Pan Am flight attendant Karen Walker Ryan and adoptees Carol Mason and Dr. Matt Steiner - to mark the 51st anniversary of Operation Babylift, the frantic evacuation ordered by U.S. President Gerald R. Ford of...
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Episode 62: Pan Am and the Art of Storytelling with Al Gilbert
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Al Gilbert, known by his friends and family as Ace, a former Pan Am reservations employee and the author of Pan Am Stories: You Can't Make This Up. Al's career at Pan Am gave him a front-row seat to one of the most remarkable chapters in aviation...
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Episode 61: The Aviator and the Showman - Amelia Earhart and Pan Am with Laurie Gwen Shapiro
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Laurie Gwen Shapiro, a bestselling author, journalist, and adjunct professor at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. A member of the Explorers Club, her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. She is...
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Episode 60: Cheryl Boone Isaacs – A Journey from Pan Am Stewardess to Hollywood Leadership
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are joined by Cheryl Boone Isaacs, a former Pan Am stewardess from 1972 to 1974 who went on to build an extraordinary career in Hollywood. Her journey is a remarkable one that spans aviation, Hollywood, and film education. She began her professional career as…
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Episode 59: Tania Anderson, Flying for Pan Am, Film Extra, & Life Adventurer
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re joined by Tania Anderson, who served as a Pan Am flight attendant from 1986 to 1991, navigating a pivotal era of transition, resilience, and global adventure for the world’s most iconic airline. Today, she still flies, carrying forward the spirit of Pan Am…
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Episode 58: Top Gun Screenwriter Jack Epps Jr. and Kate Ginley: Mastering the Craft of Screenwriting
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re joined by screenwriter Jack Epps, Jr. and his student, up and coming screenwriter Kate Ginley, who is writing a screenplay about Pan Am and Tenerife. Jack is now a professor and Chair of the Writing for Screen and Television Division at the University of...
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Episode 57: Steve Ford (son of President Ford), Adoptee Thuy Williams and the Legacy of Operation Babylift
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by two special guests, Steve Ford (the youngest son of President and Mrs. Ford) and adoptee Thuy Williams to mark the 50th anniversary of Operation Babylift, the frantic evacuation ordered by U.S. President Gerald R. Ford of Vietnamese war orphans in...
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Episode 56: From the CIA to the Pan Am Board Room and Changing the World Through Music
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Donald Devito who worked for the Pan Am board of directors from the early 1960s until the end of the airline. Also, joining us is his son, Dr. Donald DeVito, a renowned musical educator. The senior DeVito will share stories working for the Central...
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Episode 55: Yvonne Conde, Operation Pedro Pan and the Untold Exodus of 14,048 Cuban Children
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Operation Pedro Pan, the clandestine operation of the U.S. Government, the Catholic Church and Pan American World Airways to relocate over 14,000 children out of Cuba to the United States between 1960 and 1962. Our guest for this episode is Pan Am…
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Episode 54: A Trip to Japan and Making Connections in the Air
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Host Tom Betti shares insights on his recent trip to Japan where he met Charlie, a purser with United Airlines, on his inbound flight to Tokyo and on his outbound flight from Osaka met United flight attendants Leslie and Lynn who both worked for Pan Am from 1977…
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Episode 53: Pan Am Returns to the Skies with Gary Bartelings
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Gary Bartelings, a supporter of the Pan Am Museum and founder and managing director of Bartelings, a company dedicated to unique travel experiences by private jet. We also welcome back to the program our good friend Becky Sprecher. She has been a...
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Episode 52: George Takei Remembers Gene Roddenberry (Pan Am Pilot, 1945-1948)
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we learn about the life of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, who was a pilot for Pan Am from 1945 to 1948. Then we will be joined by a very special guest, George Takei, a legendary actor, NY Times Best Selling author, and activist. He knew “Star Trek” creator...
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Episode 51: Crossing the Atlantic in 1939 and Making History Once More
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore the first transatlantic passenger flights of Pan Am’s Boeing 314 flying boats in the late 1930s and we welcome back to the program Pan Am flight attendant and author Becky Sprecher who will share her insights -and family history– of these flying…
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Episode 50: Kathleen Clair, Juan T. Trippe's Executive Assistant for 32 Years (1948-1980)
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore the life of Kathleen Clair, executive assistant to Pan Am founder and chairman Juan T. Trippe for over 32 years from 1948 to 1980. We will also hear a personal and private memories of Mr. Trippe and Kathleen. We are joined by two special guests that…
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Episode 49: Edith Head, A Hollywood Legend
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore the life of legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head who designed uniforms for Pan American World Airways introduced in 1975 and used until the early 1980s. Then we will be joined by actor Susan Claassen who plays the Hollywood legend in her...
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Episode 48: Four Generations in the Sky: The Archer Family Story
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we celebrate the Archer’s...a family of aviators. 89-year-old Pan Am Captain Stu Archer joined the airline in 1965 as an engineer after serving in the U.S. Air Force. Stu began flying the 727 and then was promoted to captain on the 747 and later Airbus A300 and...
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Episode 47: The "Nisei" Stewardesses of Pan Am
Send us Fan Mail The Pan Am Museum Foundation recognizes the month of May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and in this episode we explore the history of Pan Am’s “Nisei” Stewardesses with Dr. Christine R. Yano, retired professor of anthropology at the...
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Episode 46: Capt. Mike Bannister, Chief Pilot of British Airways Concorde
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we welcome back to the program Captain Mike Bannister, the chief pilot of British Airways' Concorde fleet from 1995 to 2003. He is also the author of a recently published book titled Concorde. This book is available through your favorite bookstore or online...
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Episode 45: National Airlines
Send us Fan Mail Pan American World Airways acquired National Airlines in 1980 and preserving the history of National is now the responsibility of the Pan Am Museum and we take this duty seriously. In this episode we explore the fascinating history of National Airlines. Then we will be joined by...
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Episode 44: Capt. Robert Ford and the Long Way Home
Send us Fan Mail In this special episode we will be exploring the incredible life of Pan Am Captain Robert Ford, a trailblazing flying boat aviator that found international fame with an unscheduled flight round the globe. And we welcome back to the program Pan Am 747 Captain John Marshall that…
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Episode 43: Terror at the Rome Airport, December 1973 Attack
Send us Fan Mail This is a special memorial edition of this program and recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Rome airport attack. We are joined by two survivors that were on a Pan Am plane that was firebombed at the Rome airport on December 17, 1973: Pan Am Flight Engineer Ken Pfrang and Pan Am...
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Episode 42: Operation Babylift: The 1975 Saigon Evacuation
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Operation Babylift, the historic April 1975 evacuation of more than 3,000 Vietnamese war orphans just before the fall of South Vietnam. We are joined by Thoa Bui, Vice President of Programs and Services for Holt International and Al Topping, Pan Am’s...
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Episode 41: The Stewardess Labor Movement of the 1960s and 1970s
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Nell McShane Wulfhart, author of the book The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet. Nell is a frequent contributor to the New York Times travel section and wrote the column “Carry On” from 2016 to...
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Episode 40: Tom Betti and a Rock Song About History
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are turning the tables…the interviewee becomes the interviewer. Guest host Phillip Keene interviews the host of The Pan Am Podcast, historian Tom Betti to bring our listeners his story. Phillip is a podcast guest in episodes 18, 29, and 30. This program is...
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Episode 39: Madeline Smith and a Romance in the Sky
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by 98-year-old Madeline Smith and her daughter Valerie Smith O’Grady Skinner. Both were Pan Am flight attendants…Madeline joined the airline right after the war in 1946 and Valerie, following in her mother’s footsteps, joined the company in 1977....
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Episode 38: Dan Colussy, Pan Am's President and Chief Operating Officer in the 1970s
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Dan Colussy who served as Pan Am’s President and Chief Operating Officer in the 1970s. Dan will share his experiences of working in the airline industry during a pivotal point in Pan Am history. This interview provides a unique look inside the...
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Episode 37: Lester Kappel, World War II Aircraft Mechanic with Pan Am
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by 99-year-old Lester Kappel. He worked for Pan Am during World War II beginning in early 1942 until mid 1946. He was stationed for the majority of World War II in Casablanca with the African-Orient division of Pan Am under the Air Transport Command....
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Episode 36: Sam Donaldson, Legendary Newsman
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by legendary journalist Sam Donaldson where we will talking about traveling with Pan Am on assignment, covering presidents as White House correspondent, tracking down a Nazi war criminal, deregulation of the airlines, and everything in between. He is...
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Episode 35: Pan Am's Diversity in the Cockpit
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we continue to celebrate Black History Month and are joined by veteran Pan Am pilots Captain Perry Jones and Ed Moon. Perry was the first African American to be hired by Pan Am in late 1965 and Ed was the third to be hired in early 1967. The second African…
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Episode 34: Junius Kellogg and the Pan Am Jets Wheelchair Basketball Team
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we celebrate Black History Month and are joined by author Bruce Wolk to explore the inspiring life of sports legend Junius Kellogg and his incredible connection to Pan American World Airways. Junius Kellogg was born on March 16, 1927 in Haverstraw, New York to…
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Episode 33: Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty, Helping Others With Weighted Wings
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty. Johanna joined Pan American World Airways in 1970 as a flight attendant, and was later promoted to purser, trainer, and in 1986 was appointed Corporate Manager of Pan Am’s new Employee Assistance Program (also known…
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Episode 32: Terror on the Airline, New Lockerbie Arrest, and the Quest for Justice
Send us Fan Mail On December 11, 2022, Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi (Mas’ud), the suspected bomb maker in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, was arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice and brought to the United States for prosecution. In this episode we are joined by two...
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Episode 31: The Last CEO and the Last Clipper
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we will be recognizing the 31st anniversary of Pan American World Airways ceasing operations and explore the lead up to and the tumultuous year of 1991 which ended with the shutdown of Pan Am. For the first interview, we are joined by the last CEO and Chairman of...
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Episode 30: The Art of Travel Posters
Send us Fan Mail In this 30th episode of The Pan Am Podcast we will be exploring the Art of Travel posters! We are joined by guests Phillip Keene, a Pan Am veteran flight attendant and collector and Meg Williams of the company Stick No Bills which restores and recreates high quality travel…
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Episode 29: AIDS Epidemic of the 1980s, Remembering Those We Lost
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we will be discussing the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and begins with a report from ABC News on the evening of December 17, 1982. Five veteran Pan Am employees (David Hinson, Phillip Keene, Linda Freire, Becky Sprecher, and Linda Reynolds) join us to share their...
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Episode 28: The Flying Piano Player
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Captain Beau Brant of United Airlines. He started flying for United in 2005 and has flown regional jets, 757s, 767s, and 787s throughout his career. He currently flies the Airbus A320. When he is not in the air, his other passion is music…and…
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Episode 27: Flight 73 Hostage Negotiations and Hijacking Aftermath
Send us Fan Mail This episode is a continuation of Episode 26 about the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73. On September 5th 1986, at around 5:10am local time in Karachi, Pakistan, a Boeing 747 named Clipper Empress of the Seas was hijacked by four armed Palestinian commandos on the ground during the...
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Episode 26: Flight 73 Hijacking Remembrance
Send us Fan Mail On September 5, 1986 at around 5:10am local time in Karachi, Pakistan, a Pan Am Boeing 747 named Clipper Empress of the Seas was hijacked by four armed Palestinian commandos on the ground during the boarding process with almost 400 people on the aircraft. A total of 20 people,...
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Episode 25: An Airline Romance, Marriage in the Middle East During a Coup, and Neighbors with a Pan Am Connection
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Barbara Morris Wood and Karen Wallin Usas. Barbara will be celebrating her 100th birthday on September 13, 2022! A very special early happy birthday greeting from all of us here at the Pan Am Museum! Barbara worked for Pan Am for five years…
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Episode 24: Catch Me If You Can…An Interview with Frank Abagnale
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we are joined by Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. to talk about his interesting background. He will also provide tips on protecting your identity and wallet and how to avoid scams. The 2002 academy award-nominated film by Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can, starring...
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Episode 23: The Stratocruiser, Tragedy Over the Amazon, and a Concert in the Sky
Send us Fan Mail In this episode Barbara Sharfstein, 92, a veteran Pan Am flight attendant, joins us to talk about her flying career, tragedy over the Amazon, and a concert in the sky with Louis Armstrong. Barbara joined Pan Am in 1951 and after 35 years of service with the airline as a flight...
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Episode 22: Max Gurney - WWII Hero, Airline Legend, and Renaissance Gentleman
Send us Fan Mail In this special episode we are joined by Max Gurney, who will celebrate his 101st birthday on June 10, 2022! The Pan Am Museum and the entire worldwide Pan Am community wish him the happiest of birthdays! Max is a 45-year veteran of Pan Am and a living legend within the airline...
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Episode 21: White House Press Charters and Flying with Air Force One
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we will be exploring Pan Am’s prestigious role in White House Press Charters travelling as part of the entourage of the President of United States and his aircraft, Air Force One. Then we are joined by three special guests. Our first guest is Dwight Chapin who was…
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Episode 20: Flying for TWA, Pan Am, and Living in Afghanistan
Send us Fan Mail In this 20th episode, we are joined by Mary Lou Bigelow, a former TWA air hostess from 1959–1962 and a Pan Am stewardess/purser from 1962-1964. She discusses working for the two airlines and what it was like to live in Afghanistan. In 1964, Mary Lou married a pilot, whom she met…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Experience the legacy of the world’s most iconic airline, Pan American World Airways! This program brings Pan Am’s 64-year history to life through engaging storytelling and insightful interviews with a wide range of voices connected to Pan Am’s story. Historian Tom Betti created and hosted Seasons 1 through 5, a celebrated run of history and humanities storytelling that earned numerous Muse Creative and Vega Digital awards, and the podcast continues in Season 6 with new hosts and a new creative team. The Pan Am Podcast is brought to you by the Pan Am Museum in Garden City, New York and is sponsored by the generous personal support of Mr. Adam Aron, CEO of AMC Theatres and President of the Pan Am Historical Foundation. The Pan Am Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and would appreciate your consideration of tax-deductible donations to support our work.
HOSTED BY
Pan Am Museum Foundation
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Pan Am Podcast have?
The Pan Am Podcast currently has 68 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Pan Am Podcast about?
Experience the legacy of the world’s most iconic airline, Pan American World Airways! This program brings Pan Am’s 64-year history to life through engaging storytelling and insightful interviews with a wide range of voices connected to Pan Am’s story. Historian Tom Betti created and hosted Seasons...
How often does The Pan Am Podcast release new episodes?
The Pan Am Podcast has 68 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Pan Am Podcast?
You can listen to The Pan Am Podcast 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 The Pan Am Podcast?
The Pan Am Podcast is created and hosted by Pan Am Museum Foundation.
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