The untold stories behind the products you’re obsessed with and the bold risk-takers who made them go viral. How did Birkenstocks go from a German cobbler’s passion project 250 years ago to a starring role in the Barbie movie? Who created that bottle of Sriracha permanently living in your fridge? Did you know the Air Jordans were initially banned by the NBA, or that Super Mario became the best-selling video game character ever thanks to a strategy called “The Infinite Game?” On Wondery’s new weekly podcast The Best Idea Yet, Nick Martell and Jack Crivici-Kramer (hosts of the award-winning daily pop-business podcast, The Best One Yet aka TBOY) have identified the most viral products of all time and reveal their untold origin stories — plus the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. From the Happy Meal to Levi’s 501 jeans, come for the products you’re obsessed with, stay for the business insights that’ll make you the most interesting person at your next brunch. Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Wondery.fm/TBIY_IPSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the depths of the dark net, tech journalist Carl Miller makes a disturbing discovery: a secret Kill List targeting hundreds of innocent people on a murder for hire website. When the police decide not to investigate, Carl is thrown into a race against time to warn those in danger and uncover the truth about the people who want them dead. From Wondery and Novel, comes a true story about obsession, control and the price of life and death.Listen to Kill List on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Kill_List You can listen to Kill List and more Exhibit C true crime shows like Morbid early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+. Check out Exhibit C in the Wondery App for all your true crime listening.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul Bergrin is a hotshot criminal defense attorney in Newark, New Jersey. Seemingly unstoppable and with unorthodox methods, he’s built a reputation for getting his clients off the hook. But as Paul's legend grows, so do the suspicions swirling around him. When FBI Agent Shawn Brokos starts investigating a major drug ring, she makes a shocking discovery: the gang's most powerful player is none other than Newark’s star attorney. Has the ex-federal prosecutor crossed the line and started committing crimes himself?From Wondery, comes a new series about a lawyer who breaks all the rules, the FBI agent determined to take him down at all costs, and the people caught in the middle who paid the ultimate price.Listen to Criminal Attorney on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/Criminal_Attorney now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At a time when we’re debating where policing is going, we’re going to tell you where the police came from. Guided by Peabody award-winning host Chenjerai Kumanyika, Empire City will provide the first accessible narrative history of the American police and its place in popular culture. Who are the police? And why were police departments created in the first place? To find answers, we’re going to tell the origin story of the largest police force in the world: The NYPD. We begin in the late 1800’s at a moment when the entire police force was on trial. It’s the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the NYPD, and it all plays out like a high stakes courtroom drama. What follows is the action-packed account of how the NYPD got to this point and what happened next. It involves Black abolitionists fighting slave patrols in the courts of Gotham; two rival police forces duking it out for power at City Hall; the origins of the true crime genre; and how the NYPD spread their tactics worldwide.Listen to Empire City wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Empire_City.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join NFL Insider and social media breakout star, Annie Agar, as she tackles the world of fantasy football, odds, props and parlays in “The Offensive Line.” Each week, Annie will break down the NFL’s juiciest and trendiest matchups and drama in her signature quick hitting style, while roasting players and teams (sorry in advance Cowboys fans), dishing out some ice-cold takes, teasing you with a weekly teaser 😉 and slamming the most “offensive” lines, odds and spreads. She’ll be joined by current and former players, and celebrity superfans for a fiery and fun slant on all things football, fantasy and Annie’s favorite picks!Enjoy The Offensive Line with Annie Agar wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/TOLSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize.From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time.Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at wondery.fm/Hysterical_FD.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nancy Brophy fills her novels with romantic betrayals and murder. It’s a far cry from her quiet life in the suburbs, where she and her chef husband, Dan, are living out their golden years. But when Dan is shot dead, Nancy finds herself at the center of a murder case that could be ripped from the pages of her novels.From Wondery, this is a story about what happens when the line blurs between fiction and reality. Listen to Happily Never After: Dan & Nancy on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/HNA_DN now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Frank Farian first laid eyes on Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, he saw everything he wasn’t. They were handsome, young, and Black. But Frank had something they didn’t. He had power.So, Frank offered them a devil’s bargain. Almost overnight, Milli Vanilli’s debut album went five times platinum and scored a Grammy nomination. But when the lie at the center of their success started to unravel, Rob and Fab would discover the hard way the difference between star power and real power.From Wondery, Blame It on the Fame is a story about the lie that shot to #1 and what it cost to tell the truth. Hosted by Amanda Seales.Listen early and ad-free exclusively on Wondery+: Wondery.fm/BIOTF_MVSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Every summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls. The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some for prestige. All of them are used to being the best and the brightest. But only one will walk away with the top prize.Host Shima Oliaee (Dolly Parton’s America, Pink Card) was Nevada’s contestant in 2001. More than 20 years later, she returns to Alabama as a judge. What can two weeks with 50 of the country’s most ambitious teens tell us about girlhood in America?Listen to The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad-free right now on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting Wondery.fm/The_Competition now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever wondered how some of the biggest companies were built? On the podcastHow I Built This, host Guy Raz talks to the founders behind the world’s biggest companies and brands to learn the real stories of how they built them. How I Built This with Guy Raz is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds.Follow How I Built This on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen toHow I Built This early and ad-free right now on Wondery plus. Wondery.fm/IFD_HIBTFor more deep dive and daily business content listen to Wondery– the destination for business podcasts. With shows like How I Built This, Business Wars, The Best One Yet, Business Movers and many more, Wondery means business.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the first episode of Inside Star Wars, a young George Lucas cared about just two things: television and fast cars.Struggling in school, he fought with his dad about the trajectory of his life. Until one fateful day when his tiny Fiat was smashed by a speeding car. The brush with death changed the course of his life, and set him on a path to creating the most legendary film series in cinematic history.If you want to hear the rest of Inside Star Wars you can binge all seven episodes exclusively on Wondery Plus.On Wondery Plus, you can listen to all your favorite podcasts early and ad-free. With a library featuring over 50 #1 Apple Podcast hits and 40,000 binge worthy episodes, there’s something for everyone.Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or an Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When a charismatic young doctor announces revolutionary treatments for cancer and HIV, patients from around the world turn to him for their last chance. As medical experts praise Serhat Gumrukcu’s genius, the company he co-founded rockets in value to over half a billion dollars. But when a team of researchers makes a startling discovery, they begin to suspect the brilliant doctor is hiding a secret. From Wondery, the new season of Dr. Death: Bad Magic is a story of miraculous cures, magic and murder. Hosted by Laura Beil.Listen to Dr. Death - Bad Magic: Wondery.fm/Dr.DeathSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For real life royals, the crown jewels can be more like shiny handcuffs. There are expectations and rules – and if you break them, the consequences are big, and very public. And no, we’re not just talking about Harry and Meghan. There are royal families and wild royal tales from around the world and throughout history that you have never heard before. From Wondery comes the latest from Even the Rich co-hosts Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore-Williams. Even the Royals takes us inside the cloistered world of royal families, past and present, where wealth and status often come at the expense of your freedom – and maybe even your life. In these stories, very human emotions, like jealousy, love, disgust, have the power to reshape the world.  This is just a preview of Even the Royals. Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or at wondery.fm/eventheroyals.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, he’s your new favorite snarky talk show host. Join The Grinch (and his faithful dog Max) each week as he rants against Christmas cheer and roasts celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. Starring Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson as the notorious curmudgeon and broadcasting straight from Who-Ville, will The Grinch send these famous folks back down Mt. Crumpit, or will they soften his stance against Christmas and grow his heart three sizes? Grab your hot cocoa and cozy slippers and listen along to find out!Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to episodes of 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Listen now: Wondery.fm/GrinchSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty takes you inside true-crime investigations like no one else, in her podcast “My Life of Crime”. In the new season, Erin delves into the labyrinth of crime within families and the secrets that kept them together or tore them apart. Here’s a preview of the “My Life of Crime” season premiere, “Twisted Twins: Who Killed Heather DeWild?” Erin examines the case of 30-year-old Heather DeWild, who vanished after visiting her soon-to-be ex-husband Daniel DeWild's home. Investigators soon focused not only on Daniel, but also his identical twin brother, David. While Daniel was not forthcoming, investigators were convinced David had something to say, but could police break through their tight twin bond? What could cause a person, or persons, to destroy their family?You can hear the rest of the episode on “My Life of Crime”, from CBS News. Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/MLOC See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tristan Redman is a journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts. But weird things happened in his teenage bedroom – weirder than normal. When, years later, he discovers subsequent occupants of his family home were haunted by the ghost of a faceless woman, he’s curious. Because by a strange coincidence, it just so happens that the house Tristan grew up in is right next door to a murder scene - where his wife’s great grandmother was killed by two gunshots to the face. Could there be a connection? Tristan decides to investigate and soon finds himself where no son-in-law should ever be: delving deep into his wife’s family history, asking questions no one wants answered. Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios present GhostStory — a seven-part podcast series about family secrets, overwhelming coincidences and the things that come back to haunt us.Follow Ghost Story on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Ghost Story ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Listen now: Wondery.fm/Ghost_StorySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did one man’s friendship with a dolphin go way – way – too far? It’s 1987 and the British seaside town of Amble has seen much better days. So when a wild bottlenose dolphin nicknamed Freddie appears in the harbour, it feels like a miracle. Everyone wants to swim with him. But Freddie chooses one person above all others: Alan Cooper, a dedicated animal rights activist committed to freeing captive dolphins. But when Alan’s friendship with Freddie is turned against him, he finds himself in the fight of his life.Search 'Hooked on Freddie' wherever you get your podcasts. https://wondery.com/links/hooked-on-freddie/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be an even bigger failure?Each week on Wondery’s new podcast The Big Flop, host Misha Brown is joined by different comedians to chronicle some of the biggest failures and blunders in pop culture history. Each episode will have you thinking to yourself, why in the world did this get made?!This is just a preview of The Big Flop. You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or at wondery.fm/thebigflop.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Mike Williams vanishes on a hunting trip, the authorities suspect he was eaten by alligators but the true predators who took Mike may lurk much closer to home. The mystery of Mike’s disappearance might have faded from memory, if it wasn’t for one woman’s tireless crusade. From Wondery, comes a new season of Over My Dead Body; a story about an obsessive love affair, a scandalous secret and a mother’s battle for the truth.Listen to Over My Dead Body: Wondery.fm/_OMDB_See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. Think Twice: Michael Jackson is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing allegations against him. In this ten-part series, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth bring you a new perspective on the Michael Jackson story, based on dozens of original interviews with people who watched it unfold from up close.Listen wherever you listen to podcasts. You can binge all ten episodes of Think Twice: Michael Jackson, ad-free on the Amazon Music or Audible: Wondery.fm/Think_TwiceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Suspect is an investigative series about mislaid justice and the kinds of weighty decisions that detectives, lawyers, and jurors make every day - decisions that, once made, are almost impossible to reverse.Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark follows Leon Benson, who spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host Matt Shaer and attorney Lara Bazelon as they investigate how the justice system failed both Leon and Kasey, and who the real killer might be. Join this unprecedented look inside the attempt to overturn a wrongful conviction and find out if justice will finally be served.Follow Suspect wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all 8 episodes of Suspect ad-free on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.Listen to Suspect: Wondery.fm/Suspect_S3See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Generation Why Podcast released its first episode in 2012 and pioneered the true crime genre in the podcasting world. Two friends, Aaron & Justin, break down theories and give their opinions on unsolved murders, controversies, mysteries and conspiracies.One of the longest running true crime podcasts out there, Generation Why has a little something for every true crime listener.Follow The Generation Why Podcast on Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen ad-free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. Listen here: Wondery.fm/Gen_WhySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Savage subtweets. Scathing diss tracks. Tell-all memoirs. These are the weapons that celebrities use to wage modern social warfare against each other. Feuds between celebrities captivate us like nothing else. Why are there so many fights that play out for everyone to watch? How do public figures tap into the arsenal of weapons at their disposal to come out on top? And why do we have such a hard time looking away?From Wondery, the makers of the hit series Scamfluencers and Even the Rich, comes Diss and Tell. Hosts Sydney Battle and Matt Bellassai take you deep into pop culture’s most iconic celebrity feuds, from Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan to Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez. Sydney and Matt unpack who fired the first shot, what happened, and how cultural phenomena and hidden forces influence not only these battles, but also the world we live in. Listen to Diss and Tell: Wondery.fm/Diss_and_TellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Wondery and Bloomberg, the makers of The Shrink Next Door, comes a new story of incredible wealth, betrayal, and what happens when “doing good” goes really, really bad.When nerdy gamer Sam Bankman-Fried rocketed to fame as the world’s richest 29-year-old, he pledged to donate his billions to good causes. But when Sam's crypto exchange FTX collapsed, billions of dollars went missing, and Sam was in handcuffs, those who knew him were left wondering — who was Sam really? A well-meaning billionaire who made a mistake? Or a calculated con man?Listen to Spellcaster: Wondery.fm/SC_ISSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Elon Musk posted a video of himself arriving at Twitter HQ carrying a white sink along with the message “let that sink in!” It marked the end of a dramatic takeover. Musk had gone from Twitter critic to “Chief Twit” in the space of just a few months but his arrival didn’t put an end to questions about his motives. Musk had earned a reputation as a business maverick. From PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX, his name was synonymous with big, earth-shattering ideas. So, what did he want with a social media platform? And was this all really in the name of free speech...or was this all in the name of Elon Musk? From Wondery, the makers of WeCrashed and In God We Lust, comes the wild story of how the richest man alive took charge of the world’s “digital public square.”Listen to Flipping The Bird: Wondery.fm/FTB_ISSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Foretold is a deeply engrossing podcast that follows the life of Paulina Stevens, a Romani fortune teller as she makes the extraordinary decision to leave her community. In this preview feature we begin with a frantic meeting in a cafe where a panicked Paulina blurts out she has escaped her family's psychic shop with her children, that she is a scam artist born and bred, that she was in an arranged marriage and taken out of school in the 6th grade to prepare for a life pre-determined for her. And so begins the journey to unpack each of those claims, learning about the context and culture of Romani people (commonly known as the pejorative 'Gypsy') along the way. This podcast explores cultural identity, evolution of culture, women's roles, modernization and tradition, and group dynamics --all wrapped up in a compelling and universally relatable life story of a unique woman who is curious about the world and yet metaphysically and culturally connected to her people's history. Listen and follow Foretold at latimes.com/foretold or wherever you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Introducing FADE IN: - an audio movie about legendary films and TV series and the crazy and talented dreamers who made them. The risks and stakes, the battles, the behind-the-scenes stories nobody knows. Against all odds and usually teetering on failure, these filmmakers and show-runners made something great, something lasting. From the makers of INSIDE PSYCHO, INSIDE THE EXORCIST, and INSIDE JAWS and from KCRW comes FADE IN - Season 1: QUENTIN TARANTINO AND PULP FICTION. Inspired by the true story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special BONUS episode, INSIDE STAR WARS creator and host Mark Ramsey interviews Brian Jay Jones, the author of the recent best-selling biography “George Lucas: A Life.” We talk about our shared love of the original film and how the franchise shaped our youths. We discuss what it’s like to chase down the details of a living legend who has contributed so much to modern pop culture. And Brian reveals the one question he would most like to ask Lucas today: “Are you happy?”It’s a fascinating conversation about the man at the center of Star Wars.Brian Jay Jones also wrote a wonderful biography of Muppet creator Jim Henson, and his current best-seller is this great book: “Becoming Dr. Seuss - Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination.”Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alec Guinness tells a child to stop watching Star Wars and drives him to tears. Kenny Baker - the man inside R2D2 - dies, but not before meeting the son he never knew. After great emotional struggle, George Lucas sells Star Wars to Disney. After a lifetime of total control, now he has to say “goodbye.” Carrie Fisher boards a plane at Heathrow Airport in London in 2016 and stops breathing before reaching Los Angeles. The world says goodbye to Princess Leia. Lucas acknowledges the fact that Star Wars used to be his, and now it’s ours. He used to live only for movies - and then he had children. Finally, a wide-eyed return to a movie theater in 1977 and the first time anyone ever saw Star Wars.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shooting on Star Wars wraps, but the troubles are far from over. Lucas has to “crack the whip” at ILM, which is way behind on FX shots. Lucas discovers the perfect voice for Darth Vader. The John Williams score is finished and Lucas is moved to tears. He screens the film for his movie friends and the reception is ugly. The FOX sales team loves the movie, but the studio board is convinced they’re wrong - Star Wars will be an enormous bomb, they believe. So they move the release date early and dump it into a small number of theaters before it’s forgotten forever. And then, Star Wars premieres and is a phenomenon. Lines around the block everywhere. Lucas vacations with Spielberg and tosses out an idea for another movie, one led by a character named “Indiana Smith.” Lucas negotiates the sequels, then takes a long vacation from Star Wars until a new series of prequels. And that’s when the backlash begins. Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carrie Fisher auditions hairstyles and the “Buns of Navarone” are born. Star Wars begins shooting. Carrie is smitten by her handsome co-star, Harrison Ford. Greedo nearly suffocates during the Cantina sequence. George Lucas breaks the news to Alec Guinness that his character will be killed off - without a satisfying death scene, and Guinness is furious. Luke and Leia swing across a dangerous chasm, but first someone has to tape down Carrie Fisher’s breasts. Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin is a horror legend - where does he go on his bicycle every day during the shooting of Star Wars? Shooting nears its end and George Lucas falls into depression and despair. Strife with the studio continues, and now Lucas is suffering chest pains. Star Wars is literally going to kill him.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To bring Star Wars to the screen, new technology had to be invented and utilized in ways never before imagined. On a new series of American Innovations, we go behind the scenes of the pioneering tools used to bring George Lucas’s vision to life. Listen now at wondery.fm/aiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Casting begins for Star Wars. Carrie Fisher wins a role, runs into the rain, and shouts to the heavens: “I am Princess Leia!” George Lucas doesn’t want Harrison Ford in the cast, but it just so happens Harrison's building a door all week and is in the right place at the right time. Mark Hamill awakens on Robert Englund’s couch just in time to find out about “the perfect role” for him - with dialogue that is absolutely befuddling. The men inside R2D2 and C3PO come to terms with the extraordinary discomfort of their costumes - and their dislike for each other. Alec Guinness hates science fiction “fairy-tale rubbish” and considers Lucas to be “a touch boring.” Meanwhile Lucas is plowing his own money into Star Wars and still has no green light from Fox. That’s when he faces a choice: Either make the movie for half of what he needs or Star Wars will be shut down.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Francis Coppola urges a struggling and dirt poor George Lucas to write something human and stop being “so weird.” The result is American Graffiti, the classic coming of age movie. United Artists agrees to pick up the project along with one other idea, something vague about wars in space. But the deal falls apart in part because “nobody knows what American Graffiti means.” Universal comes to the rescue but retains final cut. The screenings are great, but Universal is convinced it will be a disaster, so they cut the film - because they can. A resentful and hungry Lucas scribbles a two-page treatment for something called “The Star Wars.” Everyone in town rejects the project, except for Fox exec Alan Ladd Jr, who buys the idea for a paltry sum and offers a thin vote of confidence for George Lucas. Then, American Graffiti is released and becomes a hit. Lucas renegotiates not for more money but for sequel and merchandising rights, both worthless at the time. Now he spends every day for the next three years writing the script. Grueling days. Bleeding on the page. Pulling teeth would be easier and more pleasant. We meet Lucas’s dog, an Alaskan malamute named “Indiana” who inspires a certain Wookiee named “Chewbacca.” We discover the inspiration for “R2D2.” Meanwhile, it’s clear that Fox is dragging their feet - that many at the studio wish Star Wars would simply…go away. Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A young Carrie Fisher meets the paparazzi in the arms of her celebrity mother, Debbie Reynolds. It doesn’t take Carrie long to decide that acting’s not for her. So naturally, an actor is exactly what she becomes. Carrie models tops for Warren Beatty - with and without a bra. Meanwhile, George Lucas has decided to study film. Even though no film school graduate had ever gotten a job in the industry. He quickly becomes a star at USC, determined to make his movies his way, no matter what the rules are. He works day and night on a diet of coffee and chocolate bars. He graduates just as movie attendance is cratering and Hollywood is shutting down. He meets another young cinematic firebrand, Francis Coppola, and they join forces on his first movie, THX1138. Warner Brothers hates the movie and takes it back to cut it themselves. It limps into theaters where one young film buff is left awestruck. His name is Steven Spielberg. Meanwhile Lucas dreams of a movie with heroes and villains, ray guns and spaceships, thrills and adventure beyond the stars.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A torturous first day of shooting Star Wars in the Tunisian desert. Including a one-time “carpenter to the stars,” an actor named Harrison Ford. Cut to: A young George Lucas captivated and thrilled by a new gadget called “television” and the thrilling, swashbuckling serials of Flash Gordon. Later, Lucas falls for fast cars. More speeding tickets than baseball cards. Fights at home with his father over work and school and career. “I’m gonna be a millionaire before I’m 30,” he shouts at his dad. But he’s failing classes and his best hopes are for a life as an auto mechanic. Then, one fateful day he’s in his tiny Fiat turning left across traffic. That’s when a car smashes into him - an accident that nearly kills him. And an experience that will change his life forever.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was made on a shoestring and dumped into a handful of movie theaters back in 1977. And then it changed the world. This is the story of George Lucas and his dream called “Star Wars.” It’s a story of the people who made the original classic and the people who did their very best to stop it dead. From the creators of Inside Psycho, Inside the Exorcist, and Inside JAWS, comes a new immersive audio biopic, Inside Star Wars. Premiering in all galaxies on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.