Tag Archives: Spies

Episode 85: How Many Threads Lead Us Down The Rabbit Hole of Deception ? Author Mary Haverstick

September 26, 2024UncategorizedArtful periscope podcast, Assassination, Espionage, Jerrie Cobb, JFK, John F. Kennedy, Judy Cobb, Larry Davidson, Mary Haverstick, NASA, Rabbit Hole of Deception, Spies, The Woman I knowartfulperiscope

How many threads lead us down the rabbit hole of deception? On this week’s episode of The Artful Periscope, Larry invites biographer Mary Haverstick onto the show to discuss her latest book, A Woman I Know: Female Spies, Double Identities and the New Story of the Kennedy Assassination. Mary’s book focuses on Jerrie Cobb, a well-known aviator, NASA astronaut candidate, and women’s rights advocate who was the subject of a biopic Mary was creating. However, after being told by a government official some of her documents on Cobb were classified, Mary realized there was a much larger story to be uncovered. As Mary reveals over the course of the book, there is a high probability that Jerrie Cobb was also Judy Cobb, a spy with a potential link to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Larry and Mary discuss the evidence: Mary’s meticulous research in matching the schedules of both identities, the similarities in appearance between the two women and eyewitness identification. They also discuss Jerrie as a person and her cautious but cunning persona, including the character of Mary Cobb who was created in reference to her on the Apple TV show For All Mankind.

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Episode 39: How Many Threads Intersect the Lives of Many? Author Joseph Kanon and Writer Kevin Baker

January 6, 2023Uncategorized1960s, East Berlin, East Germany, Espionage, HBO, Joseph Kanon, Kevin Baker, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Larrydavidsonproductions.com, Sachem Public Library, Spies, The Berin Exchange, The Booth at The Sachem Public Library, The Gilded Ageartfulperiscope

How many threads intersect the lives of many? In this episode, Larry sits down with author Joseph Kanon to discuss his latest book The Berlin Exchange. Joseph shares his experience switching from working in the publishing industry to becoming a published author, spy swaps in fiction and the harrowing reality of those living in East Berlin during the 1960s. His protagonist willingly crosses into East Berlin to reunite with his family- but can he truly find the freedom and safety he’s looking for while tangled in a political nightmare?

After the break, Larry discusses the HBO series The Gilded Age with journalist and historical fiction author Kevin Baker, who illuminates the interest of New York in the 1880s as a setting, and shares with Larry why this era is so fascinating to the modern day viewer.

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Episode 31 – How Many Threads Connect Us to Lies and Deception? – Author Paul Vidich

September 1, 2022UncategorizedArtful Periscope, cold war berlin, dexter series finale, Espionage, Larry Davidson, Larry Davidson productions, Paul Vidich, recently departed celebrities, Sachem Public Library, Spies, The Matchmaker: A Spy in Berlinartfulperiscope

How many threads connect us to lies and deception? In this episode, Larry sits down with author Paul Vidich to discuss his new book The Matchmaker: A Spy in Berlin. Larry and Paul discuss the difficulties and intrigue of the spy biz along with the allure of setting thrillers in Cold War Berlin along with the agency of the female protagonist. Afterwards, Larry shares some random thoughts and observation on the private lives of recently departed celebrities along with (spoiler alert!), the series ending of Dexter and the myriad of ways humanity continues to break down barriers.

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Episode 18 – What is the Thread that Connects a Writer to a Reader – Authors Paul Vidich, Terry Simone Francis and a Commentary by Tom Clavin

July 10, 2021UncategorizedBlack Film Archive, Indiana University, Paul Vidich, Phil Keith, Soviet Union, Spies, Terry Simone Francis, The Mercenary, Tom Clavin, USSR, What you may not know about your fatherartfulperiscope

What is the thread that connects a writer to a reader?

Larry was joined by Paul Vidich, author of The Mercenary. Paul speaks about growing up during the Cold War with the USSR as the adversary to the United States along with the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of modern day Russia. Paul also explains how writers have building blocks to engage the reader with detailed descriptions of weather architecture or other examples to set the stage. Larry also discusses the article “What You May Not Know About Your Father” including talk of what the business of spying is all about

Terry Simone Francis, Associate Professor and Director of the Black Film Archive at Indiana University has a lively discussion about her book The Audacious Josephine Baker: Josephine Baker’s Cinematic Prism and about writing. If writing is a dance, who leads? Terry talks about Josephine Baker, what made her a pioneer for African American women in the 1920’s and her migration to France. Larry also had a fun chat about Ethel Waters and how she is not known for being a Blues artist.

With Just a Thought, Tom Clavin rejoins the podcast to eulogize his friend and co-author Phil Keith. Phil and Tom were previous guests in Episode 8, and Tom tells the story of a quiet, complicated and talented veteran of the Vietnam Conflict turned writer.

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