Synopsis
Explore the BACKSTORY behind some of the most intriguing tales in history, culture, religion and science from Chicago and beyond.
Episodes
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AN ODE TO WIFFLE BALL
17/04/2023 Duration: 06minIn this piece from Backstory, Larry Potash gives us an ode to that sport of backyards and schoolyards, wiffle ball, seen through the eyes of a Chicago family that’s been playing each other for 30 years. Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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RECORD-BREAKING: THE BACKSTORY OF VINYL’S COMEBACK
10/04/2023 Duration: 13minWhen it comes to technology, usually people want the latest and greatest. So why are vinyl records making a comeback? For some people, it never went away. Larry Potash goes deep into the modern revivial of wax tracks in this piece for Backstory. Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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THE HEALTH HUSTLER OF THE OZARKS
10/04/2023 Duration: 07minPeople come from all over to the historic Crescent Hotel in Arkansas for its ghost tours, but the backstory of this national landmark is much scarier. Larry Potash traveled to the Ozarks to bring us a story of a macabre con man, and the legacy he left behind. Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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How Coffee Became King
31/10/2022 Duration: 11minCaffeine is the most widely-used drug and for generations, people have consumed coffee to fuel creative ideas, and even revolutions. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash looks at how coffee starts, and how it’s evolved from muddy swill to gourmet beverage.Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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The Most Controversial Finish in Sports History
31/10/2022 Duration: 08minBefore the 1972 Olympics, the U.S. Men’s basketball team was considered the favorite to win gold. Some say they did. Only thanks to one of the most controversial finishes in sports history, they came home without the gold. Larry Potash digs into “3 seconds in Munich” in this Backstory piece.Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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When Grandma was a mobster; the inside story of 'The Black Widow'
24/10/2022 Duration: 11minThe history of the Chicago mob is largely dominated by men. Imagine growing up in Chicago and one day finding out your grandmother was a key player for The Outfit. In this segment for Backstory, Larry Potash meets the Nitto family, who’s ancestor, the late Annette Nitto, was a crucial figure in the Capone-era and beyond.Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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Bringing the past alive, one photo at a time
24/10/2022 Duration: 07minResearching your family tree can help you understand where you’ve come from but it’s just a chart full of names. What about the faces that go along with those names? They can be hard to find. In this piece for Backstory, Larry Potash tells the story of one man’s mission to bring people closer to their ancestors.Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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The Tulsa Massacre: One Century Later
17/10/2022 Duration: 13minIn 1921 the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma was the site of a nothing less than a race massacre. African-Americans were murdered, their homes and business burned down. Why was this tale largely lost to history for both Blacks and whites? Larry Potash traveled to Oklahoma to meet a small group of people searching for justice, a century later. Backstory airs Saturday nights at 7 and Sunday nights at 11 on WGN-TV and on the WGN+ app, available on Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and any smart TV. Check out the Backstory podcast at WGNtv.com/Backstory via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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.
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Murder of the Osage
10/10/2022 Duration: 10minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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FBI Files of the Famous
10/10/2022 Duration: 06minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Value of Baseball Cards
25/04/2022 Duration: 10minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Anita King - The Paramount Girl
25/04/2022 Duration: 08minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Weird Instruments
18/04/2022 Duration: 05minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Enduring Legacy of the Playboy Clubs
11/04/2022 Duration: 10minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Old Pictures Displayed on Buildings to Tell Chicago Neighborhood's Story
11/04/2022 Duration: 08minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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M.I.A./P.O.W. MOVEMENT
04/04/2022 Duration: 11minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Lustron Homes
04/04/2022 Duration: 07minSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Mysterious Manuscript
29/11/2021 Duration: 10minA pile of decaying pages of colorful language make up a manuscript about mobsters from long ago. There's no author, but some clues may lead to the writer's identity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Conspiracy Theories
29/11/2021 Duration: 10minConspiracy theories have been spread around long before the internet made it easy. While some are harmless, there are those that have led to dangerous consequences. We look at how some people can believe these far-fetched ideas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.