Episodes
-
Happy 100th Maila Nurmi. Listen to a full-length radio documentary celebrating one of the most remarkable women in TV -- "Vampira"In 1954, Maila Nurmi shocked the world as sexy horror host Vampira on KABC. She rocketed to national, then worldwide stardom, then quickly faded ... although her character was a clear blueprint, much later, for Cassandra Peterson's "Elvira" character on TV and in the movies. Nurmi died in 2008.
In 2010 Off-Ramp contributor R.H. Greene, who became friends with Nurmi in her later years, told her story for Off-Ramp in a documentary called "Vampira and Me." (The radio doc became a film in 2012.)
Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
-
David Dean Bottrell is a charming warning to little kids: Don't be greedy little Christmas pigs!
"I would run my sticky fingers across images that seemed to be beamed from some magical, alternative universe where people gave dinner parties and owned patio furniture." -- David Dean Bottrell's "Crafty Little Christmas"
Every year, I'd put my name next to twenty toys in the JC Penny and Sears Christmas catalogs, and guess what ... every year I wouldn't get everything I wanted. And every years I was sorely disappointed. Big surprise. It took a long time before I woke up, changed my ways, and discovered a lot more happiness on Christmas.
The Christmas catalog played a slightly different role for actor/writer/teacher/Kentuckian/homosexual David Dean Bottrell, and this week, we're setting the proper mood for the season -- don't be greedy! -- by listening to his story "A Crafty Little Christmas," which he performed for "Once Upon a Christmas" in 2012. (We first broadcast it on Off-Ramp in 2013.)
Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.
Support Off-Ramp today
LAist Studios relies on listener support to power the podcasts you love.
-
What goes on after Thanksgiving? Shopping, sure. And you can watch a game, or go ham on some leftover turkey. But ask any local: Los Angeles — world class city that it is — offers much, much more. This week, Off-Ramp focuses on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
-
Pixar's Sanjay Patel tells us how he made "Sanjay's Super Team," a tribute to his father ... Josh Stamberg in David Mamet’s “American Buffalo” ... 5 Every Week gives you the keys to the city ... an immigrant's Thanksgiving comes days after the JFK assassination
-
In-deep with "The Office" star Rainn Wilson ... Joey Arias does the best Billie Holiday impersonation you'll ever hear ... Gregg Turkington is Neil Hamburger in "Entertainment" ... 5 Every Week keeps you busy ... and Brains On tells you how salamanders regenerate lost limbs.
-
Hollywood Fights Back!, an ill-fated stand against HUAC ... 5 Every Week joins the Off-Ramp lineup ... SoCal winemakers shameful past ...
-
This week, Off-Ramp finds out what’s under the bed when the lights go off. Stories from "In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe," a new collection of great old under-appreciated horror stories. The program will be recorded Thursday at the Crawford Family Forum.
-
Pico Union, Pico Boulevard, Pico Rivera … so who was Pico? Actors playing zombies don’t need acting classes. El Nino is bringing welcome rain, but also a highly venomous sea snake. The only group allowed to bring notorious, wonderful EC Comics to life on the stage. And we go to the Arboretum to see if it’s finally the right time to rip out your lawn.
-
If you need a little push to give to KPCC during our fall member drive, here are some reminders - in the form of our best pieces - of why Off-Ramp is worth supporting.
-
George Takei couldn't be happier he made the leap ten years ago this month ... a new exhibit at the Skirball Center explores the Japanese-American internment camps through sketches and photos by Ansel Adams and others ... Dodgers v Mets ... YACHT fits in an Uber