Useless Information Podcast

Joseph Ellsworth Holmes was a career criminal serving a twenty-year sentence for being the "dinner-time burglar." His great escape in 1951 elevated him to celebrity status overnight. Also, learn about the origin of Pepsodent toothpaste, a man who waited 36 years to be reunited with his wife, a dying Navy officer's wish fulfilled after eighteen years, and a pastor who earned his medical degree after 45 years of part-time study. Retrosponsor: Pepsodent Toothpaste Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/tunnel-joe-holmes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A long-forgotten front page story from January of 1945 that involved the US military, the White House, a Hollywood actress, and one big dog. Also, learn the full name of FDR's famous Scottie Fala, a man who was sucked out of his boots by a jet engine, a family that opted to do some gold mining in their home, and a woman who survived a half-mile fall without a parachute. Retrosponsor: Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/the-blaze-incident/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexander Ector Orr Munsell was an incredibly wealthy man during the Great Depression. He seemed to have it all until he suddenly gave it all away to live among the poor in a flophouse. Find out why he chose to do so and what happened after that. Also, learn about Pantone colors, as well as three different people who used the wrong ingredients while cooking, resulting in the deaths of their loved ones. Retrosponsor: Horlick's Malted Milk. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/munsell-mr-moneybags/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's absolutely true! When the United States started Parcel Post service in 1913, both babies and small children were mailed. Listen to this story to learn why it was done and how it ended. Also, learn about the first unsigned band to appear on Saturday Night Live, a new father who couldn't find the hospital door, a bizarre case of supposed illegal search and seizure, as well as the mother-in-law who didn't know how to drive. Retrosponsor: Penn-Daw Motor Hotel. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/152/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A story of compassion and generosity as young Suzy Dewey navigated the final months of her life. Also, find out about the first athlete to ever appear on the front of a Wheaties cereal box, two brothers who split the driving responsibilities, a blind man who wanted to know what it was like to drive, and the 128 blind men in Kansas that once held driver's licenses. Retrosponsor: Wheaties. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/the-short-life-of-suzy-dewey/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the end of World War II, the United States was faced with the task of reburying four bodies of former German nobility. The three men assigned to the task ran in obstacle after obstacle. Also, learn about Cap'n Crunch's full name, a dentist who would let you extract his tooth, male chest "tapestries", and a ban on padded bras. Retrosponsor: Faultless Starch Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/operation-bodysnatch/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some mysterious force was bringing garden hoses all over the United States to life back in 1955. Find out what the hoses did and how one owner named George Di Peso finally put an end to all of the madness. Also, learn the original name of the Wheel of Fortune game show, how elephants helped clear traffic in Berlin, where some missing hogs were hiding, and how a tortoise lost during World War II was ultimately found. Retrosponsor: Aero-Wax Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/attack-of-the-50-foot-garden-hose/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The true story of a US Navy radioman who was hunted by the Japanese during World War II. Also, learn the name of Wrigley's first chewing gum, how XYZ pays his taxes, a woman who was indirectly shot by a porcupine, and a woman who mowed her lawn in a 2-piece bathing suit. Retrosponsor: Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/george-tweed-the-ghost-of-guam/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The heart-wrenching tale of the Pleasant Hill School Bus Tragedy, in which a freak snowstorm and a series of unfortunate decisions led to the tragic deaths of five children and their bus driver in 1931. Also learn about the world's second richest charity, topless male swimming, capturing an island, and the blood-sucking boarder. Retrosponsor: Ovaltine Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/the-pleasant-hill-school-bus-tragedy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Easter Sunday 1937 murders of Veronica Gedeon, her mom Mary, and Frank Byrnes in NYC launched an intense nationwide hunt for the killer. There were few clues to go on, but two bars of soap provided police with the conclusive evidence that they needed. Also learn about the first product to bear the Duncan Hines name, a phone sicko that scared parents, a death from Smokey the Bear, and women who were tricked into removing their hair. Retrosponsor: Mother's Best Flour. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/robert-irwin-ivory-soap-murders/ You can follow the Useless Information Podcast on these platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uselessinformationpodcast X (Twitter): https://t.co/7pV2H8iXJV Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FlipSideofHistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alvin Rodecker and his wife chose to celebrate his 60th birthday in style. It was to be an incredible, memorable trip to New York City. If only he had looked up after upon leaving a ritzy restaurant... Also learn the name of the first commercially available windshield wipers, the death of Bonzo the chimpanzee, the kidnapping of Itsy the poodle, and another poodle that took a drive in his owner's car. Retrosponsor: Prell shampoo. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/alvin-rodecker-the-sky-is-falling/ You can follow the Useless Information Podcast on these platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uselessinformationpodcast X (Twitter): https://t.co/7pV2H8iXJV Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FlipSideofHistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Akron, Ohio citizen Larry Bader and Omaha, Nebraska sportscaster Fritz Johnson were complete opposites of one other. Yet, the two men looked like they could have been twins. Find out what happened when one was thought to be the other. Also, learn about Robert Recorde's contribution to mathematics, a girl shot dead by a military gunner, boys who found gold in the sewer, and the guy who thought his house was stolen. Retrosponsor: ENNDS Chlorophyll Tablets. Images, links, and transcripts for this podcast can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/larry-bader-dead-ringers/ You can follow the Useless Information Podcast on these platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uselessinformationpodcast X (Twitter): https://t.co/7pV2H8iXJV Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FlipSideofHistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 1943, 53 women were fired by Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft for wearing sweaters to work. Listen to this story to discover the details and how it was ultimately resolved. Also, learn about the first native Australian act to have a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, the man who kissed his wife, the holiday wedding that completed a family circle, and a couple that married twenty years after they were first engaged. Retrosponsor: Jello Gelatin Audio, transcript, and images can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/sikorsky-sweater-girls/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The long-forgotten story of a poor woman named Helen McCarthy who lived a fairytale life for 24 hours. Was she able to live happily ever after? Also, find out about the first transuranium element created, two brothers who were reunited after seventeen years, an Elvis Presley sideburn ultimatum, and a color-changing baby. Retrosponsor: Charles Schwartz & Sons. Audio, transcript, and images can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/helen-mccarthy-apple-annie/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The amazing true story of a small-town doctor who was loved by all. When he was arrested for committing a crime that could have endangered fellow community members, they didn't abandon their faith in him. Also, learn about the origin of the famous N-Y logo of the New York Yankees, a 10-year-old girl who sued a 14-year-old boy, the little girl who purchased seven pedigree puppies for her friends, and the boy who had his babysitter arrested. Retrosponsor: Cashmere Bouquet Talcum Powder Audio, transcript, and images can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/freddie_brandt_dr_brown/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virginia O'Hare underwent tummy tuck surgery and then sued her doctor for $1.5 million. Why? Because her belly button was supposedly 2" (5.1 cm) off-center. Also, learn about the first compact disc ever available for sale to the public, the discovery of an Acme bank robbery kit, John Lennon discussing how fame is fleeting, and a man that carved his false teeth from billiard balls and used wood screws for the molars. Retrosponsor: Alka Setzer Audio, transcript & images can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/virginia-ohare-misplaced-belly-button/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florence Foster Jenkins is considered to be the forerunner of today’s talentless celebrities. Her operatic recordings are considered among the worst of all time. Yet, she managed to do something that even some of the best can’t do: she sold out Carnegie Hall. Also, learn about Maxie & Maxine, the day that Lucky's luck ran out, the coed that crashed an all-male smoker, and the third-largest producer of carbon dioxide. Retrosponsor: Cream of Wheat cereal. Transcript, audio, and images can be found at https://uselessinformation.org/florence-foster-jenkins-vocally-challenged/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An odd true story about a San Diego robber dubbed "Jack the Stripper" by the press in the early 1960s. Listen to this episode to learn about his unusual modus operandi. Also, learn about the fine levied on NASA when Skylab fell back to Earth, the guy who forgot his wife at the filling station, an absent-minded barber, and the $40,000 cab ride. Retrosponsor: U.S. Savings Bonds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A toad is found alive beneath a concrete floor poured 9 years earlier. Find out if and how Tinker survived this long entombment. Also learn about the best-selling coffee in the United States, a judge named Valentine that divorced the Valentines on Valentine's Day, Hedda Hopper's stinky Valentine's Day gift, and a Valentine that was just a hunk of slate sent through the mail. Retrosponsor: Maxwell House coffee. Audio and Transcript: https://uselessinformation.org/tinker-the-toad/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bizarre true story of Count Karl von Cosel and the girl of his dreams. It was discovered that they slept together in the same bed every night - nine years after she had died. Also learn about the first millionaire in the United States, the Thanksgiving soda ash mess, the lollipop fight, and the Boston Tar Party. Retrosponsor: Signal Gasoline. Audio, transcript, and photos: https://uselessinformation.org/karl-von-cosel-corpse-bride/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The story of Amala and Kamala, two girls in India who were supposedly raised by wolves. Find out the facts of this unusual story. Also learn the original name of the Hawaii 5-O television series, as well as the details of a singing telegram in a courtroom, a man who had no clue that he had stolen a car, and a husband who wished to be arrested to get away from his nagging wife. Retrosponsor: Owl Rexall Drugs. Audio, transcript, and images: https://uselessinformation.org/midnapores-wolf-children-podcast-49/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first director of the US Geological Survey, Clarence King, was a famed scientist, explorer, and author. This allowed him to move among the elite of American society in the late 19th century. Yet, few people knew that he spent the last thirteen years leading a secret double life. Also learn what Martin Cooper was the first person to ever do, a New Zealand explosion hoax, a man killed by his false teeth, and Thomas Blod's silent concert. Retrosponsor: Fletcher's Castoria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The death of an elderly man in Chicago in 1941 went initially unnoticed. Then it was learned that he was a French nobleman who gave it all away for the chance to love the woman of his dreams. Find out if he ever got the girl... Also learn about the only man ever to be the governor of two different US states, Adolph Hitler being drafted, a bug juice mystery, and a good use for rubber finger sheaths. Retrosponsor: Sinatra singing for Kennedy. (High Hopes with modified lyrics.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After giving birth to a stillborn, Grady the Cow bolted from sight. But there was nowhere for her to go in the small room that she was in. It was then that her owner realized she had somehow gotten her large body through the tiny door to the concrete silo. Tips poured in from all over the world suggesting ways to get her out of there. Find out how they did it. Also learn how many years the oldest cow lived for, a man who advertised for a homely wife, two mineralogists who came up with a unique way to meet women, and a husband who was forced to return his mail-order bride home. Retrosponsor: Anchor Hocking Glass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six men died in a Chicago woman's home over three years. Further investigation showed that 47-year-old Margaret Summers had been married six times and all were dead. She had taken out nineteen life insurance policies, all naming her as the sole beneficiary. Summers claimed innocence, but the police thought otherwise. Also, find out when the first permanent photograph was taken and three different stories of lost cyanide. Retrosponsor: Tintex fabric dye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Loreen emerged from his subterranean slumber on August 21, 1933, having endured 64 days confined to a coffin. Little did he know, this was merely the kickoff to an eccentric contest of endurance, with participants vying to outlast each other buried underground. Also, find out which breakfast cereal is the most popular, where a New Jersey woman found her stolen watch, why Brownie the cow was not producing enough milk, and the unique way a hit-and-run driver was caught. Retrosponsor: Fleischmann's Fresh Yeast. https://uselessinformation.org/the-man-buried-alive-podcast-44/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 20, 1961, then-US Vice President Lyndon Johnson was on a goodwill tour of Asia. While pressing the flesh in Karachi, Pakistan, Johnson had a casual conversation with a camel driver named Bashir Ahmad. The next thing you know, Bashir was on his way to the United States in the feel-good news story of 1961. Also, find out what everyday product Hyman Lipman invented, the Florida councilman frightened by a snake, the New York Aquarium's April Fool problem, and Smell-o-vision. Retrosponsor: Squibb Dental Creme. https://uselessinformation.org/lyndon-johnsons-camel-driver-podcast-43/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Laiken skipped town to avoid paying alimony in 1928 and was never seen again. His ex-wife Rose learned of a man named Noach (Noah) Goldberg who had died in Vienna. She was certain that Noah was her husband's alias. His wooden leg was all that was needed to make the connection. Also, learn which Crayola crayon color was changed in 1962, a fake mutiny, the drunken elephant rampage, and a sad death by a falling flower pot. Retrosponsor: Hallmark Greeting Cards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conrad Cantzen died in 1945 and is long forgotten, but his shoe fund still lives on. Listen to the story of this bizarre provision in this down-on-his-luck actor's handwritten will. Also, learn which celebrity has earned a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in all five of its categories, the US Postal Service's 1908 Valentine problem, Andrew de Stefano's surprise telegram, and pretty Patsy Puckett's Jaguar mystery. Retrosponsor: Colgate Tooth Powder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A premature baby born before the 1940s had little chance of survival unless the baby was lucky enough to be part of a popular sideshow exhibit at Coney Island. Also, learn how the real Jack Daniel died, a man fined one cent for shooting a cow, a color-changing necktie, and a flea map of the United Kingdom that was nearly 60 years in the making. Retrosponsor: Camel Cigarettes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Albany jeweler Samuel Resnick retired to Phoenix, Arizona, but something went wrong. He ended up paying to have himself murdered. Check out this episode to learn all the details of this oddball story. Also, learn the original purpose of Formica brand plastic laminate, who owns the air above your head, the details of a costly Halloween egg toss, and a boy who had a seed sprout in his eye. Retrosponsor: Philco Radio Tubes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1869 discovery of this fossilized giant provided the first definitive proof that giants once did inhabit the Earth. Listen to find out the real facts in the story. Also, find out which serial killer the Texas House of Representatives honored, a storage building destroyed by popping corn, a Denver woman who swallowed a mouse, and burglars who robbed an anchorman's house. Retrosponsor: Shell Gasoline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Dennison was sent to prison for stealing $5.00 worth of chocolates back in 1926. He never committed another crime, yet he was still there in 1960. Listen to find out why this happened and how Steve ultimately gained his release. Also find out which US President was once a male model, the urban parking problem of 1925, two German women who attempted to mail themselves to their boyfriends in the US, and that Richard Nixon was once the nation's best-dressed man. Retrosponsor: Post Toasties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slavomir Rawich's escape from a Siberian prison camp is among the greatest stories of survival ever. So great that it seems totally unbelievable at times. Also learn which classic TV show began the title of each episode with "The Big", a motorist killed in a freak accident by a horse's hoof, a jet fuel cap that fell from the sky, and the day that the US Secretary of Labor ate his hat. Retrosponsor: The Granite Furniture Company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For a while, it seemed like Dumpy the Dog could survive just about anything, but a puppyhood illness came back to haunt him. Be sure to check out this incredible true story. Also, learn about a common kitchen product invented by Thomas Edison, a woman who was knocked unconscious while her hair was chopped off, a bargain marriage deal in Fitzgerald, Georgia, and a woman who taught her class in her birthday suit. Retrosponsor: Aunt Jemima. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Kogut decided to end his life using a deck of ordinary playing cards. That may seem impossible, so listen to this true story from 1930 to learn exactly how he did it. Also find out which popular hairstyle was started by a woman named Barbara Terry, a doctor who dropped dead during surgery, the parking meter mystery, and why you should never request the personalized "NO PLATE" license plate. Retrosponsor: Energine Shoe White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ida Mayfield Wood lived as a recluse in the Herald Square Hotel in NYC for 24 years. When she died, 1,103 people claimed to be the heir to her fortune. Eight years later not a single one of them got a penny. Listen to this great story to find out who did. Also, find out where the geographic center of the United States is located, the guy who married his mother-in-law, the 200 bees that brought the post office to a halt, and a lucky goldfish who survived an earthquake. Retrosponsor: Teel Liquid Dentifice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wealthy Ann Cooper Hewitt was sterilized at age 20 by her mother and two doctors, yet did not know that the procedure was being done. Find out how they tricked her into the surgery. Also, learn about the ten-letter word that your QWERTY keyboard intentionally spells, the guy who blasted out his left cheek while smoking a pipe, a convict who complained to an officer that his wife had run off with another man, and several boys who became trapped in a railroad water tank. Retrosponsor: DeSoto automobiles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Phantom Sniper terrorized women in the Los Angeles area in the early 1950s. He was captured because of one minor mistake that most people would have easily overlooked. Also find out the number of minutes spent playing football in an NFL football game, the fantastic world of Venus, the FBI diaper problem, and J. Paul Getty's pay phone. Retrosponsor: Duz Laundry Soap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The long-forgotten story about the strange kidnapping of Milly McGill back in 1945. It is what happened after Milly was returned to her parents that is the oddest part of this true story. Also learn what a Blue Moon really is, how a wooden leg saved a man's life, a boy that could not pronounce the letter F, and a boy who drove to pick up his sweetie in his dad's car. Retrosponsor: Postum Coffee Substitute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Christmas Eve celebration for the children of Calumet, Michigan turned into a death trap. Listen to find out the details of this tragic story. Also learn about Mary Anderson's invention, a Christmas watermelon miracle, Chinese Christmas cards, and IBM computer punch card wreaths. Retrosponsor: Ex-Lax. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you imagine Thanksgiving without cranberries? That happened in 1959 when cooks across America tossed out all of their cranberry products. Learn about the Interrobang!? punctuation mark, a 7-story elevator plunge, an unlucky winning poker player, and a strange sequence of Friday the 13th events. Retrosponsor: Edsel Automobiles by Ford Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eleven circus elephants died from arsenic poisoning within a one-week period. The search for the murderer was on... Also, learn about 1936's best student essay on peace, the 12-year-old who shot his principal, and the mob that went wild when the police canceled a men's club show. In addition, find out where Adolf Hitler was originally from. Retrosponsor: Clipper Craft clothes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the best stories ever covered on this podcast. It's the story of two men placed on trial for murder and were saved from almost certain death by an event that occurred many miles away. Also learn about two boys that were run over by a locomotive, a fortune hidden in a wall, an escaped tiger, and who the fourth Rice Krispies elf was. Retrosponsor: Grape Nuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fascinating true story of three Milwaukee men who started bombing Milwaukee Sears stores in an effort to obtain $100,000 and escape in their homemade submarine. Also, learn what first the 1925 movie "The Lost World" accomplished, the parrot who committed suicide, death by seasickness, and a very unusual fishing catch. Retrosponsor: Brylcreem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A long-forgotten story about the sensational kidnapping of Caleb Milne IV back in 1935. Also, discover the first #1 on Billboard's album chart, fake radio messages from Europe, two men who died during a fake bank robbery, and the $100 front-page publicity stunt. Retrosponsor: Sal Hepatica laxative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The residents of Palomares in Spain are still dealing with the effects of the four hydrogen bombs accidentally dropped on this small fishing village back in 1966. Also, learn about Norman Brinker's important contribution to the restaurant industry, the nude newsboy, a postal clerk lost at sea, and an award that was better late than never by 40 years. Retrosponsor: Klean Soap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The incredible true story of two Polish doctors who used the microbe Proteus OX19 to create a pseudo typhus epidemic, which saved the lives of over 8,000 people. Also, learn which US president was first to appear on a circulating coin, the "doctor" who convinced women in NYC to disrobe before robbing them, the ashman who inherited a fortune, and two brothers who tried to teach in the same religious school. Retrosponsor: Milk of Magnesia Facial Cremes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jackie Robinson is best remembered for being the first African American to play for one of the Major League Baseball teams, but his 1944 court-martial for his refusal to "go to the back of the bus" nearly derailed his career. Also find out about the first UPC barcode, a trained squirrel, the world's longest beard, and twins marrying twins. Retrosponsor: Listen to the first singing radio commercial - one that saved Wheaties from extinction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hard to believe, but the United States Army once had a bicycle corps. Also learn how a notched wedding ring was used to denote divorce, a giant whale that made a 3,000-mile journey across the US, plumbers who used an alligator to unplug pipe, and Rhodes scholars. Retrosponsor: Swan Soap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices