The Missing Chapter Podcast

In 6 seasons and nearly 300 episodes, Phil and I have brought you countless stories “forgotten” or “lost” in the bowels of history. We’ve shed light on names, faces, and lives that you have never known about; people who have shaped not only our history, but the lifestyles we live every day. But what about the people you have heard of? What about the names that are familiar to you? What could we po...

Welcome to The Missing Chapter—the podcast where we uncover the stories that history somehow forgot to highlight. Today’s Missing Chapter Profile is about a man who helped light up the modern world—in the most literal sense—and yet somehow, most people have never heard his name. We’re heading to Queens, New York, to a house that doesn’t just preserve history—it protects a legacy. Inside that home...

There are certain sounds that instantly trigger memories. A school bell.  The startup noise of an old computer on dial up.  The click of a cassette tape. And for decades, one sound meant the same thing for almost everyone on Earth. Today on The Missing Chapter , we’re talking about the hidden story of a sound that started billions of conversations that technically isn’t even necessary anymore.  It...

Well, everyone, we’re back with another Top 5. That’s right, back by popular demand, our Top 5 today focuses on something that we haven’t heard much about - the worst military blunders in human history. So let’s take a deep look into what we would consider our Top 5 Worst Military decisions of all time. This episode might be filled with bad decisions, but not on your part.  You made the right deci...

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is a beloved children's book by Judi Barrett about the town of Chewandswallow, where food falls from the sky for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, until the weather turns bad and giant food storms threaten the town, forcing the residents to find a new way to live. The story, first published in 1978, is known for its imaginative concept and inspired the popular a...

Ever wondered why spaghetti breaks in more than two pieces? We just witnessed something remarkable on the latest episode of the Missing Chapter Podcast. For years, it's been believed that when you break spaghetti, it never snaps into just two pieces. But guess what? We tested it live—and the results were shocking! This myth has puzzled physicists since 1939. So, can spaghetti break in two? Wat...

You know the stories where someone says they “know a guy” who did something so insane that it sounds completely made up?  You roll your eyes because physics, common sense, and survival instincts say, “Yeah, no chance.”  And yet—every once in a while—one of those stories is real. Well, on today's episode of the Missing Chapter, you won't believe that this story isn't made "up.&quot...

Imagine a podcast that unlocks the door to imagination and lost historical stories. Beyond it is another dimension—a dimension of sight, sound, and mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. An auditory journey to the realms of reality and science fiction; behind the curtain of one of the most popular and beloved television shows of all time.     A cup of ho...

Have you ever wondered how humans went from trudging around on two feet to gliding and rolling on a thin piece of medal or a few wobbly wheels? The story of skating is one of the most unexpected and delightful missing chapters in history — and it all starts way before disco, spandex, or decent brakes for that matter. On this Missing Chapter Short, we are actually going to encourage you to skate th...

What if I told you that, for nearly a quarter of a century, a cookie recipe—yes, a cookie recipe—could predict the next President of the United States? That between stump speeches and State of the Union addresses, there was another kind of political showdown happening... not in Washington, not on TV, but in kitchens across America. It started in 1992, with one offhand remark from Hillary Clinton—a...

If you have been a Missing Chapter podcast listener for any period of time, you know how much we love uncovering the unknown stories of history.  Well, for today’s episode, we’re not just going to uncover, we’re going to unpack, as I unfold an unbelievable overcomer story of one of the most popular and widely known goods in the world.  It’s a wild one today, listeners, so make sure you pour yourse...

For today’s Missing Chapter Profile, we look into the details and unknown stories of one of the pioneers in the entertainment industry as a magician and escape artist.  One of the most daring and death-defying individuals in history, Harry Houdini’s life is filled with unbelievable stories.  And as popular of a man as he was, there are still parts of his life that are covered in mystery.  So let’s...

If you were fortunate enough to grow up in the decade of the 1980s, then chances are you have fond memories walking up and down the isles of iconic toy stories, places KB Toys, Toys are Us, FAO Swartz. Their shelves were lined with toys that defined the years of our youth – Cabbage Patch Kids, Transformers, GI Joe, Tickle Me Elmo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In the weeks after the Christmas Shop...

It is hard to believe that some people in this world don’t like chocolate.  My wife is one of them!  I love chocolate in my pancakes, chocolate in my desserts, and surprise, surprise, chocolate in my coffee.  I wouldn’t be disappointed if the forecast for this week was cloudy and a chance of chocolate.  As ridiculous as that sounds, that is what happened in 1948.  It rained chocolate.  Well, kind...

As we move away from the holiday season and into the new year, we tend to be reflective.  And one of the things that the holiday season brings out in us is, apart from the black Friday craze, is an appreciation of having time with family.  On today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, we take a look at a power couple.  This husband and wife duo were visionaries, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers.  And w...

We here on The Missing Chapter have reflected on traditions, practices, and objects of yester-year, fondly remembering days past. However, Phil Schoff and I don’t believe that all historical customs should be remembered in such graceful light. We’re happy some were discarded by the waste side throughout the duration of time. One of these being… duels. Want some Missing Chapter merchandise? Click ⁠...

As we close on the Christmas season, and head toward the new year, many of us tend to take some time to be reflective.  We might make some resolutions that don’t usually last, but for the most part, the end of December is time to slow down from the presents and rush of the holidays.  On today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, we are going to detail one of the most fascinating stories of one of the...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Merry Christmas, Missing Chapter Podcast fans! It's frigid cold here in upstate NY, but we're brewing a hot cup of coffee to talk about the most magical place on earth, mixed in with the most magical holiday of the year! So let's play a game - how well do you know your Disney holiday facts? Let's find out today on this festive, magical,...

It’s that time of year!  The Christmas cookies, the trees, the hot chocolate, and making gingerbread houses!  This is where the fun of the holidays meets the art and engineering skills of the parents.  Our kids love making gingerbread houses, and the do-it-yourself boxes make it look so easy until you try to put it all together yourself.  About an hour later and 15 different messes of sprinkles, f...

I’m sure you hear it said all the time, “it’s the little things in life that make you happy” - that could not be more true.  Just like this podcast - it’s the little things - the dad jokes, the coffee, and of course the unknown stories.  And that’s no different for today’s episode, but for the person that we’re talking about today, it’s the small, seemingly insignificant device that not only saved...

Humans like a good challenge – especially when it comes to sports and physical competition. Triathlons, ultra marathons. One of the most grueling events in sports is the cycling road race, the Tour de France. What motives contestants to compete in such undertakings; to push themselves to both the physical and mental brink of what man is capable of? Is it self-perseverance? An intrinsic desire to s...

How often have we looked at the common, everyday things that we use on a day to day basis or sayings that we repeat all the time, but never stop to think about where these items originated?  Who named these items?  Where did they come from?  But better yet, for today’s episode, who are these items actually named after?  Well, how about you have the Phils answer that question for you.  So let’s tak...

As many of you honored our vets this month, we wanted to take time to do the same.  But for today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, I can almost guarantee you have never heard of this person.  We’re talking spies, espionage, and an undercover operative so important, that many credit her with one of the reasons why we won WWII!  She was fierce, resilient, and incredibly effective in her service to...

Well, it’s almost that time again for us in upstate NY.  Yup, we’ve enjoyed a warm, dry summer, and a beautiful fall, but now the temperatures are dropping, the rain and leaves are falling, and at any moment, the precipitation can turn into…snow.  I know that some of our listeners are big fans of winter time, and I am to a certain extent - basketball season, Christmas time, building snowmen with m...

It can be stressful trying to think of that perfect gift for someone you care about. Agonizing over a materialistic object that that one special person might appreciate or get excited over, sometimes gives way to the possibility of an “experience gift,” instead. You know… time together watching a performance, or seeing something for the first time, that your loved one would be grateful for.   Toda...