Media Path Podcast

From overnight heartthrob to enduring pop culture icon, Christopher Atkins joins us for a funny, revealing conversation that delves into Hollywood, celebrity, and changing cultural mores… all while cooking a Peruvian dinner for his girlfriend! #multitasker  Chris looks back at the Blue Lagoon phenomenon, reflecting on why the film remains  such a lasting pop culture touchstone as a coming-of-age l...

Stephen Tobolowsky has gifted us with indelible character performances while living an extraordinary life that spans from Texas roots to show biz lore to telepathy and beyond. Stephen reflects on his earliest pull toward Hollywood, when even as a child playing cowboys, he imagined the action as if it were being filmed. That instinct would carry him from Texas to Broadway to Los Angeles, constantly...

As a small child, Ike Eisenmann manifested his dream of being a Disney performer when he landed the lead in Escape To Witch Mountain and became the top child star of the ‘70s.  But the joy and pride of appearing in Gunsmoke, Kung Fu, Mannix, Emergency, and Little House On The Prairie was shadowed by the abusively cruel insults hurled at him by his jealous and mentally ill actor father. Ike titled...

From playing army on his boyhood farm to portraying some of film’s more memorable characters, Bill Sadler's journey proves that great storytelling often begins in the simplest places. Bill and Weezy kick things off with shared memories of growing up in the Buffalo, NY area, where running through the woods, horsing around in the hay loft and inventing games, laid the foundation for Bill's future in...

From improv stages to some of the most beloved comedies of the last two decades, Wendi McLendon-Covey joins Media Path for a lively, laugh-infused conversation about finding and trusting her voice. Wendi looks back on her Groundlings run where she honed fearless comedic instincts and created characters that would define her career.  Though she always knew she wanted to perform, it took time, and a...

The Golden age, silver-screen legend who lived to tell a tale that could have only unfolded in Hollywood , Mamie Van Doren joins Media Path for a candid conversation about a life shaped by resilience, reinvention, and remarkable twists of fate! The woman who helped define an extraordinary era of entertainment and cultural change has chronicled both her escapades and her conquered adversities in a...

From tween garage band beginnings to chart-topping success and a shocking behind-the-scenes story that reads like a Hollywood script, Tommy James, of Tommy James & the Shondells, joins Media Path to share dishy details about his remarkable journey while creating some of the most enduring hits of a generation! Tommy traces his musical roots back to age 12, when he formed his first band, The Ech...

Best known for his unforgettable turn as Jackie Chiles, the fast-talking, high-powered attorney Kramer turns to in Seinfeld, actor Phil Morris joins us for a thoughtful, funny, and full-circle conversation about legacy, identity, and the unexpected paths that lead to a life in show business! Phil shares how his portrayal of the character, famously inspired by Johnnie Cochran, took on a life of its...

Best known for her roles as Lynn Williams on Hill Street Blues , Alieen Lewis on Double Trouble and Raj’s wife, Nadine on What's Happening Now!! , Anne-Marie Johnson played Althea Tibbs on In the Heat of the Night , Alycia Barnett on Melrose Place , Sharon Upton Farley on Girlfriends , Liz Shelton on Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Dr. Patel on Days of our Lives . She was also on In Living Color...

80s/90s Comedy/Music/Satire Icon Julie Brown joins us and prepare to mop up some tea! Just exactly how did Julie Brown become an MTV trend setter? She made fun of the videos. Fans loved it and the frenzy gave rise to Julie’s very own show, Just Say Julie.  We head back to an innocent age when it was still ridiculously ludicrous for the homecoming queen to have a gun. Then we explore the inspiratio...

From growing up on the fringes of Hollywood’s inner circle to navigating the highs and lows of an unpredictable acting career, William McNamara brings a lifetime of stories, and hard-earned perspective, to this episode of Media Path. The seasoned actor has produced a series called The Trouble with Billy, based on his own life (now available for purchase in pre-release) and Billy joins us to reflec...

Before celebrity culture was manufactured and media-trained, Ann Moses was right in the middle of it, capturing a generation of hot, young stars just as they were becoming icons. In 1966, an 18-year-old Ann Moses landed a position as the editor of Tiger Beat Magazine where she worked until ’72! Ann remembers serving Walt Disney a refreshing orange juice, at the Sunkist booth where she worked at Di...

The story of Exposé includes hit songs, groundbreaking sounds, and a behind-the-scenes journey that is as compelling as the music itself. We sit down with artist manager and producer Ray de la Garza, original Exposé member Laurie Miller, and former Arista Director of Dance Music Promotion David Jurman to discuss Point of No Return: X-posed, the new documentary on Tubi that revisits the rise of the...

The word 'Queen' gets thrown around a lot but actress, comedian, director, writer Renée Taylor is legitimate show biz royalty! This month she turns 93 (or is it 39?) and in honor of the occasion, she is gifting us with a performance of her extraordinary one-woman show, My Life on a Diet, on March 18th in Palm Springs. Renée joins us to talk about her remarkable career, her devoted marriage to Joe...

Character actor Sam McMurray's media path winds through connections, coincidences and many, MANY contacts with industry legends (and assorted relations.) Sam carves a path through the backroads of Friends, The Golden Girls, Freaks & Geeks, Raising Arizona, The King Of Queens and beyond while we scramble to keep up! Raised in New York by actor parents, his dad was on The Edge Of Night. His mom...

On My Three Sons, Stanley Livingston grew up, with the boomer generation and with television itself. By the time we came to know Stan as Chip Douglas he had logged over ten credits, performing with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Doris Day, Ozzie & Harriet Nelson, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Debbie Reynolds and Gregory Peck! Stan takes us back to his first gig, as a stunt double for Jon Provos...

Co-Host Lisa Arch joins us with our guest, Stan Zimmerman. From a supportive teacher who first recognized his talent to writing some of television’s most beloved episodes, Stan Zimmerman’s journey is a testament to passion, persistence, and perfect timing. He sets it all out in his new book 'The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore,’ which draws from journals he has kept religiously since college, offeri...

From her first job right out of high school on a USO tour through Asia during the Vietnam War to Maude to screen queen classics, Adrienne Barbeau has costarred with snakes, rats, bugs, Swamp Things, a man-eating ape and Batman! Adrienne joins us to talk about iconic roles, larger than life co-stars (like Rodney and Reynolds) and how at 80, she's doing everything BUT riding into the sunset. At 19,...

Even before he was “DJ Conner,” Michael Fishman was a working-class kid raised by, as he puts it, 'a farm girl from Virginia and an immigrant father'. That blue-collar pride still defines and inspires him today in the important work he's doing within the mental health space. In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Michael takes us back to the moment his life changed forever: the Ros...

We welcome actress/singer Tina Cole for a candid and captivating conversation that traces a remarkable life in show business, filled with achievements, close calls, and shocking Hollywood stories. Tina shares her deep entertainment roots that run through The King Family and Big Band history. Her mom is King Sister Yvonne and her dad is keyboard icon Buddy Cole. She and her cousins absorbed their c...

We’re joined by Stefanie Powers for a layered conversation that spans Hollywood’s golden-era traditions, cultural change, and a life shaped by both stardom and purpose. For those in the Los Angeles area, Stefanie, with co-star Patrick Wayne, will be performing 'Love Letters' at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood as a benefit for the William Holden Wildlife Foundation on January 11, 2026! Ste...

We welcome Cam Clarke for a fascinating deep dive into one of the most successful musical dynasties in American entertainment: The King Family. Cam takes us behind the scenes with the legendary singing group, and then Cam, a talented voice actor goes is and out of famous roles as we 'interview' some of his most beloved V.O. characters! Cam is the son of Alyce King, one of the original King Sisters...

We are honored to welcome Kevin Tighe, the actor who brought Roy DeSoto to life on the groundbreaking series Emergency! and whose career has spanned stage, screen, and service. Kevin takes us back to his beginnings at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he first stepped into the world of acting at just 10 years old. From there, he trained with legendary teachers Stella Adler and Bobby Lewis, absorbing t...

We welcome actress Erin Murphy, who spent her first eight years of life charming TV watchers as young Tabitha Stephens on Bewitched. Erin takes us behind the scenes at one of television’s most beloved classics, sharing vivid memories from a childhood spent witnessing the creation of Hollywood magic. Erin and her fraternal twin sister Diane were originally cast together to share the role of Tabitha...

We are taking a heartwarming ride back to Walnut Grove with three beloved Little House On The Prairie cast members: Alison Arngrim, Dean Butler, and Karen Grassle, as they reunite to celebrate the show’s enduring magic and to preview a new documentary and a Simi Valley cast reunion event in December, 2025. We explore why Little House continues to resonate across generations, drawing parallels to S...