South Fellini Presents Legends of Philadelphia

Continuing our long march to Halloween, this week we want to talk about Philadelphia’s most famous blood sucker; Vampirella. The heroic heretic started her indie comics career in the East Oak Lane home of publisher James Warren. He made Vampirella queen of the undead thanks to a healthy dose of cheesecake and gore. Join us now as we search the depths of hell for the North Philly Nosferatu.

In the 1930’s, during the Great Depression, a criminal syndicate dominated the underworld with a lethal combination of black magic, arsenic, and fraud. They say 100 corpses piled up before the law finally caught them. Join us today as we spill the tea on the Philadelphia Poison Ring.

Rocky II is a 1979 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to the Oscar winning original Rocky. Sly Stallone, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young and Talia Shire reprised their original roles. But capturing lightning in a bottle for a second time was still no guarantee. Their decision marked the establishment of one of...

The Philadelphia Eagles have a long history full of record setters and all stars. Hall of Famers like Nick Foles, Brian Dawkins, and Randal Cunningham come to mind immediately.  But today we want to focus on some of the franchise’s forgotten heroes. These figures didn’t win super bowls nevertheless their names and images are forever a part of the Green Machine. So join us as we examine the Improba...

We're taking a break from our usual format this week to talk about the history of South Fellini. This is the legendary tale of two Philly youths who loved making silly shirts. We cover everything from drawing on undershirts to iron-on bootlegs, and the very first official South Fellini tee. So join Tony Trov and Johnny Zito for a trip down memory lane as we examine the Dawn of South Fellini.

We are doing things a lil differently this week. This is our “skip week” where we take a break from the regular format. One of the most fun things about doing Legends of Philadelphia are all the great comments, emails, and DMs we get on the social medias. Listeners clued us in when we were wrong and shared new stuff that we didn’t know before. So, today we’re going to dig through the last ten epis...

Let Me Clear My Throat is the third and final studio album by DJ Kool, released on April 23, 1996 on American Recordings. The album is best remembered for its title track, "Let Me Clear My Throat", which became Kool's only top-40 hit and reached gold certification for sales of over 500,000 copies. This eternal club hit was Recorded live in Philadelphia, and that’s a good enough reason for us to ta...

The enclosed public market located at 12th and Arch Streets in Center City Philadelphia is home to over one hundred merchants. They offer fresh produce, meats, fish, artisan cheese, groceries, ice cream, flowers, grilled cheese, baked goods, crafts, books, clothing, and specialty and ethnic foods. It’s a crazy, kinetic, exciting environment full of some of the city’s best and worst smells. We’re t...

Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen, written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated, kind-hearted debt collector working for a loan shark in the slums of Philadelphia. Rocky, a wanna be prize fighter, gets his shot at the world heavyweight championship when the champ, Apollo Creed (play...

The twist is a dance that was inspired by rock and roll icon and Philly kid, Chubby Checker. From 1959 to the early sixties it became a worldwide dance craze, enjoying immense popularity while drawing controversies from critics who felt it was too provocative. It inspired dances such as the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi, the Mashed Potato, the Monkey, and the Funky Chicken, but none were as popular....

Philadelphia is home to plenty of great art, culture, and history, and no one structure brings those three things together like the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Loftily situated at the top of the Parkways it serves as a gateway to kelly drive and fairmount park. It’s such a big deal that we only have time for a brief history of this amazing museum and the most valuable art in its vast collection.

Planners of Philadelphia’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976 hoped to showcase the growth and ambitions of the city while also commemorating the two-hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The big celebrations drew millions of Americans to the city in the summer of ’76. It also provoked conflict and ultimately failed to fulfill the dreams of the city and its planners. So, today we...

The city is re-opening, nature is healing itself, and your favorite bar is back. Or maybe it’s not. Lot’s of popular watering holes don’t survive under the best conditions. Whereas others have endured gentrification, prohibition, and revolutions. That kind of longevity can only be earned, painstakingly, over time. So today we’re going to wet our whistle at the oldest operating bars in Philadelphia...

Charles Wade Barkley is a former professional basketball player and current analyst on Inside the NBA. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "the Round Mound of Rebound," Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star, an 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and the 1993 NBA Most Valuable Player. But his professional career began in Philadelphia alongside Moses Malone and Dr. J. So today we’re going to do a deep dive o...

Mister Softee, is an American ice cream truck franchise, best known in the northeastern US for it’s classic trucks, catchy theme song, and distinctive mascot. Their army of 600 ice cream trucks lure children into the street with delightful Icy Treats on the Hottest Days of Summer. Mr Softee company is based in Runnemede, New Jersey but it’s origins are right here in Philadelphia. So join us as we...

Grace Kelly was born in Philadelphia on November 12, 1929. Prior to becoming royalty or a famous actress, Grace spent her summers in Ocean City, New Jersey. Her family’s home still stands on the corner of 26th and Wesley Avenue, across the street from the ocean. She worked on the boardwalk and hung out on the beach, while day dreaming of a fairy tale future. So, today we’re going to take a trip do...

We are doing things a lil differently this week. Trov can’t be with us because he and his wife just had a baby. So he’s busy. It just so happens this is also our “skip week” where we take a break from the regular format. One of the most fun things about doing Legends of Philadelphia are all the great comments, emails, and DMs we get on the social medias. Listeners clued us in when we were wrong an...

David Lynch is an American filmmaker and screenwriter who is best known for his uniquely disturbing and mind-bending visual work. He has developed his own unique cinematic style in which he has been dubbed "Lynchian" and is characterized by the dreamy juxtaposition of the cheerfully mundane with the shockingly macabre that often defies explanation. And the time he spent in Philly was his biggest i...

This week the Oakland Athletics, a Major League Baseball franchise, has been given permission by the MLB to move out of town.  This isn’t the first time the A’s have moved, they used to operate out of Kansas City but they actually originated right here in Philadelphia. They were a very successful baseball team while they were here, so, we’re going to take this opportunity to talk about Philly’s wi...

Louis Feinberg, known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, violinist, and boxer, best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Their hallmark styles were farce, slapstick, and funny noises. Along with Moe and Curly, Larry helped define humor for generations with their physical comedy work. So grab a custard pie and join us as we ask “hey, what’s the big idea...

Boyz II Men is an American boy band from Philadelphia best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. During the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet. Their music was the soundtrack to every prom, graduation, wedding, and barbecue for many millennials around the world. So sit back, settle in, and we’ll podcast to you the way you want us to, and we will not let go...

City Hall is the world's largest free standing masonry building and it serves as the center of municipal government in the City of Philadelphia. It houses the Philadelphia City Council chambers and the offices of the Mayor. There are courtrooms, records rooms, observation decks, and bomb shelters. So join us today as we go behind closed doors and make backroom deals at City Hall.

We had so much fun talking about old signs last week that we decided to do a deep dive on doors this week.  Across the city you might notice these mid century relics mounted to the front of older Philly row homes. These locally produced entrances chronicle the evolution of taste and technology in our homes. Come and knock on our door, we’ve got a story for you.

The city is full of great signage. In fact, some famous Philly locations are better known for their big neon lights instead of what they actually sell. These antique lettered marquees and neon signs that adorn several of the city’s historic buildings are remnants of a bygone era. So today we’re going to take a look at signs that light the way to happier days.

Baseball season is starting up this week and we’re in a mood to reminisce about a part of the city's sports mythology; the 1993 Phillies. The beer swilling, belly scratching, beard growing misfits of the major league seemed to defy all the odds on their way to becoming national league champions. So join us as we look back at that improbable pennant.