The Mortician's Daughter

Hollywood, Baby.  Nothing embodies glitz and glamor quite like the golden age of the silver screen.  On this episode of The Mortician’s Daughter, we’re going to look into some of those mysteries from Hollywood of yesteryear that remain a mystery today, as well as a couple that were debunked but still buzz with conspiracy theories... -- Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and...

In this episode, we uncover the surprisingly dark origins of some favorite fairy tales, where "happily ever after" wasn’t always guaranteed. Stories like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty trace back to creepy fireside fables rather than the technicolor versions most of us are familiar with today... -- Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and Edited by Syeed Poole Theme song by Do...

Grief is perhaps the most terrible part of the human experience, but death? Well, sometimes death can sometimes be funny. From unfortunate royal ends to courtrooms gone awry, we’ll discuss the gray space between the sorrow of loss and death’s occasional sense of humor.   -- Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and Edited by Syeed Poole Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hear The Morti...

In this episode, we dive into the wild world of the 1980s Satanic Panic, when everyone thought the devil was lurking in their neighborhood. From over-the-top conspiracy theories to the baffling trials, we trace the development of this moral frenzy all the way to some viral conspiracies of the present day.   Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and Edited by Syeed Poole Theme s...

Join us as we deep dive into the complexities of stalking: examining its prevalence, risk factors, and the chilling stories of infamous cases that have captured the public’s attention. From the Night Stalker to highway serial killers, we’ll explore the space between obsession and violence... -- Written and Narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Syeed Poole Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hea...

Welcome to this episode, where we delve into the mysterious and chilling history of the Hope Diamond. Known for its stunning beauty and enormous value, this gem is equally famous for the curse said to follow its owners, bringing misfortune and tragedy. Join us as we explore the legends, lore, and dark secrets surrounding one of the world's most infamous jewels... -- Written and Narrated by Carly S...

On this installment of The Mortician’s Daughter, we’re continuing our Insiders Interview Series with special guest, Dr. Aneesah Nadir, a pioneer in the field of Muslim mental health and a cofounder of the Islamic Social Services Association-USA (ISSA-USA). We’ll be speaking with her about Grief and End of Life Practices within the Islamic community. -- Written and Narrated by Carly Schorman Produc...

On Episode 25, Dana will be filling in as host to discuss Cursed Tombs from the mummy’s curse in Ancient Egypt to King Casimir IV in Poland and a caged grave in the Scottish Highlands. Get ready.  -- Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and edited by Mark Anderson Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hear The Mortician’s Daughter on  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  Pandora ,  Amazon ,  Goo...

Join us for a discussion about Contract Killers and the sometimes frightening, sometimes stupid Murder-for-Hire schemes from American History. From mobsters during the Prohibition to love torn asunder, we’ll be talking about cold-blooded killers and the people who paid them... -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mark Anderson Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hear The Mortici...

We have a very special interview to kick off the New Year with the Reverend Elena Rose Vera -- artist, activist, public speaker, ordained minister, and Filipina-Ashkenazi trans woman -- to discuss inclusive deathcare and grief support... -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mark Anderson Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hear The Mortician’s Daughter on  Apple Podcasts ,  Spot...

Everyone loves a Hallmark Christmas movie castle, but what if that castle was haunted? On this episode, we’re continuing our Hauntings series with another installment, but this time we’re focusing on Haunted Castles and the ghosts (or demon dogs) that roam the hallways and courtyards of these historic estates. -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mark Anderson Theme son...

Welcome to the launch of our new interview series with other funeral industry professionals about their work and, probably, their work ethics as we delve deeper into deathcare. Rachel Essig, Executive Director of River View Cemetery and Funeral Home kicks off the series with a conversation about this historic space in Portland and the future of funerals. -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman P...

In this episode, we explore the fearsome Goddesses of the Graveyard. These dark goddesses bring forth destruction, offer sanctuary to the dead, or maybe they just have a lot of rage. For this initial installment, we’ll be discussing Persephone, ruler of the Underworld, the Haitian graveyard protector Maman Brigitte, and the fierce demon-slaying Hindu goddess Kali. -- Written and narrated by Carly...

If you suddenly find yourself floating through a long, dark tunnel toward a bright light, you might have just died. In this episode, we discuss NDEs, or near-death experiences, and some of the theories surrounding this phenomenon. Around the world, people of different cultural and religious backgrounds report similar experiences amongst those who have died and then come back from the brink...  --...

In this episode, we explore the origin of the classic slumber party game, Bloody Mary, as well as three murderous women from history who just might be the creepy woman in the mirror. From the Blood Countess of Transylvania to British royals, we have the details on these Bloody Marys. Special guest host Dana Stern. -- Written by Carly Schorman Narrated by Dana Stern Produced and Edited by Mark Ande...

The Mortician’s Daughter returns!! In this episode, we talk about Werner Herzog, the dangers of cell phones and selfies, and more. Join us as we normalize conversations about death while having a little fun with some occasionally morbid topics... -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mark Anderson Theme song by Doug Maxwell Hear The Mortician’s Daughter on  Apple Podcast...

In this episode, I’m honoring a special birthday request for more ghost stories, but rather than just running through an assortment of haunted places, I thought it would be fun to focus on the ghosts that surround one historical figure: King Henry VIII of England. Henry the VIII’s romantic life, and his six wives, has held our fascination for centuries so we'll be discussing the lives (ahem, I mea...

 There are so many different festivals and holidays around the end of October that merged together to form what we in the USA call Halloween and today I’d like us to untangle some of those threads together. We’ll walk through some of the history of the holiday from the ancient festival of Samhain to the present-day consumer megabeast we know and love. -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Prod...

For this episode, I discuss some odds and ends I’ve discovered on this podcasting journey. Sometimes my research turns up interesting tidbits that I don’t get to talk about during our brief monthly meditation. So I’ve gathered some favorites here including the paradoxical frog, toxic people, spontaneous combustion, and more... -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mark A...

This episode just so happens to be Lucky Number Thirteen so I thought this would be the perfect time to explore my lucky number and the superstitions surrounding it. We’ll get into some of the history of its unlucky status, its present day impact, Friday the 13th, and more. You can also hear Carly say “paraskevidekatriaphobia” several times... Thank you to this month's sponsor: Spicy Peanut Noodle...

Let’s hit pause on this era of shared despair to try and find some humor amid the misery. A twisted humor, perhaps, but good for a laugh all the same. Even if it’s just a modest chuckle. Join us as we consider the famous last words, the occasionally mixed feelings about human calamities, and the dangers of everyday objects and events, like molasses and atomic wedgies. Thank you to this month's spo...

Back in Episode Seven we first touched upon the subject of hauntings in the United States and we thought it would be fun to circle back, especially this time of year. For this installment, we aurally explore Shadow Folk, a Death Tree, haunted roads, haunted churches, and more. We even touch upon the mythology that surrounds The Stanley Hotel in Colorado which was the inspiration for The Shining by...

Today we're here to talk about preparing for the inevitable. Don't panic. We're going to try to keep things fun while we talk about some of the decisions that need to be made prior to death. And this just isn't about what happens after you die. These decisions can impact you while you're alive. Really, we have a lot to discuss from Powers of Attorney and Wills to Legacies and, of course, what to d...

In this afterlife installment of The Mortician's Daughter, we explore the concept of reincarnation or transmigration historically, philosophically, and cross-culturally. And, of course, we dive into some real life examples made for the argument that we are all part of an ongoing cycle of death and rebirth we call reincarnation... -- Written and narrated by Carly Schorman Produced and edited by Mar...

In this episode of The Mortician's Daughter, we discuss the architectural marvel known as the Golden Gate Bridge to explore the more mysterious and macabre points of its history. From the Halfway to Hell Club that formed during its construction to its contemporary status as the second most popular suicide bridge in the world, The Golden Gate has more than its fair share of tales to chill you to yo...