logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
7m 39s

Disappearing Acts: Clara Bow

Wonder Media Network and iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Clara Bow (1905-1965) was an American film star of the 1920s. Her flapper persona helped bring about the “it” girl and popularize the fads of the era. Her sudden retirement at the age of 28 essentially erased her from later films as the studio system grew, but she left an undeniable imprint on film history. 

For Further Reading:

Historically, women have been told to make themselves smaller, to diminish themselves. Some have used that idea to their advantage, disappearing into new identities. For others, a disappearance was the end to their stories, but the beginning of a new chapter in their legacies. This month we’re telling the stories of these women: we’re talking about disappearing acts.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Maritime Madams: Lehua Kamalu
Lehua Kamalu (c. 1980-present) was the first woman in modern history to captain and navigate a voyaging canoe using the traditional Polynesian practice of wayfinding. Without maps or GPS, she navigated the Pacific Ocean using cues from the currents, the winds and the stars. For F ... Show More
6m 33s
Jul 8
Maritime Madams: Radhika Menon
Radhika Menon is the first female captain in the Indian Merchant Navy. In 2016, she became the first woman to receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea following a successful rescue mission that saved the lives of seven fishermen. For Further Reading: BBC, Indian woman ... Show More
3m 51s
Jul 7
Maritime Madams: Annie Edson Taylor
Annie Edson Taylor (unknown –1921) was an American schoolteacher best known as the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. For Further Reading: Overlooked No More: Annie Edson Taylor, Who Tumbled Down Niagara Falls Into Fame - The New York Times’ Annie Tayl ... Show More
5m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
The Power of Girls (Mattie Kahn)
“I think historically we have always seen that intergenerational partnership is the way that movements grow and expand and the way people feel resilient about what they're trying to accomplish. The first defeat as a young person, when you feel your morals are on the line, your se ... Show More
56m 29s
Feb 2024
Gwyneth Paltrow : l’étrange gourou venu de l’Upper East Side
L’épisode que vous vous apprêtez à écouter n’est pas interdit aux moins de 18 ans, et pourtant, on va parler de “bains de vapeur vaginaux” et de “bougie senteur orgasme”. Ce chapitre est donc consacré à Gwyneth Paltrow, l’actrice hollywoodienne aux 45 films, certes, la comédienne ... Show More
39m 44s
Oct 2023
The ‘Stunt Work’ That Launched Women Into Investigative Journalism
Women including Ida B. Wells and Nellie Bly were on the front edge of investigative journalism in the 1800s. But even with these historical trailblazers, why were women excluded from reporting hard news until recent history?  Producer Jordan Pettiford sits down with author, journ ... Show More
29m 45s
Jan 2024
23. Jane and Ann Boyd - Secret Baby
Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.In this episode Lucy is joined by the Right Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan, the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, who was one of the firs ... Show More
29m 18s
May 2007
Joanna Lumley
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the actress Joanna Lumley. She first found fame as the high-kicking glamour-puss Purdey in the 1970s show The New Avengers, but the role that cemented her in the nation's psyche was Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous. A striking beauty with a cut-gl ... Show More
36m 41s
Apr 2024
From Betty Friedan to Ballerina Farms: Lisa Selin Davis on the conceptual housewife
This week, author and journalist Lisa Selin Davis returns for her third visit to The Unspeakable. Lisa is best known to listeners for her thorough and rigorous reporting on the new gender movement and her probing insights into how ideas around gender nonconformity have shifted ov ... Show More
29m 2s
Jun 2024
PRETTY CURIOUS | How Did You Go From Kitchen Sink to Oprah Winfrey? with Lisa Price
This week, we have Carol’s Daughter Founder, Lisa Price! Lisa tells Jonathan about her decades-long journey to lasting success: from back in the early days when she made and sold products out of her kitchen at a time when there were barely any natural hair products on the shelves ... Show More
34m 49s
Apr 2024
The Business of Beauty
In this episode, Kate & Catherine take on the beauty industry and its impact on how women see themselves, love themselves and care for themselves. They illuminate a lot of the current trends that are the very thing that fuels self-hate, self-abandonment and self-betrayal. If you ... Show More
41m 39s
May 2024
The Real Carrie Jade: Trailer
Long before anyone ever heard of this story, 3yrs ago, in 2021, a 32-year-old English woman approached us with a heartbreaking story. She was dying from a terminal illness. But she thought she might have a lifeline through lifesaving brain surgery, and she'd like us to record her ... Show More
3m 47s
Aug 2018
Lydia Pinkham
Thanks so much for listening to Historical Figures. Parcast has another podcast called Great Women of Business where we profile amazing female business leaders. This episode is on Lydia Pinkham, an historic figure in her own right! We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do! ... Show More
1h 3m