The Pan Am Podcast
Experience the legacy of the world’s most iconic airline, Pan American World Airways! This award-winning history and humanities program brings Pan Am’s 64-year history to life through engaging storytelling and insightful interviews from Pan Am employees, passengers, pilots, journalists, historians, authors, fashionistas, and aviation enthusiasts! Hosted by historian Tom Betti, the program has won the following awards: Gold 2024 & 2023 Muse Creative Awards; Gold 2024 Vega Digital Award; Silver 2023 Vega Digital Award; Gold Award from the 2023 Hear Now Palooza of the National Audio Theater Festivals; Silver 2022 Muse Creative Award; Arcturus 2022 Vega Digital Award (Podcast); and Arcturus 2022 Vega Digital Award (Best Host). The Pan Am Podcast is brought to you by the Pan Am Museum in Garden City, New York and is sponsored by the generous personal support of Mr. Adam Aron, CEO of AMC Theatres and President of the Pan Am Historical Foundation. The Pan Am Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and would appreciate your consideration of tax-deductible donations.
Episodes
53 episodes
Episode 52: George Takei Remembers Gene Roddenberry (Pan Am Pilot, 1945-1948)
In this episode we learn about the life of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, who was a pilot for Pan Am from 1945 to 1948. Then we will be joined by a very special guest, George Takei, a legendary actor, NY Times Best Selling...
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Season 4
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Episode 52
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1:19:11
Episode 51: Crossing the Atlantic in 1939 and Making History Once More
In this episode we explore the first transatlantic passenger flights of Pan Am’s Boeing 314 flying boats in the late 1930s and we welcome back to the program Pan Am flight attendant and author Becky Sprecher who will share her insights -and fam...
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Season 4
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Episode 51
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1:49:40
Episode 50: Kathleen Clair, Juan T. Trippe's Executive Assistant for 32 Years (1948-1980)
In this episode we explore the life of Kathleen Clair, executive assistant to Pan Am founder and chairman Juan T. Trippe for over 32 years from 1948 to 1980. We will also hear a personal and private memories of Mr. Trippe and Kathleen.
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Season 4
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Episode 50
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1:16:40
Episode 49: Edith Head, A Hollywood Legend
In this episode we explore the life of legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head who designed uniforms for Pan American World Airways introduced in 1975 and used until the early 1980s. Then we will be joined by actor Susan Cla...
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Season 3
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Episode 49
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1:21:37
Episode 48: The Archer's...A Family of Aviators
In this episode we celebrate the Archer’s...a family of aviators. 89-year-old Pan Am Captain Stu Archer joined the airline in 1965 as an engineer after serving in the U.S. Air Force. Stu began flying the 727 and then was promoted to...
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Season 3
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Episode 48
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1:13:02
Episode 47: The "Nisei" Stewardesses of Pan Am
The Pan Am Museum Foundation recognizes the month of May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and in this episode we explore the history of Pan Am’s “Nisei” Stewardesses with Dr. Christine R. Yano, retir...
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Season 3
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Episode 47
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57:11
Episode 46: Capt. Mike Bannister, Chief Pilot of British Airways Concorde
In this episode we welcome back to the program Captain Mike Bannister, the chief pilot of British Airways' Concorde fleet from 1995 to 2003.He is also the author of a recently published book titled
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Season 3
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Episode 46
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57:57
Episode 45: National Airlines
Pan American World Airways acquired National Airlines in 1980 and preserving the history of National is now the responsibility of the Pan Am Museum and we take this duty seriously.In this episode we explore the fascinating history of Na...
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Season 3
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Episode 45
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1:39:05
Episode 44: Capt. Robert Ford and the Long Way Home
In this special episode we will be exploring the incredible life of Pan Am Captain Robert Ford, a trailblazing flying boat aviator that found international fame with an unscheduled flight round the globe. And we welcome back to the program Pan ...
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Season 3
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Episode 44
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1:15:27
Episode 43: Terror at the Rome Airport, December 1973 Attack
This is a special memorial edition of this program and recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Rome airport attack. We are joined by two survivors that were on a Pan Am plane that was firebombed at the Rome airport on December 17, 1973: Pa...
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Season 3
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Episode 43
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1:37:39
Episode 42: Operation Babylift: The 1975 Saigon Evacuation
In this episode we explore Operation Babylift, the historic April 1975 evacuation of more than 3,000 Vietnamese war orphans just before the fall of South Vietnam.We are joined by Thoa Bui, Vice President of Programs and Services for Holt...
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Season 3
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Episode 42
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1:20:54
Episode 41: The Stewardess Labor Movement of the 1960s and 1970s
In this episode we are joined by Nell McShane Wulfhart, author of the book The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolut...
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Season 3
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Episode 41
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1:02:01
Episode 40: Tom Betti and a Rock Song About History
In this episode we are turning the tables…the interviewee becomes the interviewer. Guest host Phillip Keene interviews the host of The Pan Am Podcast, historian Tom Betti to bring our listeners his story. Phillip is a podcast guest in episodes ...
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Season 3
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Episode 40
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1:09:55
Episode 39: Madeline Smith and a Romance in the Sky
In this episode we are joined by 98-year-old Madeline Smith and her daughter Valerie Smith O’Grady Skinner. Both were Pan Am flight attendants…Madeline joined the airline right after the war in 1946 and Valerie, following in ...
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Season 2
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Episode 39
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1:08:40
Episode 38: Dan Colussy, Pan Am's President and Chief Operating Officer in the 1970s
In this episode we are joined by Dan Colussy who served as Pan Am’s President and Chief Operating Officer in the 1970s. Dan will share his experiences of working in the airline industry during a pivotal point in Pan Am history. This interview p...
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Season 2
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Episode 38
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1:26:13
Episode 37: Lester Kappel, World War II Aircraft Mechanic with Pan Am
In this episode we are joined by 99-year-old Lester Kappel. He worked for Pan Am during World War II beginning in early 1942 until mid 1946. He was stationed for the majority of World War II in Casablanca with the African-Orient division of Pan...
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Season 2
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Episode 37
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1:04:21
Episode 36: Sam Donaldson, Legendary Newsman
In this episode we are joined by legendary journalist Sam Donaldson where we will talking about traveling with Pan Am on assignment, covering presidents as White House correspondent, tracking down a Nazi war criminal, deregulation of the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 36
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1:37:12
Episode 35: Pan Am's Diversity in the Cockpit
In this episode we continue to celebrate Black History Month and are joined by veteran Pan Am pilots Captain Perry Jones and Ed Moon.Perry was the first African American to be hired by Pan Am in late 1965 and Ed was the third to be hire...
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Season 2
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Episode 35
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1:40:37
Episode 34: Junius Kellogg and the Pan Am Jets Wheelchair Basketball Team
In this episode we celebrate Black History Month and are joined by author Bruce Wolk to explore the inspiring life of sports legend Junius Kellogg and his incredible connection to Pan American World Airways. Junius Kellogg was born...
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Season 2
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Episode 34
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1:14:57
Episode 33: Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty, Helping Others With Weighted Wings
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty.Johanna joined Pan American World Airways in 1970 as a flight attendant, and was later promoted to purser, trainer, and in 1986 was appointed Corporate Manager of Pan Am’s new Empl...
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Season 2
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Episode 33
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1:02:01
Episode 32: Terror on the Airline, New Lockerbie Arrest, and the Quest for Justice
On December 11, 2022, Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi (Mas’ud), the suspected bomb maker in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, was arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice and brought to the United States for prosecution. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 32
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1:22:28
Episode 31: The Last CEO and the Last Clipper
In this episode we will be recognizing the 31st anniversary of Pan American World Airways ceasing operations and explore the lead up to and the tumultuous year of 1991 which ended with the shutdown of Pan Am.For the first interview, we a...
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Season 2
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Episode 31
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1:39:49
Episode 30: The Art of Travel Posters
In this 30th episode of The Pan Am Podcast we will be exploring the Art of Travel posters!We are joined by guests Phillip Keene, a Pan Am veteran flight attendant and collector and Meg Williams of the company
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Season 2
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Episode 30
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59:08
Episode 29: AIDS Epidemic of the 1980s, Remembering Those We Lost
In this episode we will be discussing the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and begins with a report from ABC News on the evening of December 17, 1982.Five veteran Pan Am employees (David Hinson, Phillip Keene, Linda Freire, Becky Sprecher, an...
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Season 2
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Episode 29
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1:32:26
Episode 28: The Flying Piano Player
In this episode we are joined by Captain Beau Brant of United Airlines. He started flying for United in 2005 and has flown regional jets, 757s, 767s, and 787s throughout his career. He currently flies the Airbus A320. When he is not...
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Season 2
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Episode 28
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49:48