Back Through The Basement Podcast

30/09/2023

To our cherished listeners, we wish you a very Happy International Podcast Day!! We hope you’ll take a moment today to give a listen to an episode in our first six seasons. We have many things to juggle to craft a perfect Season 7 so we also want to thank our listeners for their patience. Much material has been captured already and it promises to be a special season.

To our fellow podcasters and comrades behind the mic, we wish you well as you continue to bring your material to your listeners.

This picture is a shot of one of our twin TASCAM DR-40s. We found that the DR-40 worked very well for capturing the in-the-Basement audio (particularly when Julee has to move around in the Basement on the Massachusetts side of the bi-coastal recording). To unify the sound, we opted to have Tom (on the LA side of the bi-coastal recording) use the same mic. Tom and Julee both have other mics in both of their studios for voiceover work though this mic is perfect for Back Through The Basement.

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis

13/09/2023

Happy National Video Game Day!!

Wishing you all an Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-B-A-Start to a wonderful Video Game Day from everyone at Back Through The Basement podcast!!

[in this picture: one of our original Nintendo game system controllers and a vintage “The Official Nintendo Player’s Guide’ – unearthed in the Basement]

What’s your favorite game? Vintage game? Recent game?

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Nintendo of America 🎮

29/08/2023

We wanted to take a moment long before any nominees are announced to wish everyone involved with the Voice Arts Awards a very happy 10th anniversary. We thank all those involved since the very first awards ceremony to this year's tenth gala.

It was an incredible standout moment, as brother and sister, for us share our first nomination for our podcast, "Back Through The Basement".

Thank you SOVAS! And you BET we entered again this year!!

- Tom Antonellis & Julee Antonellis

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Society of Voice Arts and Sciences

22/07/2023

We can’t BELIEVE Back Through The Basement Podcast is 3 YEARS OLD!! Our baby is growing up. Find us wherever you find your Podcasts

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

11/07/2023

As we head into the third quarter of 2023 and a certain podcast co-host gets ready for a July birthday (do you know who we mean?), it is time, again to...
..archive sound files and clear drive space. That oh-so-scintillating task. You know it well, right? We've posted about this before.

While we do have to periodically see to this tedious task, we know it can be made far better with some Zevia! Thank you Zevia | for getting us THROUGH so many moments – we're grateful for you and we’re grateful for all of you who follow us here on Instagram and who follow our podcast: Thank you to our Keepers, our cherished listeners.

We're hard at work on Season 7 and can't wait to share with you all again. Until then, have a wonderful summer!

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Back Through The Basement is available on all major platforms. Now’s the time to Binge! Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis

26/06/2023

What is the story behind this mini bendable Stock Car Racer? Why is he in a Creed Co. Plumbing fitting case? Tune in to the Season 6 finale of "Back Through The Basement": Episode 69 "The Pivotal Presence and Spit Takes" to find out!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

09/06/2023

What is the story behind Dr. Smypheon Willcot, besides being a Bendable Arco quasi-Mattel Non-Descript Mad Scientist? Tune in to the Season 6 finale of "Back Through The Basement": Episode 69 "The Pivotal Presence and Spit Takes" to find out!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

05/06/2023

Be careful Care Bears! Don’t let this villain into Care-a-lot! Tune in to the Season 6 finale of "Back Through The Basement": Episode 69 "The Pivotal Presence and Spit Takes" to learn where in the Basement we found this gem!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. Episode link in comments. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Hasbro

02/06/2023

"Back Through The Basement" Episode 69 "The Pivotal Presence and Spit Takes" has Tom & Julee Antonellis finding a small saber tooth cat toy (see yesterday’s post), prompting memories of each of their visits to the La Brea Tar Pits (right top in pic) & Page Museum (middle left in pic) and the little toy prompted, of course, laughter.

Also in this montage: saber tooth cat skeleton (middle bottom), "Mammoths Giants of the Ice Age" book (lower right).

All photos © Tom Antonellis, 2014 (except book 2023).

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

31/05/2023

In the Season 6 finale of Back Through The Basement (Episode 69), we pulled a Club ♣️! That means we go to the “Oofwuss” and have a look in Rini’s Desk! (Rini is Julee’s childhood character; the “oofwuss” – or “office” – a major seat of play for Tom and Julee as kids). Rini NEEEEVVVVVEEERRRR played with toys in his desk, right?! Never!

Ha!!!

Of course we found toys in Rini’s desk, one of which is this tiny sabretooth cat. Julee, upon examination, made a BIG discovery about this toy hence his name: Sc***ng the Smilodon.

[Due to the graphic nature and size of Sc***ng’s sc***ng we needed to block – quite literally cock-block – this pic. Plus, Sc***ng has a no nudity clause in his contract.]

Stay tuned to this space for more from Rini’s Desk and this would be a great time, while we’re on season break, to go back to Episode 1 and go “Back Through” our past episodes to catch up.

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis (not )

[Rini and Tidi ™ © Tom and Julee Antonellis, all rights reserved.]

25/05/2023

Tune in to the Season 6 finale of "Back Through The Basement": Episode 69 "The Pivotal Presence and Spit Takes" to learn the significance of this photo and the conflicting feelings it brought out of co-host Tom Antonellis.

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

22/05/2023

The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse toy has a calendar marked April 8th inside it. What is the significance of this day? Julee does a deep dive on some April 8th Disney history in Episode 68 and there are so many interesting finds. One of which is “The Art of the Disney Golden Books” came out April 8th 2014. And, of course, Tom owns it. Tune in to hear all the other fun April 8th Disney facts!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Hasbro Disney

15/05/2023

Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?

M-I-C-K-E-Y--M-O-U-S-E!

That’s right, Tom and Julee found their Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Weebles Playset in Episode 68 ‘Weebles and Uncle Dumps’ [episode link in comments]!

“Weebles Wobble but they don’t…”

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Disney Hasbro

11/05/2023

Don’t miss Episode 68 ‘Weebles and Uncle Dumps’ You can hear little Tom’s first drum solo in the vintage audio of Christmas Morning 1977 when Santa gave him the Mickey Mouse Club Drumset! So sweet.

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

10/05/2023

Season 6!! Tom and Julee finally unearth some of their vintage 70’s Playmobil toys! These toys were very loved and played with often. Pretty sure there is more Playmobil toys tucked away and still waiting to be found in the basement. Thank you Playmobil for the treasures and memories!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

05/05/2023

In celebration of Revenge of the Fifth and keeping the Star Wars celebration going, did you know 3 of our Playdate guests have worked in some capacity in the Galaxy Far Far Away?

Check out…

• …Episode 30 “Silver Spoons and Schadenfreude” and enjoy our Playdate with Kari Wahlgren (Letta Turmond in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, among other appearances)

• …Episode 43 “Coming of Age and Give Great Voice” and enjoy our Playdate with voiceover artist Tasia Valenza (Tawni Ames in “Star Wars: The Bad Batch”, Venisa Doza in “Star Wars Resistance”, Shaak Ti in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, among other apperances)

• …Episode 64 “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca” and enjoy our Playdate with multihyphenate artist and film director Kirk R Thatcher (creature technician on “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi”, Ewok coordinator of “The Ewok Adventure”)

Total side note: Not to mix fandoms but they’ve all worked in the Star Trek franchise too!!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Star Wars

04/05/2023

May the 4th Be With You all!! Thank you to our Keepers for feeling the Force with us as we, Tom Antonellis and Julee Antonellis , move through the Dagobah-like thickness of our myriad toys and belongings in our parents’ Basement!

In celebration of this special Star Wars -themed day, swipe to see:

Slide 1: Representing the merest tip of the iceberg that is in this Basement, this slide contains all the action figures we’ve yet found: left to right: Han (in Bespin attire), Paploo, Max Rebo, Tauntaun, Salacious Crumb. The only human we’ve found so far, Bespin Han was unearthed when we found the Dollhouse circa the Season 3 cliffhanger and Season 4 premiere (Episodes 40 and 41). And, while Julee did a SPOT-ON Tauntaun impression in earlier episodes, the remainder of the figures have been unearthed this season and we view Season 6 as the real beginning of finding our Kenner Star Wars toys. Check out Episode 65 – “Plumbers and Points” and Episode 66 – “Atreyu’s Horse and Star Wars Speeders” to experience their unearthing along with us!

Slide 2: Paploo . No Ewok bashing on our watch!!! We are PRO-Ewok -- these little heroes were instrumental in turning the tide of the Galactic Civil War. Paploo was the hero who coaxed Imperial Biker Scouts away from the bunker at the Battle of Endor. All the Ewok action figures had removable cowls (hoods). Viewers of the would eventually learn that the hoods were earned as part of an Ewok rite of passage.

Slide 3: Max Rebo and organ. Looking as good as he did in the 80s, as if he’s fresh from his set at Jabba’s palace, this guy was part of the Sy Snootles band playset . Now, do you know what kind of creature Max is? We learn this fact on the podcast and…well…you really have to listen.

How are you celebrating ? Do you still have your ? Post them & tag us!!!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is on all major platforms - link in bio. [Sea. 6 sponsored by AirTamer ]

02/05/2023

Who knew a box marked “fragile J stuff” in the Basement would be the thing to make J(ulee) fragile?! Julee definitely feels all the feels and gets misty eyed going through a box of sentimental items in Season 6 Episode 67 “Playmobil and Marked ‘Fragile’”! How can you NOT get emotional when you come across the blanket you were brought home in and the afghan made by your Nana and lovingly kept cozy by your mother!?

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Julee Antonellis Tom Antonellis

24/04/2023

Tom and Julee go down many an entertaining tangent while going Back Through The Basement…what gets them from The Neverending Story all the way to Crazy Legs Crane? Go listen and find out, but first enjoy a look at just a fraction of Tom’s fun and complete collections!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

20/04/2023

Can you name every Bond movie off the top of your head and all in one breath? Tom can!! Of course he can ;) Don’t miss this week’s Episode 66 ‘Atreyu’s Horse and Star Wars Speeders’!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

16/04/2023

Don’t miss this week’s Episode 66 ‘Atreyu’s Horse and Star Wars Speeders’! Even though there should be some elimination going on in the basement sometimes there needs to be some adding… especially when it’s a vintage Kenner Star Wars toy! The perfect gift to give Tom!

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

10/04/2023

Back Through The Basement celebrates National Siblings Day!!! Tom and Julee feel grateful every day to be able to relive their childhood memories and unearth all their treasures in the Basement together. The cherry on the sundae is sharing the journey with all of you!

Don’t miss this week’s Episode 66 “Atreyu’s Horse and Star Wars Speeders”! (Link in comments)

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

06/04/2023

In the history of the future, exactly 40 years from today, on April 5, 2063, the Warp-1 flight of the Phoenix and first open contact between Humans and Vulcans will occur in Bozeman, Montana. At least, that is, according to a GREAT Star Trek movie: Star Trek: First Contact.

Co-writer of the film, Ronald D. Moore, chose the date for First Contact in honor of his son, Jonathan, whose birthday is April 5th.

In the fiction of Star Trek, the day becomes a holiday. A no-school type of day for kids. On the 315th anniversary, in 2378, the crew observed the event aboard USS Voyager. The festivities included Zefram Cochrane's favorite food - cheese pierogies, and rock and roll music. Lieutenant Tuvok (actor Tim Russ who just cameoed as on ) gave the Vulcan salute at the party while reciting the greeting given by the Vulcans during first contact: "Live long and prosper."

Listeners to our podcast are well aware of co-host Tom Antonellis ’s penchant for . Recently, Julee Antonellis closed that fandom gap juuuuuust a bit more when the podcast hosted (in Episode 64) Star Trek actor, Kirk R Thatcher (Star Trek IV The Voyage Home, Star Trek Picard). What’s your favorite BTTB episode that touches upon Star Trek? Is it Kirk’s episode (64) “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca”? How about Ep. 56 “NCC-1701 and Trivial Pursuit”? How about Ep. 43 “Coming of Age and Give Great Voice” with Tasia Valenza (Star Trek The Next Generation , whose birthday is today!!!!)? How about Ep. 13 “Romulans and Red Sox”? And it’s not just the episodes with something Star Trek-related in the title – there are others. What’s your favorite?

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Give Great Voice Star Trek 🖖

04/04/2023

Though we’re now posting pictures of toys unearthed in Episode 65 “Plumbers and Points”, we still have thanks to offer to our podcast Episode 64 Playdate, for providing this series of shots — particularly fun given our post yesterday (our vintage Kenner Star Wars Salacious Crumb).

Clockwise from upper right:

• Kirk with puppet
• Kirk on deck of Jabba’s sail barge
• Kirk painting Mon Calamari head (is that the same airbrush he used to paint ET’s arms?!?)
• Kirk with | Billy Dee Williams (“Lando Calrissian”)
• Kirk with various Mon Calamari masks

Hear us unearth Star Wars toys in Episode 65 and enjoy many movie memories shared by Kirk R. Thatcher in his Playdate Episode 64 – “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca”

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by ]

03/04/2023

Salacious Crumb from the vintage Kenner Star Wars has been unearthed in the Basement! So happy to see him again. We can’t wait to find Jabba the Hutt and his playset so we can sit Salacious down in his classic spot by Jabba’s tail. Don’t miss Episode 65 ‘Plumbers and Points’

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Star Wars

31/03/2023

To accompany Back Through The Basement podcast - “Episode 65 - Plumbers and Points”, co-host Julee Antonellis demonstrates here (aka “plays with”) the fun and exciting features of this wonderful toy! Listeners to the podcast heard co-hosts Tom Antonellis and Julee first unearth this toy in Episode 65 (link in comments) in which they gush over its novel design and the fact that, so many years after having been given the Speeder Bike for Christmas as children, the toy still works like a charm! We were playing chicken with a pending plumber visit on the day of this recording (the plumber actually arrived just after finding Paploo, one of the Ewoks), so the story of finding this toy will continue in Episode 66.

In Episode 66, you’ll hear, in vintage audio, 1980s Tom and Julee receiving this beloved toy.

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Star Wars

To accompany Back Through The Basement podcast - "Episode 65 - Plumbers and Points", co-host Julee Antonellis demonstrates here (aka "plays with") the fun an...

31/03/2023

“Ugh. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside”. -Han Solo

That’s right, Tom and Julee unearthed their vintage Kenner Star Wars Tauntaun!! This is such an amazing toy! Don’t miss the most recent Episode 65 because that’s not all from this line that’s been found… also Julee does a pretty spot on Tauntaun impression you don’t wanna miss.

And yes, that’s not the correct Han but the “Hoth” Han hasn’t been unearthed yet 😉

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Hasbro Star Wars

27/03/2023

Everyone at 'Back Through The Basement' podcast wishes talented VO artist and all-around great guy, Daniel Ross, the very best on his Children's and Family Emmy award win for "Mickey & Minnie Once Upon a Christmas" for his role as Donald Duck.

We were so moved by your acceptance speech. We know a thing or two about sharing fun voices with our parents and we know your Mom would be so proud of your win!!

We had fun with some obscure Disney trivia surrounding Donald's family in Episode 65 - "Plumbers and Points" and Julee even took a crack at the Donald voice! You'll have to let us know how close we got!

• Above in pic: Voiceover artists Daniel Ross and Tom Antonellis at the launch party for "The Comet Casino". [special thanks: Scott Parkin, Miranda Parkin, Tim Friedlander, Justin Timpane]

• Left in pic: promotional art for "Mickey & Minnie Once Upon a Christmas" available to stream on Disney+

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Daniel Ross

25/03/2023

Many thanks to our podcast Episode 64 Playdate, Kirk R Thatcher for providing this The Muppets series of shots. Clockwise from upper right:

• Kirk with Kermit the Frog
• Kirk directing "Muppets Jungle Boogie" *
• Kirk with Billy Connolly on the set of "Muppets Treasure Island" *
• Kirk with cast, Muppets and Muppet performers of "Muppets Wizard of Oz' *
• Kirk with 'Dinosaurs' characters

Asterisk (*) means these were directed by Kirk R. Thatcher

Hear a gaggle of Muppet Memories and tales from the set of “Muppet Treasure Island” as Kirk R. Thatcher joins us in Back Through The Basement Season 6 Episode 64 – “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca”

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis The Jim Henson Foundation The Jim Henson Company

24/03/2023

Many thanks to our podcast Episode 64 Playdate, Kirk R Thatcher for sharing these 'Punk on the Bus' custom action figure and behind-the-scenes shots as well as pictures of his Greta Gremlin figure:

SLIDE 1:
• Inset left: Custom 'Punk on Bus' action figure in the style of Playmates Toys Star Trek Action Figures designed and custom crafted by IG •
• Inset right: Behind the scenes on "Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home" shooting the bus scene

SLIDE 2:
• Greta Gremlin figure by Neca toys

Learn about the significance of these from Kirk R. Thatcher’s collection as he joins us in Back Through The Basement Season 6 Episode 64 – “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca”

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis Star Trek

23/03/2023

Many thanks to our podcast Episode 64 Playdate, Kirk R Thatcher for providing this 'Punk on the Bus' series of shots (all but far right *). Clockwise from sketch inset:

• original punk costume sketch
• screen-capture of " Star Trek Picard" *
• with co-stars Jeri Ryan &
• shooting "Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home" neck pinch on the bus scene with co-star and director Leonard Nimoy
• with co-star William Shatner - Happy Birthday, sir!!
• with "Picard" episode director Lea Thompson

Hear stories from the sets of “Star Trek IV” and “Star Trek Picard” as Kirk R. Thatcher joins us in Back Through The Basement Season 6 Episode 64 – “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca”

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in bio. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ] Tom Antonellis Julee Antonellis

22/03/2023

It just goes to show you how much all the elements of a movie matter!

Picture the ET character from with a less-than-thrilling exterior paint job. Our Playdate guest Kirk R Thatcher joins us in Episode 64 – “Scottish Dongles and Gizmo Caca” and he shares the interesting phonecall he got from Industrial Light & Magic asking him to fly down to LA and paint the arms of the creature from Steven Spielberg’s latest movie. In the available light of his garage workshop, without Steven Spielberg’s careful eye, without the ever-present mist so prevalent in that movie, without Allen Daviau’s lens, without the distraction of John Williams’s amazing score or the charm of ET’s castmates Henry Thomas , Drew Barrymore , Robert McNaughton or Dee Wallace, the creature Kirk was working on was…let’s say…not terribly impressive.

What an amazing lesson in the power of movie magic 🎥 Kirk was able to share with us about this perennial favorite movie of co-hosts Tom Antonellis and Julee Antonellis

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Back Through The Basement , a nominated podcast, is available on all major platforms - link in comments. [Season 6 sponsored by AirTamer ]