BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 373) — Learn about legendary aviator Amelia Earhart as she was portrayed onscreen by Hilary Swank in the 2009 biopic. To uncover the true story, today we'll talk with author, documentarian, and host of Chasing Earhart , the only podcast dedicated entirely to Amelia Earhart: Chris Williamson.

Where to watch Amelia

Get Chris's book

Chris Williamson has an array of work with the Chasing Earhart Project, including the book "Rabbit Hole: The Vanishing of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan."

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Movie synopsis

00:02:13 Two truths and a lie

00:03:27 Interview

01:09:02 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/373

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 372) — Travel back to the Old West for a tale of revenge, Pinkerton agents, and frontier justice in the wake of the Civil War. One of those former Pinkerton agents in the movie is John Scobell (Gbenga Akinnagbe), making 2025's Trail of Vengeance the first movie to feature John Scobell as one of its main characters.

Where to watch Trail of Vengeance 

Get Rob's book

To help us separate fact from fiction in the movie today is author Rob Hilliard, whose book "In Freedom's Shadow" is a historical novel based on John Scobell. How well does the movie tell us John Scobell's true story? Let's find out!

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:09 Movie synopsis

00:02:05 Two truths and a lie

00:03:18 Interview

01:31:54 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

Support my work

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/372

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 371) — How well do you know about the real Bruce Lee? There are a lot of myths that came out of the movie "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" so today we'll pull another classic episode from the Based on a True Story vault.

Where to watch Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

⁠Get Matthew's book⁠

Matthew Polly authored "Bruce Lee: A Life," called the definitive biography by The New York Times. His research revealed Lee's more complex humanity, debunking decades of Hollywood myths.

Did you enjoy this episode?

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/371

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 370) — Twentieth Century-Fox's "Titanic" starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb claims to draw facts from 1912 congressional inquiries, so how well does it do when we compare it to history?

Where to watch Titanic (1953)

⁠Get Mark's book

Mark B. Perry is the author of the novel "And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood", a tale that transports you back to the time when during the film's production. is a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning screenwriter known for Wonder Years, Law & Order, Picket Fences, and more. A self-proclaimed "ship geek" and founding board member of SS United States Conservancy, he ironically wrote his own Titanic screenplay in 1988—rejected by studios because "nobody cares about the Titanic."

Also mentioned in this episode

Did you enjoy this episode?

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/370

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 369) — This Friday marks the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings. Arguably the most popular movie depicting the fighting on the beaches of Normandy is 1998's Saving Private Ryan.

Did you enjoy this episode?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 368) — Go behind the true stories shown in Holocaust movies through the experiences of Robert Wolf's family. Since we'll be talking about the Holocaust, listener discretion is advised.

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/368

Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 367) — Is John McClane a realistic cop or just an action hero with a badge? Yippee-ki-yay, history lovers, let's see if McClane would survive a real Internal Affairs review.

Helping us conduct a review of McClane from the entire Die Hard franchise is retired U.S. police sergeant Patrick O'Donnell, who is now a technical consultant and author of "The Good Collar."

Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/367

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 366) — Homer’s "The Iliad" tells the story of the Trojan War, a tale brought to the big screen in the 2004 film "Troy." But with an ancient epic as its foundation—and Hollywood’s creative liberties—how much of the story is real?

In this episode, Neil Laird peels back the layers of myth and fiction to uncover the truth.

Neil is a multiple Emmy-nominated director and producer of historical films for networks including Discovery, BBC, PBS, and National Geographic. He has produced more than 100 programs worldwide, exploring crumbling Egyptian tombs, lost Mayan cities, and mysterious shipwrecks. He's also the author of his third book called "Prime Time Troy."

Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/366

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 365) — Discover the behind-the-scenes story of Black Hawk Down, as historian Josh Donohue shares insights on the chaotic 1993 mission in Mogadishu. Learn what truly happened versus what Hollywood depicted.

Josh has been on the podcast before to cover the historical accuracy of Thirteen Days and We Were Soldiers, and he's currently working on a new YouTube channel. 

Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/365

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 364) — Acclaimed historian Jon Parshall separates fact from fiction in the classic film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and the brutal realities of the Thai-Burma Railway during World War II, also known as the Death Railway. We'll contrast the film's fictional Colonel Nicholson with his real-life counterpart Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, who sabotaged bridge construction when possible rather than cooperating with the Japanese.

Jon Parshall is an award-winning author who has worked as a historical consultant on numerous TV shows, a tour guide, as well as a frequent lecturer at the U.S. Naval War College, the National World War II Museum, and the Nimitz Museum. As of this recording, Jon is working on a new book that will go into even more depth on all the topics we're learning about today and more.

• Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully's Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway

Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.

Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/364

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.