Historical Figures

By Spotify Studios

What's Historical Figures about?

Big lives, little-known facts. Dig up what you don’t know about the icons you do know! Unexpected anecdotes, real personalities, lasting impacts… Historical Figures is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

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Historical Figures episodes:

06.15.2021
Introducing: International Infamy
Ashley Flowers explores 15 of the world’s worst crimes in the new Spotify Original from Parcast, International Infamy. The first episode takes you to Mexico and the true story of Juana Barraza — a pro wrestler who became a serial...
05.03.2021
Introducing: Impostors
Wayne Simmons had a dramatic 27-year career with the CIA taking down cartels and busting arms smugglers — or did he? The ex-CIA military analyst and cable news star stands accused of being a fraud. Hosted by the reporter who...
04.13.2021
"The Watcher House,” from Internet Urban Legends
Creepypastas, frightful TikToks, online horror stories… Loey Lane and Eleanor Barnes are taking you into the spookiest corners of the web in their new Spotify Original from Parcast, Internet Urban Legends. Meet the hosts and hear their debut episode on...
02.25.2021
A Bram Stoker Classic from Haunted Places: Ghost Stories
Dracula wasn’t the only frightful fiction conjured by Irish author Bram Stoker… In this retelling of “The Judge’s House,” a Cambridge student is overcome with curiosity — then dread — as he faces an evil man’s terrifying legacy. Listen to...
02.01.2021
New Limited Series: Criminal Couples
This season, “L” stands for love… and lawless… and lethal. Beginning February 1st, uncover history’s most infamous couples in this collection of episodes from across Parcast Network. Follow the misdeeds of married mafiosos. Enter the transgressions of casanova cult leaders....
01.19.2021
Welcome to the Family: The Kennedys
They’re a powerful political dynasty with no shortage of tragedies, scandals and controversies. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, revisit the most shocking moments in the Kennedy family history — from conspiracies and cover-ups to assassinations...
12.31.2020
Superstitions Special: New Year’s Eve Festivities
The clock’s winding down on the final moments of the year and people around the world are putting their charms and traditions to work, shoring up good fortune for the future. But it’s not always our own personal luck that’s...
12.21.2020
The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 3)
For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open… This episode is...
12.21.2020
The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 2)
In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and...
12.21.2020
The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 1)
Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her young children. Or did it? Strange events, prescient remarks, and a lack of human remains hinted at...
12.07.2020
Blind Dating: Finding Love on a Podcast
You know you can find love in a bar… on an app… Why not a podcast? Every week on Blind Dating, one hopeful single is introduced to two potential matches in a virtual hangout — no cameras allowed. This week,...
11.23.2020
Unsolved Murders Crossover: The Two Princes in the Tower Pt. 2
Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! In 1483, two princes got caught in the center of a...
11.23.2020
Unsolved Murders Crossover: The Two Princes in the Tower Pt. 1
Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unsolved Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! In 1483, two princes got caught in the center of a...
11.16.2020
Dictators: The Rise & Fall of a Roman Emperor
They’re natural-born leaders, hungry for absolute power. Every week on Dictators, delve into the minds and motives of history’s most infamous rulers — people who rose through the ranks toward radicalism, eliminating anyone who stood in their way. This week,...
09.30.2020
Introducing Blind Dating
Can you meet the love of your life doing a socially distanced podcast in your living room? There’s only one way to find out! Every Wednesday on Blind Dating, host Tara Michelle introduces one hopeful single to two strangers in...
09.25.2020
Solved Murders: The Story of Helen Potts
Listeners, we’re excited to bring you an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries. Every Wednesday on Solved Murders, we explore the days, months, and even years leading up to the closure of a seemingly...
09.14.2020
New! Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins
Humanity’s most daring achievements are coming together in the new Spotify Original from Parcast! Every weekday, Incredible Feats introduces you to a new story of jaw-dropping physical strength, mental focus, and bizarre behavior. Join comedian Dan Cummins as he profiles...
08.26.2020
New Parcast Original: Medical Murders
We all know that medical professionals are trained to give exceptional care. But in the new Parcast Original, Medical Murders, you’ll discover a disturbing diagnosis… that not every doctor wants to extend your life. Every Wednesday, meet the men and...
08.11.2020
Introducing Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers!
Uncover the dirty dealings of history’s most badly behaved presidents in the NEW Spotify Original from Parcast, Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers. Every Tuesday through the 2020 election, Ashley shines a light on the darker side of the American presidency…...
07.29.2020
Falls From Grace: Gloria Grahame
In the 1940s and ‘50s, Gloria Grahame was known for her sophisticated acting style and signature lipstick. But what really thrust her into the public eye was her tumultuous personal life. As events escalated at home, Gloria’s career backslid into...
07.22.2020
Falls From Grace: Bobby Fischer
Chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer etched his name into the history books with his World Championship win in 1972. But after his peak, he became a paranoid recluse, withdrawing from his friends, family and country further into his own deeply troubled...
07.15.2020
Falls From Grace: John DeLorean
Auto engineer and inventor John DeLorean built an enormously successful career at GM in the ‘60s and ‘70s, creating the blueprint for the iconic American muscle car. But he’s mostly known for his eponymous car and motor company, which failed...
07.08.2020
Falls From Grace: Jim Bakker
He built a Christian theme park and launched a satellite into space so he could preach the word of God to everyone, everywhere, all the time. But when Bakker’s cooked books and sexual proclivities worked their way onto the television...
07.01.2020
Falls From Grace: Marie Antoinette
In 1770, Marie Antoinette arrived in France from Austria and married the future King of France. Though, in Versailles, she enjoyed every possible luxury, in the streets of Paris, the people whispered increasingly vicious things about her which eventually led...
06.24.2020
Falls From Grace: Lance Armstrong
He famously won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. During that period, Lance Armstrong was adamant that he never took performance-enhancing drugs. But in reality, the so-called "cleanest athlete in sports" was running the most...
06.17.2020
Falls From Grace: Dalton Trumbo
In the 1940s, screenwriter and author Dalton Trumbo was at the top of his game. Despite his talent and success, Trumbo's decision to join the Communist Party at the height of the "Red Scare" led to him being disgraced, blacklisted...
06.10.2020
Introducing SOLVED MURDERS: TRUE CRIME MYSTERIES, A Parcast Original Series!
To commemorate its fourth anniversary, Parcast and the team behind Unsolved Murders are taking a closer look at what it takes to catch a killer. In the new series Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries, you'll follow the clues and uncover...
06.10.2020
Falls From Grace: Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle
It is often referred to as “Hollywood’s first scandal.” At the center of it: Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, a world-famous star whose association with sexual assault and murder would send shockwaves through tinseltown in the 1920s. This episode is brought to you...
06.03.2020
Falls From Grace: Aaron Burr
Ultimately becoming the third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr spent his life’s work clawing his way up through the world of Congressional politics in the late 1700s. This would culminate in a deadly duel with Alexander Hamilton...
05.27.2020
Falls From Grace: Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis was a rock and roll superstar whose early 1950s fame rivaled Elvis's—until his scandalous marriage to a 13-year-old cousin derailed his career at the height of his popularity. This episode is brought to you by Famous Fates: Falls...
05.20.2020
Falls From Grace: Charles Ponzi
Nearly a century before Bernie Madoff stole billions, Charles Ponzi was the dapper Italian con artist who laid the foundations for his scam: the Ponzi scheme. By 1920, Ponzi’s fall would be painful. But it was a fitting end for...
05.13.2020
Falls From Grace: Howard Hughes
He had it all—respect, wealth, beautiful Hollywood girlfriends. A golden finger that seemed to make everything he touched into a success. The same obsessive perfectionism that had pushed Howard Hughes to the top in the ‘20s and ‘30s would take...
04.26.2020
Sneak Peek: DAILY QUOTE, A Parcast Original Series!
Whether you’re jumpstarting the morning, searching for that midday pick-me-up, or trying to finish the evening off strong… Daily Quote offers some of history’s most inspirational quotes whenever you need them—365 days a year. In this 2-3 minute podcast, you’ll...
04.13.2020
Crossover Week: Gone (Theodosia Burr Alston)
If you enjoy the true stories told in Historical Figures, check out this episode from our series Gone: In December of 1812, the daughter of disgraced former Vice President Aaron Burr, boarded a ship in South Carolina to travel north...
04.08.2020
Introducing SUPERNATURAL WITH ASHLEY FLOWERS, A Parcast Original Series!
Join Parcast and Crime Junkie’s Ashley Flowers as they dive deep into the strange and surreal to explain some of the world’s most bizarre true crime occurrences in the new series, Supernatural with Ashley Flowers. Every Wednesday, Ashley digs into...
03.16.2020
Introducing SUPERNATURAL WITH ASHLEY FLOWERS, A Parcast Original Series!
Most mysteries can be solved by looking at the facts. But sometimes, the facts don’t lead to a logical explanation, and the truth lies somewhere in the unknown…Join Parcast and Crime Junkie’s Ashley Flowers as they dive deep into the...
02.13.2020
Famous Fates: Leon Trotsky
In the first half of the 20th-century, Leon Trotsky was a revolutionary writer, a communist leader, and a man assassinated on the orders of Joseph Stalin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
02.11.2020
Famous Fates: Socrates
He was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 400s, B.C.E. Socrates believed in provoking people into bettering themselves and society, but it was this very attitude that led to his execution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
02.06.2020
Famous Fates: Andy Warhol
He inspired the phrase “15 minutes of fame,” and proved to the world that anything could be the subject of great art—anything at all. In his later years, Andy Warhol survived an assassination attempt, only to die due to medical...
02.04.2020
Listen First! KILLER KNOWLEDGE, A Parcast Original Series!
Sure, you’re a fan of true crime—but are you ready to put your skills to the test and be crowned an undisputed expert? Then try your hand at Parcast’s new trivia podcast, Killer Knowledge. Every Tuesday, two competitors go head-to-head...
02.04.2020
Famous Fates: Ernest Hemingway
For his book, “The Old Man and the Sea,” Ernest Hemingway was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature. But despite his success, he was haunted by a deep sadness—and no amount of travel, women, or alcohol could ever help...
01.30.2020
Famous Fates: Kurt Cobain
He was a leading figure in grunge music, and he can still be heard on the radio today. When he died at age 27, Cobain left the world brimming with questions… and conspiracy theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
01.28.2020
Famous Fates: Jimi Hendrix
He redefined the way a guitar could sound, permanently changing the popular music soundscape. Jimi Hendrix was a singer, songwriter, innovator, rock god, and tragically, a member of the 27 Club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01.23.2020
Famous Fates: Wild Bill Hickok
He was a law enforcer, gambler, and performer. When you picture an Old West Cowboy, Wild Bill Hickok is likely what comes to mind. And true to that image, he died after being shot in a saloon in 1876. Learn more...
01.21.2020
Listen First! DICTATORS, A Parcast Original Series!
They are natural-born-leaders with a never-ending thirst for power. Through force and deceit, they rise through the ranks towards radicalism—eliminating anyone who stands in their way. Every Tuesday, delve into the minds, and motives, behind some of the world’s most...
01.21.2020
Famous Fates: Al Capone
He was America’s first-ever Public Enemy Number One, and the man behind the “Scarface.” Al Capone changed the face of crime in the 1920s before his ultimate arrest for tax evasion. And by the time Capone got out of prison,...
01.16.2020
Famous Fates: Franz Ferdinand
His death was the spark that lit the wildfire of World War I. While Franz Ferdinand is most remembered for his final moments, he led a fascinating life of royal intrigue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01.14.2020
Famous Fates: Julius Caesar
A military general, Julius Caesar rose to power as part of the Roman Triumvirate, but then took power as a dictator in the first century BC. But this great power led to his infamous death. Learn more about your ad choices....
01.09.2020
Famous Fates: Abraham Lincoln
As the 16th President of the United States, he was revered for tirelessly leading the U.S. through the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was also the first American President to be assassinated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
01.07.2020
Famous Fates: Robert F. Kennedy
Just like his older brother, John, Robert Kennedy’s promising political career was cut short by assassination. But in that brief time, he left an indelible mark on American politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's Historical Figures about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Historical Figures episodes:

Introducing: International Infamy

Introducing: Impostors

"The Watcher House,” from Internet Urban Legends

A Bram Stoker Classic from Haunted Places: Ghost Stories

New Limited Series: Criminal Couples

Welcome to the Family: The Kennedys

Superstitions Special: New Year’s Eve Festivities

The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 3)

The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 2)

The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 1)

Blind Dating: Finding Love on a Podcast

Unsolved Murders Crossover: The Two Princes in the Tower Pt. 2

Unsolved Murders Crossover: The Two Princes in the Tower Pt. 1

Dictators: The Rise & Fall of a Roman Emperor

Introducing Blind Dating

Solved Murders: The Story of Helen Potts

New! Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins

New Parcast Original: Medical Murders

Introducing Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers!

Falls From Grace: Gloria Grahame

Falls From Grace: Bobby Fischer

Falls From Grace: John DeLorean

Falls From Grace: Jim Bakker

Falls From Grace: Marie Antoinette

Falls From Grace: Lance Armstrong

Falls From Grace: Dalton Trumbo

Introducing SOLVED MURDERS: TRUE CRIME MYSTERIES, A Parcast Original Series!

Falls From Grace: Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle

Falls From Grace: Aaron Burr

Falls From Grace: Jerry Lee Lewis

Falls From Grace: Charles Ponzi

Falls From Grace: Howard Hughes

Sneak Peek: DAILY QUOTE, A Parcast Original Series!

Crossover Week: Gone (Theodosia Burr Alston)

Introducing SUPERNATURAL WITH ASHLEY FLOWERS, A Parcast Original Series!

Introducing SUPERNATURAL WITH ASHLEY FLOWERS, A Parcast Original Series!

Famous Fates: Leon Trotsky

Famous Fates: Socrates

Famous Fates: Andy Warhol

Listen First! KILLER KNOWLEDGE, A Parcast Original Series!

Famous Fates: Ernest Hemingway

Famous Fates: Kurt Cobain

Famous Fates: Jimi Hendrix

Famous Fates: Wild Bill Hickok

Listen First! DICTATORS, A Parcast Original Series!

Famous Fates: Al Capone

Famous Fates: Franz Ferdinand

Famous Fates: Julius Caesar

Famous Fates: Abraham Lincoln

Famous Fates: Robert F. Kennedy