In this heartfelt solo episode of the The Appalachian Tale Podcast, Jimmy Proffitt shares the deeply personal story of his late friend Reece — the beloved gardener at The Old Mill whose life stretched from small-town Texas to the golden age of Hollywood. Through stories of cast iron skillets, fried chicken, old movie stars, found family, and Appalachian hospitality, Jimmy reflects on grief, friendship, and preserving memories through food and storytelling.

Listeners will hear fascinating stories about Reece’s friendships with classic Hollywood legends like Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Mae West, Lucille Ball, and Katharine Hepburn, along with reflections on LGBTQ+ community, chosen family, Southern cooking traditions, and restoring generations-old cast iron cookware. Jimmy also shares Reece’s hilarious storytelling style, memories from Hollywood’s gay bar scene, and the emotional process of restoring Reese’s cherished skillets to cook his famous San Antonio fried chicken recipe once again.

If you love Appalachian storytelling, Southern foodways, vintage Hollywood history, cast iron cooking, family recipes, and heartfelt conversations about friendship and loss, this episode is for you.

Topics include: Appalachian culture, Southern cooking, cast iron restoration, fried chicken recipes, Hollywood history, Lana Turner stories, LGBTQ+ history, chosen family, Old Mill Pigeon Forge, Appalachian food traditions, vintage cookware, storytelling podcasts, and life in Appalachia.