The Writers Hangout

British screenwriter, Ian Mackintosh’s plane went missing on July 7, 1979,  nineteen days before his thirty-ninth birthday, over the Gulf of Alaska.  What happened still remains a mystery. Join us as we tell the story of Lieutenant Commander Hamish Ian Mackintosh, a British Royal Navy officer, a writer of thriller novels, and a screenwriter for British television.

Ian’s series, THE SANDBAGGERS was groundbreaking.  The New York Times said "the best spy series in television history."   Ian MacKintosh was among the first writers to present espionage realistically and as a sordid series of political struggles, double-crosses, and personality clashes.


If you would like to read more about Ian Mackintosh I highly recommend The Life and Mysterious death of Ian Mackintosh by Robert G. Folsom

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Our guest is writer extraordinaire Seth Cohen.  Seth and his partner, Amu Pocha are known for the NBC sitcom Undateable, Netflix's animated Paradise PD, and The Head of the Class reboot for HBO Max. Seth is currently a consulting producer on FARZAR, an upcoming Netflix animated series. 

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

In part two, we continue the story based on the Vanity Fair article on television writer, Elisabeth Finch who wrote many of the emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her own life experience.  

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

In part one, rising star and television writer, Elizabeth Finch wrote many of the emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her own life experience.  But when an email arrived at Shonda Rhimes’ production company, Shondaland, as well as ABC’s parent company, Disney, that Elizabeth wasn't telling the truth.  Elizabeth has been put on a leave of absence. 

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast


The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Join us as we celebrate Mother's Day with actor, writer, and voice-over artist Claudette Wells as we discuss how moms influence our creativity.  Plus, Claudette shares a story about Bill Murray, hanging out with Anne Beatts, and being a founding member of Dead Mother's Day.  I promise you it isn't as terrible as it sounds!

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Sandy and Terry explore the difference between the movie and the true story.  First up is 1979’s Amityville Horror, starring Josh Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger.  Amityville Horror is about a family terrorized by supernatural forces after moving into a murder house in Amityville, Long Island, New York.  

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 
📸 Check out our IG for photos @page_awards.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

On Christmas Eve 2000, Susan Berman, a journalist, screenwriter, and author was murdered in her home at 1527 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills.   Susan, the only daughter of a mobster and former dancer, grew up as mob royalty, where Elvis and Liberace entertained on her birthdays.  Her tragic death shocked her friends but did Susan know her killer?

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 

📸 Check out our IG for photos of Susan Berman @page_awards.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Today's guest is television writer Amy Pocha.  Amy and her partner, Seth Cohen, are known for the NBC sitcom Undateable, Netflix's animated Paradise PD, and The Head of the Class reboot for HBO Max. Amy is currently a consulting producer on FARZAR, an upcoming Netflix animated series.  Amy talks about writing for television and how she walked away from one of her first jobs in the entertainment industry as a big winner.

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

We have a very special guest today, Judy TrueCrime, a friend of the Pod here to discuss Episode 3 of The Writers’ Hangout, The Mysterious Death of the Hollywood Screenwriter.  

👍 If you enjoy the show please leave us a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please write us at  [email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

On The Writers' Hangout, we talk with Victoria Lucas, an independent producer who has developed scripts for projects starring Antonio Banderas, Scarlett Johansson, Wesley Snipes, and Hilary Swank. Among her favorite projects is the highly acclaimed coming-of-age film, The Island on Bird Street, awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a Judge for the PAGE Awards contest, and her family has worked in Hollywood since the very earliest days of the film industry. 

We're going to talk with her about her legendary grandmother Bess Meredyth, a screenwriter, actress, and founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. 

👍 If you enjoy the show please leave us a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please write us at  [email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller