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Directora: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Stephanie Weber
Directora is a podcast that celebrates the history and achievements of women in film. Directora is broken into seasons, with each season having a theme to explore. The podcast is researched, written, and hosted by writer and comedian Stephanie Weber.
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- 5 days ago44 min
Hedy Lamarr: Actress, Spy, Inventor of WiFi
This season closes on one of the wildest true Hollywood stories: the life and inventions of Hedy Lamarr. The actress was always smarter than everyone else in the room. Her intelligence is how she escaped Europe during the war, spied for the Allies, and eventually invented the technology that would become the foundation for WiFi.This episode initially aired on Grab Bag Collab as part of their network. Thank you to Daisy Eagan, Amanda Rossman, and Amber Hunt for their help on this. Thank you to Brock Alter for his art. Directora is researched, written, recorded, and edited by Stephanie Weber. Email directorapodcast@gmail.com for questions and suggestions. Follow Directora on Instagram and TikTok. Sources:You Must Remember ThisBombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Storyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghc6uab1EX4Women in Historyhttps://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/hedy-lamarr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago1h 2m
Barbra Streisand: Singer, Actress, Director, Legend
It’s easy to take Barbra Streisand for granted because she really is good at everything. From singer and actress to director and producer, Barbra is a perfectionist who fought against discrimination and stereotypes in order to make unapologetic work that made her a star. She has been labeled difficult, while also fighting through a lot to make it to the top. Is she difficult? Does it matter when you're as talented as she is? This episode initially aired on the Grab Bag Collab network. Thank you to Amber Hunt, Daisy Eagan, and Amanda Rossman. Thank you to Brock Alter for Directora's artwork. Directora is researched, written, recorded, edited, and hosted by Stephanie Weber. Email directorapodcast@gmail.com and follow Directora on Instagram and TikTok. Sources: Mojo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzv1DlQU8KUHow Barbra Streisand Fought Hollywood to Make Yentlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r1FhIT8efwA Star is Born - You Must Remember ThisPierson, John. My Battles with Barbra and John. New West Magazine. November 20, 1976.https://web.archive.org/web/20150716005847/http://barbra-archives.com/bjs_library/70s/new_west_battles_barbra_jon.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoNdQxkI-0w1991 Barbra Streisand on 60 Minuteshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw5dQBZavUwMann, William J. Hello Gorgeous. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. October 2012. Streisand, Barbra. My Name is Barbra. Viking. November 7, 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago56 min
Debbie Allen: From Fame to Famous Director & Producer
Debbie Allen wears a thousand hats. The actress and dancer might be best known for starring in Fame, but she has directed and produced incredibly important television shows for nearly 40 years.This episode initially aired on Grab Bag Collab as part of their network. Thank you to Daisy Eagan, Amanda Rossman, and Amber Hunt for their help on this. Thank you to Brock Alter for his art. Directora is researched, written, recorded, and edited by Stephanie Weber. Email directorapodcast@gmail.com for suggestions and questions. Follow Directora on Instagram and TikTok for stills and clips from the episode.Sources:Debbie Allen, Maven of the ArtsDebbie Allen and Lena Waithe interview, via Hillman Grad YouTube. Playbill's My Life in Theater with Debbie AllenSmith, David. Paying in Sweat! How Debbie Allen Went from Stardom in Fame to Conquer Hollywood. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/may/12/how-debbie-allen-went-from-stardom-in-fame-to-conquer-hollywood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago57 min
TV Actress to Hitmaker: Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall and her brother Garry were mainstays of 1970s and 80s sitcoms. Garry's little sister became a big star when she starred in the Happy Days spinoff, Laverne and Shirley. However, Penny observed her brother and all of the other creative writers and directors around her. She realized that she had an eye for directing, and she was especially good with actors. Penny Marshall's films are very underrated for how successful they are. Her second film was Big, which launched Tom Hanks into stardom, and it became the first film directed by a woman to gross over $100 million at the box office. Her follow-up to Big was Awakenings, which was nominated for an Academy Award. Her next film, A League of Their Own, grossed over $100 million again, and it remains popular and quotable to this day. Penny Marshall made legitimate, bona fide hits - and she doesn't get nearly as much credit as she deserves. Let's change that! This episode originally aired on Grab Bag Collab. Brock Alter does the artwork for Directora. Directora is researched, written, recorded, and edited by Stephanie Weber. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 19, 20261h 3m
Comedy Queen and Studio Executive: Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball is everyone's favorite funny redhead! Decades after her hit sitcom I Love Lucy, there are still references to the gags she performed on her hit show. People might not realize how influential I Love Lucy was to American sitcoms - and how much she and Desi Arnaz did for television as a whole. From an actress and dancer in New York City to a bit player in Hollywood, Lucille Ball learned how to stand out, and she quickly learned that making a fool of herself was a good way to do it. She cultivated her physical comedy skills, while never once thinking of herself as a comedian. She and her husband worked very hard throughout their lives to entertain American audiences for years, overcoming substance abuse, divorce, and Communist accusations. Listen to this episode to hear all that and more! This episode originally aired on Grab Bag Collab. Thank you to Daisy Eagan, Amber Hunt, and Amanda Rossman for their hard work. Thank you to Brock Alter for the art. Directora is researched, written, recorded, and edited by Stephanie Weber.SOURCES:Arnaz, Desi. A Book. William Morrow and Company. 1976. Kanfer, Stefan. Ball of Fire: The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball. Knopf. January 1, 2003. American Masters: Finding Lucy.The Plot Thickens, by Turner Classic Movies. Lucille Ball podcast series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 12, 202656 min
Adrienne Shelly: From Muse to Acclaimed Director
The musical Waitress is a modern success, a smash hit that has people around the world singing along to its soundtrack. Fans of the musical might not realize that it was based on a hit 2007 indie film written and directed by Adrienne Shelly. Sadly, Shelly never saw her own film's success. Shelly wrote and directed three original feature films and was director Hal Hartley's muse early in her career. She had big plans for more, but her life was cut tragically short when she was murdered. Hear about her inspiring life, amazing films, and the legacy she has left behind. This episode initially aired on Grab Bag Collab as part of their network. Thank you to Daisy Eagan, Amanda Rossman, and Amber Hunt for their help on this. Thank you to Brock Alter for his art. Directora is researched, written, recorded, and edited by Stephanie Weber.Click here to learn more about the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. SOURCES: Horton, Adrian. “The Life and Death of Filmmaker Adrienne Shelly.” The Guardian. December 1, 2021. Ostoy, Andy. Adrienne (2021). Special features on the DVD’s for Sudden Manhattan and Waitress. Director’s Commentary on Sudden Manhattan. Zimmer, Vanessa. “Who Was…Adrienne Shelly?”. Sundance.com. November 11, 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 5, 20261h 9m
The Mother of Improv Comedy: Elaine May
“The devastating thing about Elaine is that she’s better at everything - writing, directing, acting - than anyone else I know.” That quote comes from director Clive Donner regarding the one and only Elaine May. Elaine May is the woman behind so many pivotal comedic moments you know and love. From the Second City and Nichols & May, to A New Leaf and Mikey and Nicky, to directing the massive flop that was Ishtar and coming back with the script for The Birdcage, Elaine May has always been relentlessly talented. She still is! She also has a reputation for being a difficult director. The dreaded D word. Is she difficult? Is that a fair assessment? We talk all about it! Listen to hear about her inspiring life, her many creative endeavors, triumphs, and everything in between. This episode originally aired on Grab Bag Collab earlier in 2026. Directora was created by Stephanie Weber, who researches, writes, records, edits, and hosts every episode. Artwork by Brock Alter.Check out film clips and stills from these movies on our Instagram and TikTok. Follow along! Email questions, concerns, press opps to directorapodcast@gmail.com. Rate and review as kindly as possible!Sources:Coleman, Janet. The Compass Players: The Improvisational Theater that Revolutionized American Comedy. University of Chicago Press. November 1, 1991.Couregan, Carrie. Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood's Hidden Genius. St. Martin's Press. 2024. Griggs, Jeff. Guru: My Days with Del Close. Ivan R. Dee. April 25, 2005. "Ishtar". What Went Wrong. Bassett, Lizzie and Winterbauer, Chris. February 1, 2021. May, Elaine. Power Plays. Samuel French.May, Elaine. Not Enough Rope: A Play in One Act. Samuel French. May, Elaine. Mikey & Nicky. Criterion Collection DVD Special Features. McGrath, Douglas. Becoming Mike Nichols. 2016. Mikey & Nicky Restoration Documentary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bZVWLwQvbwNichols and May: Take Two. American Masters. PBS. May 1996.Elaine May at Mike Nichols AFI Achievement Awards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgjBxiDmJyUElaine May and Mike Nichols in Conversation. 2006. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShLPGHoXJFY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 29, 202644 min
The Actress Who Went to Jail for Sex: Mae West
“Come up and listen sometime.” Mae West was an icon of old Hollywood. She has been impersonated by The Looney Tunes and Drag Queens alike. She was a woman who was so ahead of her time that her comedy holds up to this day. She was an actress, writer, and producer who wrote her own material - and sometimes that material was SO controversial that she wound up having to go to court over it. We are talking about the one and only Mae West as we get into her enduring legacy, her impressive career, and her court case over sex. That was the title of her script, not like a court case over whether or not she could have. Because I’m pretty sure she did…a lot. Listen to her wild adventures in and out of show business. This episode originally aired on Grab Bag Collab earlier in 2026. Directora was created by Stephanie Weber, who researches, writes, records, edits, and hosts every episode. Artwork by Brock Alter. Check out film clips and stills from these movies on our Instagram and TikTok. Follow along! Email questions, concerns, press opps to directorapodcast@gmail.com. Rate and review as kindly as possible! Sources: American Masters: Mae West: Dirty Blonde. PBS. Season 34. June 16, 2020. Chandler, Charlotte. She Always Knew How: A Personal Biography of Mae West. Applause Publishers. March 1, 2010. Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her. Directed by Gene Feldman and Suzette Winter. PBS Documentary 1994. Wombat Productions. Longworth, Karina. "Fact Checking Hollywood Babylon: Mae West". You Must Remember This. December 3, 2018. West, Mae. Edited by Schlissel, Lillian. Three Plays By Mae West. Taylor and Francis, LTD. 1997. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
About Directora
Directora is a podcast that celebrates the history and achievements of women in film. Directora is broken into seasons, with each season having a theme to explore. The podcast is researched, written, and hosted by writer and comedian Stephanie Weber.
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