At its peak, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was one of the largest traveling shows in the country—until a tragic train wreck in 1918 brought it to a screeching halt. This story follows the rise of the American circus, the crash that claimed dozens of lives near Hammond, Indiana, and the haunting legacy of Showmen’s Rest, where many of the victims are buried. It’s a tale of spectacle, sorrow, and the circus community’s motto: the show must go on.

Episode Sources:

“The Great Circus Train Wreck of 1918: Tragedy on the Indiana Lakeshore” by Richard M. Lytle, Published by The History Press, 2010

“Hagenbeck Wallace Circus” from Circuses and Sideshows

“Ben Wallace” from Circuses and Sideshows

“William Cameron Coup” from Circuses and Sideshows

“The Hammond Train Wreck of 1918 Killed Scores of Circus Performers” by Lorraine Boissoneault, June 22, 2018, Smithsonian Magazine

“The 1918 Hagenbeck-Wallace Tragedy: Breakdown” by Korry Shepard, February 23, 2021, Medium

“The truths of the circus train crash of 1918 are more horrifying than myths” by Will Higgins, June 20, 2018, IndyStar

“The Deadliest Circus Train Wreck in History” by Paul Andrews, January 25, 2024, Lost In History

“The Haunting Legacy of Showmen’s Rest in Forest Park, IL” from Explore Oak Park and Beyond

“Welcome to the Showmen's League of America: Our History” from Showmen’s League of America website

“The First Zoo Part I: The Circus Myth” by Paul Sewick, January 14, 2012, Corktown History

“Why Does a Circus Have Three Rings?” from The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, February 2020

“Attractions” from The City of Peru, Indiana website

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When Frank Sinatra, Jr. checked into his motel room in Lake Tahoe, he never could have predicted the circumstances in which he'd be checking out. What ensued was a comedy of errors involving a snowstorm, a musical legend, and a hapless kidnapper with a heart of gold.

Episode Sources:

“The Grand Scheme: Snatching Sinatra” hosted by John Stamos

“The True Story of the 1963 Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr.” by Lauren Kranc, Esquire, Jul 27, 2021

“Frank Sinatra, Jr., Kidnapping” FBI

“Kidnapping As Plan B” Hosted by Ira Glass, This American Life

“61 Years Ago Today, Frank Sinatra Jr. Was Kidnapped: Why His Dad Began Carrying Dimes in His Pockets” by Corin Cesaric, People, Dec 08, 2024

“Frank Sinatra Jr: 'I was living in his shadow’” by Nick Duerden, The Guardian, Aug 31, 2012

“Frank Sinatra Jr. abducted from Tahoe motel” Reno Gazette Journal, Dec 9, 1963

“A Kidnapper's Story: Can Crime Pay?” By Rene Sanchez, The Washington Post, Dec 21, 1999

“There’s Nothing to Be Sorry For” TIME, Dec 20, 1963

“MYSTERIOUS FINANCIER: Dean Torrence and the Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr.” by Mark A. Moore, Jan Berry Official Site, Dec 30, 2017

“Regrets, Sinatra Jr. kidnapper has had a few” by Michael Corcoran, Feb 2001

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Garrett Warren was at the top of his game when he was gunned down in the doorway of his home - and in front of his mother, no less. But why would anyone want to murder a man described as a kind, generous friend and focused professional? This case has some wild twists and turns involving a pizza parlor, a picture taken at a party and...Home Alone's Joe Pesci???? And how did one misspelled word put the nail in the coffin, so to speak?

Episode Sources:

Dateline: The Plot Thickens, S21 E1

“When It Mattered: Garrett Warren” hosted by Chitra Ragavan

“Private eye drops suit against Pesci” by the Associated Press

Interview with Garrett Warren by Brad Curran

“Husband Tells Story of Hitman Attack” - transcript, Nancy Grace

“Did Joe Pesci’s Ex Hire a Hitman?” By Christine Pelisek

"Primed for Pain" by Chitra Ragavan

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