To the average person reading the Times obituaries, the life of Masie Nicholls was nothing extraordinary. She was a music teacher at Fitzjohn’s Primary School in Hampstead, London. She loved music and travel. She enjoyed foraging and watching Gogglebox. And she was survived by her husband of 40+ years, Martin. But to Martin, she was the most extraordinary, fascinating, and loving woman ever to set foot on God’s earth. She was his everything, his guiding light and safety net, and he is the only one who can give the world the truest picture of her life. The only question is: what is he to do with his life now that she’s gone?This episode of Eulogy stars Toby Wynn-Davies as Martin Nicholls. Engineered by Bart Smith at Bart+.
--------
30:58
Donald Holland
If you grew up in the 60’s, you remember Little Donnie Holland as the adorable “Butchie” in the Andy Griffith rip-off “The Telly Savalas Show.” Or maybe as “Billy” in the “Lost in Space” knock-off “Moon Family” with Charles Nelson Reilly. After losing out to Ron Howard for a role on “Happy Days,” Donald descended into a life of drugs and alcohol, popping up occasionally on Love Boat, Hollywood Squares, and The Gong Show before becoming a porn actor in the early 80’s. After almost dying, he found Scientology, got married and had kids, wrote a memoir, and was rediscovered in the late 90’s, which led to a decade as the favorite character actor for indie directors. But just as he reached his peak, winning Oscars for Best Actor, Director and Picture, he left to become an MMA fighter and befriended Vladmir Putin, making Russian versions of Rambo movies. Needless to say, there are plenty of tales.Eulogy is written and produced by Ted McCagg, with today’s eulogies delivered by Erik Lochtefeld, Kimberley Wetherell, Audrey Wooster, Maggie Thompson, David Goldfarb, David Agranov, Dominic Russo, and Jesse Burch. Engineering and sound design by Bart Smith at Bart Plus. Music performed by Elijah Torn and Artem Litovchenko.
Who tells our story when we die? Certainly not us. I mean, we’re dead.
No, that task is left to those we left behind, the ones who witnessed the different versions of us we evolved through at every stage in our lives. Those who saw us at our best, and those who witnessed us at our worst..
In each episode of the new fictional podcast Eulogy, we hear the stories of one life told by those who knew them best. With each new perspective, we gain a fresh appreciation for life's breadth and complexity, giving us the chance to remember just how beautiful, messy, sad, and absurd life can be.
UK