‘Scoundrel: History’s Forgotten Villains’ highlights sordid tales of lesser-known baddies
Kast Media | Jason and Carissa Weiser present “Scoundrel: History’s Forgotten Villains,” an anthology series recounting sordid tales from history across a quirky gamut of bad behavior. There are countless villains and heroes in history. Why are villains’ stories so fascinating? This season will explore sketchy characters like Sidney Gottlieb, George Remus, Thomas Blood, and James McClintock who were skilled at hiding their evil ways. We’ll hear their bizarre activity, character flaws, and captivatingly horrific stories that we can’t turn away from learning more about.
Stream this new podcast in any order, with standalone episodes focusing on one lesser-known baddie at a time. This series is by the award-winning creators of “Myths & Legends.” Fans of “The Opportunist,” “Cabinet of Curiosities,” and “Criminal” might also enjoy “Scoundrel: History’s Forgotten Villains.” Episodes run less than an hour each and provide historical context for each featured villain.
One of the first episodes discussed the Great Depression and Michael Malloy, a targeted man who simply would not die. In 1933, a group of men named themselves the Murder Trust and devised a plan to earn money fast. They found a local, transient drunk and purchased a life insurance plan in his name. The Murder Trust would attempt to kill him, hide their crime, and collect the payout. As it turned out, Michael was more difficult to kill than they ever expected.
In an explosive episode filled with bombshells, treason, betrayal, and actual bombs, we learned about a man who claimed to be James McClintock, a famous bomb and submarine builder. In 1880, this guy entered the British Consulate in Philadelphia one day and offered his expertise.
He proposed sending faulty bombs to help the Monarchy combat Irish forces. The British seemed interested but had some questions. The actual James McClintock died the year before when he blew himself up during a torpedo test at Boston Harbor. Was this guy actually an imposter?
We’re looking forward to learning more about these villains and their times in history. The podcast’s description rings true: “If there’s anything we can salvage from their misdeeds and incalculable human suffering, it’s the opportunity to use them to elucidate the times they’ve lived… so that we can better understand ourselves.” Tune in weekly for new episodes of “Scoundrel: History’s Forgotten Villains.”
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