Based on a True Story

Dan LeFebvre

We've all seen movies that claim to be 'based on a true story', but have you ever wondered how accurate they are? That's what we'll find out as we compare Hollywood with history.

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  1. Aug 11

    The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings with Ben Railton

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 389) — Are you a baseball fan? Today we're digging into some baseball history as it was depicted in the 1976 movie "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings." Learn about the history of barnstorming baseball teams with Ben Railton, Professor of American Studies at Fitchburg State University. We'll discuss how the movie's characters mirror real legends like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Jackie Robinson. Ben is the host of the podcast Baseball, Bigotry and the Battle for America and author of Of Thee I Sing: Race and American Patriotism. Guest Links Black and White and Read: https://links.boatspodcast.com/389guestBen Railton's Podcast: https://links.boatspodcast.com/389podcastOf Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism: https://links.boatspodcast.com/389book Chapters 0:00 Intro & Movie Synopsis 3:45 Guest Introduction & Historical Accuracy Grade 7:22 Characters & Real-Life Parallels 10:13 Negro Leagues & Barnstorming Context 17:05 Owner Violence & Labor Activism 20:41 Performance, The Invite Pitch & House of David 32:51 Hardships & The Climactic Game 42:40 Jackie Robinson & End of an Era 49:19 Wrap Up & Two Truths and a Lie Support My Work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings with Ben Railton

  2. Jul 31

    The Odyssey with Neil Laird

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 388) — Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) brings Homer’s epic journey to the screen as we follow Matt Damon’s Odysseus from the Trojan War through monsters, sirens, and a long road home. In this episode, we'll learn from author and former documentary filmmaker Neil Laird about the historical accuracy of the movie and how well it ties into Homer’s Odyssey. Guest Links Prime Time Troy: https://links.boatspodcast.com/388troyPrime Time Pompeii: https://links.boatspodcast.com/388pompeiiPrime Time Travelers: https://links.boatspodcast.com/388travelersNeil Laird's Website: https://links.boatspodcast.com/388guest Chapters 0:00 Letter grade & Homer’s Odyssey 3:30 Troy (2004) vs The Odyssey (2026) 9:30 Monsters, cyclopses and mythical beasts 14:30 Circe’s island and men turned to pigs 19:30 Hades, Achilles and war guilt 23:30 Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis and hard choices 37:30 Calypso, lost years and the long road home Support my work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Odyssey with Neil Laird

  3. Jul 7

    Memphis Belle with Joshua Donohue

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 387) — How accurate is the 1990 movie Memphis Belle? Military historian Joshua Donohue returns to Based on a True Story to break down what the movie gets right, where Hollywood takes liberties, and what the real crew of the Memphis Belle actually experienced during World War II. Guest Links Josh's YouTube = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387guestJosh's Wake Island Article = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387wakearticleJosh's Pearl Harbor Article = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387ewaarticle Other Mentions Find where to watch the movie = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387movieMemphis Belle Unveiling = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387unveilingThe Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle by Robert Morgan and Ron Powers = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387themanwhoflewMemphis Belle Documentary = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387documentaryMemphis Belle - Air Force Fact Sheet = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387factsheetThe Memphis Belle Museum Exhibit = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387museumexhibit Chapters 0:00 Intro and accuracy grade 2:13 Other bomber movies and context 12:37 The real Memphis Belle missions 22:15 Hollywood vs the real 25th mission 32:20 How lead bombers and formations worked 43:46 Bombing runs, smoke, and the Norden 52:13 Midair dangers and ball turret stories 1:15:02 The 1944 documentary and legacy 1:21:53 Josh's Bataan book project Support My Work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Memphis Belle with Joshua Donohue

  4. Jun 18

    The Terror with Rich Napolitano

    What really happened to Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition, and how much of AMC’s The Terror is grounded in the historical record? Today we're joined by Rich Napolitano, host of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, to compare the TV series with the real story of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, from the search for the Northwest Passage to the evidence historians have uncovered about the crew’s fate. Links Shipwrecks and Sea DogsLost Franklin Expedition w/NEW UPDATESDr. John RaeThe Terror (TV Series) Chapters 0:00 Intro to The Terror 2:12 Two Truths and a Lie 4:08 Meet Rich Napolitano 7:22 The Real Franklin Expedition 20:06 Stuck in the Arctic Ice 33:42 Food, Disease, and Survival 47:41 The Terror’s Supernatural Twist 59:18 How the Expedition Ended Support My Work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Terror with Rich Napolitano

  5. May 28

    The Legend of Bagger Vance with Steven Pressfield

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 385) — Have you ever wondered how much of The Legend of Bagger Vance is rooted in history? Steven Pressfield, author of the 1995 novel that inspired the 2000 film, joins Based on a True Story to unpack the story’s connections to the Bhagavad Gita, the real-life golfing legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, and the choices Hollywood made when bringing the book to the screen. They also explore Steven’s approach to writing historical fiction and his latest novel, The Arcadian. Guest Links The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven PressfieldThe Arcadian by Steven PressfieldSteven Pressfield's Website Chapters 0:00 Intro and movie synopsis 2:43 Meet Steven Pressfield 5:35 Is Bagger Vance based on history? 11:32 Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, and real golf history 18:07 The missing 10 years after World War I 27:18 What the movie changed from the book 40:02 Writing historical fiction with Steven Pressfield 52:06 The Arcadian and final thoughts Support my work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Legend of Bagger Vance with Steven Pressfield

  6. Apr 6

    Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with John Barker

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 384) — Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tells a tale of alternative history. In this episode, we'll separate the film’s fairy-tale storytelling from the real history behind the Manson murders, Sharon Tate, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, and the Hollywood of 1969. Listen to All the Right Movies John's podcast breaks down the history of Hollywood, one film at a time. Check out All the Right Movies to learn all about the work that went into making movies, how much of it works, and more. More from All the Right Movies Find all the episodes: https://alltherightmovies.com/All the Right Movies episode for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: https://www.patreon.com/posts/atrm-classic-111-152929056Facts about the movie: https://alltherightmovies.com/feature/45-interesting-and-golden-age-facts-about-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood/ Mentioned in the Episode John Neal Phillips on 1967's Bonnie and Clyde: https://links.boatspodcast.com/195 Chapters 0:00 Intro and historical accuracy 4:15 Tarantino’s fairy-tale approach 11:25 Rick, Cliff, and Sharon Tate 18:40 Hollywood in the late 1960s 28:30 Steve McQueen and The Great Escape 36:20 Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate, and Spahn Ranch 49:10 The Manson Family and Cielo Drive 58:45 The film’s alternate ending 1:04:20 Final thoughts and ATRM Support my work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with John Barker

  7. Feb 17

    The Manhattan Project in Oppenheimer with Alice Lovejoy

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 383) — Did the Oppenheimer movie get the Manhattan Project right? Today, we'll dig into the film's portrayal of the project. From the Los Alamos we see in the movie to what we don't see in the movie such as Oak Ridge's massive factories, Hanford's plutonium production, and more that you don't ever see in the movie. Get Alice's book Alice Lovejoy is the author of Tales of Militant Chemistry, film scholar, and a professor at the University of Minnesota. She'll join us today to unravel the true story behind the Manhattan Project in the movie. Find more of Alice's work Army Film and the Avant GardeRemapping Cold War MediaVisit Alice's websiteFollow Alice on BlueskyFollow Alice on Instagram Listen to the other BOATS episode on Oppenheimer Chapters 00:00 Manhattan Project Overview 04:50 Uranium vs. Plutonium Bombs 09:45 Scale of the Project 15:28 Einstein's Role 20:42 Trinity Test Depiction 25:04 Radiation Concerns 30:51 Project's End & Legacy 33:52 Post-War Impacts Support my work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    The Manhattan Project in Oppenheimer with Alice Lovejoy

  8. Jan 30

    Oppenheimer

    BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 382) — Join me in this throwback style BOATS episode without any guests. It'll just be you and I learning about the true story behind 2023's Oppenheimer. Was the poisoned apple scene real? How well was the Trinity Test portrayed on screen? What does the movie leave out from Oppenheimer's life? If you've seen the movie and wondered what really happened, this episode is your guided tour through the history behind the film. Chapters 0:00 Intro, synopsis & Two Truths and a Lie 3:30 Prometheus myth and poisoned apple story 10:15 Oppenheimer’s education in Europe and early career 18:40 Relationships with Jean Tatlock and Kitty Oppenheimer 28:20 FBI surveillance, communism fears, and the Manhattan Project scale 39:10 Trinity Test, “I am become Death,” and bombing Japan 51:00 Meeting President Truman and the Strauss feud 1:01:30 Oppenheimer’s fall, later life, and modern reevaluation 1:08:00 Two Truths and a Lie answers & closing Resources American PrometheusTales of Militant Chemistry109 East PalaceRobert Oppenheimer: A Life Inside the CenterJ. Robert Oppenheimer: A LifeAn Atomic Love Story: The Extraordinary Women in Robert Oppenheimer's LifeThe Ruin of J. Robert Oppenheimer If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, you can also find all the links at https://links.boatspodcast.com/382 Support My Work Join the BOATS community: https://links.boatspodcast.com/communityBecome a BOATS Producer (name in credits + ad-free episodes): https://links.boatspodcast.com/producersSupport my sponsors: https://links.boatspodcast.com/advertisersEmail me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Oppenheimer
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About

We've all seen movies that claim to be 'based on a true story', but have you ever wondered how accurate they are? That's what we'll find out as we compare Hollywood with history.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan LeFebvre
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    553
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © © LeFebvre LLC
  • Show Website
    Based on a True Story
  • Provider
    LeFebvre, LLC