A Williams Life

Williams College Class of 1975
  • 5.0 (5)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
A Williams Life Podcast

A Williams Life explores the lives of members of the Williams College Class of 1975 through in-depth interviews. Hosted by Gordon Earle ('75).

Episodes

  1. SEP 5

    Polly Wood-Holland — Scenic Artist

    Polly Wood-Holland is a scenic artist and designer for film, TV, and theater. She's worked on many iconic Broadway productions, including The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, and Mary Poppins. On this episode, we discuss the projects, mentors, and serendipitous moments that have shaped her career, as well as her experiences with legendary figures such as Paul Newman and Mike Nichols. 00:00 Introduction01:08 Experience at Williams04:55 Mentorship and Early Career Challenges09:58 Work...

    1h 0m

  2. APR 25

    Will Parish & Perk Perkins — Adventure Friends

    On this episode of "A Williams Life," we delve into the enduring friendship of classmates Will Parish and Perk Perkins, whose bond spans 50 years. Starting in the fall of 1975, they embarked on a 20-month journey, crossing five oceans and seas, and exploring 35 countries—an experience they chronicled in their book, "Around the World in a Jeep.” We also explore their lives today, with Will engaged in educational and environmental causes in California, and Perk running Orvis, a family-owned bus...

    57 min

  3. 11/09/2023

    Pamela Hawkes — Preservation Architect

    Pamela Hawkes is a national leader in historic preservation. On this episode, she discusses her time at Williams, early inspirations, and takes us on a tour of three projects—the renovation of the Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY, the restoration of Georgia O'Keeffe's home and studio in New Mexico, and the design of a girls' boarding school in Tanzania. She also talks about her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field, the value of a liberal arts education, and the virtues of...

    1h 2m

  4. 08/13/2023

    Frank Richards — Tropical Disease Fighter

    Dr. Frank "Rick" Richards is a world-leading expert on parasitic and tropical infections. He's traveled to some of the poorest and most remote locations of our planet to fight diseases that have harmed millions. During his long tenure at the Carter Center in Atlanta, where he has worked closely with former President Jimmy Carter, Rick played a leading role in the eradication of river blindness from Guatemala. In addition to his career, Rick talks about his experience as a Black student at Wil...

    1h 5m

  5. 04/26/2023

    Denise Littlefield Sobel — Philanthropist

    Denise Littlefield Sobel takes us on a highly personal journey through her varied and interesting life. It starts with her experience as a member of the first class of women to enroll at Williams for a full four-year term. Denise talks candidly about her mental health struggles as a student, including serious bouts of depression. Continuing in this personal vein, she discusses her conversion to Judaism against the strong wishes of her mother, and how she has come to practice acceptance as a p...

    52 min

  6. 07/01/2022

    Frank Doelger — TV Producer

    Frank Doelger is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV producer whose credits include HBO’s Game of Thrones, Rome, and John Adams. Frank begins by talking about Williams and the professors who had an early influence on his career path. He then discusses his time as a graduate student at Oxford, where a chance encounter led to his becoming a theater producer. Afterwards, the conversation turns to how Frank broke into the TV business, initially as a script reader for network television. During the r...

    2h 18m

  7. 01/14/2022

    How Harry almost didn’t get the job

    Williams was the only college where Harry wanted to coach basketball. Fortuitously, in 1983, an opening occurred. After a lengthy interview process, Williams offered the position to a different coach—who, fortunately for Harry, turned it down for the head coaching job at Dartmouth, where Harry would later serve as athletic director. This short segment explores Harry’s intense disappointment at initially being rejected for the Williams coaching position, and his exhilaration when he finally re...

    7 min

  8. 01/13/2022

    Harry Sheehy — Part II: Reflections After a Heart Attack

    In September 2021, four months after recording A Williams Life, Harry suffered a life-threatening heart attack. During bypass surgery, he had a stroke that resulted in his becoming almost completely blind. While Harry has been recovering nicely from the heart attack, his vision has not returned, except in an extremely limited way. During this interview, recorded in November 2021, Harry reflects on his health and touches again on some of the major themes from the first interview, such as...

    45 min

  9. 01/12/2022

    Harry Sheehy — Part I: A Williams Sports Icon

    Harry Sheehy is the former head men's basketball coach and athletic director at Williams College. In this interview, he talks about his time in Williamstown as a child and young adult, often accompanied by his father (Williams '51). He discusses his time as a star college basketball player at Williams as well as a professional athlete, and his phenomenal success as Williams basketball coach (1983-2000) and athletic director (2000-10). Toward the end of the interview, Harry talks about his dec...

    1h 42m
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

A Williams Life explores the lives of members of the Williams College Class of 1975 through in-depth interviews. Hosted by Gordon Earle ('75).

Information

  • Creator
    Williams College Class of 1975
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 A Williams Life
  • Show Website
    A Williams Life

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