The Conner & Smith Show

Stephen Smith

4.7 (13)
Performing Arts
Updated Weekly

Join Matt and Stephen as they talk to artists, creative thinkers, discuss films, try craft projects, explore local lore, debate beloved holiday traditions and much more!

May 23

Giant

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Ryan Dean Halbrook and Stephen conclude their James Dean trilogy series with George Stevens’ epic 1956 masterpiece Giant — the final film James Dean completed before his tragic death. Widely considered one of the great American epics, Giant explores wealth, power, racism, class, family legacy, and the changing identity of Texas across generations. Ryan and Stephen dive deep into Dean’s fascinating and unconventional performance as Jett Rink, alongside the legendary work of Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and the film’s extraordinary ensemble cast. They also discuss the massive scope of the production, Dean’s transformation across decades of the character’s life, the film’s themes of prejudice and social change, and why Giant remains one of the most ambitious and important Hollywood films of the 1950s. As the final chapter in Dean’s short but legendary career, Giant stands as both a cinematic landmark and a haunting glimpse of what might have been. If you love classic Hollywood, sweeping American dramas, film history, and larger-than-life performances, this episode is for you. 🤠🌵🎬 ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67

44 min
May 17

Rebel Without a Cause

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Ryan Dean Halbrook and Stephen continue their James Dean trilogy series with Nicholas Ray’s groundbreaking 1955 classic Rebel Without a Cause. Often considered James Dean’s most powerful and iconic performance, Rebel Without a Cause captured teenage alienation, vulnerability, anger, and longing in a way audiences had never seen before — and its influence can still be felt in films today. Ryan and Stephen dive deep into Dean’s unforgettable performance as Jim Stark, the incredible supporting work from Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, and the rest of the cast, the film’s stunning Cinemascope cinematography, and why this movie became one of the defining films of American cinema. They also explore how countless movies that followed borrowed from Rebel Without a Cause, cementing its place as one of the most influential films ever made. If you love classic Hollywood, film history, emotionally raw performances, and movies that changed cinema forever, this episode is for you. 🚗🔥🌃 ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67

21 min
May 10

East of Eden

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Ryan Dean Halbrook and Stephen begin a brand-new three-part series exploring the complete film career of one of our favorite actors of all time — James Dean. We start where it all began with East of Eden, Elia Kazan’s emotionally explosive 1955 adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel that introduced James Dean to the world and instantly changed movie acting forever. Raw, vulnerable, rebellious, and deeply human, Dean’s performance as Cal Trask still feels startlingly modern — and this episode dives deep into why his work continues to resonate decades later. This is the first chapter in our James Dean trilogy series, where over the next three weeks we’ll also explore Rebel Without a Cause and Giant — the only three films Dean completed before his tragic death at just 24 years old. If you love classic Hollywood, intense performances, film history, and actors who changed cinema forever… this episode is for you. 🌾🚂🔥 ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67

31 min
Apr 30

Pre-Emily Check-In

Episode 198 — Pre-Emily Check-In (On Our Way to the Arts Club) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we’re dropping in with a quick, real-time check-in — because tonight is a big one. After recently workshopping The House of Booth, we’re now just hours away from presenting the very first material from our brand-new Emily Dickinson project, tentatively titled Emily. You can hear the excitement (and a little chaos) in our voices. Tonight, we’re heading to the Arts Club of Washington, where Susan Derry performs selections from the piece. Stephen Gregory Smith joins her on stage, Matt Conner reads stage directions and explores the poetry with us, all accompanied by the brilliant pianist Alex Tang. We recorded this just hours before leaving — a quick moment to share where we are, what’s coming, and how much this new work means to us. We’ll be back next week with more regular episodes. For now, we’re sending our love and taking you right to the edge of something new. ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

8 min
Apr 18

Popeye the Movie

Episode 197 — Popeye (A Very Strange Movie We Love Anyway) Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we dive into one of the strangest big-budget films ever made — Popeye — a movie that somehow shouldn’t work… and yet, for us, absolutely does. Equal parts baffling, brilliant, and bizarre, this episode is a full-on exploration of a true cinematic oddity that has quietly become a guilty pleasure favorite. Joined by our producer Ryan Dean Halbrook, we unpack the wild story behind the making of the film — from its famously chaotic, cocaine-fueled production to the fully practical seaside town built on the coast of Malta (which, incredibly, still exists today). We talk about: • 🎬 Why Popeye feels so unlike any other movie ever made • 🌊 The surreal, hand-built world of Sweethaven and its lasting legacy in Malta • 🎭 Why this might be one of Robin Williams’ most fascinating performances • 💄 Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl — and why this may be her perfect role • 🎶 The comic-strip-inspired score that somehow feels both spot-on and completely unhinged • 🤔 How the film walks the line between cult classic, misfire, and misunderstood masterpiece This is a fun, weird, and surprisingly affectionate deep dive into a movie that we can’t quite explain — but definitely love. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes chaos, bold creative swings, and celebrating films that don’t fit neatly into any box… this episode is for you. 🍃🥬⚓ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

43 min
Apr 10

Science Talk

Episode 196 — Science Talk Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we boldly go where we are wildly unqualified to go… science. In Science Talk, two people with absolutely no scientific credentials attempt to unpack some of the biggest (and weirdest) things in the universe right now — including the return of Artemis II, dinosaurs on Netflix, and yes… Melania Trump’s truly baffling press conference that somehow brought the Epstein files roaring back into public consciousness. We talk about: • 🚀 The Artemis II mission — including the very real question of… space farts (yes, seriously, and yes, apparently it matters) • 🦖 The Netflix dinosaur special that genuinely made Matt emotional (we did not see that coming) • 🧠 What it feels like to try to understand science when your brain is more musical theatre than NASA • 🤯 And the absolute chaos of pop culture, politics, and science all colliding in one very strange week This episode is unfiltered, unscientific, and completely unhinged in the best way. If you’ve ever tried to sound smart about science while secretly having no idea what you’re talking about — this episode is for you. 🚀🦖💫 ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

30 min
Mar 29

Easter Week

Episode 195 — Easter Week Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we celebrate Easter Week — looking at the holiday through both a personal and historical lens. From childhood memories to deeper traditions, we explore what Easter has meant to us over time and how it continues to evolve today. In this episode, we talk about: • 🐣 Our favorite Easter memories — past and present • ✝️ The historical and religious significance of Easter • 🌸 The cultural traditions we associate with the holiday (and how they’ve changed) • 🐰 The blend of sacred and secular — from resurrection to rabbits • 🎭 And how storytelling, ritual, and community shape the way we experience Easter today This episode is reflective, a little nostalgic, and full of the kinds of tangents and insights you’ve come to expect from us. If you love diving into the meaning behind holidays, sharing stories, and finding connections between history and modern life — this episode is for you. 🐣🌷✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

22 min
Mar 18

Exploring Emily

Episode 194 — Exploring Emily Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, we step inside the world of Emily Dickinson as we begin shaping our newest theatrical project — and prepare for our upcoming presentation at the Arts Club of Washington. Exploring Emily is our first public glimpse into a piece that has been quietly evolving behind the scenes, and in this episode, we pull back the curtain on how it’s all coming together. We talk about: • 🎭 How we’re structuring the show using only Dickinson’s poetry and letters • 🧠 The creative challenges of turning her inner life into theatrical storytelling • ✍️ What we’ve discovered about Emily as both a writer and a character • 🎶 How music, movement, and text are beginning to intersect in the piece • 🤝 And some exciting (and very fun) crowdsourcing ideas we’re exploring to help shape the project moving forward This is a foundational episode — part behind-the-scenes, part creative brainstorm, and part invitation to join us in the process. If you love new musical development, poetic storytelling, and getting in on the ground floor of something in the making — this episode is for you. 🎭📜✨ ⸻ Support The Conner & Smith Show on Patreon: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/ConnerandSmith?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan Visit SGS Video Vault on eBay: 👉 https://ebay.us/m/tDk67a

16 min

4.7

out of 5

13 Ratings

Join Matt and Stephen as they talk to artists, creative thinkers, discuss films, try craft projects, explore local lore, debate beloved holiday traditions and much more!

Creator

Stephen Smith
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

554
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Stephen Smith
Show Website

The Conner & Smith Show