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!

4d ago

Summer Blockbusters

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Matt, Ryan, and Stephen continue our American Summer series with Episode 205: Summer Blockbusters—a celebration of the movies that turned summer into Hollywood’s biggest season and became the soundtrack of our vacations, school breaks, and childhood memories. In this episode, we dive into the history of the summer blockbuster, exploring how films like Jaws changed the movie industry forever and ushered in an era of event filmmaking that continues today. Along the way, we share the blockbuster films that defined our own summers, discuss unforgettable trips to the movie theater, and reminisce about the excitement of standing in line for opening weekend, giant buckets of popcorn, and the shared experience of seeing a movie with a packed audience. From sharks and spaceships to superheroes, dinosaurs, adventurers, and aliens, we explore the films that have become part of America’s summer tradition and examine why certain movies continue to capture our imaginations decades later. We also reflect on how summer blockbusters have evolved, what makes a true blockbuster, and the special place these films hold in our own lives. Whether you’re revisiting a favorite classic, discovering a new summer tradition, or simply remembering the thrill of escaping into an air-conditioned theater on a hot July afternoon, this episode is filled with nostalgia, laughter, and a celebration of the movies that have made summer unforgettable. 🎬🍿☀️🦈🦖🚀👽🎟️ Join us as we continue celebrating the people, places, traditions, food, entertainment, and memories that make up the American Summer. ⸻ 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/tDk6
Jul 7

The 4th & 5th of July

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Matt and Stephen continue our American Summer series with Episode 204: The Fourth and 5th of July—a celebration of two back-to-back holidays that have always felt like one big weekend in Stephen’s life: America’s birthday on July 4th and his own birthday on July 5th. In this episode, Ryan, Matt, and Stephen explore the unique connection between Independence Day celebrations and birthday traditions, sharing stories about backyard barbecues, fireworks, birthday cakes, family gatherings, parades, sparklers, patriotic music, and the little rituals that have made the first weekend of July so memorable over the years. From neighborhood cookouts and spectacular fireworks displays to blowing out birthday candles just hours after celebrating America’s birthday, we reflect on how these two occasions naturally intertwine. Along the way, we discuss favorite Fourth of July traditions, childhood memories, summer vacations, hometown celebrations, and the nostalgia that comes with one of the most iconic weekends of the year. Whether you’re planning your annual cookout, watching fireworks with friends, celebrating a birthday, or simply soaking up everything that makes early July feel like the heart of summer, this episode is filled with laughter, memories, and appreciation for the traditions that bring us together year after year. ☀️🇺🇸🎆🎇🎂🎉🍔🌭🍉🍦 Join us as we continue celebrating the people, places, traditions, food, entertainment, and memories that make up the American Summer. ⸻ 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/tDk6
Jun 23

American Summer: All’s Fair in the Summer

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Matt and Stephen continue our American Summer series with Episode 203: All’s Fair in the Summer — a celebration of county fairs, state fairs, world’s fairs, midway games, Ferris wheels, funnel cakes, corn dogs, elephant ears, prize booths, and all the sights, sounds, smells, and memories that make fair season one of the most magical parts of summer. In this episode, Matt and Stephen take a nostalgic trip through their favorite fair experiences, sharing stories from county fairs and state fairs, discussing the history and wonder of world’s fairs, and reminiscing about the rides, games, food, attractions, and traditions that have captivated generations of Americans. From the glow of carnival lights against a summer sky to the sound of laughter, music, barkers, and screaming riders on the midway, fairs create a unique world that appears almost overnight and disappears just as quickly a week later. We explore why these temporary celebrations leave such a lasting impression and why they continue to be such an important part of the American summer experience. Whether you’re a Ferris wheel enthusiast, a funnel cake devotee, a blue-ribbon competitor, or someone who simply loves the excitement of the midway, this episode is packed with memories, stories, and appreciation for one of America’s great summer traditions. ☀️🇺🇸🎡🎠🎟️🌭🍿🍋 Join us as we continue celebrating the people, places, traditions, food, entertainment, and memories that make up the American Summer. ⸻ 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/tDk6
Jun 7

American Summer Kick Off

Welcome back to The Conner & Smith Show! This week, Matt, Ryan, and Stephen kick off an all-new summer-long series: American Summer — a celebration of Americana in honor of America’s 250th anniversary year. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring everything that makes summer in America unique: blockbuster movies, summer foods, state fairs, road trips, songs of the summer, American history, pop culture traditions, and the people, places, and memories that have shaped generations of American summers. In this kickoff episode, Matt, Ryan, and Stephen introduce the series, share some of their favorite summer memories, discuss what “Americana” means in 2026, and preview the topics they’ll be covering throughout the season. Whether you’re nostalgic for drive-ins, county fairs, baseball games, beach vacations, backyard cookouts, summer soundtracks, or simply love exploring American culture, this series is for you. ☀️🇺🇸🎡🍔🎬🎶 Join us as we spend the summer celebrating the people, traditions, entertainment, food, music, history, and memories that make America uniquely American. ⸻ 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/tDk6
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
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
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
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

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

558
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Stephen Smith
Show Website

The Conner & Smith Show