One of the most anxiously followed storylines in HBO's "The Gilded Age" has been the love story between Oscar van Rhijn and John Adams. Adams (Claybourne Elder), who was born into a prestigious New York family as the descendant of a Founding Father, became a fan favorite as the couple navigated their complex relationship out of society's glaring view. Following the dramatic events of Season 3, actor Claybourne Elder joins The Gilded Gentleman, along with Greg Young of the Bowery Boys Podcast, to discuss his role and character, what filming the series was like and what the life of a gay man in the Gilded Age might have been like.Â
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Alva Vanderbilt: The Real Bertha Russell?
Ever since the premiere episode of HBO's "The Gilded Age", viewers and historians have discussed just how close the fictitious character of Bertha Russell (played by Carrie Coon) may be to the real-life socialite steamroller Alva Vanderbilt.  There certainly seems to be similarities from Bertha and Alva's mutual unrelenting drive to claw a place in society - and then there was, after all, the fact that both women married their daughters off to British dukes. The Gilded Gentleman takes a look at Alva's own story -- we have so far, been given little of Bertha's -- in an attempt to understand just why she made the choices and had the attitudes to social structure that she did.  Alva Vanderbilt was complex, complicated, conflicted and endlessly fascinating as she navigated her life from a loveless marriage to a new role as a divorced woman and suffragette. Join us for this look at Alva's early life to see how it all began. An earlier version of this show ran in early 2022.
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The Gilded Age's Kelley Curran: Playing Mrs. Winterton
We all have our favorite characters on HBO's "The Gilded Age," and one fan favorite is certainly the maid-turned-social climber, the former Enid Turner -- now Mrs. Joshua Winterton. It's hard to forget her great entrance in Season 2 when she arrives on the arm of her much older (and very wealthy) husband to Bertha's jaw dropping disbelief.  Actor Kelley Curran, who plays the role of Mrs. Winterton, joins The Gilded Gentleman to talk about how she created the role of Enid, what her backstory likely could be, and what it was like filming some of Enid's most dramatic scenes. This episode was edited by Kieran Gannon.
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Who Was Ward McAllister?
Some called him the Gilded Age's biggest snob. Others thought he was a genius of social protocol and maneuvering through aristocratic circles.  Most famously, he acted as Mrs. Astor's right hand in sorting, selecting and assembling a group of New York's elite he was credited (erroneously) as naming "the 400". Nonetheless his influence on who got in and who stayed out was significant - but just exactly who was HE?  Join Carl for this in-depth look at just who Ward McAllister (played by Nathan Lane in HBO's "The Gilded Age") was and how he climbed the social ladder - and most of all, how he committed one of Gilded Age society's greatest sins - he wrote a book and told all. Listen to other Gilded Gentleman shows tied to the HBO series including Black Newport, Playing Mamie Fish, Consuelo Vanderbilt and the Gilded Age’s Million Dollar Princesses and The Real Mrs. Astor. And listen to the Bowery Boys Podcast's Tom Meyers on the Official Gilded Age Podcast
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The Story of Black Newport: A Rich and Vibrant Legacy
Newport, Rhode Island has been an important center for the evolution of America's African heritage community. -- from its earliest days of the 18th century slave trade to the late 19th century years of the Gilded Age, Viewers of HBO Max's The Gilded Age follow the character of Peggy Scott and her family to Newport and into the center of its wealthy, thriving Black community in the late 19th century. Joining The Gilded Gentleman to trace this extraordinary history of Newport's African heritage community is Rhode Island's historian laureate Keith Stokes. Keith is a 9th generation Newporter and is descended from many of the major players that were trailblazers in civic government, education, medicine and science during Newport's Gilded Age.  The stories of the Astor and Vanderbilt families along with many others of the New York elite is only part of the story of Newport and its pivotal role in American history. This episode hopes to reveal another.For more Gilded Age adventures, listen to the Gilded Gentleman podcast and the Bowery Boys podcast. You can also find Tom Meyers on the Official Gilded Age Podcast. This episode was edited by Keiran Gannon.Â
The Gilded Gentleman history podcast takes listeners on a cultural and social journey into the mansions, salons, dining rooms, libraries and theatres including the worlds above as well as below stairs of America's Gilded Age, France's Belle Epoque and late Victorian and Edwardian England.
thegildedgentleman.com
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