UPCOMING SHOWS
​Monday 1 December 2025 - 1p (In-Person or via Zoom)
North Shore Senior Center (Northfield, IL)
Hollywood Murders that Still Remain a Mystery
On television, murders are solved in an hour. But in real-life, finding a killer may seem impossible, even when the victim is a celebrity. You will discover the more famous Hollywood murders that, even decades later, remain unsolved. We'll look at some of the most infamous cases - George Reeves, William Desmond Taylor, Natalie Wood, Thelma Todd, and Bob Crane. Warning: There may be some graphic content included in this presentation.
Registration - $15 for members; $20 for non-members
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Thursday 4 December 2025 - 6:30p (In-Person or via Zoom)
Gail Borden Public Library District (Elgin, IL)
Disneyland: Creating the Happiest Place on Earth
Who knew that an orange and walnut grove in Anaheim would develop into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? Walt Disney wanted to create a park that families could enjoy together. The park would be themed to his most famous character, Mickey Mouse, and be set across the street from his Burbank studio. But his ideas soon outgrew the 8-acre parcel. Learn how Disneyland developed from a simple idea into an entertainment empire with theme parks all over the world.
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Friday 30 December 2025 - 6:30p (In-Person)
Green Hills Public Library District (Palos Hills, IL)
Disneyland: Creating the Happiest Place on Earth
Who knew that an orange and walnut grove in Anaheim would develop into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? Walt Disney wanted to create a park that families could enjoy together. The park would be themed to his most famous character, Mickey Mouse, and be set across the street from his Burbank studio. But his ideas soon outgrew the 8-acre parcel. Learn how Disneyland developed from a simple idea into an entertainment empire with theme parks all over the world.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Wednesday 21 January 2026 - 1p (In-Person or via Zoom)
North Shore Senior Center (Northfield, IL)
The Girl with the Voice: Judy Garland's Life Before and Beyond the Rainbow
Judy Garland is considered one of Hollywood's greatest legends. Learn about her extraordinary career, from her early years as a child star to her legendary concerts at Carnegie Hall, delving into the triumphs and tribulations of "the girl with the voice" and examining her iconic roles and enduring influence, while also shedding light on the personal struggles that haunted her life "beyond the rainbow."
Registration - $15 for members; $20 for non-members - I'll post a link when it's available
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Wednesday 11 February 2026 - 7p (In-Person)
Fremont Public Library (Grayslake, IL)
Chicago Mobsters and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
Learn about the rise of organized crime in Chicago, leading to the gangland killing in a Clark Street garage on February 14, 1929.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Thursday 12 February 2026 - 10a (In-Person)
Schaumburg Township District Library
HUAC and the Hollywood Ten
The "Hollywood Ten" were the screenwriters, producers, and directors who were subpoenaed but refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), thus beginning the first systematic Hollywood blacklist which lasted until 1960. Learn about the key Hollywood figures of this era and how the blacklist impacted their careers.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Wednesday 18 February 2026 - 7p (In-Person)
Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library
Till Death Did Them Part
Prepare for your next Un-Valentine’s Day celebration and take a look at some famous murder cases in which spouses decided to speed up the “until death do us part” section of their vows.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Friday 20 February 2026 - 10:30a (In-Person)
Sun City Huntley by Del Webb
Disneyland: Creating the Happiest Place on Earth
Who knew that an orange and walnut grove in Anaheim would develop into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? Walt Disney wanted to create a park that families could enjoy together. The park would be themed to his most famous character, Mickey Mouse, and be set across the street from his Burbank studio. But his ideas soon outgrew the 8-acre parcel. Learn how Disneyland developed from a simple idea into an entertainment empire with theme parks all over the world.
Program is for residents.
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Friday 27 February 2026 - 10a (In-Person or via Zoom)
Institute for Continued Learning, Roosevelt University (Schaumburg, IL)
Five Directors Who Went to War
After Pearl Harbor, many in Hollywood answered the call to arms and made films that would aid in the war effort. Five directors - Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, George Stevens and William Wyler - not only joined the military but many were shooting their films during actual battles overseas. Learn about these individuals and see examples from their war films.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Thursday 5 March 2026 - 1p (In-Person)
Prospect Heights Public Library
And the Oscar Goes to….: A History of the Academy Awards
The Academy Award of Merit was first celebrated in 1929 with a 15-minute ceremony during a banquet dinner and has developed into an annual award show viewed by nearly 30 million viewers worldwide. Before you fill out your Oscar ballots, learn the history of this prestigious award, some of the more famous mishaps, and challenge yourself with some Oscar trivia.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Wednesday 11 March 2026 - 7p (In-Person)
Lake Forest Library
Fred Astaire: Style and Grace on Screen
“Can't sing. Can’t act. Balding. Dances a little.” – Hollywood lore says these were the notes some unnamed studio executive wrote after seeing a screen test for dancer Fred Astaire. Not only was Astaire one of the best dancers on screen, but he also changed the way dance sequences in movies were filmed. Learn about his career and see some of his best dance numbers.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Wednesday 8 April 2026 - 1p (In-Person or via Zoom)
North Shore Senior Center (Northfield, IL)
Before the Censors: Pre-Code Hollywood
Between the advent of sound and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines (the Hays Code) in 1934, American films were at their most raucous and racy - illicit sex and violence were common themes. The Hays Code sought to determine what could be portrayed on screen, and to promote traditional values. Learn about some of the top movies of the era and why they were considered objectionable by the censors.
Registration - $15 for members; $20 for non-members - I'll post a link when it's available
Monday 13 April 2026 - 1p (In-Person)
Prospect Heights Public Library
Musicals of the Depression
Despite the Depression, the movie industry boomed and the Hollywood musical played a key role in distracting Americans from the horrors of the economic downfall. Learn about some of the most popular films of the era and watch scenes from these films.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Monday 22 June 2026 - 1p (In-Person)
Prospect Heights Public Library
Disneyland: Creating the Happiest Place on Earth
Who knew that an orange and walnut grove in Anaheim would develop into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? Walt Disney wanted to create a park that families could enjoy together. The park would be themed to his most famous character, Mickey Mouse, and be set across the street from his Burbank studio. But his ideas soon outgrew the 8-acre parcel. Learn how Disneyland developed from a simple idea into an entertainment empire with theme parks all over the world.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Monday 28 September 2026 - 7p (In-Person)
Prospect Heights Public Library
Where No TV Show has Gone Before: The Making of Star Trek
Star Trek premiered on September 8, 1966. Cancelled after three seasons, it might have been forgotten, but Star Trek has gone where no TV show has gone before, spinning off 11 different series, a film franchise, and becoming a cult phenomenon. Learn how the series was created as well as the show’s cultural significance.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available
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Thursday 29 October 2026 - 7p (In-Person)
Elk Grove Village Public Library
The War of the Worlds Broadcast – The Night that Terrified America
On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles, director/star of the anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air, presented a production of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds. Learn about the production, the audience reaction, and the program’s aftermath. Portions of the program will also be played for the audience.
Registration - I'll post a link when it's available