Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc, Paper Moon (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 4)

Polly Platt and Peter Bogdanovich on the set of Paper Moon | Photo courtesy of Sashy Bogdanovich

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts. 

In the aftermath of Picture Show—and the collapse of her second marriage—Polly finds an unlikely ally, and a new job, in Orson Welles. Anxious to build on her career momentum (and become the first female film art director accepted into her union), Polly agrees to work on Peter’s next two films, What’s Up Doc and Paper Moon – two massive hits which make Peter one of the most famous directors of the decade. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources specific to this episode:

This season is based in large part on Polly Platt's unpublished memoir, It Was Worth It, excerpted with the permission of Sashy Bodganovich.

 This episode includes excerpts from interviews with: Frank Marshall, Sashy Bodganovich, Nessa Hyams, Toby Rafelson, and Nancy Griffin. 

Here is a full list of sources referenced on this season. 

Polly Platt at the Pool with Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, and Garry in Carefree, AZ 1971 while shooting The Other Side of The Wind,

Music:

The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.  

Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:

Bittersweet Discourse (Piano Only) - Various Composers
Open Roads - Nick Ingman, Tony Kinsey
Tooth Fairy - Various Composers
I Knew A Guy - Kevin MacLeod
Divider - Chris Zabriskie
Protest Generation - Various Composers
There's a Special Place for Some People - Chris Zabriskie
Railroad's Whiskey - Jahzzar
After Work (Piano Elevator Music) - Musique Libre de Droit Club
On My Way Home (Easy Listening Music) - Musique Libre de Droit Club
Lullaby (Berceuse, Piano) - Musique Libre de Droit Club
Playing with Sunbeams (Instrumental) - Franck Fossey, Aurelie Constance Renee Guillier de Chalvron
Meanwhile - Various Composers

Polly Platt and Tatum O’Neill on the set of Paper Moon | Photo Courtesy of Sashy Bogdanovich

Credits:

This episode was written, narrated and produced by Karina Longworth.

Featuring special guest Maggie Siff as the voice of Polly Platt.

Research and production assistant: Lindsey D. Schoenholtz.

Social media, transcription and additional research: Brendan Whalen.

Transcription and additional research: Kristen Sales and Wiley Wiggins

Producer and editor: Tomeka Weatherspoon.

Audio engineers: Jared O'Connell, Andrea Kristins and Brendan Byrnes.

Supervising Producer: Josephine Martorana.

Executive Producer: Chris Bannon.

Logo design: Teddy Blanks.

Ryan O’Neal, Peter Bogdanovich and Barbra Steisand on the set of What’s Up, Doc?

Last Picture Show Love Triangle: Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman Part 3

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts. 

At Polly’s urging, Peter decides to direct an adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s novel The Last Picture Show. Though credited only as the film’s “designer,” Polly is involved in every creative decision, including casting — and it’s with his pregnant-again wife’s enthusiasm that Bogdanovich casts 20-year-old model Cybill Shepherd as the film’s femme fatale. Though Polly believed she and Peter were “deliriously happy,” Bogdanovich and Shepherd fall in love on the set of the movie, and Polly has to make a decision: to save face and avoid personal humiliation by walking away from the production, or stay and fight for the creative baby that she feels ownership over. 

Polly Platt applying makeup blood to Timothy Bottoms on The Last Picture Show set | Photo Courtesy of Sashy Bogdanovich

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources specific to this episode:

This season is based in large part on Polly Platt's unpublished memoir, It Was Worth It, excerpted with the permission of Sashy Bodganovich.

 This episode includes excerpts from interviews with: Jules Fisher, Frank Marshall, Toby Rafelson, Nancy Griffin and Peggy Steffans. 

Here is a full list of sources referenced on this season. 

Cybill Shepherd with director Peter Bogdanovich on The Last Picture Show set

Music:

The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.  

Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode: 

There’s A Special Place for Some People - Chris Zabriskie
Bella Roma - Nonemis
Mister Poke Man - Peter Rockwell, Asger Wilde, Moellehoej Larsen 
A Dog with An Umbrella - Paul-Marie Jacques Bernard Barbier
A Walk in the Woods - Paul-Marie Jacques Bernard Barbier
Feel My Swagger - The New Fools
Organic Drums - Frederic Charles Sicart
The Eternal Scene - Rand Aldo
Land on the Golden Gate - Chris Zabriskie
Troubled Thoughts - Daryl Griffith
Glimmer - Hutch Demouilpied, Mix Amylo
Curious and Weird - Jean-Michel Vallet, Claire Guillot, Patrick Jean Chartol
Gobelin of Forest - Jean-Michel Vallet, Claire Guillot, Patrick Jean Chartol
Calm Waters - James Warburton
Open Window - Etienne Roussel

Credits:

This episode was written, narrated and produced by Karina Longworth.

Featuring special guests: Maggie Siff as the voice of Polly Platt, Bill Sage as Larry McMurtry and Meghann Lee as Cybill Shepherd.

Research and production assistant: Lindsey D. Schoenholtz.

Social media, transcription and additional research: Brendan Whalen.

Transcription and additional research: Kristen Sales and Wiley Wiggins

Producer: Tomeka Weatherspoon.

Editor:  Brendan Byrnes

Audio engineers: Jared O'Connell, Andrea Kristins and Brendan Byrnes.

Supervising Producer: Josephine Martorana.

Executive Producer: Chris Bannon.

Logo design: Teddy Blanks.