Phoenix Foundation - A Macgyver Podcast

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: April 30th, 1986 --- MacGyver learns the hard way that, in Soviet Russia, Cuckoo's Nest flies over you MISSION: Pete flies off to Russia to evacuate the daughter of a recently assassinated anti-government activist, only to learn her father is alive and captive in an asylum for political prisoners. Pete and Mac pose as doctor and patient to infiltrate the asylum and break the activist out. This week's highlights include: Here's a link to the Mythbusters filament lockpicking test. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (History) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a Russian novelist, historian, and critic of Soviet totalitarianism. He helped to raise global awareness of the gulag and the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system. While his writings were long suppressed in the USSR, he wrote many books, most notably The Gulag Archipelago, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, August 1914 and Cancer Ward. Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, "for the ethical force with which he has p

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: April 16th, 1986 --- MacGyver gets arrested to free the brother of a desperate woman. [SPECIAL GUEST: Kristina Wayborn!] MISSION: MacGyver must crash a North African prison to help bust out Brian Ashford at his sister Sara's request. As luck would have it, there is more to the story than MacGyver is informed. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: KRISTINA WAYBORN! Kristina Wayborn gave us a call to discuss the role of Sara Ashford, but of course we couldn't NOT talk about James Bond with Magda herself! Ms. Wayborn shares stories from the set of MacGvyer, Octopussy, and some behind the scenes drama from one of her earlier films "The Silent Lovers" in which she portrayed the great Greta Garbo. We thank Kristina again for sharing her time with us. If you haven't already seen this, you're missing out. Boer War (History) The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the United Kingdom  and the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. The

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: April 2nd, 1986 --- Bandits hijack a train seeking justice from MacGyver and other innocent bystanders  [SPECIAL GUEST: Pamela Roylance!] MISSION: On a train to India, a group have passengers see their plans derailed by a gang of bandits seeking vengeance on a pair of businessmen who sold their village bad medicine. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: PAMELA ROYLANCE! Pamela Roylance chats with us this week about the set of MacGyver, working with Frances Bergen, an extra scene shot separately from the rest of the episode, and a theme park sign with an accidental cameo that caused problems behind the scenes. For more of Pamela's work, please check out the Social Network clip and FunnyOrDie video "Previously On Point Dume" embedded below! Check out The MacGyver Project's Interview with Xahra Gilbert here. Also, the TV Guide article written on this set can be found transcribed here. Polygraph (Technology) A polygraph (popularly referred to as a lie detector) measures

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: March 12th, 1986 --- MacGyver rescues a teen hacker from terrorists and feds [SPECIAL GUESTS: Rob Paulsen and Darcy Marta!] MISSION: A gifted student helps her professor to solve a glitch in a government weapon, but soon finds herself the target of an ODI investigation and a terrorist wishlist. MacGyver intends to protect the girl from both teams. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: ROB PAULSEN! This week, a conversation with the incomparable Rob Paulsen, voice of a thousand characters, and many of your favorites whether you realize it or not. In addition to his prolific voicework, Mr. Paulsen hosts his own brilliantly entertaining podcast Talkin' Toons (with a focus on voice acting and voice actors). If you haven't already, I insist you give it a listen. His efforts can also be supported through his Patreon site here. Above all else, Mr. Paulsen is a champion of several charities including the Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Smile. If you have a moment, please take a lo

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: March 5th, 1986 --- MacGyver crash lands in Afghanistan and escapes with help from Ahmed Naga... naga... na-gana-live-here-anymore anyway! MISSION: MacGyver's hopes to infiltrate the mountains of Afghanistan to retrieve part of a U.S. government satellite, but is quickly pursued by Soviet forces. With help from a local village boy and the boy's recently-widowed mother, MacGyver will return the government property to America. This week's highlights include:   The dangerous wildlife that inhabit Ahmed's village.   Mankiewicz family (Film History) The Mankiewicz family is a well-known family of screenwriters and authors. It seems we misdescribed Don's cousin Tom Mankiewicz as his uncle. Don's actual uncle Joseph Mankiewicz is also a well-established screenwriter. As it turns out, Don actually passed away 3 weeks ago and our thoughts are with his family. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mankiewicz_family Watch S1E17: "To Be A Man" on CBS's website or

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 19th, 1986 --- MacGyver and his new friend Penny Parker had better get steppin' before Stepan gets them! MISSION: Smuggling a microfilm out of Bulgaria becomes even more complicated when aspiring actress Penny Parker plants the crown jewels of Hanover in MacGyver's carry-on. A whirlwind chase ensues. This week's highlights include: Here is a link to the Gold Ring Scam we mentioned in the episode. It seems local to Paris. The most incredible carousel scene that will probably ever be filmed (from Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. You can also check here for operating hours of the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. Bulgarian lev (Currency) The lev is the currency of Bulgaria. It is divided in 100 stotinki (стотинки, singular: stotinka, стотинка). In archaic Bulgarian the word "lev" meant "lion", a word which in the modern language became lăv (IPA: /lɤv/) (in Bulgarian: лъв). Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_lev Watch S1E16: "Every Time

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 12th, 1986 --- MacGyver sniffs out a DXS mole with fellow agent Craig Bannister [SPECIAL GUEST: Michael Goodwin!] MISSION: A DXS leak has resulted in the deaths of several agents. A Soviet informant is used to lure the mole into the open where MacGyver and Craig Bannister intend to catch the spy red-handed. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: MICHAEL GOODWIN! This week, we chat with Michael Goodwin, who plays DXS agent Craig Bannister, the only person to serve as an agent of DXS AND the Phoenix Foundation besides Mac and Pete. We discuss MacGyver's almost-hidden cast, how the brake-line/power-steering stunt came together, and a particularly silly MacGyverism that haunts Goodwin to this day. Also, keep an eye out for the release of a film he recently starred in opposite MacGyver's own Cuba Gooding Jr. called Freedom. A must-see for any fan of this episode, 1962's Manchurian Candidate. Adipic acid (Chemistry) Adipic acid is the organic compound with the formula (C

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 5th, 1986 --- MacGyver is cruising for a bruising with Captain Carole Tanner [SPECIAL GUEST: Ellen Bry!] MISSION: An anonymous terrorist calling himself Viking demands payment in exchange for instructions on how to defuse a series of bombs on board a luxury cruise liner. DXS reaches out the MacGyver and his old Vietnam War bomb defusing partner Charlie Robinson to get the job done, but soon MacGyver must teach Captain Carole Tanner the ropes as more bombs are discovered and one goes off. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: ELLEN BRY! This week, special guest Ellen Bry chats with us about how she was able to parlay doing her own stunts in an episode of Kojak into a full-fledged stuntwoman background that culminated in her doubling Margot Kidder's Lois Lane in Superman! She'll also tell with us about her recollections from the MacGyver set and share some historical perspective on a national tragedy that occurred while this episode was coming together. Here's more info

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 29th, 1986 --- This week, MacGyver ditches a date to visit an ex-girlfriend and things go nuclear MISSION: A former flame of MacGyver's nearly meets her end at the hands of a pair of uranium thieves in a nuclear power plant. This week's highlights include: Here's a link if you're interested in buying a MacGyver-style hockey table. (Link courtesy of the MacGyverOnline.com store.) Here are some clips of Paul Rudd's new movie. Oh look, the first MacGruber sketch. Robin Pearson Rose (MacGyver's two-episode landlady) was not available to chat with us for this week's episode but she sent along this nice message as a consolation prize. Film badge dosimeter (Physics) The film badge dosimeter, or film badge, is a personal dosimeter used for monitoring cumulative radiation dose due to ionizing radiation. The badge consists of two parts: photographic film or dental X-ray film, and a holder. The film is removed and developed to measure exposure. The film badge is used to measure

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 22nd, 1986 --- Trick or treat! It's April Fool's! Time for some Quayle hunting in Greystone Mansion! OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver escapes from behind the iron curtain once again. This time with the help of the greatest MacGyverism of all-time, a coffin-turned-jetski! MISSION: MacGyver is invited to hand over sensitive information to Pete in a DXS safe house. Unfortunately for them, the house has been infiltrated and booby-trapped by the deranged criminal Quayle. This week's highlights include: Recognize any of this trailer? The fictional Cavitt-Tingloff tower (filmed at the actual Westin-Bonaventure Hotel) is a popular LA staple that makes regular appearances in film and television. Not to be outdone, the DXS safehouse as played by the historic Greystone Mansion is an even more iconic bit of LA architecture. Most important (at least to us) are its appearances in The Big Lebowski, the original Spiderman trilogy, There Will Be Blood (the bowling alley scene that ends the film), T

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 15th, 1986 --- MacGyver's poisoned by spies and seeks help from runaway Lisa Allen [SPECIAL GUEST: Tammy Lauren!] MISSION: Enemy agents inject MacGyver with a deadly serum and withhold the antidote until he returns sensitive military information he has stolen. He has six hours to get word to DXS where the information is hidden and to get the antidote before the toxin becomes incurable. Luckily, he happens upon the assistance of runaway Lisa Allen. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: TAMMY LAUREN! This week, special guest Tammy Lauren (Alexandra Amberson from Wishmaster, Detective Maggie Sullivan from The Young and the Restless), puts in a call to the Foundation, Urgent 101! She tells us about her early career joking around with Robin Williams as a kid, and getting teased on the MacGyver set by Mr. Dean Anderson himself. The S.S. Lane Victory's film credits can be found here! (Featuring two Tammy Lauren projects and one Patrick O'Riley project.)   Magnetostriction

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 22nd, 1985 --- A team of world-class hitmen set their sights on MacGyver and his only relative. OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver rescues a Lady General from a few anonymous henchman in a Malibu beach house. MISSION: In response to MacGyver bombing a Middle Eastern nuclear facility, an assassin is dispatched to kill him. To avoid almost certain death, he hides out with his maternal grandfather Harry, but the hit squad tracks them down anyway. This week's highlights include: Axminster's unforgettable cameo in John Hughes' Weird Science. Dust Explosion (Chemistry) A dust explosion occurs when air is saturated with particles and is ignited.  When there is a high surface area to mass ratio and a source of ignition, even non combustible materials can explode.  Granaries and flour mills were known to explode and precautions against such conditions are still taken in warehouses and plants that deal with that danger. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_ex

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 8th, 1985 --- MacGyver takes sides against the family, escorting a mafia informant to his dying mother MISSION: MacGyver protects star witness Frank Bennett from mafia hitmen and Marshall service custody to deliver a final goodbye to Frank's dying mother. This week's highlights include: This is how Riker sits down? Editor's note: You can totally rent tow trucks.   Melting Lead (Chemistry) Lead melts at approximately 600.61 K ​(327.46 °C, ​621.43 °F). At this temperature, coffee exists only as a gas. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead Watch S1E9: "The Prodigal" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 27th, 1985 --- MacGyver meets his adrenaline junkie match in reckless oil prospector Bill Farren [SPECIAL GUEST: Cooper Huckabee!] MISSION: When a fire breaks out at a friend's oil derrick, MacGyver devises a plan to fight fire with dynamite. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: COOPER HUCKABEE! This week's show features a chat with veteran actor Cooper Huckabee (Marshall from Urban Cowboy and Lil' Raj Brittle from Django Unchained). He shares some interesting behind-the-scenes info, like how MacGyver almost wasn't Richard Dean Anderson! Check out the links below for some of Mr. Huckabee's upcoming projects. Keep an eye out for Band of Robbers hitting the festival circuit soon! Also, let's all keep our fingers crossed for Pee-wee's Big Holiday! The plot of Hellfire bears more than a passing resemblance to 1953's Wages of Fear. Editors note: In the draft of the Back to the Future script mentioned on the show, the popular "1.21 gigawatts" line is actually replaced wit

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 17th, 1985 --- Today, MacGyver faces a 'fight or flight' scenario with Kelly Nielson [SPECIAL GUEST: Kay Lenz!] MISSION: In search of a favorite childhood lake, MacGyver stumbles upon a hostage situation at a small airstrip off the beaten path. Now he must sabotage his captor's plan to break into an armored truck and escape with the loot by air. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: KAY LENZ! Kay Lenz has worked with many huge-name directors in her prolific career and is perhaps best known for the lead role in Clint Eastwood's Breezy opposite William Holden. She also appeared in the original "The Tick" animated series on Fox as American Maid. The role Kay mentioned that landed MacGyver co-star Jackie Earle Haley an Oscar nomination was 2006's Little Children. You can find more information on the July 23rd, 1982 accident on the set of Twilight Zone that took the lives of Vic Morrow and two children on wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_Zone_accident.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 10th, 1985 --- THIS is how you get ants, with ornithologist Dr. Charles Alden [SPECIAL GUEST: Peter Jurasik!] OPENING GAMBIT: A geologist is abducted and held captive in a small Basque village, when MacGyver shows up to bust her out and face his greatest fear once again. MISSION: MacGyver and his old pal Dr. Charles Alden butt heads with Lucien Trumbo, an Amazonian landowner in the path of a trillion ravenous soldier ants. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: PETER JURASIK! This week, we learn Peter Jurasik is the kindest man in the universe. He is perhaps best known for his long-running television contributions as Sid Thurston on Hill Street Blues/Beverly Hills Buntz and as Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari on Babylon 5. He also made an appearance in Tron as Crom, the unfortunate victim of Flynn's ring game prowess. Here is a link to the upcoming film he mentioned in our interview. The Longest Ride In case we lost you with our "do it live" comments, check this out

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 3rd, 1985 --- On this week's show, we'll "bond" with treacherous casino owner Catlin [SPECIAL GUEST: Vernon Wells!] MISSION: When sixty million dollars disappears on its way to feeding starving African children, MacGyver is brought on to track it down. The search lands Mac in an island casino right out of one of James Bond's far-fetched capers. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: VERNON WELLS! The insanely talented Vernon Wells did us the great honor of sharing his time with our program this week. He was such an asset to the series that he was invited back to play a second role in MacGyver's third season, evidently at RDA's insistence. Mr. Wells has had a long and prolific career, but he is perhaps best known for the roles of Wez in George Miller's The Road Warrior and Bennett in Mark L. Lester's Commando. More recently he enjoyed a 38 episode run as the main villain of Power Rangers Time Force, and he's certainly not showing any sign that he is slowing. Keep an eye

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 21st, 1985 --- This week, MacGyver makes his Central American debut! Who ya gonna call? Pest Control! OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver must smuggle a map of military targets out of a heavily guarded desert town. Along the way, the map proves itself unexpectedly useful. MISSION: Reporter Kate Connelly is willing to risk her life for evidence of an impending military coup. MacGyver is hired by her publisher to escort her from harm's way, but she persuades him to dig them both into even deeper trouble. This week's highlights include: A look at another, similar Gauntlet... Casey Kasem was an odd choice to narrate this, By the way, the plot of the film centers around Clint Eastwood delivering Sandra Locke from Las Vegas to Phoenix (not Santa Fe). Probably should've remembered that seeing as how its in the name of our podcast, but whatever.   Iguana meat (Nutrition) Iguana meat has historically been important in the culinary traditions of Mexico and Central America; particularly in th

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 13th, 1985 --- This week, a visit from the titular Thief of Budapest [SPECIAL GUEST: Kora Cypress!] OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver puts his horse-thieving prowess to the test in an effort to prevent a tribal dispute from escalating into a full-blown war. MISSION: When Jana, a young gypsy girl, unknowingly picks the pocket of MacGyver's intelligence contact in Budapest, she becomes the target of allied Hungarian and Russian spies. It's up to MacGyver to see Jana and her family to safety while recovering the stolen information in an epic chase that brings new meaning to the phrase "stock car racing." Here are the highlights of our third episode: SPECIAL GUEST: KORA CYPRESS! Kora Cypress has done Phoenix Foundation the enormous favor of appearing as our first official guest! Listen in as Kora shares a bit about her experiences as a child actor and a few stories from the set of this episode! Also be sure and check out her band Spoken Road on Facebook or ReverbNation now!   Does any of

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 6th, 1985 --- 100,000 kyats if you come to Burma, put on show, stop the infamous Narai! OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver is tasked with intercepting a briefcase containing Top Secret missile launch codes, but soon finds himself in a tight spot. MISSION: MacGyver is ordered to Burma to retrieve a canister of toxic material from a crash site, only to discover it has already been collected by the henchmen of a local drug lord. To get it back, he'll need to involve himself in the struggle of a nearby village of opium harvesting slaves. Back again with another installment of MacGyver review. Highlights include: Knight Redoer: Michael Knight (S2E5: "Blind Spot") and MacGyver (S1E2: "The Golden Triangle") experience an identical near-crushing defeat. Hey, Chan. If you take couple steps to your right, there should be some clear breathing space. Herpetology (Zoology) Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. Watch S1E2: "The Golden Triangle" on CBS's website or check the altern