When They Were Making It

The stars you think you know. The films that became legends. The people the world almost forgot.

When They Were Making It — a narrative documentary podcast about classic Hollywood's greatest icons, from the silent era to the early 1960s.

Not the myths. Not the takedowns. The whole human story of the glamour, the ambition, the machinery, and the damage behind the icons.

WTWMI premieres May 26, 2026 with Marilyn Monroe (Part 1). Part 2 drops June 2 — the day after what would have been her 100th birthday.

Hosted, written, and produced by Patrick Rankin. Artwork by Simone Beech and original music by Lionel Ziblat.

New episodes of WTWMI drop every Tuesday. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

What is When They Were Making It?

Marilyn Monroe. Casablanca. Audrey Hepburn. The Wizard of Oz. Charlie Chaplin. Breakfast at Tiffany's. Alfred Hitchcock. Sunset Boulevard.

What do they all have in common?

They had to make it first.

Each week we bring you the untold human stories behind classic Hollywood's biggest icons and most beloved films.

Not the myths. Not the takedowns. The whole human story.

From the silent era to the early 1960s — the people, the films, and the impossible work of becoming a legend.

WTWMI is written, produced, and hosted by Patrick Rankin. Original artwork by Simone Beech and original music by Lionel Ziblat.

A new chapter every Tuesday. Follow along wherever you get your podcasts.