The Secret History Of Hollywood

Adam Roche is not messing around. The Secret History of Hollywood produces episodes that regularly clock in at three to four hours each, and they are dense with research, archival audio, and narrative ambition that puts most film documentaries to shame. The show has been running since 2015, building out multi-part series on subjects like Cary Grant and The Thin Man films with a level of detail that borders on obsessive — in the best possible way. With only 21 publicly available episodes (because each one is practically a feature film in itself), Roche packs more substance into a single installment than most podcasts manage in an entire season. The most recent public series, THIN, explores the detective genre's roots in Hollywood with characteristic thoroughness. The 4.7-star rating from over 1,000 reviews reflects a devoted audience that appreciates the craft here. Full archives are available through Patreon, where Roche has built out 12 complete documentary series along with bonus commentaries and supplementary material. This is not casual listening — it demands your attention and rewards patience. You will come away knowing more about the people who built the studio system than you ever expected. Start with any series and clear your entire afternoon.