Gavin Schmitt, Author, Historian, Podcaster
Author Gavin Schmitt has researched Wisconsin’s darker history for decades, and has written multiple books related to crime in Wisconsin. Gavin began co-hosting two podcasts that have been heard all around the world: The Milwaukee Mafia podcast, and Fox Cities Murder & Mayhem.
When not digging through dusty archives and FBI files, Gavin spends his days drinking too much coffee, watching films, and being a local historian.
Posts by Topic
Recent Posts
Wayne Pratt suspect: William Doxtator
William A Doxtator was born 1936 in Fond du Lac, and bounced around between Hilbert,…
Wayne Pratt suspect: Terry Caspersen
Terry Lloyd Caspersen was born in Minnesota, possibly Duluth. His family seemed to move back…
Ephraim Granger of Chilton
This story was brought to my attention by a listener named Toby. Unfortunately, the Chilton…
Father Theophilus, Appleton Exorcist
Father Theophilus Riesinger’s story is not well known in Appleton today, and seems to have…
Baby-Slayer Blanche Ostram
Note: There does not appear to be consistency in the name Ostram. This is the…
Camille Quinn and the Kaukauna Motel
On the morning of September 14, 1972, around 11:06am, owner Mrs. Anna Diedrich called police…
Gavin’s Books
Newest Book: Karl Freund
Karl Freund is the most important film pioneer you’ve never heard of. From the silent film era to the rise of the American sitcom, Freund was there at every turn. Countless camera techniques can be traced back to his “unchained camera.” His lighting setup for filming I Love Lucy live remains standard to this day. He was the man behind the lens for many influential and award-winning films, from Metropolis to The Good Earth to Key Largo. This biography is the first book-length look at one of the world’s greatest cameramen. It details the events of his early life, his entrance into the world of film, his work in both Germany and America, and his legacy, while also putting his life and films into the historical context of the 20th century. The author gives particular attention to Freund’s role in the early horror films Der Golem, Dracula, Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mummy, and Mad Love.
Karl Freund: The Life and Films (affiliate link)
