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
Camille Quinn and the Kaukauna Motel
On the morning of September 14, 1972, around 11:06am, owner Mrs. Anna Diedrich called police…
Wisconsin Death March
The story of the “Wisconsin Death March” has no business being on the Fox Cities…
Koehnke’s Woods — Grand Chute, Wisconsin
(This page consists of podcast notes and is not intended to be a fully fleshed-out…
Marinette Graft
Born in Germany, Albert E. Schwittay emigrated with his parents to the United States and…
The Peshtigo Fire
For quite a while, the Peshtigo fire didn’t even cross my mind as an option…
The Minahan Scandal
The germ of these notes come from “The Maid and the Socialite,” an article in…
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)
