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.

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Recent Posts
History of the Steinthal Monster
At one point, Steinthal had a post office and general store… today, few know where…
The Kidnapping of Helen Verheyen
The Verheyen family lived in Little Rapids, an area between Green Bay and Kaukauna. Around…
Ghost Movies 101: 10 Must-See Movies about Ghosts
(In September 2023, a co-worker asked me to put together a Top 10 ghost list….
Dan Tousey and Indian Liquor Laws
After the Civil War broke out in spring 1861, federal officials had neither the time…
History of Dale (Outagamie County) and the Explosion
The first white settlers came around 1848 – the Hyde, Young and Hills families. Lewis…
The 1903 Crawford Murder-Suicide
Fred Crawford born around 1853 in Canada, son of Irish immigrants John Crawford (1808-1891) and…
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)









