Rick Feingold Programs

Hollywood and the Air Force in World War II

Belvidere (Warren County), NJ Library - November 4, 2026 @ 6 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Mahwah, NJ Library - November 5, 2026 @ 7 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Bronxville, NY Library - November 16, 2026 @ 3:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Cornelius Vanderbilt–First Gilded Age Tycoon

Beekman (Hopewell Junction), NY Library - December 7, 2026 @ 6 pm - FREE Virtual Zoom program

Registration: TBA

Cornelius Vanderbilt began operating his own ferry in New York Harbor at the age of 16. The tiny business would grow into a massive steamship company. Vanderbilt would undercut his competitors by pricing his services so low he would drive them out of business. Eventually he built a railroad empire from New York to Chicago and the First Grand Central Station at 42nd Street. During the Gilded Age the Vanderbilts built massive mansions and hosted grand parties. Find out what happened to the fortune of America's first robber baron.

Bonus: Special Anderson Cooper tribute to mother, Gloria Vanderbilt.

Buena Vista Social Club – the Musical

Dover, NJ Library - September 15, 2026 @ 2 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Poughkeepsie, NY Library - Boardman Rd. - September 23, 2026 @ 6:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Roseland, NJ Library - September 30, 2026 @ 6:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Bronxville, NY Library - October 6, 2026 @ 3:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Livingston, NJ Library - October 14, 2026 @ 7 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

In 1950s Havana, a group of young musicians created a sound that shook the world of Cuban music—until the revolution changed everything. Forty years later, the band came back together to record the songs they left behind and unexpectedly created the greatest-selling world music album of all time. The program covers Pre-Revolution life in 1950s Cuba, the Son cubano musical artists featured in the 1999 documentary movie, and the Tony-award winning 2025 Buena Vista Social Club Broadway musical.

1950s Quiz Show Scandals

In 1956, the game show Twenty-One premiered and was played honestly but ended as a “dismal failure” when the contestants could not answer the questions correctly. As a result Twenty-One became rigged with players being given answers in advance. When dominant long-running winner Herbert Stempel was ordered to lose he answered a key question incorrectly. Afterwards Stempel blew the whistle on the scam. Congressional hearings followed. Features the original Twenty-One episode of Stempel vs. Van Doren.

1986 Mets–More than Game 6–40th Anniversary

Brick, NJ Library - July 21, 2026 @ 6:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Lyndhurst, NJ Library - October 8, 2026 @ 6:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Long Hill, NJ Township Library (Gillette) - October 25, 2026 (Game 6 40th Anniversary) @ 2 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Celebrate baseball season with a 40th anniversary tribute to the 1986 Mets.

They were a last-place team for nearly ten years. Then General Manager Frank Cashen stocked the team with stars Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry, and Dwight Gooden and they won 108 games.

Relive the Astros playoff series and the nail-biter 16-inning final game. Listen to Vin Scully’s Game 6 call of the MIRACLE of Mookie Wilson’s 10-pitch at bat and the ground ball through Bill Buckner’s legs. Watch the post-season sequel of first-baseman Keith Hernandez playing himself in The Boyfriend episode on Seinfeld.

Madam C. J. Walker–The First Black Female Millionaire

Born in 19th century rural Louisiana to former slaves, Sarah Breedlove rose to become the first female, African-American, self-made millionaire in the United States. Known as Madam C.J. Walker, she developed a line of beauty care products for black women. Walker built a factory, hair salon, mail-order business and a beauty school which trained 20,000 sales agents. Later she became a philanthropist and was active in organizing the NAACP’s Silent Protest Parade in New York in 1917.

Aaron Burr and the Hamilton Musical

Hamilton, An American Musical earned 11 Tony awards and Aaron Burr is the villain. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Revolutionary War he begins an unlawful relationship with the wife of a British Officer. Elected Vice President in 1800 under Thomas Jefferson he kills Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a famous duel in Weehawken, NJ. Burr gets away with murder but is later tried for treason. This program covers the women in Burr’s life and features music from the Broadway production including The Election of 1800 and the Hamilton Burr duel.

Dick Clark’s American Bandstand – At the Hop-The Dances – 1957-1964

Note: this is the Part 2 sequel to Dick Clark’s American Bandstand – Philadelphia.

Old Bridge, NJ Library - August 16, 2026 @ 2 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Haverstraw, NY Library - November 16, 2026 @ 6:30 pm - FREE In-Person program at the library

Kids raced home after school in the 1950s to watch Philadelphia teenagers dance on American Bandstand. First the high school students danced the Jitterbug. Then Chubby Checker introduced the Twist and dancing changed forever. Little Eva was next with the Loco-Motion dance craze. Features live Bandstand performances of At the Hop with Danny and the Juniors, Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin, Rebel Rouser by Duane Eddy, De De Dinah by Frankie Avalon, Lonely Teardrops by Jackie Wilson, Chantilly Lace by The Big Bopper and more.

Motown Records and Berry Gordy

Berry Gordy wrote the Jackie Wilson hit Lonely Teardrops but barely made any money. So he started his own record company named Motown. The label played an important role in the racial integration of popular music achieving crossover success. Motown would launch the careers of Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. Includes classic video of the early years of Motown music.

Women Air Force Service Pilots of WW II (WASP)

The female pilots of World War II (WASPs) flew jets and sometimes new planes the men avoided. They ferried aircraft from the factory to airbases to free male pilots for combat. They endured discrimination and were paid less than men for the same job. The Women Air Force Service Pilots had no military standing and received no Veterans benefits. But they proved women could fly planes as well as men and in time receive their due recognition.