Free Winter Lecture Series—January and February

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

We are pleased to offer a selection of lecture topics in January and February. Lectures are free and open to Osher members and non-members alike. Two are scheduled to meet in-person at Edenwald Senior Living in Towson (800 Southerly Road, Towson, MD 21286), and the others will meet via Zoom.

Please register for the lectures you wish to attend by clicking the link below each entry. You will receive Zoom links for any of the online lectures you register to attend.

• January 31: The Great Old Days: A Look at ‘The Godfather’ Saga
• February 14: Ruth Handler: The Woman Behind Barbie
• February 28: The Shame of Satire

There are few movies as universally accepted as a perfect, undisputed masterpieces in the history of film as “The Godfather” (1972), and its sequel, “The Godfather Part II” (1974). Together they represent a landmark in American cinematic storytelling that is unmatched in its emotional impact and longevity. Even though the third film, “The Godfather Part III” (1990), did not achieve the same level of respect and praise as its predecessors, it provides an almost indispensable coda to the saga of the Corleone family, which is ultimately the story of the phantasm that is the American dream. This lecture will look at the history of “The Godfather” series and the many ways in which it has permanently impacted our shared cultural experience. Arnold Blumberg is a pop culture historian and professor of multiple courses in media history and other cultural topics. He has taught at UMBC, the University of Baltimore, CCBC, and Osher at Towson University. He spent 15 years in the comic book industry as writer and editor of “The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide,” curated a pop culture museum for five years, and currently runs his own publishing company, ATB Publishing.