Dead Eyes

About

Actor/comedian Connor Ratliff (The Chris Gethard Show, UCB, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) embarks upon a quest to solve a very stupid mystery that has haunted him for two decades: why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HBO mini-series, Band Of Brothers.

Episodes

• The Making of Dead Eyes (Live in Belgium) 2023-04-17

  Connor delivers a keynote on the creation of Dead Eyes at the DS Podcast Festival in Ostend, Belgium. The presentation was recorded live on April 2nd, 2022.

• 31 - Tom 2022-03-10

  In this episode of Dead Eyes, Connor speaks with actor Tom Hanks.

• 30 - Buzz & Billis 2022-03-03

  This episode of Dead Eyes investigates two high school productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific. Connor looks into a 1990 production at Jefferson City High and a 1974 production at Skyline High, where Thom Hanks was a student.

• 29 - The Blacklist List 2022-02-17

  In this episode of Dead Eyes, host Connor interviews six actors: Jimmie Saito, Bruce Faulk, Aida Turturro, Neal Lerner, Jeffrey Bean, and Alex Breaux. They discuss their roles on the NBC show The Blacklist, roles for which Connor had also…

• 28 - Illumination Day 2022-02-03

  In the Illumination Day episode of Dead Eyes, Connor investigates Tom Hanks' Electric City, speaking with Paul Scheer, Tara Jayne Sands, Jason Antoon, Samantha Scharff, and Joshua Feldman.

• 27 - Colin 2022-01-20

  In this episode of Dead Eyes, Connor interviews actor Colin Hanks about his documentary on Tower Records and other subjects.

• 26 - Band of Others 2022-01-06

  Connor talks with Zach Braff, Adam Scott, and David Krumholtz about their experiences auditioning for Band of Brothers and not getting cast.

• 25 - The True Meaning of Dead Eyes 2021-12-23

  On the Dead Eyes podcast, host Connor discusses the true meaning of 'dead eyes' with comedian Nikki Glaser and various experts.

• 24 - The Colonel(s) 2021-12-09

  In this episode of Dead Eyes, Connor discusses his near-casting as Colonel Sanders and explores an ad campaign notable for its lead role recasting.

• 23 - Brought To You By Turd Husband™️ 2021-11-25

  Connor is joined by guests Nicole Byer, Johnathan Fernandez, Ann Carr, and Molly Lloyd to discuss their experiences acting in commercials, covering topics like childhood commercials and specific ad campaigns.

• 22 - You've Got Tweet 2021-11-11

  On the Dead Eyes podcast, Connor and comedian Aparna Nancherla discuss a tweet by Tom Hanks praising her humor. Nancherla encourages listeners to follow her on Twitter to see why Hanks found her funny.

• 21 - Let the Mystery Be 2021-10-28

  Season three of Dead Eyes begins with Connor discussing the mystery of "dead eyes" with guests Damon Lindelof and Starlee Kine.

• Dead Eyes Season 3 Trailer 2021-10-20

  Season 3 of Dead Eyes premieres October 28th, with new episodes releasing every other Thursday. The podcast is available on all platforms where you get your podcasts.

• 20 - The Big Zielinski 2021-02-25

  Season 2 finale of Dead Eyes features a conversation with Erik Jendresen, Lead Writer and Supervising Producer for Band of Brothers. They discuss the truth behind Episode 5 "Crossroads" and Private John S. Zielinski.

• 19 - Young Tom Hankses 2021-02-11

  Connor speaks with actors Elijah Wood, David Moscow, and Michael Conner Humphreys, who each played younger versions of Tom Hanks in films like Radio Flyer, Big, and Forrest Gump.

• 18 - Saturday Tonight Live 2021-01-28

  Connor interviews comedian Alex Song-Xia about her writing experience on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Alan Sepinwall also discusses Jimmy Fallon's role as Lieutenant George Rice in Band of Brothers.

• 17 - Lacking Warmth 2021-01-14

  Connor interviews Judd Apatow and Paul Feig, creators of Freaks and Geeks, about their experiences with failure, success, and uncomfortable encounters with famous people.

• 16 - Castaways 2020-12-31

  Connor finds himself stranded on a desert island as 2020 ends. He has a cassette player with tapes containing deleted scenes from the first 15 episodes of the show.

• 15 - Marvel's Agents of C.A.S.T.I.N.G. 2020-12-17

  Connor interviews Zach Cherry, Chris Gethard, and Lea Thompson to explore casting in Marvel projects, discussing why he and Tom Hanks have not been cast in superhero films. The episode references Zach's role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Chri…

• 14 - Thinking About Don't Think Twice Again 2020-12-03

  Connor reflects on his casting in Mike Birbiglia's 2016 film 'Don't Think Twice.' Co-star Tami Sagher describes a difficult filming scene, while producer Ira Glass engages with Connor about his podcast's direction.

• 13 - Hilary & Robert & Punch & Judy 2020-11-19

  Connor speaks with former agent Hilary Gagan and her former assistant Robert Styles. They discuss their differing recollections regarding Connor's dismissal from Band of Brothers.

• 12 - Pathetic Man 2020-11-05

  Connor takes a non-speaking role with a notable name and encounters a series of minor humiliations. The episode features guest Lauren Lapkus.

• 11 - Piss Siblings 2020-10-22

  In the 'Piss Siblings' episode of Dead Eyes, Connor Ratliff discusses booking a role on HBO's VEEP, aided by Shannon O'Neill. The episode features VEEP actors Matt Walsh and Tony Hale and references past segments from The Chris Gethard Sho…

• Season 2 Prologue (w/ Ira Glass) 2020-10-15

  In the Season 2 Prologue of Dead Eyes, host Connor consults with Ira Glass, creator of This American Life. The new season of Dead Eyes premieres on October 22.

• 10 - Moose/Nixon 2020-07-09

  The Season 1 finale of Dead Eyes features Connor discussing Band of Brothers with actors Ron Livingston and Stephen McCole.

• 09 - Neighbors & Pals 2020-06-25

  Seth Rogen clarifies a misunderstanding and reveals his surprising connection to Connor. He shares several stories about disappointments and failures in show business.

• 08 - Show-Me State 2020-04-09

  During a pandemic, Connor faces another career setback and returns to his parents' home. The episode includes guests Ryan Miller, Bill Ratliff, and Gretta Ratliff.

• 07 - GTM 2020-03-12

  In episode GTM of Dead Eyes, Connor investigates a casting mystery surrounding the 2019 film Isn't It Romantic, focusing on the time between filming and release.

• 06 - Ryan Johnson's Star Wars Prequel Rumors 2020-03-05

  The Dead Eyes podcast investigates the unexpected links between actor Connor Ratliff, Donnie Darko's father Holmes Osborne, and filmmaker Rian Johnson. Ratliff, seeking answers about his past, enlists Jackie Jennings to unravel how their f…

• 05 - The Last Remains of the Dodo 2020-02-20

  Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann discusses how her music was the soundtrack to Connor's Band of Brothers experience and mentions her album Bachelor No. 2.

• 04 - Any Questions? 2020-02-13

  Connor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Bobby Moynihan explore an alternate timeline. Moynihan played a role in the 'David S. Pumpkins' sketch.

• 03 - The Replacement 2020-02-06

  Connor revisits his memories of being on Band of Brothers and discusses his misremembering with Adam Conover. He also meets with his replacement, Adam Sims, and has his comic critiqued by Maëlle Doliveux.

• 02 - Tristesse 2020-01-30

  This episode of Dead Eyes features actor Connor Ratliff reflecting on his childhood acting experiences, including a role alongside Jon Hamm and an audition for Band of Brothers. It includes a scene recreation with Nicole Drespel and insigh…

• 01 - He's Having Second Thoughts 2020-01-23

  Actor Connor Ratliff recounts his experience of being fired by Tom Hanks from the miniseries Band of Brothers due to having "dead eyes." He discusses this with friends D'Arcy Carden and Zach Woods, two decades after the event.

• Coming Soon: Dead Eyes 2020-01-10

  Dead Eyes explores comedian Connor Ratliff's 20-year quest to understand why Tom Hanks fired him from the mini-series Band Of Brothers. The first episode launches January 23rd.