mental_floss Blog » Caroline Donnelly

3 Really Long Wars

Caroline Donnelly — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:52:00 +0000

Some wars seem to go on forever, and others actually do. Here are a few wars that have outlasted entire generations of people.

1. Isles of Scilly vs. Dutch Republic (335 Years)

The Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years’ War is not only among the world’s longest wars, but also one with the fewest casualties. Remarkably, a shot was never even fired, and the two parties didn’t even know that they were in a war.

The conflict originated during the Second English Civil War, part of the historic fight between Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarians against King Charles I and his Royalist army. The Parliamentarians dominated the war and reduced the Royalists to a single stronghold in Cornwall, in the western United Kingdom. The Royalists were forced to retreat to the islands of Scilly, a scarcely populated archipelago known for its natural beauty (kind of a British Hawaii). The Dutch owed England for their help during the 80 Years’ War against the Spanish, and so they sided with the seeming victor and sent naval support to the Isles of Scilly. The Dutch suffered serious cargo and ship losses; Admiral Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp went to Scilly to demand reparations from the Royalists. When he was denied, he declared war specifically upon the Isles of Scilly on April 17, 1651. Months later, the Royalists surrendered to the Parliamentarians, King Charles was beheaded, and the Dutch left the area without officially declaring peace.

In 1985, a historian wrote to the Dutch Embassy in London asking them to dispel the myth that the two parties remained in a war. After some research, the myth was proven true. A light-hearted peace treaty signing ceremony took place April 17, 1986, exactly 335 years after war had been declared.

2. Arauco War (About 290 Years)

During their domination of South America, the Spanish repeatedly tried to colonize the Mapuche, who had already thwarted attempts by the Incas. The war started in 1536 at the Battle of Reynogüelén, where the Spanish met a strong army while attempting to investigate the Strait of Magellan. The Mapuche refused to let the Spanish even cut through their territory and attacked the small Spanish army. Though the Spanish were outnumbered 24,000 to 5,000, their advanced weapons killed thousands of Mapuches and forced them to retreat.

Over the following decades, the two sides met often in battle, with mixed results. But the Mapuche remained independent from Spanish rule, thanks in part to the natural boundary of the Bio Bio River. Battles were common during the 300 years of Spanish presence, but trade and interchange between Mapuche and Spaniards or Chileans also became common. The heaviest fighting occurred before 1609, when a maintenance treaty was signed between the Spanish-appointed governor of Chile and the Mapuche chiefs.

The War of Chilean Independence expelled Spanish rule from Chile. Surprisingly, the Mapuches opposed the war and the transition. With the Spanish gone, peace was established on January 7, 1825, about 290 years after the first battle. Chile used force and diplomacy to absorb Mapuche territories and the Mapuche were immediately devastated by starvation, disease and economic loss.

3. Japan, Russia and Montenegro (Various Lengths)

Diplomatic technicalities have legally extended many wars, but some of the strangest seem to involve Russia and Japan.

The Russo-Japanese war started in 1904 and lasted only a year. Montenegro, a small Adriatic republic, showed support for their ally Russia by also declaring war on Japan. Of course, the tiny nation of Montenegro didn’t have a navy or really any way to engage in combat against the Japanese, who were thousands of miles away. Though the actual war was rather swift, Montenegro didn’t attend the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth with Russian and Japan, nor did they seek their own treaty. The issue was forgotten about for decades as Montenegro joined Yugoslavia and later Serbia, but was brought to attention when Montenegro opted for sole independence in 2006. Finally, the Japan and Montenegro signed an official peace treaty in 2006. [Image courtesy of Britannica.com.]

But, wait, that’s not it. Russia, now the Soviet Union, declared war on Japan again in 1945 during World War II and remain formally in a state of war to this day. Though they were in attendance, the Soviet Union refused to sign Treaty of San Francisco, the peace pact between the Allied Powers and Japan signed in 1951. The Soviet delegation opposed the lack of a guarantee against Japanese militarism and the exclusion of communist China from the conference (among other things). Additionally, the two nations still have a heated dispute over ownership of the Kuril Islands, an area taken by the Soviets during the war. Japan maintains that the islands of Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai rocks are not part of the Kuril Islands, and thus belong to Japan. Russia maintains that they own the four disputed islands. The two nations signed a joint declaration of peace to restore diplomatic relations in 1956. However, they have not formally ended the declaration of war. Russia will hand over the Shikotan and Habomai islands “provided that the actual changing over to Japan of these islands will be carried out after the conclusion of a peace treaty.” So far, no one has proposed a treaty and Russia administers all of the Kuril Islands. The issue was raised again in summer 2008 when the Japanese government issued a new guideline for textbooks stating that the islands were under their rule.

3 Really Short Wars

Caroline Donnelly — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Many leaders resort to war only as a last resort, and vow to achieve their results quickly. Here are a few wars that did just that, including one that was over in less time than it would take to watch a History Channel special about it.

1. Sino-Vietnamese War (27 Days)

The 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War was the third in a little over twenty years between the two countries and was started, in part, by unresolved issues from previous conflicts. China supported the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, while Vietnam opposed it. Cambodia feared an invasion by Vietnam after diplomatic relations collapsed, and so they attacked Vietnam first, resulting in Vietnam invading and occupying Cambodia for over a decade. After large-scale fighting between Vietnam and Cambodia ended, China stood up for their ally and attacked Soviet-backed Vietnam.

The Chinese attacked Vietnam along their shared border and took several small villages in heavy combat. On March 5, the Chinese announced the campaign was over, stating that they had made their point and adequately chastised Vietnam for its actions. This war would be only 16 days long; however, the Chinese continued to cause extensive damage to villages, roads and railroads during their retreat. The conflict was officially resolved on March 16, 1979, just 27 days after it began.

Both sides claimed victory and heavy but unconfirmed casualties. The Vietnamese government continuously requested an official apology from the Chinese government for its seemingly pointless invasion of Vietnam, but never got one. Relations were normalized in 1990 after several small border skirmishes, and Vietnam officially dropped its demand for an apology. Vietnam continued to occupy Cambodia until 1989, though the Khmer Rouge had been seriously weakened by the Vietnamese occupation.

2. The India-Pakistan War (13 Days)

India and Pakistan aren’t exactly known as friendly neighbors. Skirmishes, diplomatic aggression and war are common—in fact, the 1971 conflict was the third since the countries gained independence in 1947. The shortest and perhaps most devastating war originated over the independence of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Pakistan was accused of many atrocities against humanity in East Pakistan (which it ruled), causing as many as 10 million refugees to flee to India. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used diplomacy with the UN and the Soviet Union to strengthen India’s position and provided weapons to the East Pakistanis. Though both sides had prepared for war, Pakistan launched an air strike on December 3, 1971, and India immediately declared war.

Indian forces used blitzkreig techniques to quickly overpower the Pakistanis. Pakistan forces in Bangladesh surrendered on December 16; the rest of Pakistan surrendered the next day.

3. The Anglo-Zanzibar War (40 Minutes)

Taking the prize as the shortest war on the history books is the Anglo-Zanzibar War, measured not in months, days, or even hours, but minutes (about 40 of them).

Back in the day of British imperialism, the British administered the island of Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) as a sovereign protectorate with a puppet government. When favored Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini died on August 25, 1896, he was immediately replaced by his nephew Khalid bin Barghash, who wasn’t exactly the guy the British had in mind—and on top of that, he was suspected of killing his uncle. The British used a succession treaty signed earlier in the year to leverage an ultimatum: abdicate or face war. Instead, Sultan Khalid raised his flag outside his palace and barricaded himself inside along with his guards and about 2800 Zanzibaris.

By the time the deadline expired two days later, the British had amassed a powerful naval fleet just outside the palace. The Zanzibaris, believing that the British wouldn’t open fire, sent a page telling them just that. The British promptly unleashed a powerful bombardment of shells, machine gun fire and cannonballs. The attack lasted about 40 minutes but caused extensive damage. The wooden palace had caught fire, the Sultan’s flag had been removed, and 500 natives had been killed. The British took over the demolished palace and installed their Sultan of choice, while Sultan Khalid escaped to German East Africa, where he was captured in 1916 during World War I. There were no further altercations between the Zanzibaris and the British for the remainder of their reign, which lasted until December of 1963.

Lunchtime Quiz: Good Actresses in Bad Horror Movies

Caroline Donnelly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:30:36 +0000

Breaking into show business is tough, and many aspiring stars will take whatever roles they can get. Can you name the ridiculous horror movie in which each actress appeared? Believe it or not, all of the film titles listed are indeed real.

Take the Quiz: Good Actresses in Bad Horror Movies

5 Weather Events Worth Chatting About

Caroline Donnelly — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:09:00 +0000

Usually, the weather is a subject for polite, uneventful conversation with people you don’t know very well. But sometimes the weather is weird, or even downright scary. Here are a few examples of weather events that gave neighbors more than enough to awkwardly discuss.

1. Dramatic Changes

Midwesterners are accustomed to using both their heat and air conditioning in the same day due to dramatic temperature changes and unseasonable weather. The “Great Blue Norther” of 1911 was the most dramatic cold snap ever recorded—several cities set record high and low temperatures on the same day. On November 11, 1911 (yes, 11/11/11) a massive storm system separated warm air from arctic air, yielding violent wind and storms. Kansas City, Missouri reached a high temperature of 76° F (24 °C), and by midnight, the temperature plunged to 11° F (-11 C°). The 65 degree difference was replicated in Oklahoma City and Springfield, Missouri.

In addition to the temperature changes, the front also caused dust storms, tornadoes, and blizzards from Oklahoma to Ohio. Nine people were killed by an F4 tornado in Janesville, Wisconsin; an hour later rescuers were working in near zero temperatures and blizzard conditions to rescue victims.

2. Raining Rainbows

We’ve all heard about the damaging effects of acid rain, but what about colored rain? Over the course of an entire month in 2001, deep red rain fell in the Kerala region of India. Yellow, green and black rain was also reported. The rain was such a deep color, residents claimed it stained clothes and resembled blood. The official report found that the unusual rain was caused by spores of a lichen-forming algae sucked into the atmosphere by a waterspout, much to the dismay of many people who thought it was caused by extraterrestrial activity.

Siberia experienced a strange yellow-orange snow in the winter of 2007. The oily, smelly snow was feared to be caused by industrial pollution, a rocket launch or maybe even a nuclear accident, but was eventually blamed on a massive sand storm in Kazakhstan.

3. Disappearing Islands

A hurricane in New York is a pretty rare occurrence—they hit about once every 75 years. In 1893, a Category 2 hurricane made landfall near present-day JFK Airport and caused extensive damage to the city, uprooting trees in Central Park, tossing wrought iron gates through buildings, and destroying nearly every building on Coney Island. The storm also obliterated a mile-long barrier island known as Hog Island, which was home to several saloons and bathhouses. The storm seriously eroded the island and destroyed all of its buildings; a few years later it was reduced to a few mounds of sand. This storm struck well before trendy hurricane names, so it was known only as the West Indian Monster of 1893. Researchers discovered dozens of antique items buried in the sand when the Rockaway Beach shores were being rebuilt in the 1990s.

4. Raining Animals

Yes, it has rained frogs in real life, not just in the movie Magnolia. Birds, bats, fish and even worms have been reported to fall from the sky. Scientists theorize that fast-moving storms and waterspouts cross a body of water and sweep or suck up animals, then deposit them miles away. Residents of Honduras have celebrated the Lluvia de Peces (Rain of Fish) annually for more than a century. The fish are believed to be sucked up from the ocean and deposited 140 miles inland, while others have indicated that the fish may be from underground water sources.

Animals have been known to survive the traumatic process, appearing startled but otherwise fine. But usually, they aren’t so lucky, and don’t survive the fall. Two instances in the 19th century indicate that cows were sucked up into the sky during a storm, and returned to earth in tiny pieces. Animals can also freeze to death in the frigid temperatures of the atmosphere, some of them are encased in ice when they make landfall. [Image.]

5. Disappearing Seasons

Volcanic winters, a phenomenon in which volcanic ash obscures the rays of the sun and increases the earth’s reflectivity, causes dramatic decreases in temperature. In 1816, a volcanic winter led to a year where temperatures were so low in Europe and the United States, it was dubbed The Year Without a Summer. Volcanic ash from several eruptions, including Mount Tambora in Indonesia, caused irregularities worldwide, but the affects were most severe in Europe, Canada and the northern United States. A harsh frost in May destroyed many crops, snowstorms hit New England in June, and ice on rivers and lakes was observed in Pennsylvania in July and August. Snow was reported in tropical climates such as Thailand, along with colored freezing rain and snowfall in Hungary and Italy.

Food shortages forced the price of the surviving crops to record levels, and the effect was particularly devastating in Europe, where countries were still recuperating from the Napoleonic Wars. Riots and looting of warehouses became commonplace, especially in Switzerland, where a national emergency was declared. An estimated 200,000 perished from hunger and the cold temperatures in Europe alone.

The strange weather is also credited with several cultural influences. Mary Shelley and John Polidori went on a vacation to Switzerland with their friends were forced to stay inside. To keep things interesting, they started a contest to develop the scariest story, leading to Frankenstein and Vampyre. Due to the lack of feed for horses, German Karl Drais was inclined to invent the velocipede, the predecessor of the modern bicycle.

Looking for smart gift ideas? Head over to the mental_floss store or consider a gift subscription to mental_floss magazine.

What Neil Armstrong Meant To Say

Caroline Donnelly — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:04:31 +0000

The Famous Line:

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

What He Meant To Say:

“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

After Apollo 11, Armstrong insisted that he uttered the correct line (”a man”) and that he had been widely misquoted. NASA representatives supported Armstrong, claiming that static on the radio transmission omitted the article.

Journalists have always been skeptical of the static claim, and analysis of the recordings remains unclear. Armstrong later wrote “There must be an ‘a’, I rehearsed it that way. I meant it that way. And I’m sure I said it that way.”

When a plaque with the quote (minus the “a”) was presented to Armstrong decades later, he got a little upset. The presenters played him a copy of the quote and no matter what speed or volume they listened to it, the mysterious “a” was never heard, nor was the static. Supposedly, Armstrong sighed and said, “Damn, I really did it. I blew the first words on the moon, didn’t I?”

Don’t worry, Neil. You still got the chance to utter one of the most famous sentences in history.

[See also today's Quick 10: 10 Movie Misquotations.]

The Extraordinary Lives of the World’s Tallest People

Caroline Donnelly — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:49:18 +0000

As a relatively tall person, I know that excessive height means struggling to find fashionable shoes that fit and fighting sneeze guards at salad bars. Here are the stories of several people way taller than me, the good they’ve done with their extreme height, and the problems encountered along the way.

Sandy Allen

Until her death on August 13, Sandy Allen was verified by Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest woman—over 7-feet, 7-inches—a record she held since 1976. She initially contacted Guinness in order to meet someone her own height. “It is needless to say my social life is practically nil,” she wrote, “and perhaps the publicity from your book may brighten my life.” Indeed, she became a public figure, appearing in the Guinness Museum of World Records in Ontario and making speaking appearances for youth and church groups. She turned her experiences into a book (Cast a Giant Shadow), appeared in many film projects, and was the subject of a 1982 Split Enz song.

Robert Wadlow

Robert Pershing Wadlow of Alton, Illinois, is the tallest person in recorded history. Everyone in his family was of average height, and Robert was a standard size when he was born. His height is attributed to hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, which created an excess of human growth hormone. At the time of his death, he was a staggering 8-feet, 11-inches tall, and he would have continued to grow due to his medical condition.

Wadlow received a scholarship and planned to become an attorney, but his size made college difficult. Pens and pencils were hard to grasp, and the icy Illinois winters made him fear a fall while walking between academic buildings. After a year of college, he joined the circus and later became a goodwill ambassador for the International Shoe Company. He and his father toured the west coast, and the nation became enamored with the Alton Giant.

In 1940, Wadlow didn’t notice that he had developed a blister from his leg braces. This led to a lethal infection. His funeral attracted more than 30,000 mourners—he was buried in a half-ton coffin that was interred within a vault of solid concrete to deter vandals and thieves. His family had all of his belongings destroyed in order to prevent collectors from displaying them as freak show items. Many life size figures and statues of Wadlow have been erected across the country.

Yao Defen

Defen may be approved by Guinness as the world’s tallest woman in the near future, as she claims to stand 7-feet, 8-inches tall. Though she was scouted as a potential athletic superstar in China, she proved to be too weak due to health problems caused by acromegaly (a condition where the pituitary gland continues to produce growth hormone well after puberty, usually caused by a tumor). Illiterate and in need of money to support her aging parents, she became a circus performer and traveled with her father. After he died, she was severely mistreated by the circus manager, who denied her medical treatment and bullied her into contract extensions.

A British documentary crew discovered Defen impoverished, malnourished and in failing health. They filmed a special about her for The Discovery Channel and were able to arrange free medical care from two leading acromegaly specialists. The doctors established a website for her, and thanks to many generous donors, enough money has been raised to provide Defen with proper living conditions and nutrition. Once her health stabilizes, she will undergo surgery to remove the remainder of her pituitary gland tumor, which is making her go blind.

Gheorghe Muresan

No list of tall people would be complete without a basketball player. Romanian Gheorghe Muresan is the tallest NBA player of all time, a hair above the previous record holder, Manute Bol. Muresan’s height is attributed to a pituitary disorder. His professional career was often derailed by injuries, and he was sent back to the European league after one season in the NBA. Muresan overcame his ailments, returned to the NBA and was named Most Improved Player in 1995. He completed his career with a per-game average of 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, and a .573 field goal percentage. After retiring from basketball in 2000, Muresan dabbled in acting, playing a ventriloquist in Eminem’s “Slim Shady” video and the title role in the film My Giant.

Bao Xishun

Mongolian herdsman Bao Xishun was listed as the world’s tallest living man until August 2007. He is only 7-feet, 9-inches tall, but has no known growth disorder. He played basketball for the army, but severe rheumatism forced him to quit. He returned to Inner Mongolia and became a greeter at a local restaurant and drew the attention of the media, who wrote to Guinness on his behalf. Though Leonid Stadnik quickly surpassed his record, Xishun is still a hugely popular figure. In December 2006, he used his extra long arms to remove dangerous shards of plastic from the bellies of two dolphins.

[Image courtesy of The Cellar.]

Leonid Stadnyk

Ukranian veterinarian Leonid Stadnyk may be the tallest living person, standing at an impressive height of 8-feet, 5-inches. For years, Stadnyk refused to be officially measured because of his desire to live a quiet life. Like Yao Defen, he was the subject of a documentary by The Discovery Channel and received treatment from specialists.

Stadnyk’s excessive growth began after brain surgery when he was 14 years old. After the surgery, he developed acromegaly and continued to grow until he was in his mid-30s, when his tumor naturally disappeared. His height forced him to give up his job as a veterinarian after suffering frostbite on his feet—he was unable to afford the specially-made shoes. Like many people with acromegaly, Stadnyk’s health is deteriorating at a young age, and he is currently suffering from heart and foot problems. His height keeps him confined to his tiny village. He once said, “Taking a public bus for me is the same as getting into a car’s trunk for a normal person.”

However, his life seems to have improved at least slightly since he claimed the world height record; he has received many gifts, including an extra large bicycle and a computer with internet access. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko even gave him a car. To relax, Stadnyk cultivates exotic plants and pampers his tiny blue and yellow parakeet.

NOTE: Stadnyk has repeatedly refused to be measured by Guiness officials; he was originally awarded the title of world’s tallest person based on a letter from his doctor. But Guinness has made their guidelines more strict and will no longer accept non-Guinness measurements for submission. Bao Xishun will once again be coronated as the world’s tallest man when the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records is released in September.

[In case you were wondering, the above photo is Stadnik with Ukranian President Viktor Yushchenko.]

7 Ways to Cope with Movie Star Deaths

Caroline Donnelly — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 05:00:54 +0000

As The Dark Knight approaches the $450 million mark, Oscar buzz is building for the late Heath Ledger. Christopher Nolan has insisted that he did not digitally alter or use stand-ins to complete Ledger’s scenes—this was the director’s attempt to preserve the integrity of the late actor’s performance. Unfortunately, that honor was not bestowed upon the legacies of other departed actors. Here are a few methods directors have used to fill the gaps left by deceased movie stars—some respectable, others not so much.

1. Make it an A-List Tribute

Ledger’s final role will officially come in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, a magic-based film he was shooting when he died. Rather than abandon the film, director Terry Gillam has insisted that the show will go on. He has decided on a rather unconventional method to fill in the gap—using not one, but three, A-List actors (Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law) to complete the film. The scenes completed by Ledger are all set in the real world, whereas the film traverses through different realms. Ledger’s face will be magically changed to that of other actors used to portray different incarnations of his character. Imaginarium, like Dark Knight, will be dedicated to Ledger when it is released next year.

2. Poorly Conceal the Actor’s Absence

Not all movies have access to A-List stars, like the low-budget cult disaster Plan 9 From Outer Space. There are many things wrong with this movie, but one glaring problem was the fact that Bela Lugosi died before production even began. Director Ed Wood decided to use a few minutes of unreleased Lugosi footage originally intended for a movie called Tomb of the Vampire as the basis of the script and its major selling point. After the bizarre scene with a caped Lugosi inspecting flowers in his yard, his character was portrayed by chiropractor Tom Mason. Wood attempted to hide the fact that Mason looked nothing like Lugosi (and stood a foot taller) by concealing Mason’s face behind a cape and having him slouch for the entirety of the film. Due to this and other ridiculous errors, the film has become a cult classic and is regarded by some as the worst movie ever made.

The hidden face technique was used decades later with the late Bruce Lee. During production for Game of Death, Lee took a leave of absence to film the big budget Hollywood kung fu movie Enter the Dragon. Lee tragically died after filming Enter the Dragon, and thus never completed Game of Death. In order to not waste unreleased footage of a man who had posthumously become a major star, production resumed six years later using a new script and a radically different plot. Two stand-ins with sunglasses, fake beards and mysterious shadows were used to portray Lee in new scenes involving his character. Lee’s absence is most obvious in a scene in which a cardboard cut out of Lee’s face is taped onto a mirror for a close-up shot. The film also controversially used actual footage from Lee’s funeral and a close up of his actual body in a coffin for a scene in which Lee’s character fakes his own death.

3. Send in the Stunt Doubles

Of course, using stunt doubles isn’t such a big deal when only one or two scenes are needed to complete a film. Natalie Wood tragically (and some argue, suspiciously) drowned during a break in production for the 1983 science fiction film Brainstorm. Though principal photography was mostly complete at the time of her death, a critical climactic scene had yet to be filmed. Production was halted for two years while the studio and director contemplated what to do with the movie. The studio wanted to abandon the project and collect the insurance money. Eventually, the decision was made by director Douglas Trumbull to use obscured camera angles and a stand in to complete the remaining scenes. The film was a critically praised tribute to Wood, but a box office bomb.

4. Use Computers

Brandon Lee died in a tragic on-set accident while filming The Crow. His death was almost twenty years after the mysterious death of his father, Bruce Lee, and just a month before the release of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, a big screen biography about his father. The Crow had just seven scenes left with Lee to film when he died on March 31, 1991. With the support of Lee’s mother and fiancée, director Alex Proyas decided to complete the film using CGI technology to superimpose Lee’s face on stand-ins. The film was a huge success when it was released in 1994, despite the notoriety of the devastating on-set accident.

The same CGI-masking technique was used to complete the unfinished scenes of Oliver Reed in Gladiator. Reed suffered a heart attack in Malta while wrapping up his role as the slave dealer Proximo. He was nominated for several awards for the role, and the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as Best Visual Effects.

5. Cut and Paste

Just because the star of a successful film series died before a film is written doesn’t mean it can’t be made. The 1982 bomb Trail of the Pink Panther was made a year after the death of franchise anchor Peter Sellers, who portrayed iconic Inspector Clouseau. All of Sellers’ scenes were constructed using archival footage, deleted scenes and outtakes from other Pink Panther films. It became pretty obvious which movies the scenes were pulled from based on the clothing and quality of the footage. The rest of the non-Sellers scenes were made concurrently with new footage for the next installment of the series, which did not use the Clouseau character. Apparently, no one wanted to watch a movie recycled from the editing room floor; it was a commercial and critical failure.

Sellers’ widow Lynne Frederick was not amused by the cut and paste film; she successfully sued the production company for tarnishing her late husband’s name and reputation. The franchise continued without Sellers or financial success in Curse of the Pink Panther and Son of the Pink Panther. When the franchise was revamped in 2006, Steve Martin was cast as Clouseau.

6. Cover it Up

When John Candy passed away in 1994 late in production for Wagons East, the filmmakers claimed that all of his scenes had been shot and would be used as is. Fans of Candy have noticed that at least one scene with Candy in a bar was recycled with a slightly different background, and that a stand-in was used in other scenes. Additionally, fans and critics suspect the script was altered to eliminate Candy’s incomplete scenes. Despite being one of the last works of a beloved actor, the film was critically panned and bombed financially.

7. Scrap the Whole Thing

Sometimes it’s best to place unfinished films on the shelf when a quality product cannot be made without a departed star. The final project of River Phoenix, a bizarre drama called Dark Blood, had only 11 days of filming remaining when he died in 1993. A few scenes have been made public by director George Sluizer, who legally owns all footage from the film. He has claimed that he intends to use the footage as part of a biography about Phoenix.

Marilyn Monroe’s unfinished final project, Something’s Got to Give, is one of the most notorious unfinished movies of all time. The film was a remake of the 1940 screwball comedy My Favorite Wife and suffered script and budget problems from day one. After failing to show up on set many times, Monroe was fired from the film, but as co-star Dean Martin stated, “No Marilyn, no picture.” She was re-hired, but there was still no picture—she died on August 5, 1962, shortly before production was to resume. The nine hours of footage featuring Monroe, including a much talked about skinny dip scene, was placed in a Hollywood vault and left untouched for decades. To save face, Something’s Got to Give was rewritten, recast with Doris Day and given the title Move Over, Darling and used many of the same sets and costumes from the Monroe shoot.

In 2001, the original scenes were touched up and developed into a 37-minute segment for the biography Marilyn: The Final Days.

7 Tragic SNL Deaths

Caroline Donnelly — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:08:06 +0000

Ten years ago today, Saturday Night Live alum Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife. Due to the tragic nature of his death, as well as other high-profile deaths of former SNL cast members, the media was abuzz with talk of an SNL curse. In 31 seasons, 118 cast members have appeared on the show and seven of them have died. That’s only a five-percent fatality rate. While there probably isn’t a curse, here is a chronological look at the deaths of seven former cast members.

John Belushi

Easily one of the best-known cast members of all time, original player John Belushi also became a wildly successful film actor. On his thirtieth birthday in 1979, Belushi had the number one album (The Blues Brothers: Briefcase Full of Blues), the number one movie (Animal House) and was the star of the highest-rated late night television show (SNL). Of course, Belushi was equally well known for his drug and alcohol indulgences. In a sketch called “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” which aired in 1978, John Belushi plays an elderly version of himself, visiting the graves of his fellow cast members. ”They all thought I’d be the first to go,” he gloats. ”I was one of those live-fast, die-young, leave-a-good-looking-corpse types, you know. But I guess they were wrong.” Belushi died of a drug overdose at the famous Chateau Marmont hotel. The lethal dose of cocaine and heroin was given to him by backup singer and notorious groupie Cathy Smith. Years later, Smith would serve prison time for her involvement in his death, among other crimes.

In one of his final television appearances, Belushi was filmed dead and face down in a swimming pool for the opening sequence of the show Police Squad. The footage was part of a running gag during the opening credits, where the episodes’ guest-star would meet an untimely demise before the show even started. Due to his untimely death, the sequence never aired.

Gilda Radner

Original cast member Gilda Radner, known for her vibrant characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Baba Wawa, became the second cast member to pass away. She died in 1989 at the age of 42 after a second battle with ovarian cancer. For Radner, the true tragedy was that her cancer had been misdiagnosed several times, and though it was treated and went into remission, its return struck too quickly to cure. She was re-diagnosed with cancer in early May and died within the month. She had been scheduled to host an episode of SNL between her bouts of cancer but a writers’ strike ended the season prematurely. She died on a Saturday, just before a new episode of SNL was to air. A tearful Steve Martin introduced a clip of a skit featuring Radner and himself dancing.

Her widower, Gene Wilder, created an ovarian cancer detection center and testified before Congress about ovarian cancer awareness. Radner once said that “Having cancer gave me membership in an elite club I’d rather not belong to” and in 1991, a support group to raise awareness of cancer called Gilda’s Club was founded.

Danitra Vance

Vance joined the SNL cast for the historically disappointing 1985 season and became the first African-American female repertory player. She received little screen time and was often blatantly typecast. One of her more famous recurring characters was Cabrini Green Jackson, a professional teenage mother who gave advice on pregnancy. Frustrated by her demeaning characters, Vance left at the end of her first season. The majority of the rest of the cast was fired shortly after she left due to poor ratings. Four years after she left the show, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went into remission and created a skit based on her experiences. Unfortunately, the cancer returned and she died in 1993 at the age of 35.

Michael O’Donoghue

O’Donoghue was never as famous as Farley or Hartman, but he was an integral part of the original SNL cast as the head writer. He appeared in many sketches, memorably in the opening of the first show as an English-language teacher instructing John Belushi in such phrases as “I would like to feed your fingertips to the wolverines. We are out of badgers.” Later in his tenure, O’Donoghue cultivated the persona of the grim “Mr. Mike” who told “Least-Loved Bedtime Stories” such as “The Little Engine that Died.” The sketch had the line “I think I can! I think I can! Heart attack! Heart attack! Ohmygodthepain! Ohmygodthepain!” which turned out to be strangely similar to O’Donoghue’s own last words. On the morning of November 8, 1994, O’Donoghue awoke to what he thought was a migraine, an affliction he often suffered. He took some medication and went back to bed. He later woke up a second time in immense pain and exclaimed “Oh, my God!” He was rushed to the hospital but he never regained consciousness after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.

Chris Farley

Farley made himself a household name with his hilarious physical comedy. Struggling with his success and pigeon-holed with big, awkward and dim-witted characters, Farley turned to alcohol and drug abuse. His struggle landed him in rehab facilities 31 times in his short life, but sadly the treatments did not keep him sober. He died at the age of 33 after a speedball overdose, the same drug cocktail that killed John Belushi at the exact same age.

During Hartman’s final show, he cradled Farley (who was dressed as his wildly popular Matt Foley character) and he sang “So Long, Farewell”; the two died within six months of each other. At the time of his death, Farley had recorded vocal tracks for the title character in Shrek and was rumored to be starting work on Ghostbusters 3 and Blues Brothers 2000.

Phil Hartman

When he left SNL in 1994, Phil Hartman was the show’s longest serving cast member, appearing in eight seasons as dozens of beloved characters. He earned a reputation as one of the nicest and most genuine castmembers to ever grace the stage of studio 8H. Following his departure from SNL, Hartman continued to serve as a voice actor for The Simpsons and joined the cast of the NBC sitcom NewsRadio. But Hartman wasn’t just a smooth voiced comedian; he was also a graphic designer and created the logo for Crosby, Stills and Nash and designed three album covers for America.

Hartman was killed in his sleep by his intoxicated wife, Brynn, who killed herself just hours later. Family members attribute the act to the prescription drug Zoloft and sued the drug’s manufacturer and the doctor who prescribed the medication. Several sources have stated that Brynn was jealous of Hartman’s career, but friends stated that they always appeared to be a happy couple. Oddly enough, his NewsRadio character, Bill McNeal, claims to have numerous enemies and stalkers and often mentions a girlfriend who is unstable and tries to kill him.

Charles Rocket

Following the departure of the original cast and Lorne Michaels before the 1980-81 season, temporary replacement producer Jean Doumanian hand picked Charles Rocket to be the breakout star of the new Saturday Night Live. Billed as a combination of Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, Rocket appeared in more sketches than any other male cast member that season and even hosted Weekend Update. During a sketch in the middle of the season, Rocket said the most notorious obscenity on live television and soon was fired, as was Doumanian and the bulk of the unpopular cast.

While he had a steady stream of acting work after the abrupt end of his SNL career, Rocket was found in a field near his home with a slit throat in October of 2005. His unexpected and tragic death was ruled a suicide; a motive was never determined.

6 Famous American Streets (And What Makes Them So Special)

Caroline Donnelly — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:06:19 +0000

Every town has a Broadway or a Main Street. And while some are more exciting than others, they all kind of look the same. Here’s a look at six famous American streets, and what makes them so special.

Canal Street, New Orleans, LA

Don’t let the name fool you; there isn’t actually a canal on Canal Street. However, there were plans to build one when the town was founded, and a huge median was created to accommodate it. After the Louisiana Purchase, animosity between the native Creole population and the Americans was common, and the median in Canal Street served as the neutral ground.

Even though the canal never happened, the street has remained unusually wide over the years and now boasts three lanes of traffic in each direction, plus streetcar and bus lanes running down its center. One of the world’s first successful movie theaters, Vitascope Hall, opened on Canal Street in 1896, and two classic movie houses survive today as live performance venues.

Now lined with skyscrapers and storefronts, Canal Street serves as the upriver border to the French Quarter and also the heart of the business district. Following Hurricane Katrina, many of the damaged store fronts on Canal Street were covered with bright graphic panels illustrating the essence of New Orleans, including its food, music and culture.

Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY

Delaware Avenue is known as the “Avenue of the Presidents” because three United States presidents each made a historic mark on the mansion-lined street. Not-so-memorable President Millard Fillmore died there after his term in office. (His final words spoken at his home were “my only regret in death is that the Whig dies with me.”)

William McKinley was shot during the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, and he stayed at the John Milburn home on Delaware Avenue while he recovered. Eight days later, however, McKinley died of gangrene in the house. As a result of McKinley’s death, Theodore Roosevelt rushed to Buffalo and took his presidential oath of office at the Ansley Wilcox Mansion, owned by a friend and business partner of Grover Cleveland. It was at this house that Roosevelt became the only President to take the presidential oath without placing his hand on a Bible.

Aside from its presidential trivia goldmine, the historic mansion-lined stretch of Delaware Avenue was considered to be the richest street in the nation during the late 19th century. The mansions still stand today, many of them having been turned into businesses or museums. [Image courtesy of VictorianSociety.org.]

Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV

Most people know this super-famous street simply as “The Strip,” but it’s actually just a portion of the 37-mile-long State Route 604. The northern end of the road passes through Jean, Nevada, where the last spike of the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad was laid—historic because Las Vegas owes its existence to the railroad.

The road now known as Route 604 has had many names, including 5th Street, the Arrowhead Highway, Los Angeles Highway and Salt Lake Highway. For many years, it was the only major thoroughfare in Vegas. Of course, if you visit this street, you probably aren’t going to stop by the railroad spike for a photo. Instead, visit The Strip, four miles of neon signs pointing you to dozens of casinos and attractions, including 18 of the 25 largest hotels in the world and the world’s largest gift shop. In case you need another reason to visit, The Strip has been designated a National Scenic By-way.

Fifth Avenue, New York, NY

It’s not just for Saks stores, folks! If you follow Fifth Avenue from its beginning at Washington Square Park to its end at the Harlem River, you will pass many of New York’s legendary landmarks: Rockefeller Center, New York Public Library, Central Park, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and The Empire State Building. Let’s not forget the museums along Museum Mile, which include the Met and the Guggenheim.

Of course, Fifth Avenue also has a storied legacy as one of the most expensive streets in the world. On its most pricey stretch between 34th Street and 59th Street, you can find dozens of high-end retail stores like Tiffany & Co., Burberry and Chanel, as well as the famous glass cube entrance to the underground flagship Apple Store.

One more Fifth Avenue nugget—many streets in Manhattan are divided into east and west variations using Fifth Avenue as a zero-numbering spot, meaning numbers increase in both directions.

Vermont Street, San Francisco, CA

Vermont Street in San Francisco has a bit of a dispute with Lombard Street for the title of “the crookedest street in the world.” Located in the Protero Hill neighborhood, Vermont Street features a two-block section with seven incredibly sharp turns. Some sources state that Lombard features more turns, but Vermont Street features a steeper slope with sharper turns. While less picturesque than the touristy Lombard Street, any cab driver or native resident in San Francisco will tell you that Vermont is the curvier street. This year it was the new location of the annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel event, which features adults riding the classic children’s toy. Fortunately for the riders, the twisted section of Vermont Street is paved with concrete rather than the red brick used on Lombard Street. As for the actual crookedest street in the world, Ripley’s lists Snake Alley in Burlington, Iowa. [Image courtesy of San Francisco City Guides.]

Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA

There are a lot of great views of Los Angeles along its scenic roads, but Mulholland Drive provides some of the most popular. Mulholland Drive follows the Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills, offering views of the Hollywood sign, downtown Los Angeles, Burbank and the rest of the San Fernando Valley. Part of the road is unpaved and not accessible by car, making it popular with hikers and mountain bikers, and leads to a decommissioned Project Nike site that has been converted to a Cold War memorial park. Due to its scenic curves, Mulholland Drive is also well-known for street races and car accidents.

The street has been nicknamed “Bad Boy Drive” in honor of its notorious bachelor residents, which have included Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Marlon Brando. In fact, it was at Brando’s Mullholland Drive estate that his son Christian Brando committed manslaughter. (The estate was purchased by Jack Nicholson, who tore down the famous house because it was becoming derelict.) And of course, the films Mulholland Drive and Mulholland Falls are both named for the scenic street, which has been the backdrop for many other movies. [Image courtesy of PlanJam.com.]

Caroline Donnelly is an occasional contributor to mentalfloss.com.

The Hunting Strategies of Carnivorous Plants

Caroline Donnelly — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:57:59 +0000

Not the blood-thirsty Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors – we’re talking about the very real plants that feast on insects and invertebrates. Carnivorous plants are usually found in environments with low-nutrient soil, like bogs and swamps, where they thrive on the sunshine and warm temperatures. Contrary to popular belief, carnivorous plants don’t derive their energy from their prey, merely nutrients. Especially nitrogen.

The really cool thing about carnivorous plants (aside from the fact that they hunt and devour prey) is the variety of hunting mechanisms they employ. Some of these traps are more complicated than a spy-movie death apparatus. Here are some of the amazing techniques carnivorous plants use to get their fill. [Image courtesy of Playbill.com.]

Pitcher and Pitfall Plants

Have you have ever had the misfortune of finding an insect flailing around in a glass of your sugary beverage of choice? That’s the basic mechanism employed by a pitcher plant. They entice prey into their rolled leaf cavities with the lure of bright pigments and nectar at the bottom of a deep, inescapable pit. The insects are intoxicated by (and then drown in) this liquid, which contains bacteria and enzymes that will eventually dissolve their carcasses. The inner tubes utilize a slippery, hairy or grooved surface to make sure even sober insects can’t escape. Forget about rainwater filling the cavity and diluting the digestive juices; most pitcher plants use some sort of umbrella-like contraption to keep water out, usually a flared leaf called an operculum. [Image courtesy of PitcherPlant.org.]

Snap Traps

In this amazing trap, the convex leaves are covered in triggers that slam shut and become concave when they sense an insect has arrived. Once shut, the lobes of the leaves are stimulated by the struggling insect and grow together to form a stomach. The glands then secrete an enzyme that digests the insect in about ten days. The ever-famous Venus Flytrap is the best example of this vicious hunting style, and there are very few other species that use this technique.

The undirected movement of the leaves in response to touch snapping is a process called thigmonasty (which sounds like a great DJ moniker to me). Just how fast is the process? Well, the Venus Flytrap can close its traps within 100 milliseconds. After digestion, the leaves re-open and can capture another victim, though it’s rare for a single trap to catch more than three insects in its lifetime. Each plant has multiple traps, so it never goes hungry. [Image courtesy of MooseysCountryGarden.com.]

Here’s a YouTube demonstration:

Bladder and Suction Traps

I don’t particularly like the words bladder or suction, especially when paired with the word trap, but this trap type is incredible. These plants live in the water and use lots of tiny bladders to ensnare dinner. Basically, bladder traps pump ions out from their interiors and use osmosis to create a partial vacuum. If a creature triggers the trap, it is immediately sucked in, along with a bunch of extra water. The plant immediately begins to filter out the water and digest the prey, and it can hunt for more prey as it digests its current catch.

These complicated traps are exclusive to bladderwort plants, which have at least 215 species. Unlike other carnivorous plants, which exclusively eat insects, bladderworts trap water fleas, nematodes, mosquito larvae, small tadpoles and other things you don’t want in your swimming water. Despite their gross-looking traps, bladderworts have beautiful flowers that are similar to orchids and snapdragons, only smaller. [Image courtesy of Carnivorous Plants Online.]

Flypaper Traps

Just as the name indicates, these plants generate super-sticky glue called mucilage to trap insects. Plants cover their attractive leaves with mucilage, which resemble droplets of fresh dew or rain, and then wait for an insect to land, and fall right into their trap.

Sundew plants are a common but fascinating example of these types of plants. Sure, the name sounds warm and pleasant, but it actually refers to the glistening drops of mucilage at the tip of each tentacle that resemble drops of morning dew. Tentacles and mucilage, gross. Once an insect adheres to the plant, the tentacles very slowly move to wrap around and eventually digest the prey.

The butterwort group of carnivorous plants uses broader leaves rather than tentacles to attract prey. The huge, brightly colored leaves are completely covered in mucilage. Once an insect lands on a leaf, the plant creates more mucilage, causing the struggling insect to become encased in the sticky stuff. Other glands on the leaf secrete digestive juices, and the nutrients are absorbed by the plant leaves. [Image courtesy of Wikipedia.]

Lobster-pot Traps

Think of these plants as the Roach Motels of carnivorous plants: insects check in, but they don’t check out. The traps are easy and intriguing to enter, but very difficult to escape due to inward-pointing bristles and spiraling parts. The genlisea group of plants uses traps that have all their carnivorous parts beneath the soil. The trap is basically a pair of thin tubes joined in an inverted ‘V’ shape, with spiral grooves down their lengths that allow the entrance of soil-dwelling invertebrates. The grooves are lined with inward-pointing hairs that prevent the prey from escaping and instead force them into the apex of the ‘V,’ where they are slowly digested. [Image courtesy of CarnivorousPlants.org.]

Caroline Donnelly is an occasional contributor to mentalfloss.com. Her last story looked at 7 Famous Phrases Famous People Own.