Mental Floss

CELEBRITIES









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In addition to being one of the world's most successful and prolific writers, Stephen King is also the toast of Hollywood with a seemingly never-ending stream of adaptations being made of his work.

Stacy Conradt








George R. R. Martin at Worldcon 75, Helsinki, before the Hugo Awards.

When the 704-page 'A Game of Thrones' hit shelves on August 1, 1996, it received positive notices and respectable sales, but there was little hint of the hysteria that would follow.

Jake Rossen
By Bjørn Fjørtoft - National Archives of Norway, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

"I've still got the same attitude I had when I started," the iconic tough guy—who was born 100 years ago today—once said, "I haven't changed anything but my underwear."

Jennifer M Wood




Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET

Jason Statham's real-life career as a con man led to his first big break, which turned him into one of the preeminent action heroes of a generation.

Jason Serafino


Fred Rogers remains an icon of kindness for the ages. An innovator of children’s television, his salt-of-the-earth demeanor and genuinely gentle nature taught a generation of kids the value of kindness.

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Harrison Ford has been Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard, Jack Ryan, and an ass-kicking President. But the actor almost learned about plastics, and stuck a banana in a tailpipe.

Roger Cormier