Topic

Entertainment & Media

A collection of 115 issues

The Man Who Lived the Escape but Wasn't 'Heroic Enough' for the Movie

WWII POW Peter Butterworth helped orchestrate the famous 'Wooden Horse' escape from Stalag Luft III. When auditioning for the 1950 film adaptation, he was rejected for a part because the casting director felt he didn't look 'heroic or athletic enough' for the role.

The Last Great Scoop: How a Runner Delivered News of the Everest Conquest

The 1953 Everest conquest was a global sensation delivered not by wire, but by foot. A journalist's coded message was carried by a runner through the Himalayas to the nearest telegraph, reaching London just in time for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in a final hurrah for old-world reporting.

The Man Who Made 'Airplane!' Fly and 'Ghost' Cry: How a Parody King Directed a Classic Romance

Director Jerry Zucker (Airplane!) almost didn't direct Ghost. Writer Bruce Joel Rubin feared he'd make it a parody and refused. But after a dinner where Rubin found Zucker 'deeply philosophical,' he realized the master of deadpan was the perfect choice for his supernatural romance.

The Choice That Cost a Career: Emily Lloyd's Unbelievable Hollywood Story

In the late 80s, rising star Emily Lloyd made a fateful choice: she rejected the lead in *Pretty Woman* for a role in *Mermaids* alongside Cher. In a shocking twist, she was then fired from *Mermaids*, a career-altering event that sent her promising trajectory into a tailspin.

A Beautiful Day for a Doomed Neighborhood: The Story of Target, Mr. Rogers, and a Failed Canadian Dream

In 2013, Target launched in Canada with a historic ad campaign using the Mr. Rogers theme song for the first time ever. The optimistic, neighborly welcome was a stark contrast to the retailer's swift and spectacular failure in the country less than two years later.

How a German 'Sound of Music' Replaced 'Do-Re-Mi' with a Stroke of Genius

A 2005 German production of 'The Sound of Music' cleverly replaced the iconic 'Do-Re-Mi' song. Instead of solfège, it used mnemonics to teach the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, H, making the musical lesson culturally relevant and understandable for a German-speaking audience.

He Caught Them All: The Real Reason Animal Planet's 'River Monsters' Ended

After nine seasons, River Monsters ended not from cancellation, but because host Jeremy Wade had accomplished his mission. He had investigated and caught nearly every legendary freshwater predator on Earth, leaving the well of credible 'monsters' dry and choosing to end the show on a high note.

Not an Austrian Folk Song: The Surprising Hollywood Story of 'Edelweiss'

Often mistaken for Austria's national anthem, 'Edelweiss' is not a traditional folk song. It was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein in 1959 for *The Sound of Music* as a poignant farewell from Captain von Trapp to his homeland, becoming a beloved but misunderstood classic.

One Artist, Five Charts, Zero Competition: The Unprecedented Record of Sheena Easton

Scottish singer Sheena Easton holds a unique Billboard record no one else has matched: she is the only artist ever to score a top-5 hit on the five primary singles charts—Pop, R&B, Country, Adult Contemporary, and Dance. This is a testament to her incredible vocal versatility.