Hollywood is also known for having a dark side; for chewing up and spitting out those who get too close to showbiz’s seedy underbelly. It is for this reason perhaps, that people are apt to believe some pretty silly things when it comes to Hollywood, and why these famous movie myths have endured for so long, despite most of them being debunked long ago.
Whether or not you buy into the hype, here are 10 Famous Hollywood Myths That Just Won’t Die.
A Munchkin Committed Suicide On The Wizard Of Oz Set
The so-called munchkin suicide scene myths take place at the end of the Tin Man sequence in The Wizard of Oz. Supposedly, as Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and their new tin friend set off down the Yellow Brick Road, a small figure can be seen hanging from a tree behind them.
Legend has it that the shadowy shape is the body of a munchkin who hanged himself during production after being rejected by the object of his affections. The reality is less gruesome. To create a more outdoorsy feel, filmmakers let a group of wild birds loose on the set.
The Ghost Boy In Three Men And A Baby
Urban legend claims that a young boy was killed in the apartment used for the movie and his ghost can be seen in the background. A more detailed version of this rumor says that the boy’s mother sued the studio after they refused to cut the scene from the film.
Actress Shirley Eaton Actually Suffocated During The Famous Paint Scene In Goldfinger
Perhaps one of the most memorable Bond deaths ever (and that’s saying something), Shirley Eaton’s character in Goldfinger is murdered via “epidermal suffocation.” Supposedly, she died because her skin couldn’t breathe.
A rumor began that Eaton actually did die from skin suffocation while filming the scene. It probably wasn’t helped by the fact that the filmmakers really did believe that Ian Fleming’s death-by-paint situation was a real risk, and had the make-up removed the second the scene was finished. “It took an hour, with a lot of help and scrubbing from the makeup artist and wardrobe mistress,” Eaton said. The Brit actress is now in her 70s, and is very much alive and well.
Bill Cosby Purchased The Rights To The Little Rascals With The Intent Of Destroying Them
Rumor has it that in the late 1980s The Cosby Show bought the rights to the Little Rascals with the sole purpose of destroying them.
Cosby, who at the time was well-known for his civil rights activism, felt the depiction of Buckwheat was offensive to African-Americans and didn’t want repeats of the classic show on TV.
Steven Spielberg Got His Start After Sneaking Into Universal Studios
This myths was actually started by the man himself.
in an attempt to make his background more exciting, the wunderkind director embellished in an interview. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter in 1969, Spielberg claimed: “Every day, for three months in a row, I walked through the gates dressed in a sincere black suit and carrying a briefcase. I visited every set I could, got to know people, observed techniques, and just generally absorbed the atmosphere.”
This would have been a great Hollywood legend if it was true, but the real story is less exciting. In reality, Spielberg’s first trip to Universal Studios was arranged by his father, and his internship was mostly clerical work.
Walt Disney Was Cryogenically Frozen
Beloved animator and theme park-founder Walt Disney passed away in 1966, at the age of 65. The movie legend had been a heavy smoker all of his life, and eventually contracted lung cancer, dying in hospital of circulatory collapse only a month after his diagnosis.
Although that’s the official story, there is a persistent rumor that Disney decided to try and extend his life by having his body cryogenically frozen, in the hope that he could be revived sometime in the future. However, this rumor is definitely false.
The urban legend came about because Bob Nelson, head of the California Cryogenics Society, said that Disney wanted to be frozen, but as he didn’t state it in writing his family opted to cremate him instead.
The Word “SEX” Is Hidden In A Scene From The Lion King
Rumors that Disney places sexual hidden messages in its animated features are as old as time itself. However, on several occasions this has actually turned out to be true.
However, there is one subliminal message in a Disney movie that isn’t as naughty was people seem to believe. About two-thirds of the way through The Lion King, there is a scene where Simba flops down dejectedly on a pile of dust, which floats into the sky and appears to spell out the word “SEX.”
Poltergeist Is Cursed
Poltergeist was released in June 1982, and within months of the film’s debut a cast member was murdered. 22-year-old Dominique Dunne, who played the oldest daughter Dana, was strangled in her driveway by an abusive ex-boyfriend, and was sadly taken off life support five days later.
The death of one cast member doesn’t amount to a curse, no matter how tragic it may be, but Dunne’s passing was followed by others. Julian Beck, who played Kane in the Poltergeist II, died from stomach cancer aged 60. He had been diagnosed before accepting the role, so his death was hardly a shock, but in 1987 Will Sampson, who played Taylor, also passed away from a degenerative condition.
However, the most famous death linked to the Poltergeist was that of Heather O’Rourke, who played the family’s youngest child Carol Anne. Famous for the creepy-as-hell line “They’re heeere!” O’Rourke was only 12-years-old when she died from cardiac arrest and septic shock caused by an incorrectly diagnosed intestinal issue. Still, she wasn’t the last to go. In 2009 Lou Perryman, who had a small role in the first instalment, was murdered in his own home by an ex-convict with an axe.
The Omen Is Cursed
The Omen is regarded as the most cursed film set in history, and it’s no surprise why. With the crazy circumstances surrounding the accidents on set, maybe Bernhard should’ve listened to The Omen’s creator Robert Munger when he said the film would be cursed.
Film began shooting in 1975, and was riddled with problems from the very beginning. While travelling for filming, the planes of actor Gregory Peck and producer Mace Neufeld were struck by lightning, while Harvey Bernhard’s flight had a near miss. If that wasn’t creepy enough, another plane was chartered to the studio for aerial shots, but was replaced at the last minute. The aerial shots were filmed successfully with the replacement plane, while the original crashed, killing everyone on board.
A Stuntman Was Killed During The Chariot Race Scene In Ben-Hur
It is frequently cited that a stuntman doubling for Stephen Boyd was killed during the taping of the chariot race scene in the 1959 William Wyler directed epic Ben-Hur. An addendum to this rumor also claims that the clip of the death was used in the final cut, against the wishes of the stuntman’s grieving widow. Life-like dummies were used to simulate civilians being run over, which seems to have added fuel to the myths.
However, in leading man Charleston Heston’s 1995 biography In the Arena, the veteran actor stated that no one was seriously hurt during the making of the iconic scene. On the other hand, stuntman Joe Canutt was thrown from the chariot, flying 30 feet in the air. Miraculously, he escaped serious injury, needing only four stitches to his chin. In fact, much was made of the care and extensive safety procedures put into creating the scene, which took five weeks and $1 million to make.