# ''Field of Dreams'' and the strange case of Terence Mann. \*UNBOXED SPOILERS\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135 "2004-06-13T16:49:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/21 "2004-06-15T04:27:11Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > The only way it could make sense is if he was always dead. > Ray goes to Boston and meets the Ghost of Terrance Mann. > > In Boston nobody seems to see the Mann except for Ray. (hot dog sellers at the game ect.) > > Mann does talk to the people in MN. He interviews everybody about Doc. > > But he never changes clothes, he doesn’t pack any clothes for the trip. It could be that his apartment was some sort of limbo. > Or maybe since Field of Dreams came out there have been too many movies where “HE/THEY were dead all along!!!” have come out and that’s why we are rethinking it now. When Ray and Mann are in Minnesota, Ray points out a news story to him that he is missing. This reminds him to call his father and tell him that he is OK. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/22 "2004-06-15T13:28:14Z")
Yes but Ray leaves the room while Terrance makes the call. I saw Costner and Phil Alden Robinson on Bob Costas last night. They certainly didn’t mention anything about Mann being dead. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/23 "2004-06-15T13:35:51Z")
The only Terrace Mann I know of is the exceptionally fine musical theatre actor who originated the roles of Rum Tug Tugger and the Beast, took over for Douglas Sills in Scarlett Pimperal (leading to my joke “Terrace Mann finally gets to play one”) and more recently played the lead role in the Rocky Horror Show. STOP TALKING ABOUT HIS DEATH!!! ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/24 "2004-06-15T13:38:00Z")
If Mann was supposed to have died along the way, rather than at the start or the end, does that mean Ray was carting a corpse around to talk to? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/25 "2004-06-15T17:15:45Z")
That’s why it would only make sense if Mann was always dead. Costner could read about him being missing the papers like Spaulding Gray. But the article mentions that they searched his apartment, (shouldn’t they have found signs of a struggle?) so where is the body? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135/26 "2004-06-15T21:05:48Z")
I don’t know about the character of Terrance Mann, but the great actor who played him–James Earl Ray–is dead. He died in jail back in 1997/98. He killed Billie Jean King. He looked a heck of a lot different out of make-up… Sir Rhosis Sorry, I claim Flip Wilson’s rationale. Please, God, don’t let anybody be offended too much… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-of-dreams-and-the-strange-case-of-terence-mann-unboxed-spoilers/250135.md?page=1)