# Obvious things about a creative work you realize after the millionth time (OPEN SPOILERS POSSIBLE) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117 "2009-07-24T13:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 186
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3703 "2020-06-17T13:30:10Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Similarly, I’m convinced the Buddy Ebsen got the role of Jed Clampett in _The Beverly Hillbillies_ because of his role as George Russel in _Davy Crockett_. But there’s no way I would’ve known that at the time (although it would’ve been obvious to adults who had seen both series). He, or someone involved in Davy Crockett, also narrated a vinyl audio book about Herbie the Love Bug in which he suddenly, for no apparent reason, sings the chorus of Davy Crockett once. I was very confused for a long time why he did that. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3704 "2020-06-17T14:15:45Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Not so much a thing I just realized but a thing I’ve just noticed. > > I’m rewatching _The Hunt for Red October_, and I’ve just noticed that at the beginning of the movie, there’s a roll of toilet paper on a toilet paper hanger in the sonar area of the _Dallas_. > > What? **Why?** > > ETA: Posted this on my FB. It’s to wipe the wax lines off the screen when they’re done plotting a track. I watched a video looking back at the film Crimson Tide, and before seeing it wasn’t aware Quentin Tarantino had an uncredited role as a script doctor on it. It highlighted some of the dialogue he must have clearly added. There woulda been no way to know, but in retrospect if you know to look for it, it’s pretty blatant. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3705 "2020-06-17T23:54:05Z")
I’ve read that Buddy Ebsen got the role of Jed Clampett in _The Beverly Hillbillies_ because he played the role of Doc Golightly in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3706 "2020-06-18T12:13:23Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > I’ve read that Buddy Ebsen got the role of Jed Clampett in _The Beverly Hillbillies_ because he played the role of Doc Golightly in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_. That may have brought him to the attention of the studio, but Doc Golightly was a rural Texan, not an Appalachian backcountry guy, like George Russel. It’s interesting – I read Ebsen autobiography a few months back, and je started out as a hoofer – he and his sister were an extremely talented dance team. Buddy himself eventually got the role of the Tin Man in the 1939 _Wizard of Oz_, but had to quit when the aluminum dust they used in his makeup almost killed him. and Jack Haley got the role. But it’s still Buddy Ebsen you see in some of the long shots in the existing picture. Between that, the dispute he had with MGM, and World War II, he had a long hiatus, and when he tried to come back the agents tried to talk him out of it – he was too old to be a star or a dancer anymore. But he persisted and started acting in television. He had a lot of roles, but the one in Disney’s _Davy Crockett_ stood out. He continued as a regular on TV – the _Breeakfast at Tiffany’s_ part was a rare movie role. But, as Paul Henning said about the reason he cast him: > [@](#): > > Paul Henning recalls his reason for choosing Ebsen to play Clampett: “I had seen him on TV and I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing the role,” he says. “I was fortunate to have him, because he became the cornerstone of the show.” Ebsen played lots of western characters, but the closest to that Ozark hillbilly was George Russel. > **[Buddy Ebsen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Ebsen)** > > Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr.; April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer, whose career spanned seven decades. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971); afterwards he starred as the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones (1973–1980). > Originally a dancer, Ebsen began his film career in Broadway Melody of 1936. He also appeared a... ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3707 "2020-06-18T20:55:41Z")
Here’s one source that says "This role [in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_] brought Ebsen to the attention of the casting director of the CBS television sitcom _The Beverly Hillbillies_: > **[Buddy Ebsen](https://beverlyhillbillies.fandom.com/wiki/Buddy_Ebsen)** I suspect that all of Ebsen’s roles on TV and in movies were known to the people who made _The Beverly Hillbillies_. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3708 "2020-06-22T04:14:24Z")
“The Official Preppy Handbook” (1980) included an etiquette quiz with questions about how to conduct yourself in various situations. One of them is setting the table for an informal dinner. The options are a. Ketchup in a bottle, salt in a shaker, Triscuits in the box b. Ketchup in a bottle, salt in a shaker, Triscuits on a plate c. Ketchup in a dish, salt in a dish, Triscuits in the box The correct answer is c. I agree that the ketchup in the bottle is a demonstration of ill breeding. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3709 "2020-06-22T12:14:35Z")
What about “ketchup in little tear-open packets”? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3710 "2020-07-05T18:26:47Z")
Trashy. High class folks use the little plastic cups with the foil lids. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3711 "2020-07-12T18:53:15Z")
I just watched _Dr. Strangelove_ and realized why his hand kept rising up involuntarily into a Nazi salute at the end as he was taking about the need for women in the mineshafts. It represented his erection. To be fair, I was 12 when I first saw it (and thought it was the best movie I’d ever seen), so wouldn’t have made the connection back then ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3712 "2020-07-13T02:48:58Z")
I don’t necessarily agree, but I’ll have to watch the movie again with that in mind. I do seem to remember that when he talks about men doing “prodigious service” in repopulating the Earth, Strangelove gets an odd look on his face and looks down toward his lap. Other than that, I just figured Strangelove was a former Nazi whose right arm was still fighting the war. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2020, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3713 "2020-07-13T11:19:43Z")
Certainly a factor, but the arm starts at rise when he starts talking about the sexual aspects of the plan. Fighting his arm is very reminiscent of a man fighting an embarrassing erection. And when he stands up, it’s stiff and erect. The movie is filled with sexual and phallic elements, and was written by Terry (“Candy”) Southern, so it’s not out of place. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3714 "2020-07-15T20:06:34Z")
I’ve seen _Airplane!_ a bajillion times. I only just realized that the radio station “where disco lives forever” is WZAZ – as in Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker aka ZAZ. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2020, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3715 "2020-07-19T06:34:28Z")
But then his hand starts strangling him. What’s the phallic aspect of that? If it were really phallic, it’s be stuffing itself into his mouth. (True, he does bite it in an attempt to control it.) I admit the way he’s contorting in his wheelchair during his speech could be interpreted as trying to conceal an erection. I guess it’s plausible, but did Sellers improvise that on his own, or was he directed by the script or Kubrick, and was any of that explicitly intended as we’ve surmised? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zZct-itCwPE/maxresdefault.jpg "Dr. Strangelove - Peter Sellers - "An astonishingly good idea"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZct-itCwPE) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2020, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3716 "2020-07-19T12:18:32Z")
It’s when it keeps going up into the salute and he has to force it down. It’s reminiscent of of teen boy fighting an unwanted erection. The strangling can also be seen in those terms. It’s probably a combination of Sellers and the script. The movie clearly uses metaphors for male sexual potency throughout, starting with the opening credits. Or shots like this. [![](https://writerscafe.s3.amazonaws.com/stories/00b0b4a12e949ef2986af7aa068d64a2.jpg) ](https://writerscafe.s3.amazonaws.com/stories/00b0b4a12e949ef2986af7aa068d64a2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3717 "2020-07-27T16:21:02Z")
Random thought I had the other night: “You know, the basic premise of _Lost In Space_ is pretty much _The Swiss Family Robinson_… in space. The family’s name is even Robinson… oooooh, that was intentional.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3718 "2020-07-27T18:07:27Z")
It’s even better than that. > **[Space Family Robinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Family_Robinson)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Space Family Robinson was an original science-fiction comic-book series published by Gold Key Comics. It predates the Lost in Space television series. Both are loosely based on the 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss and similarly named movies, The Swiss Family Robinson. > Space Family Robinson was published as a total of 59 issues, from 1962 to 1982. The first issue was published in December 1962. > In 1965, when Irwin Allen produced the primetime televi... ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3719 "2020-07-27T18:14:08Z")
_The Space Family Robinson is Lost in Space on Space Station One_ may no longer be the world’s longest comic book title, but it’s still pretty long. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3720 "2020-07-27T20:08:19Z")
I just found out yesterday that the version of “The Sound of Silence” I’ve always listened to is not the original version of that song. Simon and Garfunkel recorded their original version and put it on their album _Wednesday Morning, 3 AM_. The album sold poorly and they broke up. But a few radio stations played “The Sound of Silence” and a year after the album’s release, Columbia decided to capitalize on this by releasing the song as a single. Columbia decided to remix the song for the single and it’s this version which is now popular. [The original version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FB9GYkIT3E) ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3721 "2020-07-27T21:29:26Z")
“Fool,” said I, “you did not know?!?!?” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/3722 "2020-07-27T22:13:15Z")
What can I say? The words, like silent raindrops, fell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=185) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=187)