# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 80
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1581 "2025-02-14T14:53:02Z")
Colleen Moore, a silent film actress, commissioned a nine by twelve foot dollhouse called “The Fairy Castle”. Some of its furnishings were so small the current curators wear masks so they don’t inhale them. During the Great Depression, she exhibited it to raise money for children’s charities. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1582 "2025-02-14T14:56:32Z")
There are famously no women at all in the cast of _Ice Station Zebra_ (1968). Conversely, there are no men in 1939’s _The Women,_ and even the pet dog of one of the characters was female. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1583 "2025-02-14T15:36:28Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > There are no female speaking roles at all in “Lawrence of Arabia”, none. The only very short time you see a few women is in a scene when the Arabs led by Anthony Quinn ride an attack and are cheered by a crowd which contains some female extras. Or in **The Flight of the Phoenix** (1965) **The Thing** (1982) **Twelve Angry Men** (1957) …and a lot of other films (Interestingly, the original _The Thing_ had two women in it, both with speaking roles, and the remake of _Flight of the Phoenix_ has female roles) This has long been a recognized item. Look up “Bechdel Test”, which is relevant. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1584 "2025-02-14T15:39:23Z")
It’s still around, at Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry. Not far from a German U-Boat, captured at sea during WWII, that had to be rolled across busy Lake Shore Drive to reach the museum from Lake Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1585 "2025-02-14T15:43:39Z")
Actually, that makes me think of another random fact: the Fairy Castle @ MSI makes _two_ Chicago museums with doll-sized miniature rooms on display in the basement. The other is a set of miniature rooms in various historical architectural styles in the basement of the Art Institute. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1586 "2025-02-14T16:52:38Z")
I may have posted something along these lines before but I’m not able to check right now, so what the hell eh? In Dartmouth in Devon there is a gallery called Whistlefish. A plaque on the wall records that back in 1951 a book shop called Harbour Books was started there. Unusually the proprietor had previously been the subject of several books himself. His name? Christopher Milne. Better known by his given names only: Christopher Robin. Greetings from Devon, by the way. j ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1587 "2025-02-14T17:45:40Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > in 1951 a book shop called Harbour Books was started there. Unusually the proprietor had previously been the subject of several books himself. > > His name? Christopher Milne. Better known by his given names only: Christopher Robin. Yes, he was there for quite a long time—I know my husband met him in that context, though I’m not sure if that was in the 1980s or early 1990s. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1588 "2025-02-14T17:57:38Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Today I learned/realized that there are only two female speaking roles in the movie _The Shawshank Redemption_. And also two women singers; one of whom was Edith Mathis, who we lost a few days ago. May the Heaven she’s entered be as beautiful as the one she’s describing here: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pCsnpVYetMg/hqdefault.jpg "Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 4 - 4 (1/1) - Leonard Bernstein") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCsnpVYetMg) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1589 "2025-02-14T18:08:19Z")
Yeah, I knew your three examples, but they all have small casts of a few men trapped by the circumstances at one restricted place, while “Lawrence of Arabia” is a 4 hours epic with a cast that must’ve been in the thousands and plays at many different locations, and yet there are almost no women in it, and if you blink you will miss those few. That’s remarkable. And yes, I know the Bechdel test. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1590 "2025-02-14T18:25:56Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Conversely, there are no men in 1939’s _The Women,_ and even the pet dog of one of the characters was female. That would be an extraordinarily rare event in filmmaking. Whereas films without women are everywhere. The Bechdel test has become something of an institution. For those not familiar, to pass it, a film has to have two women in it, who have a conversation with each other, that isn’t about a man. This is a very primitive test, but only about 50% of films pass it, and that number has not improved since the test was invented (in a comic strip), in 1985. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1591 "2025-02-14T18:26:23Z")
In another thread I learned some interesting facts about the first female pop star: - She was born in 1937 in the U.S. - She sold over 100 million records - She’s still alive - She’s not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Anyone under 50 has probably never heard of her More info on [her Wiki page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Francis) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1592 "2025-02-14T18:31:06Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > This is a very primitive test, but only about 50% of films pass it, and that number has not improved since the test was invented (in a comic strip), in 1985. I’d estimate that the number is much less than 50%. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1593 "2025-02-14T18:40:00Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Yeah, I knew your three examples, but they all have small casts of a few men trapped by the circumstances at one restricted place, while “Lawrence of Arabia” is a 4 hours epic with a cast that must’ve been in the thousands and plays at many different locations, and yet there are almost no women in it, and if you blink you will miss those few. That’s remarkable. Oh - if that’s your point, you didn’t make ir very well. If you want films with maybe one or two women (except for non-speaking, pretty much background roles) that are in long , sprawling films you’ve got **The Message** (1976) – two female roles **Metropolis** (1927) – One major female roles, plus a lot of courtesans who stand around looking pretty **Gunga Din** (1939) – One woman **The Great Escape** (1963) **Bridge on the River Kwai** (1957) one major female role **She** (1935) , oddly enough, considering the title and story – two major female parts **2001: A Space Odyssey** – really minor female roles only **Ad Astra** – similar **Destination Moon** – one really small role, unless you count the voice of Woody Woodpecker ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1594 "2025-02-14T19:06:22Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **The Message** (1976) – two female roles One of which was played by Irene Pappas and a major role at that, a dynamic character who planned and directed an assassination, and then has a redemption arc. _The Message_ does not qualify as womanless. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1595 "2025-02-14T19:06:38Z")
Here’s a listing of almost-no-women movies from IMDB I’d forgotten about **Khartoum** > **[Movies With No Female Characters](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls574346355/)** > > These films do not have any named or any significant dialogue speaking female characters or actresses are on screen for less than 15 minutes total. > > Which is your favorite title? > > Join the Discussion Here in the IMDb Poll Community Forum... ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1596 "2025-02-14T19:39:33Z")
Which mentions that she speaks Yiddish, which I wasn’t expecting. (It doesn’t say clearly that she speaks Italian, though other sources do.) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1597 "2025-02-14T19:50:47Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > For those not familiar, to pass it, a film has to have two women in it, who have a conversation with each other, that isn’t about a man. This is a very primitive test The way I heard it was a little more detailed: - Is there more than one woman in the film? - Do they have names? - Do they talk to each other? - About something other than a man? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1598 "2025-02-14T20:03:45Z")
It would be a lot more interesting to list the films that pass the Bechdel test AND are good films (this isn’t a criterion for the test), rather than ‘your favorite films that, oh! don’t have any significant women in them’. Because the latter could be just ‘films I like’. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1599 "2025-02-14T20:37:11Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’d forgotten about **Khartoum** > > [Movies With No Female Characters](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls574346355/) …which disappointed in its aspiration to be another Lawrence of Arabia. George Bernard Shaw, who knew both of them, filled an fond, avuncular role in Lawrence’s life (post-war, around the time when Lawrence was in the RAF pioneering the development of speedboats to rescue downed flyers - something history has overlooked about him), whereas Shaw dismissed Gordon as a charlatan. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1600 "2025-02-14T22:46:14Z")
There is a rare breed of pig called the Husum Red Pied that was bred in Jutland( now Germany near the Germany/Denmark border). It looks sort of like the Danish flag(missing the horizontal bar though) It was purportedly bred by the Jutes when the area was invaded by the Prussians, who forbid the flying of the Danish flag. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=79) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=81)