Actors are among the most protected parts of film sets. Their deliveries bring the characters to life, and the resulting dynamics resonate with audiences worldwide. That appeal can carry a movie or TV series for years. The people onscreen become practically synonymous with the franchise and the joy it provides. That phenomenon makes it awkward when tragedy strikes.

In some cases, actors die while their series are ongoing. Rather than recast, the filmmakers kill the characters. This tactic can often stem from respect, or at least the perception of respect. The actors may define their roles to such an extent that their spark becomes impossible to match. Thus, rather than taint a beloved dynamic, the creators let the characters rest in peace with the performers. This strategy can affect the storytelling, but its success hinges on the skill of the writers. Because of that, an actor’s death can propel a franchise into uncharted waters.

Related: 10 Actors Who Turned Down Movie Roles and Regretted It

10 Marcus Brody

A university dean and all-around scholar, Marcus Brody is a close friend and mentor of Indiana Jones. Not only did he sanction many of the hero’s treasure-hunting journeys, but he even accompanied his buddy on several escapades. Of course, he then became a clumsy fish out of water but, regardless, remained an endearing sidekick, thanks in part to Denholm Elliot’s warmly aristocratic performance. The series would eventually outlive him, though.

By the time Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released twenty-seven years after the original film, Elliot had long since passed away. The story explains that Marcus died between films, and his absence cemented Indy’s feelings of age and obsolescence. On the upside, the university sported a statue in Brody’s honor… which got beheaded in a chase scene. Talk about a mixed blessing.^[1]

9 Paul Hennessy

At first glance, 8 Simple Rules looked like your average family sitcom. Paul Hennessy was a typical father who struggled to raise his teenage children, but that goal became difficult in an increasingly chaotic household. John Ritter was an inspired choice for such a role. Not only was he convincing as a put-upon family man, but his relatable responses provided a funny contrast to the outrageous scenarios without devolving into shallow one-liners. The laughs came to an abrupt end, though, when Ritter unexpectedly died. The show reflected that sudden passing in its storytelling.

Early in the second season, the family received news that Paul collapsed in a grocery store. This loss left his wife to care for their children. Such unfortunate circumstances forced the characters to mature. In addition, new faces came in to fill the void. This new dynamic carried the series for another season. However, Ritter’s absence ultimately dampened the humor for the rest of its run. A comedy from a father’s perspective didn’t really work without the father.^[2]

8 Black Panther

One of the many superheroes introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, T’Challa was the king of Wakanda and holder of the legendary Black Panther mantle. Members of his royal line have enhanced strength and agility due to their nation’s deity. T’Challa learned to use those gifts for the good of his people, putting others before himself and aiding the Avengers in their world-saving exploits. Though the formula was painfully familiar, Chadwick Boseman elevated the material with straight-faced passion. Tragically, the actor’s bright future halted due to his untimely death. Fans wondered how the franchise would continue without him.

They got their answer with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Here, T’Challa died of a disease, casting uncertainty on his kingdom. That shaky ground only grew worse with a Vibranium arms race bringing increased threats to Wakanda. It’s ultimately up to the hero’s sister, Shuri, to take up his mantle and protect their home. Sadly, she lacked confidence due to her failure to find a cure for her brother. That setup made the film both a rite of passage for her and a feature-length funeral for Boseman.^[3]

7 Spock

Who knew an impersonal alien could arouse such emotion? The most iconic character in Star Trek was Spock. The Vulcan operated on logic rather than emotion, and he used that gift to serve the USS Enterprise as the chief science officer. That expertise was invaluable in both the original TV series and the movies. During that time, he became a household name thanks to Leonard Nimoy’s quiet charisma. That understated humanity carried him all the way to the 2009 reboot films, which reset the universe and traveled back to the days of the original series. His presence wouldn’t last, though.

Nimoy’s passing informed the reboot’s third entry, Star Trek Beyond. Here, the elderly Spock served as an ambassador in the new timeline before finally dying of old age. His younger self already doubted his place in Starfleet, and his mentor’s death only compounded that feeling. Fortunately, Spock Prime’s final gift—a photograph of the original crew—strengthened the kid’s resolve to remain on the team. The Vulcan died as he lived, aiding his friends and ensuring they were the best of themselves.^[4]

6 Leia Organa

One of the storied heroes of Star Wars, Princess Leia Organa was a pivotal figure in the original trilogy. She aided the Rebel Alliance against the oppressive Galactic Empire, coordinating the most dangerous missions and giving the troops a path to victory. Carrie Fisher was infectiously feisty in portraying Leia, but she couldn’t sustain that energy forever.

After buying the IP, Disney commissioned a new trilogy with the old actors returning in supporting roles. The problem was that Fisher died shortly after shooting the trilogy’s middle entry, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Rather than explain her death offscreen, the filmmakers used existing footage to splice Leia into the following flick, The Rise of Skywalker. However, this approach only got them so far, so Leia still died halfway through the tale. Specifically, she used the last of her energy to reach her son via the Force. Considering how marginalized she had become, this death was just the nail in the coffin of squandered potential.^[5]

5 Mr. Miyagi

The Karate Kid was a prototypical sports flick and underdog tale. Much of its success stemmed from its iconic mentor figure, Mr. Miyagi. The karate master trained young Daniel LaRusso in the art of combat. Moreover, he imbued the boy with the peaceful outlook garnered from a lifetime of hardship. You believed every word out of his mouth due to Pat Morita’s gravitas, but his popularity didn’t keep the franchise from fizzling out. Morita’s eventual death seemed to cement that end.

Against all odds, though, the Karate Kid returned with Cobra Kai, a TV series centered on Daniel’s rival, Johnny Lawrence. Both characters struggled with carrying on their predecessors’ legacy. That’s difficult for LaRusso due to Miyagi’s passing, but his teachings lived on. Not only did Daniel pass his karate knowledge to the next generation, but his master’s advice helped him grow closer to his family and make peace with his enemies. That’s the best way to honor the old veteran.^[6]

4 John Hammond

There would be no Jurassic Park without John Hammond. The CEO of a massive bioengineering company, he and his scientists found the breakthrough that brought dinosaurs back to life. It wasn’t long before these animals ran rampant, though, leaving Hammond in disgrace at his shattered dream. Richard Attenborough lent heartbreaking pathos to that downfall, letting you forgive the character’s hubris through his childlike innocence. Of course, he was still a young soul in an old body.

As such, both the actor and the character had passed by the time Jurassic World rolled around. New CEO Simon Masrani has resurrected and rebranded the dinosaur theme park, asserting that it was Hammond’s dying wish to continue his legacy. In addition, a holographic sculpture of the revolutionary founder decorated the park’s entrance. Whatever Hammond’s true intentions were, the films still remembered their roots—both the man who started it all and the actor who brought him to life.^[7]

3 Cy Tolliver

Deadwood was full of dregs and cutthroats, but one of the meanest mugs was the owner of a high-end saloon. Cyrus “Cy” Tolliver runs the Bella Union with equal parts cruelty and efficiency. He treated everyone under him with utter disdain, as the only way to get by was to look out for yourself. The only exception was Joannie Stubbs, a prostitute whom he genuinely cared for in the pinnacles of his black heart. Ably capturing that dichotomy was Powers Boothe, but his turn was cut short upon the show’s cancellation.

The town’s tale continued in Deadwood: The Movie, but Boothe died during the intervening years. The movie mirrored that passing by having Cy die during a ten-year time jump. Joannie took over his establishment, which feels natural due to their relationship and her search for purpose. It’s one of the many ways the movie wrapped up the show.^[8]

2 Polly Gray

Polly Gray was an essential member of the eponymous Peaky Blinders. She kept the family together and helped the business run smoothly. Even though her nieces and nephews made the decisions, they always deferred to her unfiltered judgment. Helen McCrory expertly mixed maternal love and underlying danger in playing Polly, but she sadly died just as season six began shooting.

As a result, her death becomes a driving force in the story. The season opened with her and several other characters being assassinated by members of the Irish Republican Army. Their deaths sent Tommy Shelby (and the show) down an ever-darker path as he led the Peaky Blinders. Thankfully, he and the rest of the family caught up with the people responsible, giving viewers some small satisfaction.^[9]

1 Egon Spengler

It’s hard to imagine Ghostbusters without Egon Spengler. The deranged genius helped form the paranormal exterminators in the original film, and he designed most of their specialized equipment. He took an amusing interest in the building blocks of both the living and the dead, particularly the less glamorous aspects like slimes and molds. This figure could have easily devolved into a cartoonish stereotype, but Harold Ramis made him oddly palatable through his hilariously dry delivery. His death would have naturally signaled the end of the old team. However, the spectral subject matter offered a convenient workaround.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife shifted the focus to Egon’s estranged daughter and grandchildren. Inheriting a rundown farm he spontaneously bought, they learned that everyone dismissed him as a loon. However, messages from beyond the grave revealed the depths of his determination. He was right about everything; buying the farm was his way of heading off the next ghostly invasion at its source. As they finish his work, both the old and new casts resolve their relationships with the late hero. Art imitated life in a satisfying sendoff.^[10]

[This list contains a competition – see the bonus entry for more details.] Today is Listverse’s birthday! Since the site was launched four years ago, we have had over 290 million page views. The site continues to grow every day – largely thanks to our contributors and readers. This list, in celebration of our special day, looks at the ten most popular lists based on the total number of views since the site began.

List: Top 10 Incredible Recordings
List By: Jamie Frater

I am very surprised by the fact that this list is still in the top 10 most popular lists. It was one of my first lists and was the one that drew in our first huge crowd because it hit the front page of Digg. If you haven’t seen the list you should check it out – it has some very eerie recordings that you will never forget. This remains one of my most favorite of all time.

List: 10 Strange Things About The Universe
List By: Jeff Johnson

While it looked initially like this list was a little beyond most non-scientists, it was surprisingly popular and drew in quite a large crowd. It even ended up with over 270 comments. Science lists are often very popular – especially with the outside audience, and this list was no exception.

List: Top 10 Careers Damaged by Photos
List By: Paul Holtum

Paul Holtum (blogball) has been a regular contributor to Listverse since the beginning, and his lists are always very popular. This list was one of the first of his series of lists relating to photographs. Due to the infamy of some of the photos on the list it was very popular – both on and off Listverse – garnering over 900 facebook likes.

List: 10 Biblical Facts Everyone Gets Wrong
List By: Jamie Frater

Religious lists are always controversial around here and this one was no exception. However, as this was more about factual errors people make, it was a little less controversial than many of our other lists. If you think you are a Biblical expert, check this list out – you may be surprised how many errors you hold about the big book.

List: 10 More Unsolved Mysteries of the World
List By: Rhyno and Jamie Frater

I don’t often collaborate with others on lists – in fact, I think I have only done so four or five times. This was one of those times. Mystery lists are always popular here, and with its 4,000 facebook likes, we can see that they are also extremely popular offsite. This list received 376 comments – many of which are extremely entertaining. If you love our mystery lists make sure you haven’t missed this one.

List: 9 Extraordinary Human Abilities
List By: Tempyra

This is another list that was immensely popular across both Facebook and Listverse. Perhaps because it describes many abilities that we would all love to have, and some that we all find difficult to believe possible. Tempyra contributed a number of lists and this is undoubtedly his best.

List: 10 More Mysteries of the Unexplained
List By: Jamie Frater

The inspiration for this list was item 9 – the Hopkinsville Goblins. I stumbled upon the story and was so fascinated that I knew it would have to spawn a whole list. If you want a scare before bed read the account – it is chilling. This remains one of my favorite mystery lists of all time.

List: 10 Events Surrounding September 11
List By: Bryan J

Bryan J is a recent contributor to listverse and his excellent writing skills have been appreciated by all. Given the conspiracies that surround the events of September 11 it is no surprise that this list ended up being so popular. When I published it last year I had no idea it would end up being so popular.

List: Top 10 Codes You Aren’t Meant to Know
List By: Jamie Frater

I don’t even remember what inspired this list, but of all the lists I have written this is probably the one I enjoyed most. It is a list of the various codes that surround us in life that we are either unaware of or not meant to know about. Check it out before your next trip to the mall – you may have a better understanding of some of the things you hear over the loudpseakers.

List: 10 More Terrifying and Mysterious Creatures
List By: Stephen King (not the author)

Many of the comments on this list were relating to the author – I didn’t make it clear that it wasn’t THE Stephen King. It is easy to understand why people would think it was the horror writer given the subject but while the author was not the master of horror – he did write a great list that has ended up knocking all other lists to the floor when it comes to popularity. If you haven’t read this list – do – but be warned, it may stop you sleeping!

Because this is our fourth birthday I am running a competition. Tomorrow, after the publication of the latest list, I will select at random four commenters to win a copy of our new book “I Call Bullshit” which is due out in November this year. The book is made up entirely of myth busting and misconception dispelling. It is a combination of misconception and fact lists from Listverse, as well as independent research. You can read more about the book here. Good luck! Oh – and if you are stuck for a comment why not tell us what your favorite list is and why.

On January 1, 1917, the body of Grigori Rasputin, the advisor to the rulers of Tsarist Russia, was found trapped under the frozen surface of the Neva River. He’d been shot three times and horribly mutilated; his killers, it seemed, had even gouged out his right eye.

Everyone was a suspect. Rasputin was seen as a sorcerer and a corrupting influence on the tsar. He was hated by the Tsarists and the Bolsheviks alike. Even outside Russia, he’d made powerful enemies. Prince Felix Yusupov took the credit for Rasputin’s death, claiming that he and four co-conspirators had killed him together. And to this day, Yusupov’s story is the one that usually appears in the history books.

But Yusupov’s confession didn’t fit a single one of the facts. Every single detail in his story contradicted the autopsy and the evidence—and to this day, no one really knows for sure how Grigori Rasputin met his grisly end.

10 The Death Threat The Morning Before He Died

On the morning of December 29, 1916, Rasputin received a strange phone call. The voice on the other line, he told his daughter Maria, wasn’t one he recognized. The message, though, was clear: Rasputin’s days were numbered.

It was a death threat, though by no means the first one Rasputin had received.^[1] At this stage in his life, Rasputin was used to getting multiple death threats every day. They would come in the mail or through the phone, always warning him that he deserved to die for the greater good of Russia.

This one, though, deeply unsettled him. Multiple sources described Rasputin as “nervous” and “agitated” that day. For some reason, after countless threats on his life, the one he received the morning before he died terrified him.

Nobody knows who placed the call. The only thing we know for sure is that it wasn’t Felix Yusupov, the man who has taken credit for Rasputin’s death. Yusupov spent the day trying to charm his victim so that he could lure him out to his home, and nobody involved in his conspiracy has ever claimed responsibility for the call.

9 The Cyanide That Failed To Kill Him

Yusupov’s plan was to poison Rasputin. He lured Rasputin out to his home, where he had plates full of cakes and wine that had been laced with cyanide by one of his co-conspirators, Dr. Stanislaus de Lazovert. The plan was to feed Rasputin the poisoned food and watch him die.

There is no question that Rasputin went to Yusupov’s house. The last person who saw him was his daughter, Maria, to whom he bid goodbye at 11:00 PM on December 29. Everything that happened after that, though, is a mystery.

Yusupov claims that he fed Rasputin the poisoned cakes and wines and that Rasputin gorged down enough cyanide to kill an elephant. But no amount of poison would hurt him. Instead, Rasputin kept asking for more.

His story, though, doesn’t quite add up. The autopsy notes say that Rasputin’s body showed “no trace of poison.”

Nobody knows for sure why there was no poison in his body. Yusupov’s story seems to imply that Rasputin really did have supernatural powers, but there are certainly other explanations.

Dr. Lazovert, years later, would claim that he only pretended to poison the cakes out of a pang of conscience—but not everybody’s convinced he was telling the truth. More recently, forensic scientist Dolly Stolze concluded that Rasputin was poisoned, but the doctor performing the autopsy missed the signs.^[2]

But then, of course, there’s always the other possibility: Yusupov could have lied.

8 The Gunshot That Failed To Kill Him

Frustrated that his poison didn’t work, Yusupov pulled out his pistol and shot Rasputin in the chest. Rasputin collapsed onto his back, blood spilling out of his body, and convulsed in spasms. It took a full minute for his body to become still, but by then, Yusupov’s co-conspirators had rushed into the room.

“The doctor [Lazovert] declared that the bullet had struck him in the region of the heart,” Yusupov wrote in his memoirs.^[3] “There was no possibility of doubt: Rasputin was dead.”

The conspirators, he claims, then drove to Rasputin’s house, one of the men dressed up in Rasputin’s clothes to convince the neighbors he’d made it home safely that night. Then they came back and got ready to dispose of Rasputin’s body.

“Then a terrible thing happened,” Yusupov wrote. “With a sudden violent effort Rasputin leapt to his feet, foaming at the mouth.”

Yusupov and the other men ultimately shot Rasputin several more times before one of the conspirators, Vladimir Purishkevich, finally took him down with a gunshot to the head. Even while they tied him up and threw him into the river, though, Yusupov insists that Rasputin’s body continued to move.

“I realized now who Rasputin really was,” Yusupov wrote. “It was the reincarnation of Satan himself.”

7 The Autopsy That Contradicts Everything Yusupov Said

Yusupov’s story certainly is exciting—but it doesn’t fit the facts. The autopsy report on Rasputin’s body, conducted by Professor Dmitry Kosorotov, contradicts every single word.

In his memoirs, Yusupov claims that he shot Rasputin in the heart and even says that he had Dr. Lazovert check the body and confirm that was where the bullet had hit its mark. Kosorotov’s autopsy, though, found only three bullet wounds, and not a single one had even come close to the heart. Instead, the bullets went through his stomach, liver, kidney, and skull, with wounds that no physician could possibly mistake for a gunshot to the heart.^[4]

Likewise, Yusupov claimed that Rasputin was taken down by a long-range shot from Purishkevich that took him in the back of the head. The bullet in Rasputin’s skull, however, had entered from the front at point-blank range, while Rasputin was lying on the ground.

It’s hard to reconcile Yusupov’s story with the facts. Some have suggested that he blew the murder up to make Rasputin more of a threat—but his account is nowhere near the truth. It’s almost as though Yusupov had no idea how Rasputin died.

6 The Rumor That Rasputin Drowned

Yusupov claims that he saw Rasputin move, even after he’d taken a bullet to the skull. Still, the co-conspirators tied up Rasputin’s arms and legs, wrapped up his body in a piece of heavy linen, drove it to the top of a bridge, and hurled it into the water.

Legend has it that Rasputin was still alive when they threw him in. When he was found, his hands were unbound and lifted over his head. He’d freed his hands under the water, Rasputin’s daughter Maria would later claim, and died drowning.

It’s very difficult to tell what the autopsy says. During the trial, an expert witness claimed that the autopsy showed “there was air in Rasputin’s lungs” and that he had still been alive when he was thrown into the water.^[5]

But this is a rare case where even reading the autopsy report doesn’t give us a clear answer. For some reason, different transcriptions say different things. Even today, you can find copies of Kosorotov’s original autopsy that say there was no water in his lungs and others that say there was. We’ve even found versions of Kosorotov’s autopsy that unambiguously claim Rasputin was alive, saying, “The victim was still breathing when he was thrown into the river.”

Somewhere along the line, whatever Kosorotov wrote was changed. Did the rumor pervade so far that people rewrote his autopsy? Or was the report altered to hide that Rasputin was still alive?

5 The Horrible Mutilation Of His Body And Genitals

Whoever killed Rasputin didn’t just shoot him. They brutally and horribly mutilated his corpse.

The description, in Kosorotov’s autopsy, is nothing short of horrifying:

The left-hand side has a gaping wound inflicted by some sharp object or possibly a spur.

The right eye has come out of its orbital cavity and fallen on to the face. At the corner of the right eye the skin is torn.

The right ear is torn and partially detached. The neck has a wound caused by a blunt object. The victim’s face and body bear the signs of blows inflicted by some flexible but hard object.

The genitals have been crushed due to the effect of a similar object.^[6]

The wounds, Kosorotov would later say, appeared to have been inflicted after Rasputin had died. This wasn’t the result of a violent scuffle. It was the brutal desecration of a dead body, a merciless beating that isn’t mentioned anywhere in Yusupov’s confession.

There are explanations. Some have theorized that Rasputin may have incurred these wounds in the water, while his body floated and dragged underneath a thick layer of rough ice. The ice, it’s believed, may also have broken the ropes off of Rasputin’s wrists.

But every explanation is nothing but speculation. All we know for sure is that his body was mutilated; whether it was by the force of man or the force of nature, we cannot know for sure.

4 Yusupov’s Strange Insistence On Taking Credit

Yusupov and his co-conspirators went to great lengths to cover up Rasputin’s death. They faked him driving home, they threw him in the river, and Yusupov repeatedly told the police that the gunshots from his house had just made by a drunken guest shooting at a dog.

According to police reports, though, the conspirators confessed pretty well immediately. The officer sent to Yusupov’s house, following up on reports gunshots, said that Purishkevich threw open the door and declared:

Listen here, he [Rasputin] is dead, and if you love the Tsar and the Motherland, you’ll keep this quiet and won’t tell anyone a thing.^[7]

The police certainly found bloodstains in Yusupov’s backyard, even if the autopsy didn’t fit his story. And while he denied the murder at first, Yusupov started hungrily trying to profit off his reputation as soon as he was implicated. He even ended up writing a whole memoir describing how he’d killed Rasputin in intricate, storybook-like detail.

When an MGM film called Rasputin and the Empress came out about Rasputin’s death, Yusupov even sued the filmmakers in a court case that, in the end, had Yusupov put down on the legal records as the man who killed Rasputin.

3 The British Spy Who Might Have Killed Him

Every bullet in Rasputin’s body, according to the autopsy, came out of a different caliber gun. At least three people—or at least three guns—had to have been involved in his death.

The bullet holes in his stomach and kidney could have been made by Yusupov and Purishkevich’s guns, but the one in his skull didn’t fit. It was made with a revolver, specifically, according to the most popular theory, a .455 Webley—a gun none of the conspirators carried.

A British friend of Yusupov’s named Oswald Rayner, though, carried a .455 Webley on him at almost all times. And though Yusupov denies that he was ever there, a lot of people think that Rayner fired the shot that finished Rasputin off, all under the orders of British Intelligence.

The British had a vested interest in seeing Rasputin dead. He was trying to broker peace between Russia and Germany, and his treaty would have turned the tide of World War I against the Allies. In Rasputin hadn’t died, it’s possible that the Germans would have won the war.

And there’s a letter that seems to completely give it away. A man named Stephen Alley, stationed in Petrograd, sent a missive to England on January 7, 1917, that read:

Our objective has clearly been achieved. Reaction to the demise of ‘Dark Forces’ has been well received by all, although a few awkward questions have already been asked about wider involvement.

Rayner is attending to loose ends and will no doubt brief you on your return.^[8]

2 The MI6 Archives That Say Otherwise

The British government, more than 100 years later, still denies having anything to do with Rasputin’s death. The suggestion that Rayner killed Rasputin, they insist, is “an outrageous charge, and incredible to the point of childishness.”

They might be telling the truth. Rayner was not listed as an active agent when Rasputin died, and although countless historians have scoured through every available MI6 record, they can’t find the slightest trace of evidence that the British were involved.^[9]

Some of the arguments against Rayner fall flat, as well. One book dedicated to proving Rayner was the killer claims that the bullet in Rasputin’s head could only be “the work of a professional killer”—but that bullet, as we already know, was fired at point-blank range while Rasputin was lying down. It was hardly an expert shot.

Nor was the murder. Police Chief Serda described Rasputin’s murder as the work of “incompetent” killers whose methods were clumsier than he had ever seen in his entire career.

It was, in short, hardly the work of a secret agent.

1 The Burning Body That Sat Up

The most popular explanation for Yusupov’s outrageous story is that he was trying to erase a guilty conscience. He’d killed a defenseless man in cold blood, but he still wanted the people to believe that he was a hero. And so he changed the truth, making himself look better by selling Rasputin as a demonic monster who couldn’t be killed.

But one strange moment in March 1917 almost makes it tempting to believe that Yusupov was telling the truth: that Rasputin really a supernatural being.

A group of soldiers exhumed Rasputin’s body, threw it onto a pile of logs, doused it in gasoline, and set it on fire. They destroyed his body, afraid his tomb would become a monument to the Tsarist regime.

A whole crowd of villagers came out to watch Rasputin’s body burn—and almost every one of them insists that they saw his decomposing corpse rise up in the fire.^[10]

There are scientific explanations, of course. It’s been speculated that Rasputin’s tendons shrank in the fire, causing his body to bend at the waist. Or else the whole thing has been written off as a great mass delusion.

But Rasputin, they say, predicted every bit of it. In a letter that Rasputin (supposedly) wrote to Tsarina Alexandra shortly before his death, he said: “I feel that I shall leave life before January 1.”

Even dead, the sorcerer predicted, he would not be left in peace. His body would be burned, his ashes scattered into the winds.

Normal superheroes are usually cut from a recognizable mold. But some creators throw the mold away and create superheroes different than anything we’ve seen before. Sometimes, they’re just ridiculous—like Super President, who somehow juggles running the country and fighting crime without breaking a sweat. Other times, they’re designed to teach us powerful virtues, like Bibleman, who spreads the good word while battling evil in a full suit of armor.

This list explores ten superheroes who break all the rules, defying expectations in the most unexpected ways. Whether they make you laugh out loud or scratch your head in confusion, one thing’s for sure: These heroes are anything but ordinary. Some hail from the pages of comic books, while others sprang to life on TV screens, but all of them share one thing in common—they’re unlike any superheroes you’ve seen before. So please synchronize your ionic chronometers, and let’s roll!!!

Related: Ten Comic Book Superheroes Based on Real People

10 The Quirky Hero with a Heart of Gold

Madman, or Frank Einstein if you prefer his civilian name, isn’t your average superhero. Brought to life by Mike Allred in the early 1990s, this reanimated corpse with a lightning bolt on his chest quickly made waves in the indie comic scene. His name is a clever mashup of Frankenstein and Albert Einstein, hinting at his strange origins and his internal struggle to find his place in the world.

Madman’s adventures aren’t ordinary. Picture a mix of 1950s sci-fi and pop art with a dash of existential musing thrown in. Whether he’s battling the weirdest villains or just trying to figure out who he really is, Madman stories are always unpredictable. His powers are unique, too—enhanced reflexes, super strength, and a knack for getting out of the strangest situations.

What really makes Madman different, though, is his charm. In a world full of dark and brooding superheroes, his colorful, quirky personality stands out. Being so fundamentally different makes Madman memorable.^[1]

9 The Cartoonist Turned Spy Superhero

Condorman is a unique character born from the mind of a comic book artist who dreams of being a superhero. Woody Wilkins dreams of living out the adventures he draws. When a CIA friend asks for a favor, Woody jumps in, not realizing just how wild things will get. Before long, he’s suiting up as Condorman, a hero who’s suddenly caught up in a wild world of espionage.

With gadgets straight out of his own comic book and a fantastic costume, Condorman boldly flies into his new role. The 1981 Disney film mixes action, comedy, and plenty of slapstick, making Condorman a very unusual entry in the superhero genre. He might stumble and bumble through his missions, but there’s no denying that his heart is in the right place.

Though Condorman didn’t reach the iconic status of other superheroes, he still inspires us. Deep down, everyday people wish that they could live out moments of superhuman abilities and experiences.^[]2

8 The Duck Who Dives into Danger

Darkwing Duck came to life thanks to Tad Stones’s love for Silver Age comics and classic cartoons. Spun off from DuckTales, Darkwing was a mix of bravery and bumbling. By day, he’s just Drake Mallard, an ordinary duck. But by night, he becomes Darkwing Duck, leaping into danger with his catchphrase, “Let’s get dangerous!” The show wasn’t just about action—it had heart, especially in the tender moments between Darkwing and his adopted daughter, Gosalyn.

Unlike other superhero shows, Darkwing Duck didn’t stick to just one origin story. Each episode played by its own rules, keeping things unpredictable and fun. This made Darkwing feel fresh, even as he fumbled through his heroics with a mix of swagger and sincerity. The show wrapped after three seasons, but Darkwing Duck is still a fan favorite. He wasn’t perfect, and that’s part of why people loved him.^[3]

7 The President Who Moonlighted as a Superhero

In the 1960s, cartoons were no strangers to wild ideas, but Super President took things to a whole new level. Imagine a U.S. president who didn’t just lead the country—he also fought crime in his spare time. That’s right, President James Norcross could transform his body into various substances like steel or electricity, making him a one-man army against villains. When duty called, he’d step away from his Oval Office desk, suit up, and save the day as Super President.

The premise of the show was absurd. He was a commander-in-chief juggling political crises and battling supervillains, all while keeping his superhero identity under wraps. The show ran from 1967 to 1968, but it didn’t exactly win over audiences. Mixing politics with superhero antics may have been a bit much, even for the swinging ’60s.

Yet Super President still stands out as a piece of television history that grabs your attention when you watch it. Back in the day, even the leader of the free world could use a cape and some superpowers to get the job done.^[4]

6 The Unlikely Hero with an Insatiable Appetite

Matter-Eater Lad, also known as Tenzil Kem from the planet Bismoll, defies every traditional superhero expectation. In a world where food turned toxic, Tenzil adapted by developing the extraordinary ability to consume anything—from metal to toxic waste. When he joined the Legion of Superheroes, his bizarre talent was met with skepticism and laughter. But when the indestructible needed to be destroyed, Tenzil’s unique ability proved invaluable as he simply chewed through the problem.

His power might seem like the setup to a joke, and it often is, but it’s hard to argue with the results. Whether devouring doomsday devices or chomping down barriers, Matter-Eater Lad turned his unusual skill into a superhero essential. Tenzil’s ability may not have the flash of other powers, but it’s undeniably effective—and undeniably funny.^[5]

5 Mexico’s Unlikely Champion in Red

When you think of superheroes, El Chapulín Colorado might not be the first name that comes to mind, but in Mexico, he’s a cultural icon. Created by Roberto Gomez Bolaños, this red-suited hero with the “CH” on his chest brings more laughs than fear. Unlike the typical muscle-bound saviors, Chapulín is known for his clumsy antics and comedic mishaps. Yet no matter how chaotic things get, he always finds a way to save the day.

The 1970s show, beloved across Latin America, thrives on slapstick humor and clever wordplay. Chapulín’s adventures often see him using his wits to navigate absurd situations rather than relying on superpowers. The name “Chapulín,” inspired by the grasshopper commonly eaten in Mexico, adds a unique cultural flavor, grounding him in the everyday lives of the people.

While Chapulín might seem like a parody at first glance, his appeal runs much deeper. He represents the idea that heroism doesn’t require perfection—just a big heart and the determination to keep trying, no matter how many times you stumble.^[6]

4 Bibleman: the Crusader of Light and Virtue

Bibleman’s mission is spreading the word of faith. Born from a mid-1990s TV series aimed at children, Bibleman follows Miles Peterson, a man who turns his life around after discovering the Bible. Clad in a striking purple and gold suit, Bibleman takes on a different kind of evil, facing off against villains who embody various moral failings.

The show introduces adversaries like the Fibbler, Luxor Spawndroth, and El Furioso, each representing a specific vice or temptation. Armed with a lightsaber-like sword and deep knowledge of scripture, Bibleman’s battles are as much about teaching moral lessons as they are about saving the day. The action may be over-the-top, but the message is always clear: doing what’s right requires more than just physical strength—it takes spiritual courage.^[7]

3 Arm-Fall-Off Boy

Meet Arm-Fall-Off Boy, one of DC Comics’ most offbeat heroes. He first appeared in 1989’s Secret Origins Vol #46 with a power that’s as bizarre as it sounds: He can detach his arms and use them as weapons. Sounds wild, right? Despite his efforts to join the Legion of Superheroes and prove his worth against universe-threatening villains, the Legion wasn’t impressed. They thought his ability was more of a gimmick than a game-changer.

But Arm-Fall-Off Boy didn’t just fade into obscurity. Rebranded as “Splitter,” he continued his quest to make a mark. His ability might be unconventional, but they’re part of the quirky side of superhero storytelling. Even with such an unusual power, he shows that there’s room for every type of hero in the DC universe. The superhero genre is filled with familiar powers and clichés, but Arm-Fall-Off Boy’s funny abilities capture the reader’s attention.^[8]

2 Pootie Tang: The Most Unique Superhero Name of All Time

Pootie Tang is a superhero name that you’ll probably never forget. This early 2000s film stars Lance Crouther as a superhero with a unique style, speaking in an unusual slang and wielding a magical belt. The story revolves around Pootie Tang’s fight against corporate villainy led by Dick Lecter, played by Robert Vaughn. This plot element doesn’t fully unfold until the last twenty minutes, with the majority of the film featuring a series of whimsical, offbeat scenes.

The movie kicks off with a clever twist, showing Pootie Tang’s fictional film, Sine Your Pitty on the Runny Kine. What follows are a variety of amusing and quirky moments that capture the film’s distinctive charm. Although the humor might not always align seamlessly with the storyline, it adds to the film’s offbeat character.

Pootie Tang is so different from a typical superhero movie, and that’s what makes it interesting to watch.^[9]

1 The Tick: A Superhero Ahead of Its Time

Ever heard of The Tick? This early 2000s show featured Patrick Warburton as the hilariously oversized and well-meaning superhero who wore a blue suit and had a knack for stumbling into trouble. Created by Ben Edlund, The Tick was a clever parody of superhero clichés, packed with quirky humor and offbeat adventures. Despite its originality, the show only ran for one season on FOX before it was canceled.

The Tick was ahead of its time, offering a comedic twist on the superhero genre that didn’t quite fit the mainstream mold. While it didn’t make a big splash back then, it’s gained a cult following for its unique take on heroism and its memorable, offbeat style. If you’re into superheroes with a twist, The Tick is definitely one to check out.^[10]

Listverse’s fifth birthday is approaching so I thought it would be fun to honor some of the regular contributors and commenters of the Listverse community. Apologies to all those that are not mentioned – in keeping with site tradition I obviously had to limit the number of entries to ten. I’m sure there will be some disagreements over inclusions/exclusions so please remember that this list reflects my personal observations over the last three years and needless to say, is highly subjective. Be sure to point out who I’ve missed in the comments.

More so a group of people rather than any particular person, the “firsts” are all those who take a curious delight in being the first commenter on a newly-published list. There are surely hundreds of them sitting at their computers every day, in multiple countries and time-zones around the world, madly refreshing their browsers in the race to be the first commenter. So on behalf of all other Listversers, allow me to reply to all past, present and future “firsts”: WHO CARES???! I will never understand the warped sense of satisfaction derived from such a pointless endeavor.

A similar group that abounds the hallowed halls of Listverse are what I call the “closet-firsts”. Like the regular firsts, the closet-firsts get their jollies from being the first commenter, however, they are just a teeny bit embarrassed at being so childish. Instead of posting something like “FIRST WOOHOO!” they’ll post a much more generic comment such as “nice list” and no doubt will chuckle with glee to see their name heading the comment list. However, it is patently obvious to other readers that it is impossible to properly read and appraise an entire list within fifteen seconds of its publication. So to all the closet-firsts out there – you’re not fooling us!

(A special mention for one of the common “firsts” – the person with the profile image of a hash symbol and digit ‘1’ on a red background – for quite a while this “first” put in a concerted effort at ‘winning’ this little game every single day, though lately, it seems, he or she has grown tired of it.)

NOTA BENE: Since our transition to the Disqus commenting system we appear to have eradicated the “first” posts.

Seemingly governed by nothing but the particular mood he happens to be in, GrammerNazi fluctuates from a troll-like annoyance to an (almost) serious commenter. I say “troll-like” because trolls usually get bored with posting on the same site every single day so they tend to move on pretty quickly. Not so GrammerNazi. From what I can gather, the GrammerNazi profile has been around since about mid-2011, though there is no telling how long he may have been posting before that, under different pseudonyms.

He delights in posting crude, controversial and deliberately provocative statements which are (usually) in line with what one might expect to hear from an immature teenaged boy. Even in this entry I have automatically used masculine pronouns to refer to him, simply because the “foul-mouthed little boy” persona is so well ingrained. Nevertheless, amidst the coarse language and trashy jokes, GrammerNazi can (sometimes) be quite insightful and, I must admit, has made me giggle on many occasions. Perhaps there’s a little boy in all of us.

Ryan Thomas is a prominent author of lists with a unique style. Love him or loathe him, there’s no denying Ryan has contributed greatly to Listverse, if by nothing else than the sheer number of his lists that have been published. He has authored lists on a wide variety of subjects, though his favored topics seem to be movies (particularly the horror genre) and music.

Ryan has a distinctly cynical writing style that he couples with some poignant philosophical observations to create some powerful material. His derisiveness can run away with him at times, but on the whole, he keeps his lists light-hearted enough with his wickedly black humor. Take for instance, this opening line of his recent list on “human freaks of nature”: Kermit the Frog sang that “It ain’t easy being green.” How about, “It ain’t easy being a conjoined-twin forced into a humiliating form of circus-slavery.”

Classic Ryan Thomas.

Kate Mulcahy emerged from the woodwork early this year and unleashed a torrent of top-quality lists. She gained instant popularity with Listversers due to her interesting and well-written contributions. She has an impressively broad spectrum of knowledge, a knack for coming up with unusual list topics and the literary skills to keep readers captivated from the first entry to the last.

Kate is (obviously) female and hails from Great Britain. The initial deluge of her lists (nine published in twenty-five days, or thereabouts) prompted some Listversers to initially question her very existence! One school of thought was that Listverse may have employed someone (or several people) who were paid to write content for the site.

Kate’s relatively low position on this list is due mainly to the fact that she hasn’t been around very long. Give it a couple of years or another fifteen to twenty lists and she could easily be regarded amongst the top two or three contributors on Listverse.

I know her as “the flower girl€ because flowers are her favored list topic but to be fair, she has also contributed quite a few lists on other topics. I must admit, when I first saw a list about flowers I was immediately disappointed as I couldn’t think of a more boring topic! However, after actually reading the list, I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Christine has a classy writing style and she can take a seemingly mundane (in my mind, at least) topic and produce an interesting and informative list. Her research is always impeccable and her lists are thoroughly enjoyable to read.

Every class has a smarts and Listverse has several – though none wittier than Arsnl. A long-time commenter and valuable contributor to discussions, Arsnl has been knocking around on the comments pages for a number of years. He has the typical dry humor of a Brit and his alias looks like a contraction of an English football team, though I’m not absolutely certain of his nationality.

He is not your typical smarts in that he is not constantly trying to be funny. For the most part he politely participates in debates and weighs in with logical, reasoned responses. But he can be hilariously sarcastic in his rebuttals and has kept me well-entertained over the years with his acerbic wit.

Perhaps this recent comment from vulnerablebrena says it best: “See, Arsnl, this is why I have a “crush” on you. Who doesn’t like an intelligent smarts?”

With his trademark Alfred E. Neuman profile image, Maggot is both an active commenter and list contributor. His published lists deal mainly with music but his commentary knows no topical boundary and he remains my personal favorite commenter. You can always count on Maggot to provide a carefully-measured rational perspective to just about any debate raging deep in the bowels of Listverse’s comment pages.

Maggot seldom lets brevity get in the way of making his point and is well-known for his detailed responses. Be that as it may, he never comes across as rambling and always presents his arguments in a coherent methodical manner. Every time I read a Maggot explanation I admire his reasoning and articulation just a little bit more.

I call him “the understudy” because he happens to be my second-favourite lister, second only to number 2. LordZB has an astonishingly deep knowledge of the arts. His impressive lists are treasure troves of information on history, philosophy, literature and culture. Not only are they informative, his lists are written with a coherence that immediately enables the reader to grasp the content and consider it from entirely new perspectives.

With their profound interpretations, eye-opening commentary and expert evaluations, LordZB’s lists are ones to look forward to.

There is no other word to describe my personal favorite lister other than ‘phenomenal.’ It is entirely possible that this guy knows everything. Everything!

He clearly has his favorite topics – classical music for one – yet has published so many lists of such diverse content it is difficult to pinpoint anything that he does NOT know! He has a quirky habit of referring to himself in every list at least once (using the term ‘this lister’) and he frequently employs this technique to impart his personal tastes or highlight his particular favorite.

The breadth of his knowledge is truly mind-boggling but the fundamental strength of Flamehorse’s lists is the quality of his prose, which is written with an unmatched elegance. His direct and expressive language is delightfully easy to read and naturally flows around a rich vocabulary. In my opinion, Flamehorse is the best writer of lists on the site.

Could it really be anyone else at number one? Jamie Frater is the founder, owner, commander-in-chief and illustrious leader of the Listverse community. He has personally presided over the site’s growth from inception to a global audience of over fifteen million. Jamie is an interactive member of the Listverse community and even allows this to overlap to his personal life by allowing contact through social media.

Although he doesn’t publish as many of his own lists as he used to, Jamie is an amply competent scribe and his work remains competitive amongst the upper echelons of Listverse articles. As the site continues to grow it is clear that the administrative responsibilities are consuming an increasing proportion of Jamie’s time and I’m sure I speak on behalf of all Listversers in saying we look forward to (hopefully) seeing more of you in the future JFrater. [JFrater’s reply: you will; I am dedicating considerably more of my time to the site since we moved away from the shackles of WordPress VIP; that is the reason for posting two lists a day recently. I have a number of new lists in the works.]

Okay it’s not a Listverse personality but I (JFrater) am hoping it will become an important new addition to Listverse: Listverse Collections. This is a new way of grouping lists based on specific audiences and topics. It will eventually make its way to the front page of the site, but at present it is in a kind of “beta” mode. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Also feel free to suggest new collection topics.

In the early 1800s, Britain and America found themselves in a whirlwind of scientific and medical discovery. The study of anatomy and surgery was extremely popular. This led to a gruesome trade in bodies, a practice which was mirrored elsewhere around the world.

Grieving families could no longer bury their dead and expect them to remain that way. Resurrection men roamed churchyards late at night, looking for freshly dug graves. They would disinter the body, undress the corpse, and toss its clothes back into the grave before carrying it away into the night. After that, the body would be dissected, often in front of an audience, for the betterment of mankind.

Obviously, some relatives took exception to this, and they came up with a number of ingenious ways to foil the body snatchers.

10 Mort Safes

Mort safes were iron cages placed over and sometimes around the coffin to prevent it from being reached by the resurrection men. The cages were left over the graves for up to 10 weeks until the bodies were sufficiently putrefied that they were of no use for dissection. Sometimes, the cages were left in place permanently.^[1]

At that time, Edinburgh had a noted surgical school and was a center of excellence for the study of anatomy and surgery. There was also a steady supply of cadavers due in no small part to two of its inhabitants—Mr. William Burke and Mr. William Hare. Surgeons’ Hall Museums in Edinburgh explore some of the less edifying history of surgery. Now they even boast an interactive dissecting table for visitors to have a go themselves—thankfully, not on a real body!

However, the inhabitants of Edinburgh at that time were not quite so happy. Evidence of mort safes can still be seen at a cemetery called Greyfriars Kirkyard, along with a number of other precautions taken by the residents to prevent the untimely resurrection of the dead.

9 Iron Coffins

Wealthy families sometimes resorted to constructing the entire coffin from iron to prevent the body snatchers from reaching the remains inside. In St. Brides Church in Fleet Street, London, an iron coffin, riveted shut, was discovered bearing the date 1819. Meanwhile, the body of a boy found in an iron coffin near Washington is believed to date from the 1850s.^[2]

A number of patented coffins were guaranteed to be tamperproof, with the iron coffin proving a particular favorite. Special lifting equipment was required to lower the coffins into the ground. This made things difficult for the cemetery keepers who were often reluctant to accept iron coffins.

In one case, the body of a woman lay unburied in her coffin for three months while the courts decided whether the cemetery keepers were entitled to refuse her entry. Which made the whole thing a little redundant.

8 Mort Houses

Mort houses were fortified and guarded buildings used for storing bodies prior to burial to render the corpses unfit for dissection. Each mort house would store a number of bodies for a fee, and they would stay there for several weeks until the decomposition was advanced.

The design of the mort houses was usually extremely secure. They were constructed along the lines of prisons and bank vaults. For example, the mort house at Belhelvie near Aberdeen is built of large granite blocks with a single doorway down three stone steps which is protected by a further set of double doors.

The inner door is covered with a sheet of iron and has a massive lock. The outer door is made of strong oak planks and is studded with iron bolts and two large mortise locks. The two keyholes are covered and protected by two iron bars, one hinged at the top of the door and the other at the bottom. Where the bars intersect, they are secured with a huge padlock.

It would take a committed body snatcher to get past that.

Scotland had a large number of mort houses, including one at Udny which boasted a revolving coffin platform for the easy addition and extraction of bodies.^[3]

7 Delaying Burial

For those who couldn’t afford a place at a mort house, there remained the option of keeping the body at home until it had decomposed. It is unlikely that people found that to be a pleasant choice.

Mourners would also mix the earth in which the body was to be buried with an equal measure of straw to make it more difficult to dig through. But with the elaborate measures taken by the wealthy for their burials, the poor dead were especially vulnerable.

The penalties for body snatching were also relatively minor as long as the perpetrators did not carry away any of the deceased’s possessions. This accounted for the clothes being tossed back into the grave.

Those people who were unfortunate enough to die in the workhouse were especially vulnerable. “Charitable” hospitals would often sell the bodies of any inmates without kin directly to the dissecting hospitals, and resurrection men often arranged for someone to make a claim on the bodies by pretending to be a relative. It is a sad fact that they were valued more in death than they were in life.^[4]

6 Mort Stones

Graves were most likely to be robbed in the first week or two following the funeral when the corpse was freshest and the soil in the grave had not yet been firmed up. As a temporary measure, mort stones were sometimes used to cover the top of the grave site.

At Inverurie near Aberdeen, several mort stones can still be found in the graveyard. These large granite stones had the same dimensions as the plot and completely covered the coffin beneath. They required a special hoist to lift them into place and to remove them again after decomposition so that a headstone could be put in the same place.^[5]

In 1816, Superintendent Gibb of Aberdeen Harbor Works gifted a mort stone, costing half a crown, to St. Fitticks churchyard. The lifting equipment cost considerably more and had to be kept securely under lock and key to prevent the sack-em-up men from getting to it.

5 Vigils

Relatives often took turns sitting at a graveside every night for the first week to deter the grave robbers. Sitting in the dark beside a grave waiting for robbers to show up could not have been an easy task. But people were so afraid of the body snatchers that they did it.

There was a popular view that a body had to be “whole” to enter Heaven. So the dissectors were therefore stealing not only the bodies of the dead but also their eternal rest.

A churchyard in Somerset, England, records the tragic tale of Miss Rogers who was engaged to a sailor. He was sailing home so that they could marry. But his ship wrecked, and he drowned.

As in all the best Gothic romances, his fiancee died soon after from a broken heart. She was buried in her wedding dress, wearing all her jewelry. About that time, there were rumors that resurrection men were searching for new corpses for surgical reasons. The family servants kept nightly vigil at the grave until such time as a mort stone could be laid over it.^[6]

4 Watchmen

Those who did not fancy the task of sitting in the graveyard all night often procured the services of a watchman. The parish of Ely, for example, employed a watchman to be “constantly in the churchyards for the protection of the bodies buried.”

In some of the larger churchyards, watchhouses were built to lodge the watchmen between shifts. One near Aberdeen has a two-story tower with the upper floor used as a lookout. It even has a special hole through which the watchmen could shoot at intruders and a bell on the top of the tower which could be used to raise the alarm and to seek assistance.

Some body snatchers posed as watchmen themselves, which meant that they knew where all the traps were. Some were in league with the body snatchers and took a commission on the sale of the bodies.^[7]

Being an honest watchman was a dangerous occupation. When bribery or intimidation couldn’t persuade the watchmen to look the other way, the sack-em-up men would take their chances anyway and turn to violence if they were caught. One poor guard was even attacked with a saber.

3 Coffin Torpedoes

Among the more ingenious forms of burial security was the coffin torpedo.

Patented in 1878 in Columbus, Ohio, by Philip K. Clover, the coffin torpedo was designed to “successfully prevent the unauthorized resurrection of dead bodies; and . . . be readily secured to the coffin and the body of the contained corpse in such manner that any attempt to remove the body after burial will cause the discharge of the cartridge contained in the torpedo and injury or death of the desecrator of the grave.”^[8]

The torpedo featured an intricate mechanism that exploded “with deadly force” if the coffin was disturbed. Little thought appears to have been given to the legality of such a weapon.

Luckily for Mr. Clover, there is little evidence that the coffin torpedo actually went into production. Churchyards were dangerous enough at that time with body snatchers creeping around with sabers in the middle of the night and armed watchmen shooting intruders through the walls without adding high explosives to the mix.

2 Coffin Collars

Rather more practical was the coffin collar. The collar was made up of a very heavy iron ring mounted on a board of thick oak. This was secured to the base of the coffin with heavy bolts, thus rendering it impossible to remove the corpse without decapitating it and seriously reducing its value.

This was a practical and comparatively cheap method of defeating the resurrectionists, and examples of their use have been found in churchyards in Scotland. The collars were not pretty and would have been very visible in an open casket. But they did give the deceased’s relatives some peace of mind.^[9]

1 Booby Traps On Graves

The feeling against the dissectors was so strong that some mourners even went so far as to booby trap the graves. They set spring-loaded guns into the ground and embedded sharp objects there, too. In Dublin, it was reported that a grieving father went so far as to plant a land mine in the coffin of his infant child.^[10]

Whether the land mine was genuine is debatable. Certainly, no resurrection man took the trouble to find out.

The feelings against the resurrection men ran high, with citizens demanding that something be done to protect the dead. The passage of the 1832 Anatomy Act in England and similar bills in America and elsewhere ended the trade in bodies almost overnight.

It allowed for corpses to be obtained for medical research from a number of sources, particularly the poor and the unclaimed. Surgeons, medical students, and scientists could expand their knowledge of the human body while leaving the dead to their everlasting peace.

Ward Hazell is a writer who travels and is an occasional travel writer.

Before motion pictures, plays were the most popular medium of long-form storytelling for live audiences. From ancient Greece to the Renaissance, plays and playwrights have captured the hearts and minds of the masses. Names like Homer and Shakespeare will ring out throughout the ages for their literary prowess.

Like any other great nation, America has produced its fair share of memorable stories through this art form. From the sixteenth century to the modern day, American playwrights have offered a rich tapestry of humor, horror, romance, and mystery on and off Broadway. With that in mind, let’s review the ten best American-written plays, a diverse collection that will pique your interest.

Related: 10 Weird Sci-Fi and Fantasy Musicals You Won’t Believe Existed

10 The Crucible–Arthur Miller

Written in 1953, The Crucible centers around the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century and is only marginally fictional. Written during “The Red Scare,” Miller’s story is an allegory for McCarthyism. It was first performed at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway on January 22, 1953, starring E.G. Marshall, Beatrice Straight, and Madeleine Sherwood. The play initially received mixed reviews from both the audience and critics, yet still won the Best Play Tony that year.

By 1956, The Crucible was already considered a classic and a central work in the canon of American literature. That same year, however, Miller was questioned by the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities (aka the witch hunt of the day) in 1956 and convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to identify others present at meetings he had attended. It somehow remains relevant in every era.^[1]

9 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof–Tennesse Williams

Tennessee Williams may be the most well-known playwright in American history, and while Cat on a Hot Tin Roof may not be his most famous piece, it’s arguably the most important. Written in 1955, this three-act play examines the relationships of the Pollitt family. This play features motifs such as social mores, greed, superficiality, mendacity, decay, sexual desire, repression, and death. The dialogue throughout is often written using nonstandard spelling intended to represent accents of the Southern United States.

“Like many of Williams’s works, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof concerns itself with the elaboration of a certain fantasy of broken manliness, in this case, a manliness left stifled by the homosexual desire it must keep in abeyance.” Williams draws from his own experiences with homosexuality and alcoholism, making this play ahead of its time and still wholly valid today.^[2]

8 Wicked–Winnie Holzman

Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is in turn based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation.

The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards, while its original cast album received a Grammy Award. “After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.”

In a classic literary trope, this story takes an empathetic look at a well-known villain, painting her as a victim and then a hero. Wicked’s success has continued to grow, with potential sequels in the works; it continues to draw large crowds nationwide, thanks to its universal themes that appeal to a broad audience.^[3]

7 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?–Edward Albee

First staged in October 1962, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? won the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962–1963 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play. It is frequently revived on the modern stage. The film adaptation was released in 1966, written by Ernest Lehman, directed by Mike Nichols, and starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis.

The plot is that of a bitter, aging couple who, with the help of alcohol, “use their young houseguests to fuel anguish and emotional pain toward each other throughout a distressing night.” This play is still a standard in English and Literature classes in high schools and colleges nationwide. The themes involved seemed to resonate with Americans of all ages.^[4]

6 A Raisin in the Sun–Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. The title comes from Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem” (also known as “A Dream Deferred”). The story is about a Black family’s experiences in south Chicago as they attempt to improve their financial circumstances with an insurance payout following the death of their father.

It deals with matters of housing discrimination, racism, and assimilation. The play’s central theme is the question, “What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” The New York Drama Critics’ Circle named it the best play of 1959. In recent years, publications such as The Independent and Time Out have listed it among the best plays ever written.^[5]

5 Rent–Jonathan Larson

Rent is a rock musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jonathan Larson. Loosely based on the 1896 opera La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini, Luigi Illica, and Giuseppe Giacosa, it tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in Lower Manhattan’s East Village in the thriving days of the Bohemian culture of Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon, with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Rent represents the best of theater, brimming with passion, sorrow, and joy while tackling important issues. It has remained one of the most popular performance pieces nationwide for decades and has spawned film and TV adaptations that are as cherished as the original cast presentation.^[6]

4 Long Day’s Journey into Night–Eugene O’Neill

Long Day’s Journey into Night is a play in four acts written by American playwright Eugene O’Neill in 1939–1941 and first published posthumously in 1956. It is widely regarded as his magnum opus and one of the great American plays of the 20th century. It opened on Broadway in November 1956, winning the Tony Award for Best Play. O’Neill received the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Drama posthumously for the play. The work is openly autobiographical.

The “long day” in the title refers to the play’s setting, which takes place during one day. “O’Neill recounts a fateful summer evening at the Tyrone family’s seaside home, where members of the clan battle their addictions (to alcohol and morphine) as well as one another.” O’Neill is widely considered one of the greatest American poets, but his plays are often overlooked. This piece is his farewell to the public with whom he had a love/hate relationship throughout his life and career.^[7]

3 Fences–August Wilson

Fences is a 1985 play by the American playwright August Wilson. Set in the 1950s, it is the sixth in Wilson’s ten-part “Pittsburgh Cycle.” Like all the “Pittsburgh” plays, Fences explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes. The play won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play.

The play was first developed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 1983 National Playwrights Conference and premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1985. James Earl Jones played the main character, Troy, on stage, and in the motion picture adaptation, the character was played by Denzel Washington, opposite Viola Davis as Rose. Wilson became a nationally recognized playwright in 1987 when his play Fences won four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.^[8]

2 Glengarry Glen Ross–David Mamet

Glengarry Glen Ross is a play by David Mamet that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. The play shows parts of two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts—from lies and flattery to bribery, threats, intimidation, and burglary—to sell real estate to unwitting prospective buyers.

It is based on Mamet’s experience, having previously worked in a similar office. The world premiere was at the National Theatre in London on September 21, 1983. The play opened on Broadway on March 25, 1984, at the John Golden Theatre and closed on February 17, 1985, after 378 performances. It was nominated for four Tony awards, including Best Play, Best Director, and two Best Featured Actor nominations for Robert Prosky and Joe Mantegna, who won the production’s one Tony.

“This scalding comedy is about small-time, cutthroat real estate salesmen trying to grind out a living by pushing plots of land on reluctant buyers in a never-ending scramble for their share of the American dream.”^[9]

1 Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes–Tony Kushner

Angels in America is a 1991 American two-part play by Tony Kushner. The play’s two parts, Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, may be presented separately or together as a seven-hour epic. The work won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play.

Part one of the play premiered in 1991, followed by part two in 1992, with its Broadway opening in 1993. It is a complex, often metaphorical, and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in the United States in the 1980s. Angels in America includes explicit sexual situations, nudity, and adult language and tackles adult themes.

“The play weaves together politics, religion, and human connection themes. It follows characters grappling with illness, identity, and societal change, all while being influenced by their encounters with celestial beings.” It is not nearly as well-known as the other entries on this list. However, it is arguably the best and most influential American written play ever.^[10]

From ancient Greece, where small fried fish were peddled, to Aztec marketplaces, where tamales, insects, and stews were a delicacy, ready-to-eat street food sold by vendors has been around for centuries. It’s still a staple of many cities today. Whether you want a hot dog, taco, or something more unique, there’s a food truck for that.

These days, many who have taken to the profession have indubitably experienced their share of ups and downs, predicated on a volatile economy and uncertain monetary prosperity. The following ten entries examine several unsavory street vendors who boiled over in events too bizarre and disgusting to comprehend or imagine prior to eating.

10 A Spicy Sriracha Shower

You never know when you might cross paths with an unhinged individual destined to ruin someone’s day. For Carlotta Washington, her run-in with Islam El Masry turned into a racist food fight after she attempted to pay for her lunch in quarters in June 2018. El Masry, the owner of Small Pharoah’s halal cart in Portland, Oregon, became so perturbed about Washington’s change that he responded in the only eloquent way he knew how: by calling her the “n-word,” a “stupid f—ing b—” and demanding that she “get the f— away” from his cart.

As if his romantic tirade wasn’t classy enough, El Masry took his fury a step further by and hurling a Gatorade bottle at her. Not long after that, he proceeded to douse Washington in sriracha. Numerous onlookers came to Washington’s defense as she sobbed in disbelief, covered in hot sauce. Three police officers arrived on scene a short time later and arrested the temperamental vendor on misdemeanor harassment and assault.

Incensed by the vendor’s demented actions, local residents began harassing the owner of an Egyptian food cart in downtown Portland the following day. The only problem was that it was a completely different individual with no association to the sriracha-wielding cook. Some 15 to 20 people holding signs shouted obscenities at Gharib Muhammad’s wife as she operated their food cart. One man staed, “I remember what you did yesterday.”^[1]

9 ‘Can I Get A Large Coke?’

When approaching the food truck of Johnny B. Jones (aka “Big Dad”) in Springfield, Tennessee, one could order a burger and fries with a side of cocaine. It eventually became public knowledge that the beloved neighborhood cook was offering hot dogs along with the daily special, his infamous booger sugar. Booked into Robertson County jail on a six-count indictment in spring 2018, the 57-year-old could very well be trading in his apron for a fashionable orange jumpsuit.

Jones’s dire predicament began following a joint investigation by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and the Springfield Police Department’s narcotics division nearly a year prior to his arrest. It seems that arrogance was more of a factor than logic for the peddler, as detectives observed an innumerable amount of transactions at Big Dad’s stand, all while he turned famished frowns into smiles and, perhaps, rapid heartbeats. “It was a shock to us, what we found out,” said Detective Houston Evans. “I’m sure everyone else who heard about this is shocked, as well.”

The distinctive red and yellow truck that had become so loved by Springfield locals throughout the years is now a grim reminder of the growing drug problem throughout their state. In a final twist of irony, Jones’s home-style cooking food truck was situated near one of the most laughable localities, a police station and sheriff’s office.^[2]

8 Daily Specials

A woman in Long Island was smoking more than just sausage when she converted her hot dog truck into a miniature brothel. In 2012, Catherine Scalia, 45, decided to expand her business by handing out suggestive cards titled “Strips-R-Us” and advertising a “topless cleaning service” and “one-on-one strips.”

Disgruntled and nauseated neighbors not privy to her marketing strategies eventually complained to authorities, stating, “In the summertime she’s out in her bra and panties. It’s disgusting. She’s filthy, she’s dirty. How could men take that?” In her own defense, the mother of four contentedly gloated about her professionalism and unyielding restraint when it comes to children, asserting, “I zip up when I see kids.” In spite of such morality, Scalia soon found herself inside a jail cell after offering one of her daily specials to an undercover police officer.

This was not the first time that her flesh-peddling ways led her to the slammer. Scalia was arrested eight years prior after performing sexual acts on her co-chef in the “captain’s chair” of the same hot dog truck. According to one local resident who observed several satisfied clients blissfully leave her establishment, “They seemed pretty happy. Now I can see why.” One can only hope that her proficiency in cleaning is as highly regarded as her “home cooking.”^[3]

7 The Hot Dog Nazi

Michael Anderson of M.A.’s Gourmet Dogs in Anchorage, Alaska, garnered quite the reputation after serving up sizzling hot dogs with an attitude. Known as “the hot dog Nazi,” Anderson was infamous for his strict rules (such as refusal to serve anyone talking on a cell phone) and his tendency to lose his cool if customers dared to stray from his stringent regulations.

His bizarre tirades became endearing to local residents for nearly 20 years. That was until he was charged for unwanted sexual contact with a teenage employee in 2015. Ironically enough, the incident occurred near Anderson’s pushcart, situated in front of the old Federal Building, of all places. According to Anderson’s accuser, he coerced her with alcohol before touching her “down there.” In addition to his appalling advances, the 54-year-old vendor took a liking to gorging on marijuana brownies while on the job and washing it down with pints of vodka.

With several charges stacked against him and his reputation in shambles, Anderson killed himself in 2016, one day before he was set to go to trial. To date, the vacancy on the infamous corner he stood on for over two decades echoes a sobering memory of a troubled and wasted life.^[4]

6 Virgin Boy Eggs

An unmistakable, pungent aroma reminiscent of a nursing home is what you can find permeating the streets of the Chinese city of Dongyang. As local residents flock to their neighborhood vendor, buckets of boys’ urine boil over as eggs are soaked and cooked in the fragrant yellow “broth.” The unique snack, popular for its “fresh and salty taste,” is a local tradition that has been passed down by ancestors for centuries. “Virgin boy eggs,” as they’re so eloquently named, are claimed to have remarkable health benefits. Gallons of piss are collected from primary schools and used as the main ingredient by egg vendors throughout the city.

Virgin boy eggs are not only served up on street corners but in residences as well. In those instances, the magical yellow liquid is personally collected by locals from nearby schools under the guise of a therapeutic appetizer. “If you eat this, you will not get heat stroke. These eggs cooked in urine are fragrant,” said egg vendor Ge Yaohua. “They are good for your health. Our family has them for every meal. In Dongyang, every family likes eating them.” Interestingly enough, government officials listed the nauseating treat as part of the city’s cultural heritage, ensuring its popularity and consumption for centuries to come.^[5]

5 Satay Chicken

“Satay chicken, not dog?” asked a skeptical tourist on a Bali beach after purchasing mystery meat from a vendor. “I’m happy just as long as it’s not dog,” the man said before he naively devoured poor Lassie. Sadly, such revolting grub is commonplace in Indonesia, where dogs are tortured prior to their slaughter for human consumption. An investigation led by Animals Australia found that vendors throughout Bali have been deceptively selling canine meat to unsuspecting tourists under the guise of chicken. “Tourists will walk down a street, they’ll see a street store selling satay but what they are not realising is the letters RW on the store mean it is dog meat being served,” Animals Australia’s campaign director Lyn White said.

In a place where dog meat is legal, hoards of unscrupulous vendors hunt, steal, beat, hang, or poison the canines in order to turn a quick profit. An unapologetic 83-year-old, for example, resorted to snatching an average of 12 dogs a week due to the fact that he could not find another source of income. After capturing his prey, be it an older dog or a puppy, the elderly man described bludgeoning the animals with a metal pipe in a nonchalant fashion without the slightest hint of remorse.

As grotesque as his method is, it is far more troublesome that countless vendors have been known to use cyanide as a means to kill. Dr. Andrew Dawson of the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre stated that its use poses a significant threat, considering that, “Cyanide is not going to be destroyed by cooking. So there will be cyanide throughout the dog’s body. The actual risk depends upon how much poison is in the dog meat.” To date, no human deaths have been reported from the consumption of dog meat in Indonesia, yet. Time will tell.^[6]

4 A Special Ingredient

As if urine-soaked eggs weren’t stomach-churning enough, a 59-year-old paani puri vendor in India was arrested in 2011 for adding his own special flavor to his sauces. Naupada resident Ankita Rane, 19, began keeping a close eye on vendor Rajdev Lakhan Chauhan, who had a reputation for being “quite gross,” from the confines of her balcony. “We have seen him scratching himself or picking his nose if no one was around. I had always asked my friends to refrain from eating there, but they were so hooked to the taste that they rubbished whatever we said.”

That all changed, however, after Rane witnessed Chauhan urinating into his saucepans before blending his tangy delicacy into the paani puri mix or the neighborhood favorite, ragda. After several days of dousing his utensils with golden showers, the saucy street vendor was filmed in the act. The video was then shown to local residents. When neighbors in the area learned of Chauhan’s special ingredient, they surrounded his cart and took turns beating him up before dragging the devious urinator to the police station.

When questioned, Chauhan simply stated that he had nowhere else to pee and that urinating into the pans kept the residential streets of Bhaskar Colony clean. Despite his righteous intentions, police decided to detain Chauhan but were confused about what to charge him with: “In the end, all we could book him under was the Bombay Police act for urinating in public places.” Chauhan ultimately pleaded guilty and was fined 1,200 rupees before being let off with a warning.^[7]

3 Turf Wars

In 2016, when ice cream man John Cierco pulled up to his “favorite spot” in New York City, a sense of ire pulsed through his veins upon finding a pretzel vendor encroaching on “his” corner. Moments later, the pretzel peddler was pummeled over the head with a baseball bat.

Such barbaric acts over turf become surprisingly commonplace when profit-oriented territory determines ones success. In spite of cities not dictating certain locations for food carts or trucks, unwritten rules have allowed vendors to virtually own particular spots for decades on end. This has spawned violent turf wars by established vendors, who see newcomers as competition in a desperate economy.

In 2012, bullets flew outside Yankee Stadium when 52-year-old Horace Coleman shot two competitors multiple times with a .357 magnum. According to witnesses, Coleman, known on the streets as “Ace,” had been at war over his sidewalk turf for quite some time. “They were trying to bully him out of his spot,” said Coleman’s friend Gracie Olivera; that is until the pistol-packing vendor—dressed in a pinstripe suit, a flamboyant derby hat, and gold-framed sunglasses—took matters into his own hands. “He didn’t say anything. He walked up, pulled out and started firing. Bang! Bang! Bang!”^[8]

2 Human Tamales

Working on an anonymous tip in 2004, Mexican police raided the home of a tamale vendor suspected of having a dismembered corpse in his kitchen. Upon the discovery of carved-up body parts, detectives noted that the appetizing ingredients were in the process of being boiled on the stove with herbs and spices.

The homicidal vendor, who worked as a butcher for eight years, vehemently denied using human meat in the tamales that he sold from his cart. Nonetheless, police took it upon themselves to test the tamales for human remains as opposed to taking the word of a man halfway into the process of filleting a fresh cadaver. According to the resourceful chef, he killed the unidentified man in a drunken argument the day prior to seasoning him for lunch.

Following an analysis, police found no trace of human flesh in the food. However, police claimed to have found “other materials” and ingredients suggesting that the unorthodox cook was preparing to make a “new batch” of tamales while in the vicinity of his decomposing, edible victim, or soon-to-be cuisine.^[9]

1 Tarek El-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi

The only vendor on this list worthy of accolades is Tarek el-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi, who, on December 17, 2010, set himself ablaze, igniting a revolution. Working as a vegetable seller in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid, Bouazizi’s dream was to save enough money to purchase a food truck. Sadly, the 26-year-old’s hopes and aspirations came crashing down when a policewoman confiscated his unlicensed vegetable cart and his produce. To add insult to injury, the officer slapped Bouazizi, insulted his dead father, and spat in the scrawny vendor’s face.

After his complaints to local municipality officials fell on deaf ears, a humiliated and dejected Bouazizi doused himself with fuel in the town’s square and set himself on fire. As Bouazizi clung to life in the hospital, outrage erupted throughout the country over the high unemployment, corruption, and autocratic rule.

Following his death on January 4, 2011, Bouazizi became a legend, with his martyrdom symbolizing the people’s struggle for survival and how it has shaken despotic Arab governments in what many have referred to as the “people’s revolution.” In response to the growing protests, Tunisia’s President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia On January 14, 2011, bringing an end to his dictatorship after 23 years of power.^[10]

Adam is just a hubcap trying to hold on in the fast lane.

Throughout history, the world—particularly the the United States—has seen its fair share of conspiracy theories come and go. From reptilians disguised as humans to chemtrails, it’s fair to say that most of these theories are entirely absurd.

From time to time, though, a conspiracy theory that many thought to be ridiculous is shown, in fact, to be correct. In such cases, the truth can prove to be much more terrifying than fiction. The following are ten examples of such real-life conspiracies.

10 Project SUNSHINE

Despite its cheery name, Project SUNSHINE was by far one of the darkest conspiracies ever conceived and the most horrifying to be proven real. The project was commissioned by the US Atomic Energy Committee and the US Air Force.

Designed to investigate the effects of nuclear radiation on humans and the environment, Project SUNSHINE saw the US government harvest and use, often without the permission of parents, the body parts of dead children and babies. Younger children typically have higher amounts of strontium in their bones, meaning that their tissues are more susceptible to radiation damage. Thus, they made better test subjects for the project.^[1]

9 Project MKULTRA

MKULTRA is one of the better-known conspiracies. The general premise—now proven to be true—was that the US government was testing psychedelics and hallucinogenic drugs on unsuspecting American citizens and military personnel, in order to investigate the viability of behavior modification programs. Essentially, the US government was testing mind control techniques on its own populace and left many of its “participants” with trauma and even brain damage.

There are plenty of cases of MKULTRA subjects acting violently or dangerously, and the fact that the US government was so willing to endanger the lives of its own citizens without their consent is perhaps the most chilling part of the whole conspiracy.^[2]

8 The US Government’s Alcohol Poisoning

This conspiracy doesn’t have a particular name, but it’s one that has been the subject of much discussion over the years, particularly recently. During Prohibition, the US government tainted industrial alcohol with methanol—a commonly used antifreeze—in an attempt to curb the drinking of it. Reports differ on just how much methanol was added, though most agree that it wasn’t enough to be lethal and was intended more as a deterrent than a punishment.

On the other hand, it has also been reported that there were around 10,000 deaths during this period as a result of the poisoning, so perhaps the intention was darker than we think.^[3]

7 US Government Spying

In June 2013, intelligence contractor Edward Snowden released thousands of top-secret documents to various journalists, which detailed the sophisticated intelligence network the US, in conjunction with several other Western countries, had been using to spy on civilian populations around the world. Much of this spying was done through social networking companies; for instance, in 2016, US government agencies sent approximately 50,000 requests for user data to Facebook, roughly 28,000 to Google, and about 9,000 to Apple.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of this story is how the National Security Agency conducted multiple espionage operations on US-allied governments, such as Germany, Belgium, France, and Spain. Creepy stuff.^[4]

6 Gulf Of Tonkin Incident

On August 2, 1964, in the midst of the Vietnam War, the USS Maddox, on an intelligence mission along North Vietnam’s coast, allegedly fired upon and damaged several North Vietnamese torpedo boats that had been stalking it in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Maddox was also reportedly attacked by North Vietnamese vessels on August 4.

In 2005, an undated NSA publication was declassified, revealing that there was no attack on the Maddox on August 4.^[5]

Since the NSA’s disclosure, many have accused the US government of intentionally faking the incident to increase support for the US war in Vietnam and to justify further military action in the region. In fact, on August 10, the US congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, a bill that authorized President Johnson to do whatever was necessary to assist “any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty.”

This technique was also seen in the early 2000s, when the government administrations of President Bush of the US and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK asserted that the Iraqi government was actively constructing and stockpiling weapons of mass destruction, prompting the Iraq War. Later, US-led inspections found that Iraq had in fact not been stockpiling or producing WMDs to begin with.

5 The First Lady Who Ran The Country

In October 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke that rendered him incapable of governing. Some of us probably know that part. What you might not know, however, is that after his stroke, his wife, First Lady Edith Wilson, decided what matters were important enough to bring to Woodrow’s attention, essentially giving her the unofficial role of president until Warren Harding took over in 1921. Because Woodrow never technically resigned, the vice president at the time, Thomas Marshall, could not take over, and Wilson instead decided to allow his wife to govern for some time.^[6]

Perhaps the scariest thing about this whole story is that the US government didn’t inform the public of this. (The people only learned of Wilson’s stroke in February 1920, and even then, the full details weren’t known.) It’s events like these that are the framework of the relatively modern and widely believed Deep State conspiracy theory, which posits that there is an unknown party in the government, independent of changing administrations, that makes most of the decisions.

4 The US Government’s Weather Manipulation

In 1993, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the US military, and the University of Alaska created the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, otherwise known as HAARP. Since then, numerous conspiracy theories have sprung up surrounding the mysterious project, everything from satellites that can cause earthquakes to huge transmitters that can create tornadoes and tsunamis. However, what most people don’t know is that there actually was documented weather manipulation project during the Vietnam War—decades before the creation of HAARP.

Operation Popeye was an five-year project in which the US government used the age-old technique of cloud seeding to increase precipitation during the rainy seasons over North Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail in order to disrupt the NVA’s moving of vehicles, weapons, and rations across the trail. The general idea of cloud seeding is to send an airborne object, typically an airplane, flying through a cloud while releasing small particulates that give water vapor something to cling to so that it can condense and become rain.^[7]

What’s scary about this is if the military has done it in the past (and given the length of the operation, it must have been at least partly successful), what’s to stop them from doing it again?

3 The Canadian Fruit Machine

Despite being one of the strongest proponents of the LGBT community today, Canada’s history isn’t as clean as one would think. In the 1960s, the Canadian government hired a university professor to create a “gaydar,” what it called the “Fruit Machine” at the time. The university professor, Frank Robert Wake of Carleton University, went about this by forcing subjects to look at same-sex erotic imagery while he measured pupil dilation, perspiration levels, and changes in pulse to gauge just how “fruity” they were.^[8]

The program was part of a long-term effort to remove homosexuals from positions of civil service. In the late 1960s, funding was cut off—but not before the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had collected files on over 9,000 suspected homosexuals.

2 The Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the designated spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Those carrying the title are generally seen as embodying the tenets of Buddhism: inner peace, enlightenment, and virtuousness. However, CIA documents published by the State Department in 1998 indicated otherwise: For much of the 1960s and some of the 1970s, the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatzo, along with many other prominent Tibetan figures, were funneled millions of dollars by the CIA. This funding was part of a concerted effort by US intelligence to undermine Communist China, and global communist presence, by propping up Tibetan guerrillas in their fight against the communist state. According to the report, the CIA funded approximately 2,100 Tibetan guerrillas with $500,000 annually and gave the Dalai Lama himself an annual $180,000 subsidy.

The funding ended in the early 1970s, after President Nixon began to open up more to China in efforts to improve crumbling relations. The official CIA report stated that the purpose of the program was to “keep the political concept of an autonomous Tibet alive within Tibet and among foreign nations, principally India, and to build a capability for resistance against possible political developments inside Communist China.” The Dalai Lama wrote in his autobiography that he saw the cutting off of the funding as “a reflection of their anti-Communist policies rather than genuine support for the restoration of Tibetan independence.”^[9]

1 Operation Mockingbird

Operation Mockingbird was a 1950s program in which the CIA recruited and propped up various media organizations to influence public opinion. In April 1976, the Church Committee, a US senate task force, conducted an investigation into the CIA’s influence over both foreign and national news organizations and stated that the CIA maintained a huge global network that provided intel for the organization and “at times” attempted to influence opinion through the use of covert propaganda.^[10]

The damning report also stated that these same individuals gave the CIA direct access to a large number of “newspapers and periodicals, scores of press services and news agencies, radio and television stations, commercial book publishers, and other foreign media outlets” and claimed that approximately 50 of the CIA’s assets were individual American journalists or employees of US media organizations.

I’m a freelance writer and student who loves writing.

As any insider knows, Hollywood is a dog-eat-dog place. With financiers and bullish studios twisting artistry into cold hard dollars, the dreams—and careers—of many an actor are regularly chewed up and spat out. But the few big-screen performers who make it don’t always have the full picture, even at the top of their game. Friends, agents, writers, directors, producers, and studios all go out of their way to pull the wool over actors’ eyes, landing the glitterati in performances they didn’t realize they had signed up for and often would love to get out of…

Related: 10 Films That Were Rescued by the Editor

10 Tyler Perry—Gone Girl (2014)

A master craftsman of the novel adaptation, director David Fincher aimed his lens at Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl in 2014 and delivered an icy-cold psychological thriller for the ages. While pretty much everyone involved was thrilled to be on the project, not least because of the impact it had on their respective careers, there was one cast member who wasn’t pleased when he found out what he’d signed up for.

A minor yet crucial role in the movie, Tyler Perry plays Tanner Bolt, a lawyer known for representing men suspected of killing their wives and who represents Ben Affleck’s Nick Dunne. Despite being involved in the industry as a filmmaker in his own right, Perry was unaware of the kinds of films Fincher is in the business of making. If he had known, he would have turned the part down.

But Perry’s agent knew this and so spun him a line, keeping his client in the dark about the kind of movie it would be—and that it was an adaptation, something Perry was equally perturbed about making—long enough to get him over the line.^[1]

9 Linda Blair—Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

While The Exorcist (1973) is recognized as one of the greatest horror movies of all time on pretty much every front, the undeniable star of the show is Linda Blair, the young actor who played possessed child Regan MacNeil. Nonetheless, after being overexposed at a young age, she wasn’t keen to hop back on board with a sequel.

Despite this, Exorcist II: The Heretic plowed ahead just a few years later, using an impressive, exciting, well-written script to get Blair signed on. Excited to work with Richard Burton and a host of Academy Award-nominated actors (all of whom also thought the movie was going to be a big deal), Blair was willing to return to a movie franchise that had taken over much of her life.

Unfortunately, the script she was given at the beginning of production was not the one they shot. Blair and all her castmates just had to roll with the blows, adapting to the new material as it got progressively worse. It was rewritten five times in total, and the movie they made was a disaster, leaving all the cast’s hopes in ruin.^[2]

8 Chris Rock—Bee Movie (2007)

The subject of a near-infinite number of memes, Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee Movie has lived far beyond its original premise as a family-friendly animation in the years since its release. And while its voice cast—which includes Seinfeld himself, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, and Chris Rock—is stacked with enough talent to have made it immortal, it wasn’t easy getting all of them on board.

Indeed, Seinfeld himself had to make the case directly to Rock to get him on the cast. He had a tough time of it, with Rock initially being resistant about joining what he saw as the next Shrek. But Jerry had one ace up his sleeve: Steven Spielberg.

Seinfeld talked up the apparent involvement of the legendary filmmaker to get Rock to sign on the dotted line. However, when Rock turned up to record his part, there wasn’t a trace of Spielberg to be found. While the Jurassic Park director had helped Seinfeld get his foot in the door with Dreamworks and featured in a couple of live-action trailers to promote the film, that is where his involvement ended.^[3]

7 Paula Abdul—Bruno (2009)

Despite having enjoyed a successful career as a singer, dancer, and actress in her own right, Paula Abdul was better known in the 2000s for judging American Idol. This is what put her in the crosshairs of prankster Sacha Baron Cohen, who followed up his hit mockumentary Borat (2006) with another, less successful outing in the genre.

Starring as gay Austrian fashion journalist Bruno, Cohen travels to the U.S. in the hopes of becoming a Hollywood celebrity. Along the way, he interviews and irritates a host of famous faces—Abdul included. The only thing is, Paula didn’t know she was starring in the movie until after the fact.

Having been told she was receiving the International Artist of the Year award, the American Idol judge arrived for an interview with Bruno. Cohen’s team kept all of Abdul’s stylists and entourage out to maintain secrecy and put the star in an interview that included sitting on and being served sushi from the bodies of live men. Abdul didn’t realize the full extent of what had happened—or the German-language agreement her publicist had signed—until the media called asking what it was like to work with Cohen…^[4]

6 Bill Murray—Garfield: The Movie (2004)

The first major Garfield feature arrived two decades before the most recent one, inserting a CGI fat cat into the real world, with Bill Murray providing a sardonic voice to match the comic strips. Despite this ingenious casting, Garfield has been the bane of Bill Murray’s career ever since he agreed to do it—but it’s his own fault.

When Murray received the script for the movie, he mistook writer Joel Cohen for Joel Coen of Fargo (1996) and Big Lebowski (1998) fame. Thus, the actor signed up on name recognition alone, figuring the guy who made some of the smartest, funniest films of the past decade would steer him right.

Nobody was quick to correct his mistake, not least because it meant they got to keep one of Hollywood’s funniest men on an otherwise run-of-the-mill production. It wasn’t until Murray turned up to record his lines that he realized something was wrong—namely, a lack of gags and good writing. He watched the film to get a feel for what had gone awry, and this was when they told him who was behind it, but by that point, it was too late.^[5]

5 Bill Murray—Ghostbusters II (1989)

Garfield was not the first time Murray had been stung on the run-up to a film. While some would say he should have known better, somehow, his experience with Ghostbusters II didn’t leave him with any lasting vigilance.

After the success of the first movie—itself essentially a series of skits by SNL cast members that nobody expected to be so big—Murray was reluctant to do a sequel. But given not just the nine-figure box office numbers but the infinite merchandise and branding potential, nobody else involved was going to let this stand. Someone (possibly director Ivan Reitman) rounded up the cast, got them laughing and having fun again, and pitched a sequel story idea that made Murray think it might just work.

As these things go, however, the film that was pitched, and even the one that was written, was not the film they shot. Murray figured that as the ink was dry and they were already shooting it, there was nothing to do but grin, bear it, and try to make the most of things.^[6]

4 Halle Berry—X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

X-Men: The Last Stand is nobody’s favorite X-Men movie, having brought the franchise to its knees. This fate would last five years before Matthew Vaughn set it back on its feet with prequel/reboot X-Men: First Class (2011). But for all the film’s more obvious failings, its worst ones happened behind the scenes.

Vaughn was originally in 20th Century Fox’s sights as the director for The Last Stand. However, one fateful meeting, in which he uncovered the studio’s plan to trick Halle Berry into returning, made him walk away.

Berry was lured back to the franchise with a padded, false script that put her character—Storm—front and center rather than (as things turned out) a much smaller part of a large ensemble. While Berry never found out about this before the contract was signed, Vaughn did. While visiting an executive’s office in Tinseltown, he saw the fake script. When he discovered what they were doing with it, he washed his hands with the project altogether. Thus, the studio went with Brett Ratner, and the rest is history.^[7]

3 Sylvester Stallone—Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992)

The 1990s saw a lot of ’80s action stars turn to comedy, pivoting with a new decade and trying to broaden their appeal. And while results varied wildly, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot—in which Sylvester Stallone stars as a police sergeant whose mother (Estelle Getty) tags along on a brutal murder case—is a certified dud.

Why, then, did Stallone put himself up for it? It has everything to do with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had been Sly’s cinematic rival during the ’80s action era and was gunning for him in the ’90s.

Schwarzenegger was offered the script first and recognized it as a flop. Still, knowing the part was being offered to Stallone, he decided to lay a trap. Certain Stallone would want the role if he heard Arnie was interested, Schwarzenegger called his agent and director Roger Spottiswoode feigning interest. They reported back to the Rocky star, and true to form, Stallone jumped at the opportunity. It wasn’t until years later, after the film had bombed and the two stars had become friends, that Sly found out he had been duped.^[8]

2 Ryan Reynolds—X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

When Fox was trying to breathe life back into the X-Men franchise with their Origins series, they presented Ryan Reynolds with an ultimatum. If he wanted to play Deadpool, he’d have to be in this one.

He wrote and ad-libbed every line of his own dialogue, as the script had nothing prepared for him. Still, even this couldn’t save him, as Fox decided to destroy the character, sewing his mouth shut and making him unrecognizable. Despite promising that if Reynolds didn’t play the character, they would have someone else play him, this is what happened anyway. When Reynolds’s shooting time was up, they had Scott Adkins play the transformed version of the character in the film’s final sequence.

Despite this ostensibly being the first step on Reynolds’s path to a standalone Deadpool movie, the studio then shelved this idea. Had it not been for test footage being leaked five years later—confirmed via lie detector to have been assisted by Reynolds himself—it might never have been made at all.^[9]

1 The Entire Cast—Movie 43 (2013)

An anthology comedy that everyone would rather forget, Movie 43 took all the excesses of gross-out filmmaking from the preceding decades and wrote them across an excruciating 94 minutes. Featuring an ensemble cast of, among others, Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, and Emma Stone, this is a rare occasion where the entire cast was duped into starring.

Halle Berry dumps her breasts in a bowl of guacamole; Hugh Jackman has a pair of testicles on his chin; and Gerard Butler is a foul-mouthed leprechaun—these are just a few of the scenarios these Hollywood A-listers found themselves in throughout Movie 43. However, they didn’t realize it would be like this.

Most of the cast were convinced in small, casual pitches at parties and weddings by producer-director Peter Farrelly and his producing partner Charlie Wessler. Few of the stars knew what they would be shooting—and neither did the filmmakers, clobbering the movie together as they went. When the time came, Farrelly knew the actors wanted out of the project, and while a few slipped the net, he wouldn’t let most of them go.^[10]