› added 4 years ago

131

TIL that in the 70s, George Lucas wanted to direct a Flash Gordon movie. When he couldn't secure the rights, he created Star Wars instead.

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6EWL7 TIL Ken McElroy terrorized the town of Skidmore, MO for more than 10 yrs. In 1981 he was shot dead in the presence of over 30 witnesses, but the shooters were never named, and no charges were ever pressed.
rdpy TIL that while filming Dr. Strangelove, Stanley Kubrick tricked George C. Scott into acting more ridiculously than Scott wanted. He convinced Scott to do over the top practice takes, saying they’d never be used, to warm up. Kubrick used these takes and Scott swore never to work with Kubrick again.
e0gaD TIL Halley's comet was depicted in the famous 11th century Bayeux Tapestry which recounts the story of Duke William the Bastard conquering England in 1066.
v7r TIL that when the ancient Dutch government wanted to diversify their crops no one would plant the potato because it tasted too plain. So the king made it a royal food and banned the common people from obtaining seeds, which made everyone go and plant potatos.
wLP6P TIL a group of 30 Suffragettes taught themselves jiu-jitsu to defend against assaults from crowds and police.