› added 10 years ago

58

TIL that one of the most famous actresses of the silent film era in the US was Alla Nazimova, originally from Russia. She had romantic affairs with a number of other actresses and coined the use of the phrase “sewing circle” to refer to closeted lesbian or bisexual actresses of her day.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

b9A8j TIL Harold Ramis was set to direct "Galaxy's Quest", with Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, or Alec Balwin in lead roles. Neither actors were available, and Ramis left the project after DreamWorks favored Tim Allen in the lead instead. Ramis later said he was impressed with Allen's performance in the film.
9YOxr TIL of Sam Patch, a man who successfully jumped from Niagara Falls, Passaic falls, and other high points before dying on a second jump over Genessee falls. Ironically, he advertised the event as "Sam's last jump" (intended as his last jump in that area; not as the last of his life).
dD9aj TIL that Hiawatha was a real person, but Longfellow’s poem The Song of Hiawatha wasn’t really about him at all
4KB6 TIL that in the movie ‘Elf,’ Will Ferrell’s reaction to the Jack in The Box startling him was genuine. Director John Favreau controlled it during filming with a remote control.
Vg0Z TIL The Japanese have been into monster trading card games since the Edo Period (starting in 1603)