#george van tassel

[nicholask-la]

From November, 2023

[skygodz]

The Integratron was created by contactee George Van Tassel in 1954 to be an energy center. It is still there.

⛰⛰⛰🛸🛸🛸

[jimisroom]

From a past visit to Giant Rock and the Integratron. Includes real uap ufo capture from 2015.

[creature-wizard]

Is the spiritual person a conspiracy theorist? A list of red flags

They talk about a shadowy group of people supposedly manipulating everything behind the scenes. They might refer to them by terms such as globalists, bankers, international bankers, secret rulers of the world, the elite, the cabal, Kabbalists, Talmudists, satanists, satanic pedophiles, pedophiles, generational satanists, satanic bloodlines, the Illuminati, the Babylonian Brotherhood, lizard people, Reptilians, Orions, regressives, regressive entities, Khazarians, Marxists, cultural Marxists, or leftists. Sometimes, very rarely, they'll just come right out and say "Jews."

They claim that the conspiracy has been working to conceal historical and spiritual truths from humanity.

They claim that the conspiracy uses stuff like food, entertainment, and medicine to control the masses. For example, "additives in food suppress our psychic abilities" or "Hollywood films contain subliminal messages" or "COVID vaccines were actually created to alter your DNA to make you more docile."

Also, claims that the conspiracy controls people via spiritual or technological implants, 5G, or alter programming, with or without explicit mention of Project Monarch (a conspiracy theory promoted by far right cranks such as Mark Philips and Fritz Springmeier, who used hypnosis to respectively convince Cathy O'Brien and Cisco Wheeler that they'd been put under mind control by a global satanic conspiracy).

They claim that this conspiracy is controlling the media, has fingers in every institution they disagree with, and is generally behind everything they disagree with. (EG, the conspiracy created the Catholic Church; that other New Ager they disagree with is actually controlled opposition, etc.)

They claim that the conspiracy is trying to keep people in fear.

They claim that the conspiracy harvests something from people. Blood and adrenochrome are common ones. Loosh is somewhat less common. Expect to see something else pop up eventually.

They claim that the conspiracy practices genetic engineering; EG, creating animal/human hybrids, using vaccines to genetically sever people's connection to God, etc.

They claim that true spiritual wisdom can be traced back to places like Atlantis, Lemuria, or Mu.

They claim that world governments have secretly been in contact with extraterrestrials for years.

They appeal to known frauds and cranks, including but not limited to Erich Von Daniken, Zechariah Sitchin, David Icke, David Wilcock, Graham Hancock, Jaime Maussan, Bob Lazar, Steven Greer, Richard C. Hoagland, Fritz Springmeier, and Drunvalo Melchizedek.

Appeals to forged documents, including but not limited to the alleged diary of Admiral Richard Byrd, The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean, and The Urantia Book.

Appeals to channeled information, such as that provided by Edgar Cayce, Carla Rueckert, or George Van Tassel.

"But all of this has to come from somewhere, doesn't it?"

Oh, it all comes from somewhere, all right, but the where isn't what most people imagine.

A lot of the stuff above is just a modern spin on the content of The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, a Russian hoax created to justify violence against Russian Jews. The Protocols itself was plagiarized from a political satire and incorporated a lot of the post-French Revolution conspiracy theories about Freemasons and Jews being behind the French Revolution. I wrote a summary of the conspiracy tropes found in The Protocols over here.

The stuff about Satanic sacrifices and the consumption of blood, adrenochrome, loosh, or whatever are simply just variations on blood libel, an antisemitic conspiracy theory that claims Jews practice ritual cannibalism. Blood libel can be traced back to ancient Greece. (With the Greek version, I really can't help but notice the similarity to modern urban legends of gangsters kidnapping random people for initiation rituals.)

Many of these tropes can also be linked back to the early modern witch hunts. It was believed that witches sacrificed babies to Satan, practiced cannibalism, and put people under mind control by way of diabolical magic. It was also believed that some witches didn't even know they were witches; they'd go off to attend the Devil's Sabbath at night and come back in the morning without remembering a thing. In the late 20th century, this witch hunter's canard would be reinvented as the alter programming conspiracy theory when media such as the 1973 book Sibyl and its 1976 television adaptation put DID (note: the woman who inspired Sibyl did not have DID) into the public consciousness. For a more complete list of witch panic and blood libel tropes, I wrote a list over here.

Lemuria was a hypothetical landmass proposed to explain the presence of lemur fossils in Madagascar and India while being absent in continental Africa and the rest of Asia, because if lemurs evolved naturally, they wouldn't be in two separate places with no connection to each other. The discovery that India and Madagascar were once connected not only made the hypothesis obsolete, it precludes the existence of Lemuria.

The whole notion of Mu began with a horrendous mistranslation of the Troano manuscript. A man named Augustus Le Plongeon would link the mistranslation with the story of Atlantis, and use it to claim that Atlantis actually existed in the Americas. (For Plongeon, Mu and Atlantis were one and the same.) And then other people (like James Churchward) got their hands on the whole Mu thing, and put their own spins on it, and the rest is history.

Le Plongeon's ideas influence modern Atlantis mythology today; EG, the idea that it was in the Americas. Another guy who helped shape the modern Atlantis myth was Ignatius L. Donnelly, an American politician. Dude claimed that Atlanteans spread their oh-so-superior culture far and wide. He also claimed that Atlantis was the home of the Aryan people, because of course he did.

The idea that all of the world's wisdom can be traced back to Thoth/Hermes goes back to Hermeticism, a product of Greco-Egyptian syncretism. Hermeticism produced a fascinating body of mythology and an interesting way to consider the divine and its role in shaping human history, but that doesn't mean it was right. And the Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean is a modern text that has fuck-all to do with ancient Hermeticism and more to do with HP Lovecraft.

This idea that the conspiracy uses pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines for evil also has roots in Nazi Germany. The Nazi government, wanting to reserve real medicine for their soldiers, told the general populace that said medicine was the product of evil Jewish science and prescribed alternative healing modalities instead. (Said alternative healing modalities did not particularly work.) It also echoes the old conspiracy theories about Jews spreading the Black Death by poisoning wells.

The idea that the conspiracy uses genetic manipulation to create subhuman beings or sever humanity from the divine is a permutation of the Nazi conspiracy theory that Jews are trying to destroy the white race through race mixing. The idea of evil reptilian DNA goes back to the ancient serpent seed doctrine, which is indeed old, but no less pure hateful nonsense for it.

"But there's got to be somebody up to something rotten out there!"

Oh sure. But these people aren't skulking around in the shadows. They're acting pretty openly.

The Heritage Foundation has been working to push this country into Christofascism since the early 1970's. They're the ones responsible for the rise of the Moral Majority and the election of Ronald Reagan. They're also the ones behind Project 2025, which intends to bring us deeper into Christofascism. (Among many other horrible things, they intend to outlaw trans people as "pornographic.")

The Seven Mountains Mandate is another movement pushing for Christofascism. They intend to seize the "seven spheres" of society, which include education, religion, family, business, government/military, arts/entertainment, and media.

There's also the ghoulish American Evangelicals who support Israel because they think that current events are going to bring about the Second Coming of Jesus and cement the formation of a global Christofascist empire. Don't let their apparent support of Jews fool you - they believe that the good Jews will become Christians and the bad ones will go to hell.

All of these people are working toward monstrously horrific goals, but none of them are part of an ancient megaconspiracy. In fact, these are the kinds of people pushing the myth of the ancient megaconspiracy. From the witch hunts to Nazi Germany to the American Evangelical movement, if history has taught us anything, the people pushing the conspiracy theories are always the bad guys.

[yesyoubelonghere]

"Giant Rock is a large freestanding boulder in the Mojave Desert near Landers, California, and the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms (location 34°19′58.1988″N 116°23′19.5066″W[1]). The boulder covers 5,800 square feet (540 m2) of ground and is seven stories high.[citation needed] Giant Rock is the largest freestanding boulder in North America and is purported to be the largest free standing boulder in the world.

Native Americans of the Joshua Tree area consider it to be sacred[citation needed]. In the 1930s, Frank Critzer moved to Giant Rock. Inspired by desert tortoises that dig holes in which to cool themselves, Critzer dug out a home on the north side of the rock using dynamite. He engineered a rainwater collection system and a tunnel for ventilation. The underground home was reportedly never hotter than 80 °F (27 °C) and never cooler than 55 °F (13 °C). Critzer built an airstrip on the nearby ancient lakebed, which averaged a plane per day by 1941.[3] Critzer perished in a self-detonated dynamite explosion in his underground rooms on July 24, 1942, while being investigated by local police.

In the 1950s, Giant Rock was a gathering point for UFO believers. It is located on land which was at that time leased by George Van Tassel, a friend of Critzer's, a purported flying-saucer contactee and organizer of UFO conventions.[5] In 1947, Van Tassel, a former aircraft inspector, leased the property from the Bureau of Land Management and left Los Angeles and moved to Giant Rock with his wife and three children.[3] Van Tassel also built the nearby Integratron and a cafe, store, gas station and the Giant Rock Airport, which he operated from 1947 to 1975.

In early 2000,[2] Giant Rock fractured in two, revealing an interior of white granite.[3] The exterior surface of the rock is partially covered in graffiti." Wikipedia

(FF)

******

It was Thanksgiving weekend when I drove out to see this "big rock". Lots of off-roaders peppered the area and spoiled many of the shots I wanted of this rock. They also made getting up closer not enjoyable. So, I took some photographs and drove away.

A return visit will need to be considered.

[katieskrsgard]

🎃 TJ MIKELOGAN'S HALLOWEEN 2023 EVENT 🎃

DAY 26: Witches

ICONIC WITCHES, MAGIC USERS & GODS

Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson in Hocus Pocus (1993) dir. Kenny Ortega

Robin Tunney as Sarah Bailey in The Craft (1996) dir. Andrew Fleming

Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase in the Buffy-verse (1997-2004) creator Joss Whedon

Holly Marie Combs as Piper Halliwell in Charmed (1998-2006) creator Constance M. Burge

Tom Hiddleston as Loki Laufeyson in Loki (2021-) creator Michael Waldron

Fairuza Balk as Nancy Downs in The Craft (1996) dir. Andrew Fleming

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) dir. Sam Raimi

Amber Benson as Tara Maclay in the Buffy-verse (1997-2004) creator Joss Whedon

Anya Taylor Joy as Thomasina in The Witch (2015) dir. Robert Eggers

Neve Campbell as Bonnie Harper in The Craft (1996) dir. Andrew Fleming

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter (2001-2011)

Sandra Bullock as Sally Owens in Practical Magic (1998) dir. Griffin Dunne

Cher as Alexandra Medford in The Witches of Eastwick (1987) dir. George Miller

Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson in Hocus Pocus (1993) dir. Kenny Ortega

Miranda Richardson as Lady Van Tassel in Sleepy Hollow (1999) dir. Tim Burton

Rachel True as Rochelle Zimmerman in The Craft (1996) dir. Andrew Fleming

Rene Russo as Frigga in Thor: The Dark World (2013) dir. Alan Taylor

Shannen Doherty as Prue Halliwell in Charmed (1998-2006) creator Constance M. Burge

Alyssa Milano as Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed (1998-2006) creator Constance M. Burge

Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie Laufeydottir in Loki (2021-) creator Michael Waldron

Michelle Pfeiffer as Sukie Ridgemont in The Witches of Eastwick (1987) dir. George Miller

Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg in the Buffy-verse (1997-2004) creator Joss Whedon

Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson in Hocus Pocus (1993) dir. Kenny Ortega

Christina Ricci as Katrina Van Tassel in Sleepy Hollow (1999) dir. Tim Burton

Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in WandaVision (2021) creator Jac Schaeffer

Rose McGowan as Paige Matthews in Charmed (1998-2006) creator Constance M. Burge

Cate Blanchett as Hela Odinsdottir in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) dir. Taika Waititi

Susan Sarandon as Jane Spofford in The Witches of Eastwick (1987) dir. George Miller

Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard in Dark Shadows (2012) dir. Tim Burton

Nicole Kidman as Gillian Owens in Practical Magic (1998) dir. Griffin Dunne

[talonabraxas]

Lord Ashtar Talon Abraxas

The Ashtar movement, also known as the Ashtar Command, is a spiritual and metaphysical group that believes in receiving messages from Ashtar and other extraterrestrial beings. It originated in the early 1950s with George Van Tassel, the first to claim contact with Ashtar, and has evolved into a complex network of spiritual teachings involving extraterrestrial guidance for humanity’s evolution and ascension.

Ashtar is described as a telepathic extraterrestrial being, depicted as seven feet tall with blue eyes and a nearly white complexion, who communicates with his followers through various channelers. The Ashtar Command is envisioned as an interstellar group comprising extraterrestrials, angels, and light beings, working together to assist humanity in its spiritual evolution and to navigate the current cycle of planetary cleansing and ascension into higher dimensions​​​​.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

And, now from the archives of Life Magazine, a funky flashback to the 1950s Flying Saucer Conventions.

These B&W photos document the convention, from the quirky attendees and their campsites, the UFO memorabilia, the bustling scene that once surrounded this now lonesome boulder and best of all, a look inside the secret home that once lay beneath the giant rock.

So, how did a man come to live under a rock in the California desert?

In the 1930s, an eccentric German immigrant called Frank Critzer, dug out a subterranean home under the giant rock. He lived there alone, isolated from society with nothing but a radio antenna on top of the rock to stay connected to the outside world.

In 1942, the police came to investigate rumors that he was a Nazi spy and Frank died from a self-detonated dynamite explosion in his own bunker. They thought that he was a spy because of his radio antenna. But, he was just a radio enthusiast who wanted to be left alone.

After his death, Frank’s only friend, a former aircraft inspector named George Van Tassel, became the giant rock’s new tenant in 1947. 

In addition to being an aviator, he also liked to dabble in the telepathic channeling of alien life.

In a few years, George went from living a simple life with his family in the rooms Frank Critzer had dug out under the Giant Rock, to building his own restaurant on the site, a small airstrip, and an extra-terrestrial research center.

The UFO center would play host to his annual Giant Rock Spacecraft Convention, attracting more than 11,000 people at its peak.

Tassel’s onsite research center, nicknamed “the Integratron“, was believed by many to have some pretty special powers– 

Including ‘anti-gravitational and time traveling capabilities provided by extra-terrestrial life on Venus.’

For nearly 20 years it became the dream pilgrimage of every UFO nut enthusiast in America.

Let’s take a look at the UFO style of the day, beginning with the wonderful hats.

And the flying saucer accessories. 

What the hell is that?

It was also something the whole family could enjoy.

The dome-shaped ‘Integratron Center’ still stands near the giant rock, and after  Tassel’s death in 1978 there were plans to turn it into a disco.

Instead, the new owners turned it into an off-beat tourist attraction offering “sound baths,” claiming it to be “the only all-wood, acoustically perfect sound chamber in the U.S.”

It was built from instructions from Mars. I don’t know, except for the bus, clothes, & lack of hats, the people are pretty much the same.

As for the rock, in the year 2000 it fractured in two when a large piece broke off, revealing its white interior granite. Sadly, it’s covered in graffiti. 

https://mojaveproject.org/dispatches-item/giant-rock-space-people-and-the-integratron/     //  messynessychic.com   //  life magazine

[caracarnn]

ROLEPLAY HISTORY!

The rules are simple! Post characters you’d like to roleplay as, have roleplayed as, and might bring back. Then tag ten people to do the same (if you can’t think of ten, just write down however many you can and tag that number of people). Please repost, don’t reblog!

CURRENT MUSE(S): (canon muses)

Rand al'Thor (the wheel of time)

Elayne Trakand (the wheel of time)

Andraste (dragon age)

Asmodean (the wheel of time)

Ciri (the witcher)

Daenerys Targaryen (asoiaf)

Dalinar Kholin (the stormlight archive)

Deirdre Mayfair (anne rice)

Elend Venture (mistborn)

Galad Damodred (the wheel of time)

George Villiers (mary & george)

Geralt of Rivia (the witcher)

Jon Snow (asoiaf)

Julien Mayfair (anne rice)

Kaladin Stormblessed (the stormlight archive)

Kelsier (mistborn)

Mona Mayfair (anne rice)

Padme Amidala (star wars)

Perrin Aybara (the wheel of time) Renarin Kholin (the stormlight archive)

Robb Stark (asoiaf)

Rowan Mayfair (anne rice)

Shallan Davar (the stormlight archive)

Spook (mistborn)

Stella Mayfair (anne rice)

Tyrion Lannister (asoiaf)

Empress Tuon (the wheel of time)

Yennefer of Vengerberg (the witcher)

Anne of Austria (the musketeers)

Arno Dorian (assassin's creed)

Cesare Borgia (the borgias)

Daryl Dixon (the walking dead)

David 8 (alien)

Eleanor Guthrie (black sails)

Ellie (the last of us game)

Sir Gawain (the green knight)

Hannibal Lecter (hannibal)

James Flint (black sails)

Jamie Fraser (outlander)

Jesper Fahey (six of crows)

Katrina van Tassel (sleepy hollow)

Klaus Mikaelson (tvd)

Louis Pointe du Lac (anne rice)

Lucien Grimaud (the musketeers)

Magneto (xmen)

Obi Wan Kenobi (star wars)

Philippe d'Orleans (versailles)

Ragnar Lothbrok (vikings)

Rebekah Mikaelson (tvd)

Richie Gecko (from dusk till dawn)

Rick Grimes (the walking dead)

Sam Bridges (death stranding)

Ubbe Ragnarsson (vikings)

Victor Frankenstein (penny dreadful/novel)

WANT TO WRITE:

idk? lol I mean I always happen on someone new everyday so --- there are tons. I was looking for someone from the Dune novels but idk. Lestat? DONT KNOW

HAVE WRITTEN: (these I only write for strict people still but usually nope)

Steve Rogers (mcu)

Athos (the musketeers)

Porthos (the musketeers)

Loki (mcu)

Natasha Romanoff (mcu)

Doctor Strange (mcu)

Lanfear (the wheel of time)

Dr. Thresden (ahs)

every sarah paulson ahs character ever lol

mark (orphan black)

John Constantine (dc)

Oliver Queen (arrow)

Sylar (heroes)

Claire Bennett (heroes)

Sara Howard (the alienist)

Lucius Isaacson (the alienist)

Freydis (vikings)

Katia (vikings)

Aslaug (vikings)

Thor (mcu)

Edward Kenway (assassin's creed)

a bunch of other assassin's creed characters lol

Alina Starkov (shadow and bone)

Genya Safin (shadow and bone)

Luke Crain (Haunting of Hill House)

Eva Villanueva  (high seas)

Lola ( reign)

Bash (reign)

Henry & Catherine (reign)

Michael Curry (anne rice)

Every Mayfair character ever lol (anne rice)

Santanico (from dusk till dawn)

Clarke Griffin (the 100)

Quicksilver (mcu)

Jensen (the losers)

Aragorn (lotr)

tagged by: @luckhissoul & @stcrforged tagging: @ofprevioustimes @adversitybloomed @malumxsubest @uncxntrxllable @forwardlion @depictedblue @qanedanegros @theasteria @revelour

[shipwrecked-death-match]

SHIPWRECKED DEATH MATCH, ROUND ONE

i have zero tech skills, so heres a photo of the brackets lol. remember, the more this gets spread, the better the results will be! links to the polls are below, and i will add a link to this post to the pinned post.

Dash Gunfire v Krishanti

Ernest Hemingway v Edgar Allan Poe

The Trousers v Judy Gardenier

Verla Wolfson v Wilhelmina Vanderjetski

Anne Tarry v Matilda Bishop

Lucretia Lazenby v H. G. Wells

Black Phillip v Fig Wineshine

George Eliot v Ichabod Crane

Paulie Tahoe v The Babes

Annabel Lee v Lenore

Charlotte Brontë v Eddie Dantes

Oscar Wilde v Vivian Nightingale

Monica v Diedrich Knickerbocker

The March Sisters v Kat Van Tassel

Brom Bones v Emily Dickinson

Henrietta Hudson v Ford Phillips

[starcanwrecked-sexyman-bracket]

StarCanWrecked Sexyman Bracket Round 1D Matchups!

Silas Torsen Vs Professor Birthday

Elmo Keep Vs Mr Darcy

Krampus Vs Pierce

Rim Tim Timmy Vs Brace

Bob Iger Vs Conspiracy Theorist

Gauguin Vs Segatori

Dan Vs Dan

Scooter God Vs Scooter Thief

Benjamin Park Vs John Herschel

Charles T. Coram Vs Rose Stratford

Chester Thomas Vs Samuel Stratford

Kalfu Vs Anna Hanover

Rose's Printing Press Plate Vs Morgan Reese

Eddie Dantes Vs Foyodor Dostoevsky

Edgar Allan Poe Vs Lenore

Ernest Hemingway Vs George Eliot

H.G. Wells Vs Constable Jimmy

Ford Phillips Vs Vivian Nightingale

Henrietta Hudson Vs Kat Van Tassel

Lucretia Lazenby Vs Paulie Tahoe

[twistedtummies2]

Top 7 Portrayals of Ichabod Crane

Recently, I made a list of my Top 5 Favorite Versions of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” I’m still on a Sleepy Hollow kick, so I decided it was time to revisit the story again by looking at a couple of its classic characters. We’ll start by looking at the main character: Ichabod Crane.

In the book, Ichabod is an…unconventional protagonist, to say the least. The interesting thing about Irving’s original story is that nobody in the story is really a fully, purely good person: all of them have flaws, faults, and vices. Brom Bones is a trickster and a bit of a bully; Katrina Van Tassel can politely be termed a coquette; Ichabod himself is arguably the worst of the bunch. He’s a glutton, he’s greedy, he only wants Katrina for her money and her looks, and he’s way too full of himself. He has his good sides to keep him likeable, but at the end of the day, he’s a bit of a jerk.

As we shall see here, many versions of Ichabod tend to soften up his rough edges, to make him a more sympathetic and pleasant character. A select few versions actually vilify him completely, making him even more nasty. Only a few really stick to the source and depict the human Ichabod Crane that is presented in the story. Which of these portrayals do I enjoy most? Read on to find out. These are My Top 7 Portrayals of Ichabod Crane! Why Top 7? Well, why not? Let’s go!

7. Rene Auberjonois, from Once Upon a Midnight Scary.

“Once Upon a Midnight Scary” was a TV special from 1979, hosted by the inimitable Vincent Price. The special featured an anthology of short adaptations of classic horror tales, among them “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The Sleepy Hollow segment only covers the latter part of the tale, starting immediately at the Halloween Party at the Van Tassel Manor, so there isn’t much time for Ichabod or the other characters to really develop to their fullest potential. However, the segment benefits greatly from its casting of Rene Auberjonois - best known for his work on Star Trek - as Ichabod. Auberjonois is one of the best casting choices for Crane in live-action I’ve ever seen, in terms of adapting the original character from the book. However, because the segment is so criminally short, I don’t think he’s deserving of a spot in the Top 5.

6. Roger L. Jackson, from The Wolf Among Us.

“The Wolf Among Us” - based on the comic series “Fables” - is a combo of fantasy and film noir. The game focuses on Sheriff Bigby Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf himself, as he tries to solve a series of baffling beheadings. His investigation ultimately uncovers a vast conspiracy at work in the city he protects. (I get the feeling this basic concept is a recurring thing for anything even peripherally related to Sleepy Hollow…huh.) Ichabod appears in this story as the acting mayor of the area. He’s depicted true to the source: Ichabod is not a truly good person, and as the story goes on his many darker qualities come more and more to the surface. However, he’s got some good sides to him, too, although none of them excuse his less savory elements. What I find most interesting about this version of Ichabod (aside from the fact he’s voiced by flipping Ghostface, how ironic is THAT casting?) is that it’s a version of Crane totally removed from the original story. He never faces the Headless Horseman, Brom Bones and Katrina are never brought up, etc. As a result, he stands up all the more as his own unique character, and fits surprisingly well with the role he plays in this twisted mystery of madness.

5. Tom Mison, from the FOX TV Series.

FOX’s “Sleepy Hollow” TV show was a supernatural crime/mystery series, similar to things like “The X Files” or “Lucifer.” In this version, Ichabod is depicted not as a selfish schoolteacher, but a dashing Revolutionary War hero, who worked personally with George Washington to try and take down a dangerous force that threatened not only the American Colonies, but the entire world. After being wounded on the battle fighting a monstrous foe (three guesses who), Katrina - Ichabod’s wife, and a witch, in this version - casts a spell on him, placing him in a state of suspended animation. He wakes up two-and-a-half centuries later in modern day Sleepy Hollow, joins forces with the local police department, and helps them with solving various baffling crimes. Throughout the show, he combats demons, witches, figures of myth…and, of course, his old arch-nemesis, the Headless Horseman. While Mison’s actual character owes almost nothing to the one from the original story, I think the actor, himself, manages to bring a feeling to the role that recalls the classic character to mind. Mison’s tall, sharp, dashing countenance mixes the attractive aspects we would expect a heroic figure of his caliber to have, while still lending itself to the rakish description Irving gives. He also conveys a sort of nervous, eccentric energy, which fits well with the quirks of the typical Ichabod Crane. They even make reference to his schoolmaster roots, as Ichabod actually was a professor at Oxford in his past life before the war. He uses that same identity as a cover story in the modern day. While incredibly changed from the source, the DNA of Ichabod Crane is still somewhere in there, and it makes the character all the more admirable.

4. Andy Mientus, from Tarrytown.

Andy Mientus is likely known to most people unfamiliar with the musical theatre scene as the Pied Piper from The Flash (pictured above). While Mientus has not (to my knowledge) actively played the role onstage yet (which he should, for the record), I still feel that his performance in the official Cast Recording for this musical warrants him high marks. “Tarrytown,” for those who don’t know, is a modern reimagining of the original story, with the big twist (aside from the present-day setting) being that Ichabod is depicted as a homosexual, who longs for Brom instead of Katrina. Aside from this, though, he’s basically still Ichabod Crane. The character is depicted as a bit more sympathetic than the Irving version, but ONLY a BIT more. He’s still got vices and faults: instead of being a glutton for food, he is a recovering drug addict who is easily swayed back into the habit. While he claims to be friends with Katrina, he shows some signs of that friendship being false, such as calling her a “babbling hyena” while fantasizing under the influence. (It should be added that he then catches himself and adds, “I exaggerate.”) It’s also hard to tell how much of his attraction to Brom is real, genuine love, and how much of it is simply lust. Nevertheless, the character is depicted as more of a victim than a villain: much more lonely and naive than the character from the story, and also much more kindhearted. There’s a sweetness and a sadness to this Ichabod that makes him infinitely more tragic than the character in the original book, while still keeping the heart of the source intact.

3. Johnny Depp, from Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow.

Much like Tom Mison, Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Ichabod is a very different character from the original legend. In Tim Burton’s chilling, Gothic reimagining, Ichabod is depicted as a detective, who comes to Sleepy Hollow to solve a mysterious series of slayings. He believes, at first, that they are the work of a mortal man who is emulating the legendary Horseman. It turns out Ichabod is only half-right: the Horseman, he learns, is indeed real, but the murdering ghost is being controlled by a mortal monster. Ichabod soon uncovers a vast conspiracy at work in the town of Sleepy Hollow, and works quickly to uncover its tangled ends, all while dealing with his budding romantic interest in the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel. While both the character and the story of the film take MASSIVE liberties with the source, when I recently revisited the picture, I was surprised at how much of the original tale actually still remained intact. Depp’s Ichabod is no exception: while Depp is by no means the definitive actor to play Ichabod, on face value, both his costume and his overall demeanor keep the ideals of Washington Irving in mind. Ichabod is much more virtuous and less superstitious than the Crane from the original story, but he’s still a quirky, panicky coward who is easily spooked, and a great deal of the humor in the film comes from Monk-like portrayal of the character. Ichabod is somehow both a complete pansy and a daring hero at the same time; a Cowardly Lion, who is scared to death of all the horror around him, but perseveres nonetheless. It’s an interesting reinterpretation, and a performance of Depp’s I’ve come to appreciate more and more over time. Depp - and I’m paraphrasing slightly, I must confess - described his Ichabod as what you would get if Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes was played by Roddy McDowall. If that’s not a great couple of inspirations, I don’t know what could be better.

2. The Disney Version.

Originally appearing in the Sleepy Hollow segment of the film “The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad,” Disney’s Crane is interesting to me because, unlike all the other versions I’ve talked about here so far, he’s actually NOT that drastically changed from the original story. His appearance is a perfect caricature based on Irving’s illustrative, exaggerative descriptions in the book, and his personality is perfectly in line with that character. Disney’s Ichabod is toonishly humorous and a little eccentric, but he’s also got all of the issues the one from the story has. In fact, the Disney version sticks REMARKABLY close to the source material. It doesn’t water down anything, and in some places expands on elements to make the characters and story come to life more than ever before. While Ichabod never really speaks in this version, so much is garnered from the animation that he still has a decided personality and character all his own. Unlike some other short versions of Sleepy Hollow that came since, which were really just tellings of the story with animation over them, so to speak, this one really works hard to bring the tale to a new level. The best example I can give is something like Tom & Jerry: the characters are silent, but they are still true, full, believable characters. The Disney take on the story is my favorite, so it stands to reason their magnificently animated Ichabod ranks highly…but he’s only second place on my list. So…who could top Disney?

1. Brent Carver, from the 1999 Hallmark Film.

While this TV Movie version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” certainly has its flaws - the pacing being a bit slow is probably its most noteworthy issue - it still has, in my opinion, the single greatest Ichabod Crane of any adaptation of the book. While the Disney version is absolutely marvelous, it’s still a pantomime performance from an animated character. Carver, however, truly feels like Ichabod Crane in the flesh: everything about him is EXACTLY what I would imagine Ichabod Crane to be like. His voice, his personality, and even his appearance! If one were to meet Ichabod Crane in real life, and he DIDN’T look like Carver’s version, I would be shocked. Carver almost single-handedly makes this version work; the main draw to this film really is his performance as Ichabod, who is once again depicted true to the story. He’s got likeable qualities, but he’s also hypocritical and arrogant. These elements make him in equal parts humorous and deserving of the fate he faces at the end of the story. There’s really not much to say: Carver just IS Ichabod Crane, plain and simple. When I think of the story of Sleepy Hollow, I typically think of the Disney version…but when I think of Ichabod Crane, specifically, as a character, this is who I think of. There is no doubt that Brent Carver is My Favorite Ichabod Crane.

[skygodz]

The Integratron was created by contactee George Van Tassel in 1954 to be an energy center. It is still there.

⛰⛰⛰🛸🛸🛸

[creature-wizard]

The first person to channel Commander Ashtar was George Van Tassel. He conducted a series of ET channeling sessions that ran from January of 1952 up until March of 1953. Up until July of 1952, the messages appear to come from a number of different entities, most of whom don't appear more than once. Ashtar first appears on July 18th of 1952, and basically takes over completely in late August.

So what kinds of things did Commander Ashtar say? Here are a few samples. On July 18th, 1952, Commander Ashtar introduces himself: Hail to you, beings of Shan. I greet you in love and peace. My identity is Ashtar, commandant quadra sector, patrol station Schare, all projections, all waves. (According to the channeled messages, "Shan" is the name for Earth used by these entities.) Ashtar goes on to proclaim that if Earth people don't stop developing and detonating nuclear weapons, they would intervene and shut down all nuclear weapons programs. Obviously, this never happened. On August 15th, 1952, Ashtar claims that hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, carbon, and sodium are all "elements of living substance." This is a very strange grouping; life involves quite a few more elements than this (hello, iron, copper, calcium, and iodine!), and flourine is toxic to animal life. For a supposedly wise and advanced being, Ashtar sure is failing basic chemistry pretty hard here. On November 23rd, 1952, Ashtar declared that humanity's efforts to "conquer" (read: explore) space limited to the moon. The book reads, "Any attempt by man to extend space flight beyond the earths' vortice will end any possibility of returning to Shan, the earth." It seems Ashtar never foresaw our capability of sending unmanned probes beyond the moon. On January 32, 1953, Ashtar announced that humanity would soon be seeing the use of atomic weapons in warfare. Obviously this never happened, and quite blatantly contradicts what was claimed back in August.

On February 13th, 1953, Commander Ashtar claimed that they were about to create a "Light energy vortice" that would "create extensive damage to counteract the unbalance man has created on Shan." On February 27th, Ashtar followed this up saying that "We wish to instruct you to prepare for violent disturbances on Shan. We are having our first indications of success in arresting the attitude of Shan." On March 13th, Ashtar announced "Our three sub-stations, located around your planet, are instructed to take an active part in occurrences of violence that are about to occur on your planet." In the last message on March 20, 1953, it appears that Ashtar and the other extraterrestrials are now embroiled in a kind of apocalyptic conflict. He claims that people will be seeing more and more phenomena, and says "we have activated three and one-half million primary units around this planet. Our plans are taking shape." What's also interesting is what isn't mentioned in this book. It never mentions a Galactic Federation of Light or any other similar organization name associated with Commander Ashtar today. There's no mention of Pleiadians, no mention of an Arcturian High Council, and no mention of starseeds. There's also no mention of hostile alien forces, either - it appears that Ashtar is only here to save humanity from itself. I Rode a Flying Saucer! is definitely an interesting book, and a must-read for anyone looking to do deep research into the origins and development of New Age spirituality. You can see where some ideas are beginning to emerge but aren't yet married to other beliefs, and you can really start to appreciate how this movement has quite the history of failed prophecies.

[yesyoubelonghere]

"The Integratron is a 38 feet (12 m) tall cupola structure with a diameter of 55 feet (17 m) designed by ufologist and contactee George Van Tassel. Van Tassel claimed the Integratron was capable of rejuvenation, anti-gravity and time travel. He built the structure in Landers, California (near Joshua Tree), following instructions that Van Tassel vehemently claimed were provided directly to him by visitors from the planet Venus. The Integratron machine was started in 1957, the structure erected in 1959. It was financed predominantly by donations, including funds from Howard Hughes."

"After Van Tassel's death in 1978, the building had a series of owners (and was left in various states of disrepair) before sisters Joanne, Nancy, and Patty Karl bought it in the early 2000s. The sisters promote the Integratron as an "acoustically perfect structure", give tours and offer "sound baths" they describe as "...meditation-like sessions accompanied by tones from quartz bowls". " Wikipedia

*****

It seems to me, the desert attracts a lot of "interesting" people and has a lot of "interesting" places.

Was Mr. Van Tassel a visionary or just another wacko? 🤷

Tours are held for $60. No I saved my $$ and did not take a tour. (P7)

[papermoonloveslucy]

THE NAME IS FAMILIAR... BUT I CAN'T PLACE THE FACE!

Same Character / Different Actor

Sometimes circumstances require the recasting of a role on a long-running television show. Unlike soap operas - which often use a voice over to announce that a role has been recast - the change is hardly ever acknowledged on sitcoms. Did recasting happen in the Lucyverse? Yes - but not quite as prominently as on, say, "Bewitched". But more on that later.

Let's start with radio, where it was far easier to replace actors, often without the listener even noticing. On the pilot episode of Lucille Ball's radio sitcom "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951) her spouse George was played by Lee Bowman. When the show was picked up as a weekly series, Bowman was not available, so the role went to Richard Denning.

George's boss Mr. Atterbury was famously played by Gale Gordon, but before the boss became a regular character, the recurring role was played by Hans Conried and Joseph Kearns. All three actors would later be seen on "I Love Lucy."

Liz's mother-in-law Mrs. Cooper was first played by Bea Benadaret, but when she assumed the regular role of Iris Atterbury, Mrs. Cooper was voiced by Eleanor Audley. Both women were featured on "I Love Lucy."

Minor characters Corey Cartwright and Marge Van Tassel were first played by Hal March and Frances Chaney. March was replaced by John Heistand, but the role was quickly written out. Elvia Allman turned up as Marge when the character re-surfaced in a second appearance. March and Allman were both seen on "I Love Lucy."

Viewers probably didn't realize it, but many different actors actually played the role of Ricky Ricardo Jr. aka Little Ricky. Even more surprising, considering that his birth date coincided with that of the Arnaz's real-life son, none of them were Desi Arnaz Jr. The practical and legal matters of having a child on a film set necessitated that the role be played by twins. There were also two 'dream' Little Rickys, bumping the total number of actors to eight!

JAMES JOHN GANZER (newborn) ~ insert shots of the baby were used in "Lucy Goes to the Hospital" (1953) and the flashback opening of “The Club Election” likely taken from this same shoot. He was five days old at the time.  The above closeup was shot before the episode was filmed and pictures were projected for the studio audience to see. 

THE SIMMONS TWINS (infants) ~ Richard and Ronald Lee Simmons played the role in just two episodes: "No Children Allowed" and "The Indian Show", both in 1953.

THE MAYER TWINS (toddlers) ~ Michael and Joseph Mayer alternated in 11 episodes from November 1953 to April 1956. Although they looked nearly identical, the pair reportedly had very different personalities.

DREAM LITTLE RICKYS ~ Two uncredited actors (one young and small, the other older and large) were featured during Lucy's dream about "Ricky's Old Girlfriend" (1953). Although the younger performer looks a great deal like Jerry Mathers ("Leave it to Beaver"), Mathers denies ever appearing on "I Love Lucy." Since the dream has no dialogue, a bunny-themed outfit is used to indicate to viewers that the three actors are the same character.

KEITH THIBODEAUX aka RICHARD KEITH (adolescent) ~ The character was quickly aged during season six, necessitating an actor capable of handling dialogue and with some musical ability. Louisiana-born Keith Thibodeaux was favored by Desi for his drum skills, but Lucy needed some convincing. Desi simplified Keith's professional name, although it was never seen on screen. He played the role for 15 episodes as well as in 12 out of 13 "Lucy-Desi Comedy Hours" (1957-1960).

For what it's worth - two more actors provided the off-screen crying of Little Ricky: Pepito Perez and Jerry Hausner, both of whom also appeared on screen as other characters. Which brings us to our first adult cast switch...

The role of Jerry, Ricky's agent, was the only character outside of Lucy and Ricky to be carried over from the unaired pilot. Jerry was played by Jerry Hausner (hence the name), who had been heard on "My Favorite Husband." He was intended to be a series regular on "I Love Lucy", but when landlords Fred and Ethel Mertz were added to the series, his role was scaled back. Jerry the Agent would appear in 8 episodes, all during the first 3 seasons of the series.

Inexplicably (perhaps due to illness) in “The Handcuffs” (1952), Jerry the Agent is not played by Hausner but by Paul Dubov. Two months later, Hausner returned to the role that he originated.  During the filming of “Fan Magazine Interview” (1954), Hausner and Desi Arnaz got into a heated argument on the set. Hausner claimed that he was not able to hear his cues during a telephone scene where he was located across the soundstage from Desi. He quit the show and never appeared on the series again. But things were eventually patched up and he did appear on "The Lucy Show."

Charlie Appleby was originally played by Hy Averback (inset) in "Baby Pictures" (1953). The next time viewers saw him - in "Lucy and Superman" (1956) - he was played by George O'Hanlon. Averback returned to the show to play another Charlie, Charlie Pomerantz, in “The Hedda Hopper Story” (1955). Confused?  Not half as much as poor Caroline (Doris Singleton)!  Whichever actor played him, they were both proud of their son, Little Stevie.  But which Stevie?

The first time we see Little Stevie (a name suspiciously sounding like Little Ricky) he is played by an uncredited infant in "Baby Pictures" (1953), the same episode where his dad is played by Hy Averback. The infant had just gotten over the measles. Ricky and Stevie are both said to be 13 months old.

The next time we see Stevie he is played by Steven Kay in "Lucy and Superman" (1956), the same episode that switched his dad to George O'Hanlon. Although Kaye’s first name was also Stevie (in a show where Lucy played Lucy), the character was created three years earlier. The question is - if Little Ricky has a father named Ricky - why does Little Stevie have a father named Charlie? The previous year Kaye had played Jordan Benedict III (age 4) in the film Giant.  In the above screen shot with his screen mom Doris Singleton he is caught breaking the cardinal rule - looking into the camera!  Didn’t he learn anything working with James Dean? 

Marion Strong was one of Lucy and Ethel's friends and a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League. The character's name is the same as one of Lucille Ball's Jamestown friends. We meet Marion during "The Club Election" (1953) in the person of Margie Liszt. Liszt may also have been playing Marion in "No Children Allowed" (1952), although none of the bridge players are called by name. In her first appearance on the series ("Redecorating" in 1952), she played Agnes, a gossipy woman on a telephone party line.

The next time we see Marion she is played by Shirley Mitchell in 3 episodes from season three. Mitchell became friends with Lucille Ball in the late 1940s when she was featured in 4 episodes of “My Favorite Husband.”

In the same episode that we got Strong, we also got Grace! Grace Munson was yet another character that was named after one of Lucille Ball's hometown friends. In "The Club Election" Grace is embodied by Hazel Pierce, who was also Lucille Ball's camera and lighting stand-in. She was first pick when small roles and background assignments were doled out.

The next time we see Grace, she has moved to Westport with her husband Harry (Tristam Coffin), inspiring Lucy and Ricky to do the same. This time, nearly five years later, Grace is played by Ruth Brady. The Munsons have a son named Billy (who stays off-screen) and a cousin named Diana Jordan played by a pre-Jeannie Barbara Eden. Brady was featured as Laura in Lucy and Desi's 1956 film Forever, Darling and likely made such a positive impression that she was rewarded with Grace. Literally. At the Westport Country Club things get surreal when Hazel Pierce, who originated the role of Grace, also shows up!

On "The Lucy Show" there were far fewer examples of recasting. The role of Arnold Mooney, Mr. Mooney's youngest son, was first played by Barry Livingston in “Lucy Gets Locked in the Vault” (1963), the same episode that also introduced Gale Gordon as banker Theodore J. Mooney. Livingston returned to the role in “Lucy and the Scout Trip” (1964).  Not even a year later, Arnold is being played by Ted Eccles in "Lucy's Contact Lenses." Apparently, Livingston's schedule playing Chip on "My Three Sons" (also filmed on the Desilu lot) became too much for him to do double duty. When the series location moved from Danfield to Los Angeles, Eccles appeared as two other characters, one of them in a scene with Gale Gordon, who formerly played his father! More surreal still, the new character's name was Barry.

Another early recast was the role of Dorothy Boyer, Danfield volunteer firefighter. The part was originally given to Ruth Crews. The character is never called by name, but she is one of the few firefighters to speak distinct dialogue.

The next time we hear about Dorothy she is played by Dorothy Konrad, probably because the character now needed to be able to sing four part harmony in "Lucy's Barbershop Quartet". Both performers were sturdily built women. Crews, meanwhile, turned up as an unnamed patron at Wilbur's Ice Cream Parlor when "Lucy is a Soda Jerk" (1963). Like Little Stevie, it is odd that Konrad's first name matches her character's, despite them being originated by other performers!

I SAW THAT FACE ON...

Probably the most famous example of recasting on a sitcom is the role of Darrin Stevens on ABC's long-running "Bewitched" (1964-1972). The part was originated by Dick York, but he became ill and was replaced by similar-looking Dick Sargent for the rest of the series.

On New Year’s Eve 1973, Dick Sargent was seen as a policeman on “Here’s Lucy”, his only time acting opposite Lucille Ball. 

On the same series, Darrin's nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz was originated by Alice Pearce. When she died in 1966, Sandra Gould took over the role. On "I Love Lucy" Gould played Texan Nancy Johnson in “Oil Wells (1957) and made a brief appearance as a subway strap-hanger in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (1953). In 1962 she appeared on “The Lucy Show” as a bank secretary.

As if that wasn't confusing enough, Darrin's boss's wife Louise Tate was played by Irene Vernon, then Kasey Rogers. In 1967 Rogers was seen in a two-part airline-themed "Lucy Show" starring Carol Burnett. She also played a music publisher's secretary (above) in "Lucy and Phil Harris" (1968).

The character of Aunt Hagatha was only seen in eight episodes of "Bewitched," yet it was played by five different actors:

Nancy Andrews (1967)

Diana Chesney (1965)

Doreen McLean (1969)

Kay Elliot (1970)

Ysabel MacCloskey (1971)

and Reta Shaw (1966 & 1971)

Shaw is probably the most recognizable Hagatha as she originated the role and was the last to play it. She was a popular character actress from film (Mary Poppins), stage (The Pajama Game), and television ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"). Shaw was seen as 3 different characters on "The Lucy Show" and 3 more on "Here's Lucy."

When "The Munsters" premiered in 1964, the role of Marilyn Munster was played by Beverly Owen. After one season, Owen decided not to return to the series, and was replaced by Pat Priest. Few viewers could tell the difference as they both were intentionally made to look like Marilyn Monroe. In October 1966, Priest played a flight attendant on "The Lucy Show."

On Desi Arnaz's sitcom "The Mothers-in-Law" (1967-1969), Roger C. Carmel played Roger Buell during season one. But during a contract dispute Desi was dared to recast - and he did! Carmel was replaced with Richard Deacon for the show's second (and last) season. Deacon was no stranger to Desi, having played Tallulah Bankhead's chauffeur in "The Celebrity Next Door" (1957), an episode of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", as well as many other Desilu shows. Deacon later went on to do two episodes of "Here's Lucy."

On CBS's "Petticoat Junction" (1963-1970) the recurring character of Selma Plout was originated by Susan Walther (aka Susan Johann). She played the role for 5 episodes until she was mysteriously replaced by Elvia Allman, who played Selma for the rest of the series. Allman started acting with Lucille Ball on radio, and was famously seen as the barking candy factory foreperson on "I Love Lucy." She returned to play Minnie Finch’s neighbor in “Fan Magazine Interview” and magazine reporter Nancy Graham in “The Homecoming.” She made 2 appearances on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour“ and 2 more on “The Lucy Show."

Doris Ziffel (mother of Arnold the Piggy) was a character that was seen on both "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres." The part was originated by Lucille Ball's friend Barbara Pepper. After doing films together at RKO, Pepper was on the short list to play Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy." When she didn't get the part, Lucy cast her in a variety of small roles on the series. When Pepper died in 1969, Fran Ryan assumed the role. Ryan had already been seen on the series as Minnie Holcombe in March 1969, just a few months earlier, so viewers could be excused for doing a double-take.

On Eve Arden's "Our Miss Brooks" (1952-1956), filmed at Desilu, the role of Mrs. Martha Conklin was first played by Virginia Gordon, Gale Gordon's real-life wife. She had originated the role on radio. Starting in season two, Paula Winslowe took over playing the part. In 1964, Winslowe appeared briefly on "The Lucy Show" as a hospital patient.

In Mayberry, "The Andy Griffith Show" (filmed on the Desilu backlot) had several casting swaps. Miser Ben Weaver was first played by Will Wright (top), but then by Tol Avery (bottom) and later Jason Johnson. Wright played two roles on "I Love Lucy" and Avery played characters on "The Lucy Show and "Here's Lucy".

Mayberry gas pumper Wally was first played by Norman Leavitt (left), then by Trevor Bardette and Cliff Norton (right). Coincidentally, Leavitt also played a filling station attendant in "Lucy Hunts Uranium" (1959), as well as being seen in several other Desilu projects. On "Here's Lucy" Cliff Norton played Sam the plumber when "Lucy Meets the Burtons" and also played "Mary Jane's Boyfriend" Walter. Speaking of which...

The TV pilot of "Gilligan's Island" featured John Gabriel as The Professor. When the sitcom went to series, he was replaced by Russell Johnson. Gabriel (above) later played Jack Thomas in "Mary Jane's Boyfriend" (1974).

On "Happy Days" (1974-1984), Ralph's father Dr. Mickey Malph was first played by Allen Oppenheimer, but after an extended absence, returned as Jack Dodson. Oppenheimer had a couple of roles on "Here's Lucy," most notably as Kim's Uncle Herb in an episode that was a back-door pilot for a spin-off that would have starred Lucie Arnaz.

Other noteworthy re-castings that did not touch the Lucyverse include the roles of Catwoman, the Riddler, and Mr. Freeze on "Batman", Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo Bradley on "Petticoat Junction", Lionel on "The Jeffersons", Becky Conner on "Roseann", Carol on "Friends", Chris on "The Partridge Family", Morty on "Seinfeld", and Chuck Cunningham on "Happy Days."

Recasting can also happen when a show changes form. For example the various iterations of "The Honeymooners" and "The Brady Bunch" both caused recasting.

By now you are probably wondering about the photo that began this blog entry. No, that is not Desi Arnaz, and the scene is not from "I Love Lucy," although Lucille Ball is playing Lucy Ricardo. It is from "The Bob Hope Chevy Show" of October 21, 1956.

The sketch featured the entire cast of "I Love Lucy" and was performed in what appeared to be the Ricardo living room. The premise: Hope wondered what "I Love Lucy" would have been like had he married Lucille instead of Desi. With Bob as Ricky, Desi is recast as Fred Mertz. Naturally, this case of multiple recasting is as hilarious as it is fascinating.