Static

A quirky, out-of-place worker (Keith Gordon) at a crucifix factory invents a device he claims can show pictures of Heaven. Discouraged and confused by the inability of those around him to see anything but a screenful of static, he charismatically hijacks a bus of friendly elderly people in order to get media attention for his invention.

The director's page.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Dec 05, 2020 - Comments (2)
Category: Death, Eccentrics, Crackpots, Inventions, Television, 1980s

An Artificial Sun

Read the whole piece here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 30, 2020 - Comments (2)
Category: Armageddon and Apocalypses, Death, Destruction, Disasters, Technology, Crackpots, 1920s

William Greenwood, the Modern Noah

William Greenwood was a local character in Olympia, Washington. In the 1920s, he decided that a great flood was coming soon, so he built himself an ark. The press dubbed him the modern Noah.

The exact date that he thought the flood would arrive changed frequently. First it was 1928, then 1932, then 1938, etc.







Eventually the city decided that his ark was a fire hazard, so in June 1942 they had the fire department burn it down. But Greenwood built another, smaller one. He lived on until 1958, dying at the age of 91. More info: Olympia History

San Bernardino County Sun - June 20, 1942

Mason City Globe-Gazette - Feb 13, 1948

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 26, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Armageddon and Apocalypses, Eccentrics, Crackpots, 1920s

Ralph Slater, Hypnotist Against Hitler

I suspect that Slater would pitch anything just to get publicity.

Here he claims he can deprogram Nazis.



He did not fare so well in 1948.

Here's the man himself.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 23, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Delusions, Fantasies and Other Tricks of the Imagination, Crackpots, 1940s

Virgin Hospitals

1945: Mrs. Lenora Hawkes Jones came up with the idea of having a network of "virgin hospitals" throughout America which would house lovely and brainy women willing to bear children by suitable men in order to "improve the race." Suitable men would be those who didn't drink or smoke, and who weren't 'evil-minded.'

Didn't the nazis have some kind of scheme like this going?

Brooklyn Daily Eagle - Mar 7, 1926

Piqua Daily Call - Nov 2, 1945

Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 17, 2017 - Comments (7)
Category: Eccentrics, Crackpots, 1940s

Hothouse Children

Well, that's one theory, I guess...

Original article here.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 01, 2017 - Comments (1)
Category: Children, Crackpots, Nineteenth Century

Woman Hater Elmer Simrell

1959: Elmer "Jet" Simrell, an early crusader for men's rights, vowed to "fast until death" to publicize his views on the "menace of modern womanhood." He declared he wouldn't eat until newspapers published his manifesto on the "ruination emancipated women are bringing the world."

Simrell was in jail on account of having written hoax death threats to 10 judges, angry at the California judicial system because it had awarded his wife custody of their two daughters during their 1956 divorce.

In an earlier stunt (done, he said, to publicize "America's headlong rush to destruction via the divorce courts"), he had written to newspapers declaring that he had killed "a mother and three kids." Police immediately investigated and discovered he had killed a pregnant mother goat and two baby goats.

Simrell started his "fast until death" on Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26), 1959. It lasted until Dec 1, when he broke down and had some beef, soup, salad, coffee, and bread. So, all of five days. No papers ever published his manifesto.

Simrell (center) being taken into custody following his goat-killing stunt. via USC Digital Library.

Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 18, 2016 - Comments (3)
Category: Crackpots, 1950s