A number of years in the past, somebody informed me a couple of reference to the Dalai Lama that had appeared in pretend (prop) newspapers in two previous Hollywood motion pictures: “Reefer Insanity” and “Mr Smith Goes to Washington.” (Sadly it’s so way back I’ve forgotten who it was that informed me about this, and even a search of my emails has failed to show up any clue.)
The newspaper story has the title, “New ‘Residing Buddha’ Reported Found.” This appears to be a reference to the invention of the Dalai Lama’s “tulku” — his new incarnation — in Tibet in 1936.
I’ve to say I used to be a little bit skeptical when this was delivered to my consideration. I’d assumed that the prop newspapers utilized in previous motion pictures have been fully pretend. My understanding was that to keep away from incurring licensing charges, any prop newspaper utilized in a movie would include tales that have been fully invented. That seems to not have been the case within the early days of cinema, as a result of a minimum of a number of the tales have been real — together with the one in regards to the Dalai Lama.
You’ll be able to see this headline — simply, in the event you screw up your eyes very arduous and look sideways at simply the fitting part of the moon — within the picture above, which is from “Reefer Insanity.” The principle story is “Harper Verdict Anticipated Tonight.” This can be a reference to the plot of the film. Beneath that’s the quite inconceivable, “Dick Tracy, G-Man, In Sensational Raid.” And tucked underneath that, you’ll be able to nearly make out, within the blur of a low-resolution picture taken from a TV scan of an already low-resolution celluloid movie, “New ‘Residing Buddha’ Reported Found.”
You’ll be able to see the headline way more clearly within the picture under, which is from “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” starring an improbably younger Jimmy Stewart. Right here I don’t even must circle the headline. In actual fact you’ll be able to virtually make out the subheading.
That is from the pivotal second within the movie when Governor Hubert “Joyful” Hopper tosses a coin to resolve whether or not to switch a deceased senator with both a political stooge or a naive native hero. The tossed coin finally ends up beside this newspaper, serving to him to make his choice.
“New ‘Residing Buddha’ Reported Found” and “36 Mexican Rebels Killed by Troopers” are the filler tales.
I later found that His Holiness exhibits up in various different movies as effectively.
These embrace “This Gun For Rent,” the place our “New ‘Residing Buddha’ Reported Found” seems under the principle story, “Chemist and Girl Murdered.”
Additionally (and due to the weblog, “And you call yourself a scientist!?” for this) it’s in “Gigantis, The Hearth Monster.”
And likewise on “Ladies On Probation” (1938) and “The Mummy’s Tomb” (1942).
The Dalai Lama will get round!
However is that this actually in regards to the Dalai Lama? And was there a “actual” authentic story.
The solutions are “sure” and “sure.”
An Related Press story with the title “New ‘Residing Buddha’ Reported Found” was printed on web page 25 of the St. Louis Publish-Dispatch on Wednesday, 27 Might 1936. The identical story was printed underneath different headlines as effectively, similar to “New ‘Residing Buddha’ Found After Two- Yr Search in Tibet,” in The Atlanta Journal, on the identical date.
Right here for the sake of completeness is the whole article, in case you have been interested by what was behind the blur:
NEW ‘LIVING BUDDHA’ REPORTED DISCOVERED
Two-Yr Quest Ends After Tibetan Monks Research Floor of Sacred Lake.By the Related Press.
SHANGHAI, Might 27. Dispatches from the forbidden kingdom of Tibet reported at the moment a brand new Dalai Lama, or “Residing Buddha,” was found within the Han Jen district, northeast of Lhasa, after a search of greater than two years.The brand new Buddha was believed, the Tibetan advices [sic] mentioned, to be a reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lama, who died Dec. 17, 1933.
The Dalai Lama is the religious and temporal ruler of Tibet. Tibetans consider their “dwelling god” is immortal and that when he dies, his attributes are handed all the way down to a toddler born in regards to the time of his loss of life.
Tibetan monks {and professional} “diviners” have been trying to find the reincarnated Dalai Lama ever for the reason that loss of life of the earlier ruler. Stories acquired earlier from Lhasa mentioned the omens have been favorable for an early discovering of the brand new “Residing Buddha.”
The Tibetan new 12 months started in February underneath auspicious circumstances, stories mentioned. Non secular authorities despatched a deputation of excessive clergymen, sages, monks and philosophers to the sacred Chugkhorgyae Lake, east of Lhasa, close to which the primary Dalai Lama was born, to ponder pictures mirrored on the floor.
The lake gazers have been reported profitable of their quest for indications which could result in discovery of a brand new Pontiff. Visions of a home carrying the mysterious phrases “a ka ma” appeared, thought to bear some relation to the identify of the dad and mom of the longer term Dalai Lama.
The populace was instructed then to hitch within the seek for the home and the kid.
The current religious chief of Tibet, the Panchen Lama, has been dwelling in exile in China for the final 12 years.
He can be unable to return. to imagine his duties as tutor to his reported new “reincarnated brother” as a result of no invitation has been prolonged to him.
For the reason that loss of life of the late Dalal Lama underneath mysterious circumstances at Lhasa, political views have been within the fingers of the temporal regent, Jechen Hutukehtu.
A few of the different tales, similar to “36 Mexican Rebels Killed by Troopers” and “Hearth Destroys State Arsenal,” have been additionally taken from actual newspapers.
Anyway, there we now have it: The Dalai Lama made appearances in various movies, from the traditional “Mr Smith Goes to Washington” to the risible — “Gigantis” and Reefer Insanity.” Little question he was in lots of extra as effectively. When you discover any others, please let me know!
