Scatman Crothers was only a stage name. The actor’s birth name was Scatboy Crothers.
Robert De Niro was originally considered for the role of Jack, but was fired when he kept saying, “You shining to ME?”
To make it look as though blood was pouring from the elevators, director Stanley Kubrick stabbed the Kool-Aid Man.
Jack Nicholson was allowed breaks during shooting to watch the Los Angeles Lakers. Similarly, child actor Danny Lloyd was allowed breaks to punt for the Cleveland Browns.
Young Danny Lloyd was unaware he was filming a horror movie. This allowed the six-year-old to relax and stay calm while writing Hellraiser.
It’s funny if you sync up scenes of Danny riding his tricycle with the theme song from Naked Gun.
Michael Dukakis was also considered for the role of Danny.
SPOILERS: Don Draper comes up with a famous Coca-Cola ad.
The deleted scene where Scatman Crothers farts “Taps” took 819 takes.
Despite being bludgeoned to death with an axe, Scatman Crothers was also unaware he was shooting a horror movie.
In the film, Scatman Crothers’ character Dick Hallorann dies. But in the novel, he time travels to stop Stanley Kubrick from ruining the book.
Dissatisfied with the film, author Stephen King wrote and produced a television adaptation of The Shining starring Steven Weber from Wings. To get even, Stanley Kubrick produced a musical adaptation of Carrie starring the guy who played Roy in Wings.
Stephen King criticized Kubrick’s vision of Wendy Torrance, saying she was “just there to scream and be stupid.” This is also the quote on Dr. Phil’s business card.
After being banned from the set, Stephen King would try to sneak back on as one of the creepy twin sisters. But everyone knew it was him, because of his glasses.
Both twins were played by Mary-Kate Olsen.
SPOILERS: New Coke was not popular.
Alternate takes for Jack’s famous “Here’s Johnny!” line: “Here’s John-John!” “It’s me, the J-Man!” “'Sup ya’ll, J-Dawg here!” “Knock, knock! Who’s there? Axe! Axe who? Axe, and ye shall receive!” “What happened to the door? Uh…it uh, walked into a person.”
Script similarities caused the delay of When Harry Met Sally.
Shooting was expected to take just seventeen weeks, but wound up taking fifty-one. Kubrick was unapologetic, saying that’s what is needed to make a proper, so-so movie.
In the film, “red rum” written backwards spells “murder.” Meanwhile, Murder Backwards Makes Red Rum was a talk show hosted by Chelsea Handler.
Alternates for the famous “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy” typewriter line: “All play and no Jack make boy a dull work.” “All Jack and no dull make work a playboy.” “All the single ladies, all the single ladies.”
To this day, claims of being the “real Shining hotel” are made by the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, and the Red Roof Inn in Framingham, Massachusetts.
SPOILERS: “Vanilla Coke” was Donald Trump Jr.’s Secret Service codename.
When they show the 1921 party photo at the end of the film, you get kicked out of the theater if you yell “There’s Waldo!”
Many theorized the movie was filled with hints Stanley Kubrick helped in filming a fake moon landing in 1969. Kubrick only added to the speculation, adding, “That’s not the only time I’ve faked it in a 69!” Shooting was halted for two days, to allow everyone to finish vomiting.
Film critic Roger Ebert said of the film, “Never seen it. Is it spooky?”
According to Kubrick, actress Shelley Duvall thought he was “just great, next question please!”
My wife also attacked me with a baseball bat whenever she saw what I was writing.
Simon and Garfunkel nearly came to blows, and ultimately broke up, over who would wear the bear suit.