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Post by GrimJim on May 25, 2005 18:36:38 GMT -5
About 12 min. into the show Rhonda calls Ralph Mr. Hanley in an obviously overdubbed voice. I know it has probably been about 25 years since I saw GAH originally but isn't his name Hinkley? Am I missing something here, was this a running gag from a previous show? Ralph calls himself Hanley towards the middle of the show when he rescues Rhonda's mom. She incorrectly calls him Mr. Handle and he emphatically corrects her by saying Mr. Han-LEY  |
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Post by MelMac on May 25, 2005 19:28:20 GMT -5
Welcome to the boards.
Ralph's last name was Hinkley for most of the first season and then the second season onward. Other than Rhonda's mom erroneously calling him "Mr. Handle," the name change was not a running gag. The kids called him "Mr. H" most of the time, so the change was a bit odd.
In 1981, an assassination attempt was made on President Ronald Reagan. The would be assassin's name was Hinckley, so they changed the name because they were afraid people would not like a good guy having the same name. Since Reagan nearly died (the bullet came within 1 inch of hitting his heart), I can understand the concern. It was changed back to Hinkley at the beginning of the second season.
I was young when the show first aired, so I didn't notice the change. When watching it on DVD, the change did annoy me a bit, though I understood why. The place the change especially annoyed me was in "The Best Desk Scenario" when Ralph shows Pam the assistant principal's office. The nameplate on the door uses Hanley.
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Post by ThatGirl on May 25, 2005 19:34:47 GMT -5
In 1981, a man named John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Reagan. www.geocities.com/proprioter/y_hink.htmlThe producers probably did not want to use the name because it served as a constant reminder of a terrible crime that was so prominant in the news at the time. Oh, I guess we posted at the same time. Well, I was an adult at the time, and I noticed it. |
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Post by GrimJim on May 25, 2005 19:57:37 GMT -5
Duh, makes sense. Its funny because as I was typing his name the connection jumped out at me (hey wasn't that the guy who shot Reagan?) but it still didn't dawn on me as the reason.
Being in the 5th grade when GAH came out I guess I never picked up on it then. I still remember that day when Reagan was shot though. Our teacher called us over and, after telling us the news, told us about where he was when Kennedy was shot. He said we would remember where we were that day for the rest of our lives. I guess he was right
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Post by MelMac on May 25, 2005 20:12:48 GMT -5
In 1981, a man named John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Reagan. www.geocities.com/proprioter/y_hink.htmlThe producers probably did not want to use the name because it served as a constant reminder of a terrible crime that was so prominant in the news at the time. Oh, I guess we posted at the same time. Well, I was an adult at the time, and I noticed it. Man, that's spooky, That Girl, but then again, great minds think alike and usually at the same time.  Also, thanks for the link, as I wanted to learn more about Hinckley. Most of the time, if the schools teach you about the presidential assassins, you learn about Lee Harvey Oswald and John Wilkes Booth. The others are only briefly mentioned if at all, as I don't remember McKinley's assassin. I only vaguely remember the assassination attempt (I was three at the time), and only learned how close Reagan was to dying when I was in school. He almost fell victim to Tecumseh's curse, but he survived, so I think the curse was broken. You're also right, GrimJim, about remembering where you were when life-changing events happened in life. The earliest one I can easily remember was when the Challenger blew up. I remember we had a moment of silence for the astronauts who were lost. Now with the Columbia disintegrating in 2003, I guess "The Shock Will Kill You" has more of an impact when I watch it. |
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Post by ThatGirl on May 25, 2005 23:27:31 GMT -5
Yes, definitely, these events remain etched in our minds. I was 4 when Kennedy was shot, and I was a young wife and mother when Reagan was shot. These events, along with the Challenger and the Columbia tragedies are really a part of all of us.
I'm not equating this with a national tragedy, but I was 3 when Marilyn Monroe died, and I remember it well. I mean, I actually remember where I was when I heard it, because I just loved her.
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Post by Maxwell - F.B.I. on May 26, 2005 10:23:33 GMT -5
Just my two cents... they completely went haywire over that situation. I don't think anyone would have been 'offended' in any way or even hardly noticed that the character had the same name as the guy who shot the president. It's always annoyed me that they made all those useless dubs, and it's even MORE annoying that the 'original' dialogue is apparently lost forever.  |
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Post by MyTatuo on May 26, 2005 14:21:21 GMT -5
Just my two cents... they completely went haywire over that situation. I don't think anyone would have been 'offended' in any way or even hardly noticed that the character had the same name as the guy who shot the president. It's always annoyed me that they made all those useless dubs, and it's even MORE annoying that the 'original' dialogue is apparently lost forever. On the other hand, it does give our show some distinction over other shows. This is always a footnote in descriptions of the show, so people who don't know/love the show remember it by: "Wasn't that the show where they changed the dude's name after Reagan was shot, or something?" The name change was annoying, yes, but not as annoying as the music change :-) <insert plug for Japanese DVDs from Maxwell-FBI here> Just kidding, Frank. |
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Post by Maxwell - F.B.I. on May 26, 2005 14:37:31 GMT -5
<insert plug for Japanese DVDs from Maxwell-FBI here>  LOL!!!!!! ;D |
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Post by darklantern on Aug 10, 2005 15:16:21 GMT -5
The effects of the Reagan assassination attempt on Ralph’s last name was first felt in “Here’s Looking at You, Kid.” In the scene where Pam picks up her parents at the airport, her mother tells her how impressed she is by the way Ralph’s name sounds, and repeats the full name a few times. Each time she does, a landing airplane sound effect drowns out the last name.
I don’t know if even LAX would land that many planes on one runway that fast...
DL
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Post by The J-Man on Aug 10, 2005 15:57:15 GMT -5
Just my two cents... they completely went haywire over that situation. I don't think anyone would have been 'offended' in any way or even hardly noticed that the character had the same name as the guy who shot the president. That's nothing. Does anybody remember when former First Daughter Amy Carter was stalked by a guy named Robert J. Automann? |
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Post by MiltonMaxwell on Aug 11, 2005 7:50:41 GMT -5
In retrospect, I am glad that these episodes continue to have the Hanley, "Mr H," thing as it is a history lesson of sorts, and brings back some nostalgia of old. It was really silly, and thinking about why an airplane keeps drowning out Mrs. Davidson just makes it funnier.
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Also, thanks for the link, as I wanted to learn more about Hinckley. Most of the time, if the schools teach you about the presidential assassins, you learn about Lee Harvey Oswald and John Wilkes Booth. The others are only briefly mentioned if at all, as I don't remember McKinley's assassin.
LOL!!!!!! ;D