New ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Reported Found
What does his Holiness the Dalai Lama need to do with ethical panics over “marihuana,” (sic) a backwoodsman turning into an unlikely political hero, noir skulduggery in wartime San Francisco, Ronald Reagan, a resurrected Egyptian mummy, President Taft’s bathtub, and a large reptile terrorizing Japan? Quite a bit, because it seems.
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 films: “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 ‘Dwelling 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 films have been solely pretend. My understanding was that to keep away from incurring licensing charges, any prop newspaper utilized in a movie would comprise tales that have been solely invented. That seems to not have been the case within the early days of cinema, as a result of a minimum of a few 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 onerous and look sideways at simply the proper 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 relatively unbelievable, “Dick Tracy, G-Man, In Sensational Raid.” And tucked beneath 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 ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Reported Found.”
You’ll be able to see the headline far more clearly within the picture beneath, which is from “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” starring an improbably younger Jimmy Stewart. Right here I don’t even need to circle the headline. In reality you’ll be able to nearly make out the subheading.
That is from the pivotal second within the movie when Governor Hubert “Blissful” Hopper tosses a coin to determine 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 ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Reported Found” and “36 Mexican Rebels Killed by Troopers” are the filler tales.
I later found that His Holiness exhibits up in quite a lot of different movies as nicely.
These embrace “This Gun For Rent,” the place our “New ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Reported Found” seems beneath the principle story, “Chemist and Girl Murdered.”
Additionally (and because of the weblog, “And also you name your self a scientist!?” for this) it’s in “Gigantis, The Hearth Monster.”
Thanks for eagle-eyed commenter Jeff (see feedback beneath) I do know that the article additionally seems on a prop newspaper on episode certainly one of “Backstairs on the Whitehouse,” which was a TV miniseries that got here out in 1979. That’s probably the most look of this story that I do know of, and the one one I do know of (to this point) that’s in colour.
Earlier it appeared on “Women On Probation” (1938), which stars Ronald Reagan, and “The Mummy’s Tomb” (1942).
The Dalai Lama will get round!
I can’t say for certain who originated these newspapers, nevertheless it’s prone to have been The Earl Hays Press, which has been supplying props to Hollywood for greater than 100 years.
However is that this “Dwelling Buddha” story actually in regards to the Dalai Lama? And is it primarily based on a narrative that truly appeared in actual newspapers.
The solutions are “sure” and “sure.”
On Wednesday, 27 Might 1936, an Related Press story with the title “New ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Reported Found” was revealed on web page 25 of the St. Louis Put up-Dispatch. The identical story was additionally revealed in different retailers beneath totally different headlines, akin to “New ‘Dwelling Buddha’ Found After Two- 12 months Search in Tibet,” in The Atlanta Journal, on the identical date.
Right here for the sake of completeness is your complete article, in case you have been inquisitive about what was behind the blur:
NEW ‘LIVING BUDDHA’ REPORTED DISCOVERED
Two-12 months 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 right this moment a brand new Dalai Lama, or “Dwelling 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] stated, to be a reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lama, who died Dec. 17, 1933.
The Dalai Lama is the non secular and temporal ruler of Tibet. Tibetans imagine their “residing god” is immortal and that when he dies, his attributes are handed all the way down to a baby born in regards to the time of his loss of life.
Tibetan monks {and professional} “diviners” have been looking for the reincarnated Dalai Lama ever for the reason that loss of life of the earlier ruler. Stories obtained earlier from Lhasa stated the omens have been favorable for an early discovering of the brand new “Dwelling Buddha.”
The Tibetan new yr started in February beneath auspicious circumstances, stories stated. Religious 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 photos 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 sporting the mysterious phrases “a ka ma” appeared, thought to bear some relation to the identify of the mother and father of the longer term Dalai Lama.
The populace was instructed then to affix within the seek for the home and the kid.
The current non secular chief of Tibet, the Panchen Lama, has been residing in exile in China for the final 12 years.
He could 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.
Because the loss of life of the late Dalai Lama beneath mysterious circumstances at Lhasa, political views have been within the arms of the temporal regent, Jechen Hutukehtu.
A few of the different tales, akin to “36 Mexican Rebels Killed by Troopers” and “Hearth Destroys State Arsenal,” have been additionally taken from actual newspapers.
Anyway, there we’ve it: The Dalai Lama made appearances in quite a lot of movies, from the basic “Mr Smith Goes to Washington” to the risible — “Gigantis” and Reefer Insanity.” Little question he was in lots of extra as nicely. If you happen to discover any others, please let me know!
