ANACHRONISM
In one episode, Fuji is revealed as a practitioner of painting by numbers. Painting by numbers was invented in 1950, and started to be sold in 1951.
God is subtle, but He is not malicious. (Albert Einstein)
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MovieChat Forums > McHale's Navy (1962) Discussion > ANACHRONISM
LOL, good catch. I managed to spot one - can't recall the episode off-hand, but Carpenter and Binghamton were having a dither in the Captain's office, and at one point Carpenter yanks the wire out of the telephone on the desk, then replaces it. It was a modular jack, which had not yet been invented, nor were they in use until around 1975.
<edit> Just caught another one, I'm watching McHale's Navy on hulu.com - season 3, episode 36, "Make Room For Orvie" - Binghampton is (as usual) hollering at McHale, and at one point says, "Use a skateboard!" - Skateboards were not invented until the 1950's. </edit>
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" . . . Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity,
and I am not so sure about the universe. . . " --Albert Einstein
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Found another anachronism - Season 4, Episode 22 is entitled Secret Chimp 007, presumably in reference to James Bond, secret agent 007 - a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming. :D
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" . . . Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity,
and I am not so sure about the universe. . . " --Albert Einstein
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Season 1 Episode 5 "Movies Are Your Best Diversion"
Capt. Binghamton says to officer delivering his films "I once met Humphrey Bogart in person. Oh, he was tough as nails that fella, he was all business. Would've made a dandy navy man."
Bogart was alive until 1957 and would not have been referred to in the past tense.
That wasn't very sporting, using real bullets.
Well if he was speaking about the time he met him (which was in the past) he might have referred to him in the past tense. Doesn't mean he was talking about him after he had passed away.
shareBoey actually was a Navy man.
"Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!"
We could go nuts with the "anachronism" in this series! Even as a kid I picked up on it - in the 60's.
I'll limit it because it could go on forever.
The civilian costumes were strictly 60's as were all the female hairdos. No effort of any kind was made to make things "period".
There were other terms and phrases that were all post war. The use of "fuzz" (cops), "pad" as in your "home"(1950's) and "Rat Fink" - created by Ed Roth in the 60's.
There are dozens more but this and the ones others have mentioned are a good start.
But who cares, it was a product of the 60's.
"fuzz" for cops goes back to the 20's.
share