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Jack In The Box

Image: Studbee

And speaking of outer space… Before Mark Hamill became Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, he once worked the drive-thru at Jack in the Box. He was quickly fired, though. Customers complained after he spoke to them using a clown-like voice.

Decades later, in 2022, Hamill reunited with the brand in a comeback ad promoting two revived fan favorites: Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.

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Taco Bell

Image: PJ Gal-Szabo

The company has pulled off some interesting marketing pranks over the years, but none as unforgettable as its 1996 April Fool’s joke announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell.

A full-page ad ran in major newspapers announcing the purchase of the historic bell to help reduce the national debt. The "Taco Liberty Bell" joke did not land well. It caused thousands of complaints; people contacted Taco Bell and the National Park Service demanding answers. Later that day, the company confirmed the story was a hoax, and the stunt went down as one of the most memorable marketing pranks of all time.

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Domino’s Pizza

Image: Erick Galván

Back in the ’80s, when Domino’s expanded into Japan, the company ran into a problem: there was no Japanese word for "pepperoni." And, since it was the best-selling topping in the US, they could not risk leaving that pizza out of the menu! So, the brand had to coin a Japanese word for pepperoni. They went for ペパロニ (pronounced "peparoni").

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Pizza Hut

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Pizza Hut has always been known for some memorable marketing stunts. When Back to the Future Part II hit theaters in 1989, the chain handed out "futuristic" sunglasses with every pie. In 1995, they recruited Donald Trump and Ivana Trump to introduce their first stuffed-crust pizza.

And who could forget the time, in 2001, when they delivered the first pizza ever sent into space, straight to the International Space Station (ISS)?

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Starbucks

Image: Gema Saputera

Starbucks is such an iconic franchise that its presence can signal rising real-estate values. Studies show that neighborhoods with a new Starbucks often experience property-price increases above the usual rate.

Another interesting tidbit about the brand: inside its stores, employees are required to avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or other strong fragrances to prevent interfering with the aroma and taste of the coffee.

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Coca-Cola

Image: Samuel Bryngelsson

From 1886 until 1959 (over seventy years!), a 6.5-oz glass or bottle of Coca-Cola cost exactly 5 cents. The company had strategic reasons for keeping the price so low and stable.

At the time, it was easier to get customers to insert a single nickel into vending machines rather than require multiple coins. The 5-cent price helped make Coca-Cola a simple, affordable choice.

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McDonald’s

Image: Brett Jordan

The Golden Arches giant has had a long, sometimes on-, sometimes off-, relationship with Disney. McDonald’s began doing Happy Meal tie-ins with Disney characters in 1987 to promote Disney films.

For about ten years, the partnership was exclusive, but it fell off because Disney wanted to work with other food brands, and McDonald’s with other movie studios! Today, they still share a non-exclusive alliance.

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Wendy’s

Image: Brian J. Tromp

Wendy’s square hamburger patties weren’t an accident; the idea reportedly came from a chain called Kewpee Hamburgers, a Kalamazoo favorite known for its square-shaped burgers. Founder Dave Thomas has said that as a child, he often ate at a Kewpee, and that those square patties inspired the look and feel of Wendy’s burgers.

Thomas had always loved those because corners poking out of the bun created the impression of a larger burger and made the meat easier to see.

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KFC

Image: Aleks Dorohovich

KFC’s legendary "11 herbs & spices" recipe is kept under tight lock and key; the company splits the production of the spice mix between different suppliers so that no single person outside knows the full formula.

However, there was a time when Colonel Sanders offered that recipe at a very affordable price: he would license the recipe to restaurant owners for just 4 to 5 cents per chicken piece sold, giving them the right to cook and sell his secret-recipe chicken themselves.

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Betty Crocker

Image: Lalada .

Betty Crocker was never a real person. Did you know? She was invented in 1921 by the Washburn-Crosby Company as a friendly, approachable name to respond to consumer letters.

Even though she was fictional, by 1945, Fortune magazine named "Betty Crocker" the second most famous woman in America, second only to Eleanor Roosevelt.

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M&M

Image: Pixabay

There’s a long-standing debate about America’s favorite chocolate nuggets: Do different colors of M&M’s actually taste different? While many fans swear their favorite color has a distinct flavor, the brand consistently states that the only difference between colors is their dye; all other ingredients remain the same.

That said, some people claim that mini M&M’s taste sweeter than the regular ones. Some analyses suggest that mini M&M’s have a higher candy-shell-to-chocolate ratio, which could make them taste sweeter.

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Heinz

Image: JEFERSON GOMES

Though ketchup is by far Heinz's flagship product, that was not the first one Henry J. Heinz sold. You probably could never guess what it was that he personally started selling back in 1869!

Horseradish! The first thing he ever sold, out of his house, under his name, was horseradish and other pickled goods like vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. This early business laid the groundwork for the now-famous condiments empire.

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Beaver – Oregon (reverse)

Image: Makaristos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As you’d expect from the Beaver State, this rodent appears on Oregon’s flag. The thing is, you just can’t see it here because it’s on the reverse side! That’s right, Oregon is the only state with designs on both sides of the flag. But why that animal? In the 19th century, the beaver fur trade played a key role in Oregon’s economic growth, forever linking this clever creature to the state’s identity.

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Bear – California

Image: Drei Kubik

When you think of grizzly bears, California is probably the first state that comes to mind, and for good reason. Its flag is one of the most recognizable in the country. Grizzlies once roamed the region, and although they’re now extinct in the state, the animal lives on as a symbol. Back in the 1840s, American settlers pushing for independence from Mexico raised a flag with a grizzly and a star to mark their revolution. The design has evolved since then, but the iconic bear remains!

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Bison – Wyoming

Image: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

As one of the few places where American bison have roamed freely for centuries, it’s no surprise that this animal was chosen to represent the state of Wyoming. At the center of its flag, the white silhouette of the bison (often called a buffalo) features Wyoming’s coat of arms, which honors the state's key industries: livestock, mining, grain, and oil.

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Bees – Utah

Image: JohnnyAstros, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The new Utah flag, adopted in 2024, has a peculiar and modern design. The main characters in this story are none other than bees. Or, actually, a beehive, which was chosen to symbolize community, cooperation, and the hard work that reflects Utah’s industrial spirit.

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Badger – Wisconsin

Image: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

See that small yellow-and-brown figure above the shield on Wisconsin’s flag? Although many people don't notice it, that’s a badger, the state animal. But why a badger? Back in the 1800s, the first lead miners who worked in southern Wisconsin used to live in hillside tunnels during the winter, which resembled badger burrows. These workers were the first to be given the nickname, which was later transferred to the state.

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Deer and cow- Vermont

Image: Tablelegs6, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Vermont flag has plenty to see, but the most striking feature is the deer head that tops the shield. With deer abundant throughout the state, it was chosen to represent all of Vermont’s wildlife. But what about the cow? Tucked inside the shield, this small figure symbolizes the state’s dairy and agricultural industry.

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Horse – New Jersey

Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As part of the state coat of arms, a horse appears atop the beautiful New Jersey state flag. As in many other regions, horses were vital to New Jersey’s colonial economy, playing a key role in agriculture. For that reason, in 1777, the coat of arms’ designer placed the horse at the top, symbolizing both strength and the speed of the state’s growth. On both sides of the shield are two women: Liberty and Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, honoring the state motto, "Liberty and prosperity."

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Moose/Elk – Michigan

Image: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

A moose and an elk seem like great choices for offering support, don’t they? That’s exactly what the designers of Michigan’s flag and coat of arms thought. These two majestic animals appear standing on their hind legs, as if holding up the shield. Both native to the state, they symbolize Michigan’s abundant wildlife and natural resources.

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Pelican – Louisiana

Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Although the pelican on Louisiana’s state flag is white, its actual name is "brown pelican", a species that abounds along the state’s coast. On both the flag and the coat of arms, the bird is shown wounding itself to feed its young; a strong symbol of devotion and sacrifice that reflects Louisiana’s motto: "Union, Justice, and Confidence."

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Bald Eagle – Many

Image: Alexas_Fotos

We saved the unmistakable bald eagle for last. Native to North America, this majestic bird has become a symbol of the United States, representing strength, courage, freedom, and longevity. But the eagle isn’t just on the national coat of arms; it also appears on many state seals and flags, including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Utah’s historic flag.

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Edna Foster and Edith Storey (1911)

Even just thirty years after his death, the figure of Billy the Kid was so legendary that films were already being produced based on his life. The first two, both silent shorts, date from 1911 and share an intriguing peculiarity: both star women.

Billy the Kid was directed by Laurence Trimble and is very loosely based on the life of the famous outlaw. It is, however, believed to be a lost film. Edith Storey , an American actress who had played male characters in films such as Oliver Twist , stars as "the Kid."

The Adventures of Billy , on the other hand, was directed by the great pioneer American motion-picture director D. W. Griffith. In this film, the role of Billy is played by American child actress Edna Foster.

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Johnny Mack Brown (1930)

American college football player and film actor John Mack Brown was the first to play Billy the Kid in the talkies. He was directed by none other than the great film director and producer King Vidor in 1930's Billy the Kid . This film is a pre-Code Western and tells the story of Billy's escape after avenging his boss and the subsequent manhunt by Sheriff Pat Garret.

Johnny Mack Brown had started his career by appearing in a few minor films until he got his big break with this movie. Unfortunately, his career in mainstream cinema did not flourish, leading him to transition into low-budget Westerns. Eventually, he found significant success as a B-movie cowboy , becoming a beloved figure in the genre.

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Jack Buetel (1943)

Jack Buetel was an inexperienced actor when tycoon Howard Hughes cast him in his next film, The Outlaw , in 1940. Buetel signed a seven-year contract after Hughes promised him that he would make him a star.

The film faced many difficulties. It wasn’t immediately approved due to its erotic scenes, and although it was officially released in 1943, it was not until 1946 that the public was able to finally see it. Produced during the golden age of the genre, The Outlaw is considered a psychological Western. However, it was not well received by the critics of the time, and Buetel's work was especially bashed. After this, Hughes refused to allow Buetel to participate in other films, and his career never really took off.

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Paul Newman (1958)

Paul Newman is one of the most celebrated actors of the 20th century and is best known for his roles in several classic Westerns. But did you know that the first Western character Paul Newman portrayed was Billy the Kid? In the mid-1950s, Newman was cast to replace James Dean in The Left Handed Gun after Dean's untimely death. This was the beginning of a series of films about the Old West that the beloved American actor would play throughout his career.

Based on a teleplay by Gore Vidal and directed by Arthur Penn, The Left Handed Gun departs from the classic genre iconography to present the famous bandit much closer to the rebellious and tormented antiheroes of the era. Thus, in this film, the characters are complex and nuanced, questioning and revising the traditional portrayal of the savage outlaw.

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Clu Gulager (1960 - 1962)

The first television series about Billy the Kid was The Tall Man , which aired on NBC from September 10, 1960, to September 1, 1962. Although we all know that the real story ends with Billy being killed by Pat Garrett, this light-hearted action series focuses on the duo's alleged happier days, when they had more of a father-and-son relationship.

Clu Gulager, born in Oklahoma and the son of a cowboy entertainer, plays Billy. Although he was already 32 years old when cast, the actor earned his well-deserved place in the role. After the success of this series, Gulager worked in other Westerns and later had a second career as a horror film actor. His last appearance on the big screen was in 2019, in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

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Geoffrey Deuel (1970)

While this is not a film specifically about Billy the Kid's life, he does appear as a supporting character. Starring the legendary John Wayne, Chisum tells the story of the 1878 Lincoln County War, an Old West conflict between rival factions involving some famous gunslingers, including William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid.

In this film, Geoffrey Deuel plays Billy the Kid. Although he had already participated in some television series, Chisum was his debut on the big screen.

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Kris Kristofferson (1973)

Kris Kristofferson is best known for his career as a country musician and his appearance in the 1976 version of A Star is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. But did you know he also portrayed Billy the Kid? In 1973, he was cast in the revisionist Western film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid , directed by Sam Peckinpah.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Kristofferson's involvement in this film is that he introduced Bob Dylan to the director. Dylan was initially hired to write the title song, but ended up composing the whole score and even played the role of "Alias." Among the songs Dylan wrote for the film was the iconic "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

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Val Kilmer (1989)

American writer Gore Vidal was not pleased with the adaptation of his teleplay for The Left Handed Gun , so he decided to produce his own version. The resulting TV movie premiered on TNT in May 1989, with Val Kilmer cast as Billy the Kid.

Kilmer's version of Billy the Kid is a bit friendlier than his predecessors. He was also the right age for the character, making Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid one of the most historically rigorous accounts of the outlaw's life.

After this film, Val Kilmer's career continued to grow, with standout roles in The Doors and Batman Forever . Billy the Kid wasn’t the only gunslinger he portrayed—Kilmer also famously played Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone .

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Dane DeHaan (2019)

American actor Dane DeHaan portrays Billy the Kid in the 2019 film The Kid , alongside Ethan Hawke as lawman Pat Garrett. The physical resemblance between DeHaan—a younger Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike—and the real William H. Bonney is striking, making the Vincent D'Onofrio-directed film not only a fresh take but also one of the closest onscreen renditions of the mythical character.

In an interview, DeHaan said that he accepted the role because he thought it was a very interesting character to play. He also explained that he considered Billy the Kid a victim of the media and explained that the film aims to depict the harsh realities of the Wild West, where survival often drove people to desperate and terrible actions.

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Tom Blyth (2022 - )

The most recent version of Billy the Kid is played by Tom Blyth, a 29-year-old English actor from Birmingham. Blyth plays the infamous outlaw in the television series Billy the Kid, which premiered on MGM+ in April 2022. Produced by Michael Hirst, the English producer behind hits like The Tudors and Vikings , the series was renewed for a third and final season in 2024.

To prepare for this character, Blyth didn't just read a ton of books about Billy's story; he felt the need to do something more tangible to get into the skin of the famous outlaw. He traveled to Arizona, rented a car, and began a 7-day pilgrimage around New Mexico visiting all the places William H. Bonney had once been. He even visited his grave! His intention was to make the character more palpable and real as opposed to this exaggerated image of the mythical character we are used to.