Pop Culture Events That Were Left In The Shadows

Do you ever feel like you’re being overshadowed by someone in your life, such as a coworker or a family member?

Don’t worry. You are not alone!

Dr. Who?

Dr. Who, one of television’s longest-running shows, debuted in November 1963. However, only a small number of people were aware of it.

Why?

The President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated while touring Dallas, Texas, just hours before the show was set to debut. Because no one had seen the premiere, the show’s producers had to petition the BBC to re-air it.

Fun fact: The original pilot episode, which was thought to be lost forever, was rediscovered in 1978 in a mislabelled film can.

As if that weren’t enough, many parts of England experienced a power outage during the pilot’s broadcast, further reducing the show’s viewership. Eventually, the first episode was repeated the following week, and the ratings were much higher this time, transforming Doctor Who into the phenomenon t it is today.

Don’t die on the same day as John F. Kennedy.

There were some similarities between C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley. Both were well-known twentieth-century writers who had been educated at Oxford and had lived in England at some point. Lewis wrote “The Chronicles of Narnia,” a collection of seven classic children’s novels that is still widely read today. Several of them have been adapted into films, including “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” released in 2005. He also wrote several adult books on subjects ranging from science fiction to Christian apologetics to medieval literature.

Meanwhile, Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel “Brave New World” depicted a dystopian society in which technology and mind-altering drugs suppressed dissent and free will in a future London. He wrote more books, screenplays, and an essay collection called “The Doors of Perception.” Jim Morrison, the lead vocalist of the Doors' rock band, proposed the name to his bandmates after reading Aldous’ work.

Fun fact: Aldous Huxley taught George Orwell at Eton College

And here’s another thing Lewis and Huxley had in common: they both died on the same day, Nov. 22, 1963, of renal failure and cancer, respectively. That coincidence, combined with their literary accomplishments, could have garnered a lot of attention. However, because of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas, their deaths were not reported until days later.

Groucho Marx vs. Elvis

Groucho Marx, the renowned comedian from Hollywood’s Golden Age, suffered from poor timing in his last act on Earth.

Marx’s career was nowhere near where it once was when he died on August 19, 1977. Nonetheless, his legacy, particularly his distinct appearance, could not be denied.

Younger audiences may not be familiar with his films. However, they can still get the trademark Groucho disguise, which consists simply of glasses with a thick mustache and eyebrows, at almost any costume shop in the world. However, the world did not react when Groucho died because it was still reeling from the death of Elvis three days earlier.

Nowhere was this lack of focus more apparent than in Time magazine. Groucho Marx appeared on the cover of Time magazine twice while he was alive: once with his brothers in 1932 and again on his own in 1951. Nonetheless, his obituary was given only a few lines and pushed to the magazine's back. This prompted Woody Allen to complain in a letter to Time.

Groucho Marx, with his trademark mustache, brows, and comical walk, burst onto the Hollywood comedy scene with his siblings, The Marx Brothers, who made several movies and TV shows, the most well-known of which are “Duct Soup,” “A Night At The Opera,” and “Monkey Business.” Groucho achieved solo success with the game show “You Bet Your Life.”

Fun fact: Elvis won three Grammy awards during this lifetime, all for gospel music.

Unfortunately, years of comedic prowess could not compete with the King of Pop. If you ask most people what happened on 16 August 1977, the first and sometimes the only thing that comes to mind is Elvis Presley’s death. Although Groucho had retired from public life by the time he died, there is no doubt that if it hadn’t been for Elvis, Groucho Marx would have received far more acclaim and media coverage.

Princess Diana vs. Mother Teresa

In late 1997, Princess Diana and Mother Teresa died just a few days apart. Both were extremely well-known for their compassion and charitable work. Both were unafraid to be political when they chose to be, albeit in very different ways. Both were almost universally adored and admired by the general public, but only one’s death captured the world's attention.

On August 31, Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in Paris, and Mother Teresa died on September 5 after a brief illness.

Fun fact: 750 million people in 74 countries tuned in to watch the royal wedding of Charles and Diana.

As the tragic events surrounding Diana began to unfold, a country and the world came to a halt. Many mourned the loss of the People’s princess. Some still do, to this day.

Thus, when Mother Teresa, the Albanian-born missionary, took her last breath, many did not notice until months later. She simply could not compete with the media attention Diana received.