60 Easter Eggs from Every Modern Disney Movie
Tarzan Is Elsa And Anna's Little Brother
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According to Chris Buck, director of both Frozen and Tarzan, the Disney fan theory that Elsa and Anna's parents perished at sea, and you can see the remains of their ship in The Little Mermaid, isn't exactly correct. The influential Disney director said what actually happened was they didn't perish on a boat, but were eaten by a leopard. So that's dark, we know that now.
Oh and the newsworthy part is they got washed up on a shore in a jungle island and the queen gave birth to a baby boy, who we can all safely assume is Tarzan.
Here's the quote from the actual Reddit AMA: "According to Chris, they didn't die on the boat. They got washed up on a shore in a jungle island. The queen gave birth to a baby boy. They build a treehouse. They get eaten by a leopard."
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'Tarzan' Features Mrs. Potts And Chip From 'Beauty And The Beast'
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When the gorillas discover the human camp, Mrs. Potts, Chip and the rest of the Beauty and the Beast tea set appear for a quick cameo.- Photo:
In 'Wreck-It Ralph' The Fix-It Felix Jr. High Score Is Walt Disney's Birthday
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The high score on Fix-It Felix Jr. is 120501, a hidden reference to December 5, 1901, which Walt Disney's birthday.
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In 'Tangled', Rapunzel's Baby Mobile Foreshadows Pascal's Arrival
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A green chameleon, offering a strong resemblance to Pascal, appears on the baby mobile above Rapunzel's crib.
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San Fransokyo's Skyline In 'Big Hero 6' Features Footage From 'Wreck-It Ralph'
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Big Hero 6 contains a nod to Wreck-It Ralph, as footage plays on a San Fransokyo's skyline big screen.- Photo:
'The Lion King's' Pumbaa Is A Gargoyle In 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame'
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As Frollo chases Quasimodo and Esmerelda around the bell tower, The Lion King's Pumbaa makes a cameo as a Notre Dame gargoyle.- Photo:
Bolt's ID Tag Uses The Disney Animation Studios Address
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The address on Bolt's ID tag reads 2100 Riverside Drive, Hollywood. The tag has the actual address for the Walt Disney Animation Studios, also at 2100 West Riverside Drive in Burbank, located just a few minutes from Hollywood.
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Scar From 'The Lion King' Makes A Post-Mortem Appearance In 'Hercules'
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Upset that his heroic deeds haven't gotten him any closer to Olympus, Hercules tosses a lion skin at Philoctetes. The first of Hercules' 12 labours, the Nemean Lion's fur could not be pierced by mortal weapons. Herc used his strength to defeat the lion, wearing its protective pelt from that moment forward.
Scar, the villain from The Lion King (1994), makes a cameo as the Nemean Lion's pelt.
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'The Princess And The Frog' Features A King Triton Float
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Little Mermaid Ariel's father, King Triton, appears as a Mardi Gras float in The Princess and the Frog.
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Todayland Is A Nod To Disneyland's Tomorrowland In 'Meet The Robinsons'
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Todayland, featuring Space Mountain and the Rocket Jets, is inspired by Disneyland's Tomorrowland.- Photo:
Hercules's Training Is A Nod To 'The Karate Kid'
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Herc's training montage includes this scene, which is inspired by The Karate Kid (1984). Phil, Hercules and Pegasus mimic Daniel Larusso's crane kick training as the sun sets on the beach.- Photo:
Neuschwanstein Castle Appears In 'Tarzan'
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While learning about the human world, Tarzan is shown a slide of Castle Neuschwanstein in Germany. Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle in Anaheim, California is also based on Neuschwanstein Castle, which is located in Schwangau, Bavaria (Germany).
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'The Princess And The Frog' Features The 'Aladdin' Genie's Lamp
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While singing "Dig a Little Deeper," Mama Odie throws a few odd items out of an old trunk, including a Little Mermaid-inspired seashell caught in Juju's mouth. Also appearing for a split second is the genie's magic lamp from Aladdin.
The Little Mermaid and Aladdin-themed Eastereggs were inspired by The Princess and the Frog directors John Musker and Ron Clements (who also directed the aforementioned films.)
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A 'Mulan' Poster Appears In 'Lilo & Stitch'
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When Lilo shows off one of Stitch's hidden talents, Disney fans may recognize the Mulan movie poster on Nani's bedroom wall.- Photo:
Bus #2525 In 'Bolt' Is The Bus From 'Speed'
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As Bolt holds Mittens over the freeway, a transit bus numbered 2525 speeds past. The bus is inspired by the action movie Speed, which starred Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.- Photo:
The Spinning Wheel From 'Tangled' Appears In 'Sleeping Beauty'
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The three-legged spinning wheel behind a tangled-up Rapunzel is a nod to the Walt Disney Studios classic, Sleeping Beauty (1959).- Photo:
Mother Gothel From 'Tangled' Pays Homage To Queen Grimhilde From 'Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs'
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Tangled's Mother Gothel appears at Rapunzel's tower wearing a hooded black cloak and carrying a basket of red apples. She seems to be paying homage to Queen Grimhilde from Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (1938).- Photo:
'Wreck-It Ralph' Features The Iconic Konami Cheat Code
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The cheat code is the code that King Candy uses to enter the safe where the data codes for Sugar Rush are kept.- Photo:
'The Emperor's New Groove' Mudka's Meat Hut Is A Big Boy
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The Mudka's Meat Hut mascot is inspired by the iconic Bob's Big Boy character. One of the flagship Bob's Big Boy restaurants is located in Burbank, walking distance from Disney Studios.- Photo:
Directors And Animators Have Cameos In 'The Princess And The Frog'
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The Princess and the Frog's directors John Musker (center right) and Ron Clements (center left) appear on the Triton float during the Mardi Gras parade. Also tossing beads and trinkets to the crowd are animator Bruce W. Smith (far left) and possibly screenwriter Rob Edwards (far right).
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'Tangled' Repurposes 'Beauty And The Beast' Furniture
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The large wardrobe next to Rapunzel's bed resembles the one from Belle's castle bedroom in Beauty and the Beast. Though it's missing the two bottom drawers, Rapunzel's wardrobe shares a similar shape to the gold-accented white wardrobe from the Beast's castle.- Photo:
Glendal Canal In 'Planes' Is Specific To The City Of Glendale
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Skipper's lone mission at Glendal Canal is a reference to Glendale, CA, which is home to both the DisneyToon Studio headquarters and Walt Disney Imagineering.- Photo:
'Hercules' Features The Historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre
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Hercules and Pegasus leave their signatures and prints in concrete, a reference to Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California (Now known as the TCL Chinese Theatre.) Herc even signs his impression "To Sid."
This part is a nod to Sid Grauman, the man who opened the Hollywood landmark in 1927.
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Silverlake Rescue In 'Bolt' Is Named After The Silver Lake Neighborhood Of Los Angeles
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Bolt's Silverlake Rescue Shelter is named for Los Angeles' Silver Lake District, the original location for the Walt Disney Studio. Disney opened the historic studio in 1925 at 2719 Hyperion Avenue. The Hyperion site is considered the birthplace of Mickey Mouse (created in 1928). The first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was also produced at the Silver Lake studio.
With the commercial success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Walt built a larger studio in Burbank, and moved there permanently in 1939.
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Directors Kirk Wise And Gary Trousdale Have Cameos In 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame'
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame's directors, Gary Trousdale (in the bowl) and Kirk Wise (lobster), make a boiling cameo during the Feast of Fools.
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'Lilo & Stitch' Postcards Feature Cinderella's Castle In Orlando
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While enjoying some shaved ice, Lilo and Stitch scan the postcard rack. The Orlando postcard, to Stitch's right, features Cinderella's Castle from Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
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The City Of Burbank Is Given A Nod In 'Meet The Robinsons'
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The Burbank Air Field poster in the Robinson's garage is a nod to the Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Animation Building, which are both located in Burbank, California.- Photo:
The Water Tower In 'Bolt' Is Inspired By The One On The Disney Studios Lot
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The security gate, sound stages and six-legged water tower at Sovereign Studios are inspired by the actual Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank.- Photo:
'Tangled' Features Its Directors In Cameos
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Disney animators often use caricatures of friends and colleagues to style specific characters in movies and shows. Following in that tradition, Tangled directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard inspired two of the Snuggly Duckling Tavern thugs.
At the bottom right is Thug #1 resembling Nathan Greno. Holding on to Flynn's right arm is Thug #2 inspired by Byron Howard. In addition to their likenesses, Greno and Howard also provided the character voices.
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Dinosaur Shares Venezuelan Location With 'Up'
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Disney's Dinosaur features tepuis from Canaima National Park in Venezuela, the same rugged terrain visited by Carl & Russel in Pixar's Up.- Photo:
The Letters "BAN" Appear On A Tree In 'Pocahontas'
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Disney animators and artists have a history of hiding caricatures or messages in their animation. An unknown artist has hidden the letters BAN on a birch tree, visible behind Pocahontas as she sings "Steady as the Beating Drum."- Photo:
'Hercules' Mimics A '90s Air Jordan Advertisement
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The Air Herc campaign mimics Nike's popular Air Jordan campaign from the 1990s.
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The Pigeons In 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame' Are Inspired By The Flying Monkeys From 'The Wizard Of Oz'
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When Laverne sends Notre Dame's pigeons out to defend the cathedral, she screams, "Fly my pretties!" This was inspired by a famous scene in The Wizard of Oz (1939), when the Wicked Witch of the East sends her flying monkeys to attack Dorothy and her friends.
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Jack Skellington Has A Cameo In 'The Princess And The Frog'
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Jack Skellington (far left) from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) has a cameo as a voodoo shadow – one of Dr. Facilier's friends from the other side.- Photo:
Captain Nemo Appears In 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'
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As the Leviathan destroys the Ulysses submarine, Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea makes a quick underwater cameo.
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Little Brother From 'Mulan' Falls Out Of Professor Porter's Pocket In 'Tarzan'
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While socializing with the gorilla troop, Professor Porter has all the items fall out of his pockets, including Little Brother from Mulan (1998).- Photo:
Pascal's Dressmaking Skills In 'Tangled' Are A Nod To 'Cinderella'
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In a scene inspired by Cinderella, a cute little animal helps make a dress. In addition to Pascal's (Rapunzel's chameleon pal) animal assistance, a dress form stands in the background, another subtle nod to Cinderella. In Cinderella, friendly mice and birds famously sewed her pink gown by using an old dress form in her tower room.
Instead of sewing the gown himself, Pascal helps Rapunzel pass the time by getting fitted as her model.
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'Top Gun' Actors Anthony Edwards And Val Kilmer Do Voiceovers In 'Planes'
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Echo & Bravo, the Navy F-18 Super Hornets who escort Dusty to the U.S.S. Flysenhower, are voiced by actors Anthony Edwards and Val Kilmer. Edwards and Kilmer are also known for their roles as Goose and Iceman in the action hit Top Gun (1986).
Echo's red helmet and Bravo's silver helmet are identical to those worn by Goose (Edwards) and Iceman (Kilmer) in Top Gun.
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Directors Kirk Wise And Gary Trousdale Have Cameos In 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'
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Atlantis: The Lost Empire directors Kirk Wise (left) and Gary Trousdale (right) make cameos as helmsmen steering the Ulysses submarine.- Photo:
'Winnie The Pooh' Features Piglet As Indiana Jones
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While carefully switching his teacup for a pinecone, Piglet steals a scene from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).- Photo:
'Jungle Book' And 'Toy Story 2' Are Advertised In 'Meet The Robinsons'
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As Lewis wakes Goob in time to make the game-winning catch, a pair of banners on the outfield fence show Disney Easter eggs. To the far left, Baloo & Mowgli appear on a Jungle Book (1967) movie banner.
Just to Goob's left is a Toy Story 2 (1999) poster, featuring Sheriff Woody, Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl and Bullseye.
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Bolt's Carrot Chew Toy Is Inspired By 'Funday Pawpet'
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Bolt's carrot chew toy is inspired by Carrot, a character from the Funday Pawpet Show, an internet puppet show featuring adult comedy.
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Louis Imitates Madame Mim In 'The Princess And The Frog'
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Louis the Alligator pokes his snout through some Spanish moss, recreating a scene inspired by The Sword in the Stone's marvelous Madame Mim.- Photo:
Demi Moore References 'Striptease' In 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame'
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Esmerelda's (Demi Moore) sultry stage entrance at the Feast of Fools is inspired by another Demi Moore movie, Striptease (1996).- Photo:
In 'Winnie The Pooh', Christopher Robin's Books Feature Titles From Classic Disney Movies
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Several of the books in Christopher Robin's room are titles that have been animated by Disney Studios, including The Wind in the Willows (1949) and Johnny Appleseed (1948).- Photo:
'Wreck-It Ralph' Features An 8-Bit Steamboat Willie
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Paying homage to Wreck-It Ralph's 1980's arcade roots, Walt Disney Animation studios created a special 8-bit version of its Steamboat Willie pre-feature bumper.
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Bolt Appears In 'Wreck-It Ralph'
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Looking for emotional support to deal with his role as a video game villain, Wreck-It Ralph attends Bad Guys Anonymous meetings. On the wall behind Ralph is a bulletin board, which has a flyer posted for a lost dog named Bolt.- Photo:
'Pocahontas' Features Director Eric Goldberg
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The first English crewman to sign in seems to be a caricature of Pocahontas director Eric Goldberg.
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A Warthog Inspired By 'The Lion King's' Pumbaa Has A Cameo In 'Tangled'
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A tusked warhog joins in the singing and dancing at the Snuggly Duckling. The young warthog's appearance in Tangled was inspired by The Lion King's Pumbaa.- Photo:
'Meet The Robinsons' Time Zones Line Up With Their Animation Locations
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The clocks in the Inventco lobby denote the times in Tokyo and Burbank, which are also locations for Tokyo Disneyland and the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank, California).- Photo:
Planes Features the Neuschwanstein Castle
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As Dusty tries to help a blinded Bulldog, the two planes fly by Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle, the real-life inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle in Anaheim.- Photo:
Mulan Wok Restaurant in Lilo and Stitch
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After leaving the animal shelter, Lilo, Stitch & Nani pass a Chinese restaurant called the Mulan Wok, which is a reference to the 1998 animated feature, Mulan.- Photo:
Wreck-It Ralph Features the Metal Gear Solid Exclamation Point
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Wreck-It Ralph includes a surprising Metal Gear Solid exclamation point in the lost & found at Tapper's.- Photo:
Home on the Range Morse the Telegraph Operator is Named After Morse Code Inventor Samuel F. B. Morse
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Chugwater's telegraph operator is named Morse, after Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the single wire telegraph and Morse code.- Photo:
Hercules Bumps His Head on the Mast of the Argo from Jason and the Argonauts
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When Hercules first enters Philoctetes' home, he bumps his head on the mast of the fabled Argo, the magical ship that took Jason and the Argonauts on a quest to find the Golden Fleece. Years after completing his quest, an older Jason slept aboard his beloved Argo, which had fallen into disrepair. After losing favor with the gods, Jason was killed when the ship's mast fell and hit his head.
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Mulan Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook Appear as Firework Technicians
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Mulan's directors, Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, make cameos as the firework technicians in the emperor's palace.- Photo:
Directors John Musker and Ron Clements Have Cameos in Treasure Planet
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Directors John Musker and Ron Clements have made several cameos in Disney animated features. Musker and Clements appear as a robot and alien (respectively) giving Jim directions around the spaceport in Disney's Treasure Planet (2002).- Photo:
The Country Bear Jamboree's Melvin the Moose Has a Cameo in Winnie the Pooh
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The trophy attached to Eeyore is inspired by The Country Bear Jamboree's Melvin the Moose. The Moose is an animatronic head currently hanging in a secret location inside the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride in Disneyland's Critter Country.- Photo:
Joyce Williams Elementary School Is Named After the Author in Meet the Robinsons
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Joyce Williams Elementary School is named for author William Joyce, who wrote the book A Day With Wilbur Robinson (1990).- Photo:
Treasure Planet Pays Tribute to Star Trek's Dr. Leonard McCoy
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While discussing the space trip, Delbert exclaims, "Dammit Jim, I'm an astronomer, not a doctor! Well, I am a doctor, but not that kind of doctor - I have a doctorate, it's not the same thing!" Star Trek fans may recognize the homage to the USS Enterprise's Dr. Leonard McCoy, who usually started his rants to Captain Kirk with "Dammit Jim!"- Photo: