DID YOU KNOW …? Whose is the most reproduced portrait in U.S. history?

By JACK BAGLEY
didyouknowcolumn@gmail.com
Now that we are in the last month of the year, and getting ready for Christmas, Hanukkah, and all the other great holidays, I thought it appropriate that I remind you of something.
Winter is coming. (Did you ever see three little words that can sound like a good thing and a bad thing all at the same time?)
Yes, time to prepare for the cold, the snow (depending on where you are), and all that other stuff. Get your snow suits, toboggans and sleigh bells ready!
While you do, enjoy another round of silly trivia, which I dredge up just for you.
Did you know …
… Father’s Day did not become a nationwide observance in the United States until 1972? It took 58 years for Father’s Day to gain the same prominence as Mother’s Day, which was recognized in 1914. (Why doesn’t that surprise me?)
… a prisoner of war camp during the Civil War let civilians look at inmates? The Elmira Prison Camp in New York had two observation towers constructed specifically for onlookers. Citizens could pay 15 cents to climb the towers and look at the Confederate prisoners being held. The prison even had concession stands near the towers that sold cakes, peanuts, and lemonade – while the prisoners inside were on near-starvation rations. The site is currently occupied by the Elmira Correctional Facility, a maximum-security state prison. (And no, you can’t buy tickets or concessions and look at the inmates today. The war’s over. Move along.)
… asking for your own credit report does not hurt your credit score? It’s only when inquiries come from those from whom you’ve applied for credit that your score takes a hit. (It never hurts to ask, you know.)
… a species of salamander exists that has a unique way of controlling its population? If the tiger salamander senses that the population in their little society is getting too big, they develop offspring which have specially adapted heads. This allows them to eat their own species until population levels fall back to normal. (I have a line here, but it would close the show.)
… the most-reproduced portrait in U.S. history probably isn’t of whom you might think? You might think, as I did, that the portrait of George Washington (1732-1799) on the one-dollar bill is the most reproduced portrait in American history. The portrait, by artist Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), has adorned the buck since 1869 and continues to do so today. But if you thought that, you’d be mistaken. The most reproduced portrait in U.S. history is that of DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828), the New York governor who was responsible for the building of the Erie Canal. True, Clinton’s portrait hasn’t appeared on much currency, but it could be found on the tax stamps used on packages of cigarettes. His mug appeared on every cigarette tax stamp issued by the government from 1883 to 1959, numbering in the billions – if not trillions – of stamps. (Thanks to David for the tip!)
… a famous American writer was very, very fond of cats? Mark Twain (born Samuel Clemens, 1835-1910) loved cats so much that if he traveled, he would rent cats to keep him company. His love of felines went back to his childhood, when he lived in a house that had nineteen of them. According to Mental Floss, Twain once said, “If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.” (Twain also gave sage political advice: “Politicians are a lot like diapers. They should be changed frequently, and for the same reason.” I can’t improve on that.)
… Braille was invented by a pre-teenager? When he was twelve years old, Louis Braille (1809-1852), who had been blinded at the age of three, used a military system of silent communication to develop the touch-reading system used since. (Thanks to Mason for the tip!)
… two actors who turned down Academy Award™-winning roles ended up winning awards anyway, for roles the other refused? In 1967, actor George C. Scott (1927-1999) was under consideration for the lead role in the movie In the Heat of the Night, a crime drama set in Mississippi. He wasn’t interested, and the role went to Rod Steiger (1925-2002). Steiger went on to win an Oscar as Best Actor. Then, in 1970, the producers of Patton considered offering the lead role to Steiger, who refused. The part went to Scott, who earned a Best Actor Oscar. Scott declined the award, however, as he felt that actors’ performances should not be compared to each other. (Funny how things work out.)
… the first “Bond Girl” appeared in the first James Bond movie? Actress Eunice Gayson (1928-2018) played Sylvia Trench, girl friend of super spy 007, in 1962’s Dr. No. (She was the first in a long, long line of lovelies.)
… a world leader is a martial arts expert? Vladimir Putin (born 1952), long-time president of Russia, holds a black belt in judo. (You challenge him.  I’m not gonna do it.)
… the first athletic team mascot appeared in 1889? Yale University offered a bulldog named Handsome Dan in that year. (Knowing what bulldogs look like, I guess the name was something of a joke.)
… a fire engine and a fire truck are not the same thing? Seriously. Fire engines transport huge quantities of water to fight fires, while a fire truck carries ladders and other support equipment. (Details are important.)
… a popular author had a peculiar way of doing her writing? Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) wrote her numerous novels standing up. (Hey, whatever works for you.)
… one in four British veterinarians say they have treated drunk dogs? (Make of that what you will.)
Now … you know!
Copyright © 2025 Jack Bagley