Everything is Connected 2: 18 October 2012

[Another hidden connect-the-dots trail laid out by Brent Chittenden. -AC]

Welcome to our second installment of Everything is Connected. It’s like falling down a small Wikihole but we’ve done all of the double clicking for you.

This week we take a look at the connection between heavy metal gods, Metallica and their connection to Hollywood legend, Frank Capra.

Metallica’s current bassist is Robert Trujillo and early on in Robert’s life, he was an actor. In 1978, Robert had a very small part in the film House Calls (he’s credited as “Mexican Boy”) which starred Walter Matthau who was probably best known for The Odd Couple, The Bad News Bears and the Grumpy Old Men films.

During World War Two, Matthau was enlisted in the US Air Force, specifically as a radioman/gunner (eventually reaching the rank of staff sergeant) in 453^rd Bombardment Group. Another Hollywood legend also served in the same division, actor Jimmy Stewart. Stewart’s first film in five years after the war was the classic It’s A Wonderful Life which was the third collaboration between Stewart and director Frank Capra.

So there you have it folks:

Metallica→ Robert Trujillo→Walter Matthau→453^rd Bombardment Group→Jimmy Stewart→Frank Capra

If you have a great set of connections for us, please let us know. Drop us an email or a Facebook message or leave a note below and we’ll be sure to take a look at it.

For instance, reader TJ chimed in last week with this gem:

Kurt Cobain was married to Courtney Love. Love, and her band Hole, have toured with Marilyn Manson. Manson has had a long time on-again-off-again friendship and collaborative partnership with one time lable mate, Trent Reznor. Aside from his day job of Nine Inch Nails, Reznor has been scoring films as of late including 2010’s The Social Network who’s cast included singer-turned-actor-turned-my-God-this-guy-is-everywhere Justin Timberlake. Justin, of course got his start in entertainment on the Mickey Mouse Club. Among a few other well known pop-stars, this cast included a young Britney Spears. I know that could have gone either way at the end, but I figured Cobain to Spears was the oddest of the possible connections.

Cobain→ Love→Manson→Reznor→Timberlake→Spears.

I’m so sorry.