And now for something completely different. Popular culture is riddled with examples of big companies using the identities of famous people in order to squeeze more money out of them (even when theyre dead, most chillingly), but how about when individuals give it a go? Such is the case with Alan Conway, who spent the better part of a decade pretending to be Stanley Kubrick. The genius director of - amongst other things - 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut had moved to England early on in his career, but was a recluse who had been absent from the public eye for a good 15 years before Conway started his long con. His thinking was that nobody would remember what he looked like, opting for a clean shaven look as a misdirect since Kubrick had worn a beard during the sixties. Conway actually managed to pull the scam off for a while, convincing members of the entertainment industry that he was Kubrick to get free meals, drinks and the like. Dream big, eh? Kubrick's lawyer was notified of the scam and Conway swiftly reprimanded, with his story later being turned into the film Colour Me Kubrick starring John Malkovich.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
