From Salem, MA, to Culver City, CA
As usual, President Frank Underwood got his way: He connived his way into the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. But being fictional, the House of Cards character will be chagrinned to learn that he hangs in a hallway of celebrities and not upstairs in the gallery of real presidents’ portraits.
Fans of our scavenger hunts have been discovering such statues and portraits since 1999. The Frank Underwood painting made a came on our hunts at the American Art Museum in Washington, DC. Here’s a roundup of some of the other depictions of actors as fictional characters you can encounter on our team-building scavenger hunts.
Bewitched in Salem
You probably expect to find a witch on our Haunted Salem Scavenger Hunt, and thanks to the cable network TV Land, you always will. Fortunately, she’s friendly: Samantha of Bewitched, as played by Elizabeth Montgomery, perches on her broom in the heart of town, at the intersection of Essex St. and Washington St. She’s made of bronze, so don’t expect her trademark nose wiggle.
Say Ayyy! to the Fonz
TV Land planted a variety of statues of classic sitcom icons around the country. On our Downtown Milwaukee Dash Scavenger Hunt, when you stroll the scenic RiverWalk, you’ll run into Henry Winkler as the Fonz, from Happy Days of course.
Over the Rainbow
Elsewhere in Chicago, Dorothy might be thinking, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” And she’s right: She’s part of our Lincoln Park scavenger hunts, where if she can’t find the wizard, she can at least find a great snack. Help is not far away: Statues of the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion also stand in Oz Park, celebrating onetime Lincoln Park local L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz books.
What’s Up, Doc?
In Chicago, Dr. Hartley will see you now: The shrink played by Bob Newhart usually practices in Gateway Park, featured on our Navy Pier scavenger hunts. The sculpture includes a large, empty couch where you can lie down and tell Bob your problems. Or you might wake up and discover the past eight years were all a dream.
A Rocky Reception
You’ll raise your arms in triumph when you find the statue of Rocky on our Citywide Philadelphia Scavenger Hunt. The sculpture used to stand atop the 72 steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Sylvester Stallone commissioned it for the filming of Rocky III (1982), and it stood where Rocky stood in the first movie. City officials and art purists groused that it didn’t deserve an honored place outside the museum (they were right), and the statue was relegated to the Spectrum arena before returning to a grassy area near the base of the PMA stairs in 2006. The two-ton statue ain’t gonna fly now.
Lucy and Ricky and Nightmare Lucy
In Los Angeles, the new Culver City Chase Scavenger Hunt features a fun mural of Lucy and Ricky on the road, near the former location of their DesiLu Studios. We think it’s referring to an episode in which they are driving and singing their way to California. In the mural, the Riccardos take along a conga drum instead of Fred and Ethel. Can you blame them?
The mural is far more flattering than the sculpture of Lucille Ball that went up in her hometown. “Scary Lucy” was deemed so ugly that a Facebook campaign arose to get rid of it—and it succeeded! The new statue is set to be unveiled in August.
Find More Fun, With or Without the Celebs
Learn about our public scavenger hunts in six cities across the country. To ask us about arranging a private scavenger hunt hunt for your group, contact us online or call us at 877-946-4868, extension 111.