April Fool's Day, 1939

Largest Fish Ever Caught (1939) The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that Norwegian scientist Dr. Thorkel Gellison (an authority on prevaricana) caught the largest fish ever recorded while on holiday in Hawaii. He took the fish, which was of the species Gellisoni Fabricata, "with ordinary Mason & Dixon line, with a leader of Associated Press wire."

The gigantic fish was later exhibited to cheering thousands in a parade through downtown Honolulu, while Dr. Gellison sat atop the fish, waving to his admirers.

British Royalty To Visit Gastonia (1939) North Carolina's Gastonia Daily Gazette reported that King George VI and Queen Elizabeth had, in a surprise move, announced they would visit Gastonia during their forthcoming tour of the United States. The decision was motivated by the King's "desire to view at first hand some industrial sections of America."

However, the paper warned that some special accommodations would need to be made for the visiting royalty: "Since British custom decrees that English royalty must be officially greeted in full regalia of their native country, it will be necessary for Gastonians officially representing the city to wear the customary formal garb of the English court, and orders have already been placed with a leading New York costumer for knee breeches, silk stockings and English wigs which members of the Gastonia city council will wear on this occasion."

Zoo Lions Terrorize San Antonio (1939) The San Antonio Light reported that San Antonians were barricading themselves indoors after 13 lions escaped from the zoo and were "spreading terror" throughout the city. The paper's "intrepid photographer" supplied a picture of the beasts prowling loose outside of the downtown Municipal Auditorium.

The Light later reported that its switchboard operator "got over 200 calls on the lions in front of the auditorium picture alone asking whether the felines had been captured. One man wouldn't believe it was a joke, saying, 'You can't fool me. I saw the lions in the picture and pictures are one thing that don't lie.'"

I April Fooled Him Twice (1939) April Fool ad for Ten High Straight Bourbon Whiskey [Life - Mar 27, 1939]:

"You should have seen his face! 'Gosh, Joe,' he says, 'I sure fell for that one.' He takes it like a man though; so I buy him a drink. 'I want to Double My Enjoyment of this,' I tell the bartender, slipping him a wink. He's wise, and sets us up a couple of drinks of that swell whiskey with No Rough Edges..."

No Bottle Baby (1939) "CAMERA DECEIVES THE EYE... Don't be misled, folks, Miss Marjorie Tanner, Weber college beauty, is no bottle baby— she merely obliged the staff photographer by climbing into the bottle so that he could hand the editor an April Fool photograph." [The Ogden Standard-Examiner - Apr 1, 1939]

The Smart Boy (1939) "The smart boy who stepped on the string before picking up the wallet."