In 1974, Stephen King checked in as the only guest…

In 1974, Stephen King checked in as the only guest in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO before it shut down for the winter. He dreamed that night of his three-year old son being chased through the long, empty corridors. He woke up and had the inspiration for The Shining. They play the movie the Shining on one of the channels 24/7 in the hotel now.

In the iconic door-smashing scene in The …

theshiningIn the iconic door-smashing scene in The Shining, Kubrick originally had a prop door in place. Jack Nicholson, who had worked as a volunteer fire marshal, got through it too quickly, so it was replaced with a real door. Nicholson was Kubrick’s first choice for the role of Jack Torrance; other actors considered were Robert De Niro (who claims the film gave him nightmares for a month), Robin Williams and Harrison Ford, all of whom met with Stephen King’s disapproval.