Few television shows achieved the cult classic level of TheX-Files. At one time, it was the longest running North American sci-fi TV show, and it still has legions of fans all over the world to this day. But what tiny trivia facts and behind-the-scenes tidbits might you have missed? Travel back in time with FBI agents Mulder and Scully, and find out about some cool X-Files trivia from one of the most popular '90s shows and most iconic television series of all time.
The truth is in here as we reveal what prompted producer Chris Carter to create the show, how the iconic theme song came together, which actors the network wanted out, and much more on this list of X-Files facts.
This award-winning scifi series is wildly popular, but there are plenty of things you might not know about the beloved show. So read on and get to know The X-Files even better!
For many of the scenes, in which Mulder and Scully stood face-to-face, Gillian Anderson would stand on a box (she called it the "Gilly Board" to compensate for the ten-inch height difference with co-star David Duchovny (Anderson is 5'2", while Duchovny is 6"0").
After creating the whistling effect, composer Mark Snow was still stuck on the melody of the theme song. After Chris Carter had walked out of the room, Snow put his hand and forearm on the keyboard in frustration. The keyboard had been accidentally set to an echo effect. but Carter liked the sound. Combined with the whistling effect, a theme song for the show was born.
When It First Aired, 'Entertainment Weekly' Predicted An Early Cancellation
Well, they missed this prediction by a lot. The X-Files would go on to be the longest-running North American sci-fi TV series before being surpassed by Stargate SG-1 in 2007. SG-1 was surpassed in 2011 by Smallville for the title.
Carter was unable to find suitable locations to film many of his scenes and decided to "go where the good forests are," moving the production to Vancouver, BC. The show often cast local Canadian actors in guest and secondary roles, often reusing them for different parts in multiple episodes.
The Whistling In The Theme Song Was Inspired By An '80s Album
You may recognize this song from another cult '90s TV show - Charmed. While the song served as the opening theme song for that show, composer Mark Snow used a Proteus 2 rack-mount synth with an effect called "Whistling Joe." After creating the echo effect by mistake, he still felt something wasn't right after several revisions.
