Discover the Wild Side: Top 5 Incredible Fun Facts About Pancho Villa You Never Knew!

1. Hollywood War Contract

Lights, camera, action... or just revolution? Pancho Villa, ever the aspiring showman, was once thought to have a literal Hollywood contract dictating how he'd wage his wars: But hold that clapboard, because in reality, Villa only signed a contract with Mutual Film Company in 1914, giving them exclusive filming rights to his battle scenes in exchange for 20% of the film's profits – no flashy special effects or dramatic reenactments stipulated.
Source => smithsonianmag.com

2. Pancho Villa, Movie Star

Lights, camera, Pancho Villa! In a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster, this Mexican revolutionary leader took a break from the battlefield to conquer the silver screen: Villa played none other than himself in the 1914 film, "The Life of General Villa," but being a stickler for details, he demanded changes to portray himself as a more heroic figure, catapulting his reputation from real-life rebel to swashbuckling icon, both on and off-screen.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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3. Close Enemies and Executions

They say, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," but for Pancho Villa, those lines were more blurred than a chalk outline in a rainstorm: The Mexican revolutionary leader, known for his charm and ability to bring together different factions, found himself on the wrong side of General Victoriano Huerta's good graces, narrowly avoiding execution thanks to the interference of President Madero's brothers.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. The Mexican Robin Hood

Move over Robin Hood, there's a new redistributor in town: Pancho Villa was a Mexican military leader who championed social reform, shaking up the Chihuahua elite with policies like land redistribution, fair wages, and public works programs, altering the course of Mexico's history without solely relying on his dashing good looks.
Source => go.gale.com

5. The Mysterious Stolen Skull

You know what they say about "skull-ing" a drink, but what about an actual revolutionary skull? Rumor has it that Yale's secret Skull and Bones society knows a thing or two about that: Pancho Villa, the famous Mexican revolutionary, had his head stolen from his grave in 1926. Despite this bizarre twist, Villa's body was definitely buried in the municipal cemetery in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico; however, the identity of the head thief and its current location remain a mystery.
Source => theyucatantimes.com