History Trivia / TheParentTrap

* {{Blooper}}: When Susan puts her hands on her head during the last verse of "Let's Get Together," her left arm disappears as it crosses Sharon's side of the screen.
* ButIPlayOneOnTV: This movie has convinced a fair number of people, mainly children, that Hayley Mills actually has a twin. Understandable for the 1961 version, since the DoubleVision technique was new at the time.
* TheDanza: Sort of. Hayley Mills's double was Susan Henning, same name as one of the girls.
* FakeAmerican: Hayley Mills as both girls; one Bostonian, one Californian.
* GeniusBonus: "Alexander Graham" in Sharon's telegram refers to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Surprisingly, only the grandfather seems to get the meaning behind it.
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: In 2005, Disney released the first two movies on DVD[[note]]This marked the second go-round for ''The Parent Trap'', which first came to DVD in 2002[[/note]], but not the last two.
* PlayingAgainstType: Brian Keith, before his move to more family comedy media, was known for his tough guy roles in Westerns, and this film plays with that. He was incredibly nervous about the film, because he'd never done comedy before.
* PlayingTheirOwnTwin: Hayley Mills plays both twins.
** Averted in one of the made-for-TV sequels. ''The Parent Trap III'' starred real life identical triplets as the (eventual) stepdaughters of one of the Hayley Mills twins.
* RecursiveAdaptation: The Hayley Mills version had a {{Novelization}} of the Disney film version of the original novel, including a section of photos from the movie in the center of the book.
* SequelGap: The original was released in 1961. The second movie came along in 1986. The third and fourth movies both came out in 1989.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The technique used to make it look like both girls were on screen at once was new in TheSixties, so Disney was skeptical, and wanted two different girls in the lead, until he saw how well it worked. What's more is that there were to be only a few shots where both girls were on-screen together - utilizing body doubles and trick photography. However when Disney saw how good the DoubleVision looked, more shots using the effect were put in.
** The director wanted to cut the part where the cake falls on Miss Inch, but Disney insisted he leave it in.
** Among the working titles considered for the film were ''His & Hers'', ''Susan & I'', ''We Belong Together'', ''For Now, For Always'', and ''Petticoats & Blue Jeans''. They also held a contest to see if someone could come up with a better name - but it was Disney himself who came up with ''The Parent Trap''.

!!Both movies
* ButIPlayOneOnTV: These movies have convinced a fair number of people, mainly children, that Hayley Mills and/or Lindsay Lohan actually has a twin. Understandable for the 1961 version, since the DoubleVision technique was new at the time.
* DyeingForYourArt: Lindsay Lohan got her ears pierced for the role. But averted for Annie's haircut, as she just wore extensions for the pre-haircut scenes. In the original it was the other way around - where Hayley Mills' short hair was a wig.
* PlayingAgainstType:
** Creator/NatashaRichardson at the time was known mainly for playing IceQueen characters. This ends up being the role a good amount of people would associate her with.
** Brian Keith, before his move to more family comedy media, was known for his tough guy roles in Westerns, and this film plays with that. He was incredibly nervous about the film, because he'd never done comedy before.
* PlayingTheirOwnTwin: All versions have the twins played by one actress. Of these movies, the only one that doesn't use DoubleVision is ''Hibari's Lullaby'' (which avoids any shot in which the girls are both visible).
** Averted in one of the made-for-TV sequels. ''The Parent Trap III'' starred real life identical triplets as the (eventual) stepdaughters of one of the Hayley Mills twins.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The technique used to make it look like both girls were on screen at once was new in TheSixties, so Disney was skeptical, and wanted two different girls in the lead, until he saw how well it worked. What's more is that there were to be only a few shots where both girls were on-screen together - utilizing body doubles and trick photography. However when Disney saw how good the DoubleVision looked, more shots using the effect were put in.
** The director wanted to cut the part where the cake falls on Miss Inch, but Disney insisted he leave it in.
** Creator/MaraWilson auditioned to play both girls in the remake but was deemed too young for the role. Scarlett Johansson also auditioned, but she did not get the part. Another actress in consideration was Michelle Trachtenberg - and she even has the same birthday as both girls in the movie (October 11).
** Among the working titles considered for the first film were ''His & Hers, Susan & I, We Belong Together, For Now, For Always,'' and ''Petticoats & Blue Jeans''. They also held a contest to see if someone could come up with a better name - but it was Disney himself who came up with ''The Parent Trap''.

!!1961

!!1998:
* {{Blooper}}: When the twins introduce themselves to Meredith and she screams while looking back and forth at them, Meredith's actress briefly looks above one of the twins' head instead of at her face, giving away that she looked at only air.
* CreatorCameo: The man marrying the parents in the opening is played by the DOP Dean Cundey.
* DawsonCasting: The opening of the film (see below) helps gauge Nick's age as 35 or 36. Dennis Quaid was 44, a full ten years older than Natasha Richardson.
* {{Defictionalization}}: Hallie's plush rabbit, Cuppy, inspired an actual Disney Store-exclusive plush.
* DeletedScene: A rather lengthy one after Hallie arrives in London, bordering on BigLippedAlligatorMoment. She and Martin pass by Buckingham Palace and Hallie insists on being allowed to go and see it. Predictably she tries to make the guard laugh - and then meets ''the Queen''. Although Nancy Meyers went to a lot of work to get the scene shot, it was cut for pacing problems.
* FakeBrit: Linsday Lohan as the English twin Annie. Hallie is an in-universe example as she tries to impersonate Annie.
* FreezeFrameBonus: In the opening of the movie, you can see from the marriage licence that the parents were married on the 8th January 1986. Nick's occupation is listed as 'Viticulturist', while Elizabeth's is 'Artist'. It also tells us the ages of the parents - Nick is 24 and Elizabeth 23.
* MissingTrailerScene: The trailer shows cut footage of the twins wishing on a star from two different countries.
* RealLifeRelative:
** In the remake, the boy who shows up at the all-girls' camp is Lindsay Lohan's brother Michael. Additionally her mother and the rest of her siblings are background extras in the scene where Hallie meets Martin at the airport.
** Nancy Meyers's own twin daughters (after whom the girls in the movie are named) also cameo in the remake. Hallie is the girl at the camp asking where the Navajo bunk is (and her character is called ''Lindsay''). Annie is the girl who brings the parents a first aid kit after Nick has fallen into the pool.
* RealitySubtext: Elizabeth lives on Pembroke Lane. Natasha Richardson's father had once lived on that street.
* RemakeCameo: Joanna Barnes, who plays the evil girlfriend in the original movie, plays said girlfriend's mother in the remake. Both times the character is called Vicky.
* RomanceOnTheSet: Simon Kunz (Martin, the Jameses' butler) and Lisa Ann Walter (Chessy, the Parkers' housekeeper) started dating in real life after this film.
* ShoutOut: [[https://pagesix.com/2018/07/20/parent-trap-star-elaine-hendrix-doesnt-mind-being-a-meme/ According to an interview with Elaine Hendrix]], she wore a bracelet with a dangling charm in this movie as a nod to her character in the original, who wore the same sort of bauble.
* StarMakingRole: For Lindsay Lohan, though she starred in two TV movies before following it up with her next hit ''Film/FreakyFriday2003''.
* {{Tuckerization}}:
** The twins in this are named after Nancy Meyers's daughters - who both cameo in the film (see above).
** Marvas Sr and Jr are given the last name Kulp after Nancy Kulp - who played one of the counselors in the first film.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The movie gets dated to the 1990s in a couple of small ways. Hallie has a poster of Leonardo di Caprio at a time when he was best known as a teen heartthrob from ''{{Film/Titanic 1997}}''. Hallie also mentions the Concorde - a high speed jet travel that had its heyday in the 90s. Doing the math from the opening (which takes place in 1986) dates the movie to its release date of 1998.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** An early draft of the script gave the twins an unusual connection - a sort of electric shock that occurred when the twins touched each other. Disturbingly, the first time this was to happen would have been when the two 11-year-olds were showering, and one of them dropped the soap.
** Another planned scene was for the ear-piercing to go longer - where Hallie would faint, Annie would slap her awake and say she's not going around with just one pierced ear, and Hallie would faint trying to pierce the second ear too.
** Another scene had Elizabeth going into more detail about how she and Nick broke up - "I tried living in California, he tried living in London..." while she and Hallie are walking through London.
** The film ended with a gag where the sisters would bicker about where everyone is going to live now - cutting to an outside shot of Chessie and Martin kissing and Sammy the dog barking at a poodle next door.

** Among the titles considered for the first film were ''His & Hers, Susan & I, We Belong Together, For Now, For Always,'' and ''Petticoats & Blue Jeans''. They also held a contest to see if someone could come up with a better name - but it was Disney himself who came up with ''The Parent Trap''.

** Creator/MaraWilson auditioned to play both girls in the remake but was deemed too young for the role. Scarlet Johansson also auditioned, but she did not get the part. Another actress in consideration was Michelle Trachtenberg - and she even has the same birthday as both girls in the movie (October 11).

* DyeingForYourArt: Lindsay Lohan got her ears pierced for the role. But averted for Annie's haircut, as she just wore extensions for the pre-haircut scenes. In the original it was the other way around - where Hayley Mills's short hair was a wig.

** Creator/NatashaRichardson at the time was known mainly for playing IceQueen characters. This ended up being the role a good amount of people would associate her with.

** Creator/MaraWilson auditioned to play both girls in the remake but was deemed too young for the dual role. Scarlet Johansson also auditioned, but she did not play. Another actress in consideration was Michelle Trachtenberg - and she even has the same birthday as both girls in the movie (October 11).

** The technique used to make it look like both girls were on screen at once was new in TheSixties, so Walt Disney was skeptical, and wanted two different girls in the lead, until he saw how well it worked. What's more is that there were to be only a few shots where both girls were on-screen together - utilising body doubles and trick photography. However when Walt saw how good the DoubleVision looked, more shots using the effect were put in.
** The director wanted to cut the part where the cake falls on Miss Inch, but Walt Disney insisted he leave it in.
** Creator/MaraWilson auditioned to play both girls in the remake but was deemed too young for the role. Scarlet Johansson also auditioned. Another actress in consideration was Michelle Trachtenberg - and she even has the same birthday as the girls in the movie (October 11th).
** Among the titles considered for the first film were ''His & Hers, Susan & I, We Belong Together, For Now, For Always,'' and ''Petticoats & Blue Jeans''. They also held a contest to see if someone could come up with a better name - but it was Walt Disney himself who came up with ''The Parent Trap''.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The movie gets dated to the 1990s in a couple of small ways. Hallie has a poster of Leonardo di Caprio at a time when he was best known as a teen heartthrob from ''{{Film/Titanic 1997}}''. Hallie also mentions the Concorde - a high speed jet travel that had its heyday in the 90s. Doing the math from the opening (which takes place in 1986) dates the movie to its release date of 1997.

** Nancy Meyers's own twin daughters (after whom the girls in the movie are named) also cameo in the remake. Hallie is the girl at the camp asking where the Navajo bunk is (and her character is called ''Lindsay'' as a further CastingGag). Annie is the girl who brings the parents a first aid kit after Nick has fallen into the pool.

** The technique used to film both girls at once was new in TheSixties, so Walt Disney was skeptical, and wanted two separate girls in the lead, until he saw how well it worked. What's more is that there were to be only a few shots where both girls were on-screen together - utilising body doubles and trick photography. However when Walt saw how good the DoubleVision looked, more shots using the effect were put in.

** The technique used to film both girls at once was new in TheSixties, so Walt Disney was skeptical, and wanted two separate girls in the lead, until he saw how well it worked. What's more is that there were to be only a few shots where both girls were on-screen together - utilising body doubles and trick photography. However when Walt saw how well the DoubleVision looked, more shots using the effect were put in.

* {{Blooper}}: When the twins introduce themselves to Meredith and she screams while looking back and forth at them, Meredith's actress briefly looks above one of the twins' head instead of her face, giving away that she looked at only air.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Elaine Hendrix is the complete opposite of Meredith Blake and her many other roles; Hendrix is sweet, friendly, and child-loving. She's even best friends in real life with Lisa Ann Walter, who played Chessy.

!!1998

* DyeingForYourArt: Lindsay Lohan had her ears pierced for the role. Averted with Annie's haircut though, as she just wore extensions whenever there was a scene that required Annie's long hair. It was the other way round in the original, where the long hair was the real one and the short hair was the wig.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An early draft of the script gave the twins an unusual connection - a sort of electric shock that occurred when the twins touched each other. Disturbingly, the first time this was to happen would have been when the two 11-year-olds were showering, and one of them dropped the soap.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Elaine Hendrix is the complete opposite of Meredith Blake and her many other roles; Hendrix is sweet, friendly, and child-loving. She's even [[https://pagesix.com/2018/07/20/parent-trap-star-elaine-hendrix-doesnt-mind-being-a-meme/ best friends in real life]] with Lisa Ann Walter, who played Chessy.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Simon Kunz (Martin the James' butler) and Lisa Ann Walter (Chessy, the Parkers' housekeeper) started dating in real life after this film.

** Brian Keith, before his move to more family comedy media, was known for his tough guy roles in Westerns. Something that this film plays with. He was incredibly nervous about the film, because he'd never done comedy before.

** Among the titles considered for the first film were 'His & Hers', 'Susan & I', 'We Belong Together', 'For Now, For Always' and 'Petticoats & Blue Jeans'. They also held a contest to see if someone could come up with a better name - but it was Walt Disney himself who came up with 'The Parent Trap'.

* {{Blooper}}: When Susan puts her hands on her head during the last verse of "Let's Get Together", her left arm disappears as it crosses Sharon's side of the screen.

* GeniusBonus: "Alexander Graham" in Sharon's telegram refers to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Surpsisingly, only the grandfather seems to get the meaning behind it.

* RecursiveAdaptation: The Hayley Mills Version had a {{Novelization}} of the Disney film version of the original novel, including a section of photos from the movie in the center of the book.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Elaine Hendrix is the complete opposite of Meredith Blake and her many other roles; Hendrix is sweet, friendly, and child loving.

** In the remake, the boy who shows up at the all-girls' camp is Linsday Lohan's brother Michael. Additionally her mother and the rest of her siblings are background extras in the scene where Hallie meets Martin at the airport.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Simon Kunz (Martin the James' butler) and Lisa Ann Walter (Chessy, the Parker's housekeeper) started dating in real life after this film.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The movie gets dated to the 90s in a couple of small ways. Hallie has a poster of Leonardo Di Caprio at a time when he was best known as a teen heartthrob from ''{{Film/Titanic 1997}}''. Hallie also mentions the concorde - a high speed jet travel that had its heyday in the 90s. Doing the math from the opening (which takes place in 1986) dates the movie to its release date of 1997.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An early draft of the script gave the twins an unusual connection - a sort of electric shock that occurred when the twins touched each other. Disturbingly, the first time this was to happen would have been when the two 11-year-olds were showering, and one of them dropped the soap.

* CastingGag: Joanna Barnes, who plays the evil girlfriend in the original movie, plays said girlfriend's mother in the remake. Both times the character is called Vicky.

* PlayingTheirOwnTwin: All versions have the twins played by one actress. Of these movies, the only one that doesn't use DoubleVision is ''Hibari's Lullaby'' (which avoids any shot in which the girls are both visible).