Posted on 05/27/2004 5:46:14 PM PDT by weegee
An American B-movie horror actor has been told that he is the rightful prince of an Afghan province, thanks to the antics of an illustrious ancestor. Scott Reiniger starred in the original Dawn of the Dead and also cropped up in the 2004 remake. But should the acting work dry up, he could always attempt to reclaim his birthright as the "Prince of Ghor", a remote province in western Afghanistan.
It transpires that Reiniger is the great-great-great grandson of the 19th-century American adventurer Josiah Harlan, who was granted the title as the result of a treaty he signed with the local Hazara population in 1839. The area then known as Ghor is now divided between the modern provinces of Ghowr and surrounding areas.
Harlan's adventures later provided the basis for the Rudyard Kipling novel The Man Who Would be King, which was later filmed by John Huston with Sean Connery in the Harlan role.
Reiniger only discovered his royal lineage last month, after reading reviews of Ben MacIntyre's recent biography of Harlan, The Man Who Would be King: The First American in Afghanistan. "My reaction initially was that it seemed incredibly surreal," he told the BBC World Service.
However, Reiniger seems keen to pass his crown down to his younger brother, Harlan Reiniger. "He has the name and he's the historian in the family," he explained. "So I think he really should have the title."
In the meantime, Ben MacIntyre suggests that Harlan's treaty could turn out to be a poisoned chalice, with modern-day Afghanistan hardly the most stable or desirable of kingdoms. "The treaty remains in effect," he says. "Although it would be a brave man who attempted to reassert his claim to be prince of Ghor at this stage."
PING
Prince Albert of Gore
Looks like his "Prince Albert" got caught on something.
This actor has known all along who his ancestor was.
It's no coincidence his brother is named Harlan.
He knew who he was related to. He was unaware of the royalty that went with the lineage.
He's an actor.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.