#23: A Legend Based on a Legend
Writer Johnston McCulley first introduced the vigilante character Zorro into popular culture in 1919, and he has lived on in infamy ever since. Zorro has reached legendary status, with many shows and movies based on his adventures. But it’s a little-known fact that Zorro is based on another legendary historical character.
Zorro is based on real-life Robin Hood figure Joaquin Murrieta, a Mexican vigilante in Alta California during the 1850s. Although Murrieta was a real man, the lines between fact and fiction have blurred over the decades, and it’s unclear how many of his adventures actually happened. Either way, Murrieta is a folk hero who was out for revenge against the rich after Western forces destroyed his life. He might actually be cooler than his more famous, fictional counterpart.