6 Degrees of Jack Kerouac: On Golden Pond

Faithful readers of The Daily Beat know that I live along a beautiful lake in Maine, but did you know that it is the twin lake to the one that inspired the play that became the famous movie, On Golden Pond? No, they didn't film the movie in Maine: Squam Lake in New Hampshire got the nod for that. Nevertheless, the play's author, Ernest Thompson, wrote the play about his summers on Great Pond in Belgrade, Maine, which empties into our lake via Mill Stream. I'm sure Thompson spent some time on our lake, too.

Thinking about On Golden Pond made me want to play 6 Degrees of Jack Kerouac, and it turns out to be pretty easy. Granted, I usually connect Jack to a noteworthy person, but in this case I'm connecting him to a famous movie. It's my game. I make the rules.

Here's the rundown:

1. English alternative rock band The Smiths performed a song titled, Pretty Girls Make Graves, which they named after a quote from Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums.
2. Post-punk Seattle band Pretty Girls Make Graves named themselves after The Smiths' song.
3. Pretty Girls Make Graves recorded a song titled, "Bring It On Golden Pond."

So, On Golden Pond's Jack Kerouac number is 3.

Who knew?