Quick-change drama created by Larry Smith's father; it featured 15 parts in 7 minutes.
Bands of Brothers
Historical totalitarian sect. They used chemical brainwashing to keep their followers docile. A treatment similar to theirs was used on John Joseph Bonforte by his kidnappers.
Girl with whom Larry Smith had a one-night-stand while she was still a minor. Dak Broadbent mentioned his knowledge of her to keep Smith under control (by showing Larry he could be blackmailed).
John Joseph Bonforte
The Right Honorable, former Supreme Minister and leader of the opposition party, head of the Expansionist coalition. He was kidnapped by terrorists to prevent his adoption into a Martiannest, and never recovered from the abuse inflicted. Larry Smith was hired to impersonate him during his captivity. When Bonforte died of a stroke after his party won a crucial election, Smith continued the impersonation, "becoming" Bonforte for life. Bonforte was called "Chief" by his employees.
"Rising young statesman" proposed for Minister of External Communications in the John Joseph Bonforte cabinet. He had served as caucus sergeant-at-arms and junior whip.
Darius K. (Dak) Broadbent
The Honorable; upper Grand Assemblyman representing Free Travelers. He held a Ph.D. in physics, and was reserve pistol champion in the Imperial Matches. He was employed by John Joseph Bonforte as a master pilot in all classes and accelerations. He had published three volumes of verse under the nom de plume of Acey Wheelwright. He recruited Larry Smith to impersonate Bonforte after the politician's kidnapping.
John Joseph Bonforte's personal physician; he hypnotized Larry Smith to cure him of his phobia about Martians. He was a member of the Grand Assembly. [An early reference to "Dr. Scortia" may be an error, Dr. Capek being intended.]
Treaty with the Martian nests pushed through by John Joseph Bonforte. The repercussions of the treaty lost him a vote of confidence and put the Humanity Party into office.
Bill Corpsman
John Joseph Bonforte's press secretary. He attempted to get himself nominated to a "safe" district in the Grand Assembly. When Larry Smith, masquerading as Bonforte, vetoed the nomination, he resigned and tried to reveal the masquerade during a press conference; but no one believed him.
Angel Jesus de la Torre y Perez
Career subminister of Exterior Communications. He was proposed as a minister in the John Joseph Bonforte cabinet, but Larry Smith rejected him after King Willem's hesitation over his name.
Earth is part of an interplanetary system called an Empire but run as a constitutional monarchy complete with Parliament. The role of the Emperor is strictly ceremonial. The United States had joined the "Empire" with the proviso that it would not have to recognize the Emperor's sovereignty and that no member of the Royal family would cross its borders.
Political party that was hardly more than a "Manifest Destiny" movement when it was founded on the belief that the space frontier was the most important issue in humanity's future. When John Joseph Bonforte added the ethic that with expansion must remain a dedication to freedom and equal rights, avoiding the attitude of "White Man's Burden" towards colonials or other planets' natives, he turned it into a major political force.
A file that contained detailed information about John Joseph Bonforte's casual friends and associates. Bonforte (and Larry Smith) used it to recall personal details about the people he met with, to create [the illusion of?] strong friendly relations with them.
Dramatic character performed by Larry Smith: "the colorless handyman who does the murders in The House With No Doors". Smith made himself up as Grey to be completely inconspicuous in leaving the Eisenhower Hotel. That persona also enabled Smith to help Dak Broadbent dismember the MartianRrringriil to hide all evidence of the fight in the hotel suite.
Human-supremacist and imperialist movement that split off from the Expansionist Party when the Expansionist Party evolved from a Manifest Destiny movement to one recognizing the rights of nonhuman races.
hypnosis
Heinlein frequently makes mention of hypnosis either as a method of psychotherapy, of education, or of interrogation. It was used to overcome Larry Smith's phobia about Martians.
Legendary Martian who, after arriving late for an honors ceremony, insisted on dying as punishment. He is the "patron saint" of propriety on Mars, and his nest is the most aristocratic on the planet.
News network that operated on the Moon, among other places. Bill Corpsman went to work for them after resigning his position as John Joseph Bonforte's press secretary.
The Red Planet was usually described as barren and cold with a thin atmosphere, just barely habitable by humans in pressurized habitats or after terraforming. The "canals" are real waterways (usually frozen). The planet has native life, variously described in different books. Though some of the books depict conflicts between human colonists and native Martians, none portray the natives as resentful of the invasion of their home; often, the Martians remains largely oblivious to the human presence. In Double Star, it was colonized by Earth. John Joseph Bonforte pushed through legislation guaranteeing the rights of nonhumans, and was adopted by the native Martians.
Knowledge of the ritual is restricted to members of the nest. In the public part of the ceremony, the sponsor confronts the nominee, who offers to be killed if any propriety was breached; then the sponsor escorts him in for interrogation, with highly stylized questions and responses. The entire ritual lasts for exactly one-ninth of Mars' rotation, and is followed by a feast. After the feast speeches are given, and the adoptee is awarded a Martian name and lifewand. John Joseph Bonforte was the first human nominated for adoption into a Martian nest. Larry Smith successfully impersonated him for the ritual after Bonforte's kidnapping left Bonforte permanently brain-damaged.
The natives looked "like a tree trunk topped off by a sun helmet…grew pseudo limbs…Could look in all directions at once without turning their heads-if they had heads, which of course they don't." They also had a distinctive odor. They reproduced by fission. Theirs was an ancient, highly formal culture; its overriding principle is the concept of "propriety".
Cocaine derivative used to interrogate subjects or to keep subjects docile. The massive dose given to John Joseph Bonforte by his kidnappers caused permanent brain damage.
Martian who assaulted Dak Broadbent's hotel suite and was killed by him. He and Larry Smith disposed of the body by cutting it up into tiny pieces and washing it down the tub drain.
Penelope Taliaferro (Penny) Russell
The Honorable member of the Grand Assembly representing districtless university women (she had an MA in government administration from Georgetown University) and John Joseph Bonforte's personal secretary. Bonforte called her "Curly Top". She had to overcome strong personal feelings for Bonforte to aid Larry Smith in his impersonation. After the impersonation became permanent, she married Smith.
Drama in which Larry Smith played the hero-villain. He used the persona to subdue the driver who tried to prevent John Joseph Bonforte's party (with Smith masquerading as Bonforte) from reaching the Martian Adoption Ceremony.
silicoflesh
Professional actor's makeup accessory.
Lawrence (Larry) Smith
Actor who was hired to impersonate the politician John Joseph Bonforte when Bonforte was kidnapped to prevent his appearing for his Martian Adoption Ceremony. Larry affected the name Lorenzo Smythe, or Lorenzo the Great. He had a highly inflated opinion of himself, but he was a consummate actor who succeeded completely in the masquerade. After Bonforte was rescued but was permanently damaged from drugs, he was persuaded to continue the role, and completely assumed the identity after Bonforte's death. He married Penelope Russell.
Three Planets
[mentioned in passing] Company doing business on Mars.
Personal space yacht and travelling office of John Joseph Bonforte. Larry Smith travelled in it from Earth to Mars while learning his role for the Bonforte impersonation.
Orson Trowbridge
Dak Broadbent told Larry Smith that this actor was a second choice for the John Joseph Bonforte impersonation. Smith described him as an unforgivable ham, so Broadbent's statement may have been a ploy to get Smith to agree to participate in the plan.
[mentioned in passing] Company that did business on Mars.
Warfield (no first name)
Former President of the United States whom Larry Smith had met as a child.
James (Jimmy) Washington
John Joseph Bonforte's chief clerk, a spare, elderly mulatto. He was a member of the Grand Assembly, representing the Lapps. He was ordained in the First Bible Truth Church of the Holy Spirit.
Weary Willie
Larry Smith stage routine about a tramp in a barnyard; copied from "a very great artist of another century" [possibly the famous clown Emmet Kelly].
Acey Wheelwright
Nom de plume of Dak Broadbent, under which he published three volumes of verse.
Prince of Orange, Duke of Nassau, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Knight Commander of the Holy Roman Empire, Admiral General of the Imperial Forces, Adviser to the Martian Nests, Protector of the Poor, and, by the Grace of God, King of the Lowlands and Emperor of the Planets and the Spaces Between. The government he ruled was apparently a constitutional monarchy similar to 20th-century Great Britain. He was a native of the Netherlands and a personal friend of John Joseph Bonforte. He spotted Larry Smith's masquerade when Smith failed to offer the customary insults about Willem's train collection.
