The "Disclaimer" in film, TV and Novels

No dogs were harmed during the production of this episode. A cat threw up and somebody shot a duck, but that's it." - The Simpsons                         

The 'no animals were harmed" message at the end of movies came about following the 1939 Jesse James film.  In the film a horse was blindfolded and ridden over a cliff to its death.  Animal safety concerns in the industry for the first time made front page news. The incident has been directly attributed to the establishment of the American Humane Society and with changing sensitivities the phrase became the trademark disclaimer for all movies involving animals.  

 A disclaimer in a film, novel or TV show are intended to reduce the possibility of legal proceedings or in the case of the animals disclaimer to also satisfy public confidence. 

 The "True Story Disclaimer" will normally be along the lines of "based on actual events" with some adding, "[but] changed for dramatic purposes".  The  "All Persons Disclaimer" is in every fictitious film, novel and TV show in some format. They come is various styles dealing with facts, people, characters and the wordings differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and so do the rules relating to how enforceable they are. 

The typical "all persons disclaimer" would be something like this;

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental                                                                        

The appropriate wording in a disclaimer is one of the last things looked at after we perform a pre-publication review of works.  

Here are some of the more original disclaimers

The X-Files (TV SHOW/MOVIE)

This production has not been approved, endorsed or authorized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation      

SOUTH PARK (TV SHOW)

All characters and events in this show —even those based on real people— are entirely fictional. All celebrity voices are impersonated ... poorly                                                           

MR MAGOO (MOVIE)

The preceding film is not intended as an accurate portrayal of blindness or poor eyesight                                                              

the great dictator (MOVIE)

Any resemblance between Hynkel the dictator and the Jewish barber is purely co-incidental                                                         

"Z" (MOvie)

Any resemblance to actual events, to persons living or dead, is not the result of chance. It is DELIBERATE.                           

futurama TV episode 'the route of all evil'

Any resemblance to actual robots would be really cool

THE LOST HONOUR OF KATHARINA BLUM (NOVEL)


The characters and action in this story are purely fictitious. If the depiction of certain journalistic practices should have resulted in similarities with the practices of the Bild newspaper, these similarities are neither intended nor coincidental but inevitable.                                                              

DR. STRANGELOVE (MOVIE)

It is the stated position of the United States Air Force that their safeguards would prevent the occurrence of such events as are depicted in this film                                                             

THe constant gardener (novel)

Nobody in this story, and no outfit or corporation, thank God, is based upon an actual person or outfit in the real world. But I can tell you this; as my journey through the pharmaceutical jungle progressed, I came to realize that, by comparison with the reality, my story was as tame as a holiday postcard.                                                                                                             

TRINITY AND BEYOND: THE ATOMIC BOMB (MOVIE)

The story, names, characters and incidents portrayed in this production are real. Some goats, pigs, and sheep were nuked during the original photography of some operations.                

500 Days of Summer (movie)

Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental ... Especially you, Jenny Beckman ... B!tch   

frozen (movie)

The views and opinions by Kristoff in the film that all men eat their boogers are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Walt Disney Company or the filmmakers. Neither The Walt Disney Company nor the filmmakers make any representation of the accuracy of any such views and opinions.                                               

Dennys (Television COMMERCIAL 2012)

Professional idiots. Do not attempt”