Introduction
If you’ve ever heard of the ‘Bacon Number’ in Hollywood, you might be wondering what it actually means. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of the Bacon Number, its origin, examples, and how it has become a popular phenomenon.
What is a Bacon Number?
The Bacon Number is a way to connect actors to Kevin Bacon through the movies they have appeared in. The concept originated from a game called ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon’, which was created in the mid-1990s. The idea is that any actor can be linked to Kevin Bacon within six or fewer connections.
How is it Calculated?
To determine an actor’s Bacon Number, you start with Kevin Bacon as the first degree (Bacon Number of 0) and then count the number of connections it takes to link another actor to him. For example, if an actor has worked with Kevin Bacon in a movie, their Bacon Number is 1. If they have worked with someone who has worked with Kevin Bacon, their Bacon Number is 2, and so on.
Examples
For example, Tom Hanks has a Bacon Number of 1 because he starred alongside Kevin Bacon in the movie ‘Apollo 13’. Similarly, Emma Stone has a Bacon Number of 1 because she appeared in ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ with Kevin Bacon.
Case Studies
One of the most famous case studies of the Bacon Number phenomenon is the website ‘The Oracle of Bacon’, where users can enter an actor’s name and see their Bacon Number. This website has become a popular tool for movie buffs and has even inspired academic research into social networks and connectivity.
Statistics
- There are over 2 million actors in ‘The Oracle of Bacon’ database.
- The average Bacon Number for Hollywood actors is around 2.8.
- Some actors have a Bacon Number of 7 or higher, making them more ‘distant’ from Kevin Bacon.
