'The X-Files' trivia and fun facts

When casting the role of the Cigarette Smoking Man, the producers had no idea the character would turn into a major role in the series. When the character became more prominent, they worried that William B. Davis, who had only been cast as an extra, would not be able to carry the part. As it turned out, Davis, who is one of the most respected acting teachers in Canada, impressed series creator Chris Carter so much that he made the Cigarette Smoking Man the main villain of the series.

Dana Scully was named after the famous sports journalist Vin Scully. Mulder is the maiden name of Chris Carter's mother.

David Duchovny originally suggested Jennifer Beals, his former classmate at Yale, for the lead female role.

During the opening titles, in the Mulder and Scully's FBI ID badges can be read "Federal Bureau of Justice, United States Department of Investigation." This alteration was necessary as making a fake FBI badge, even for fictional purposes, is illegal. The real-life quote is: "Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Justice."

Rebecca Toolan, who plays Fox Mulder's mother, is in reality only one year older than David Duchovny.

Chris Carter lists 'All the President's Men' (1976) as one of his inspirations for the series. There are numerous references to the film, including the shadowy informer Deep Throat, meetings in underground car lots, and hints at conspiracies which stretch all the way to the F.B.I.

When Gillian Anderson got pregnant at the start of the 2nd season, some network executives wanted her role recast. Executive Producer Chris Carter adamantly denied their request.

In one episode, Scully tells Mulder that she thinks Téa Leoni has a crush on him, to which Mulder responds "How could Téa Leoni have a crush on me?" Téa Leoni was David Duchovny's wife in real-life at the time.

The character Senator Richard Matheson is named after Richard Matheson, whose writing inspired Kolchak (1974), the show that inspired Chris Carter to create The X-Files.

In the early years of the series, Mulder is a firm believer in extraterrestrials and Scully is skeptical. In real life this is the opposite, being Duchovny the skeptical and Anderson the believer.