History Main / MistakenForAnImposter

* In Episode 439 of the long running Chinese cartoon ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'', the sheep, Weslie escapes from the house of his ArchEnemy, Wolffy, by [[DisguisedInDrag disguising himself]] as the wolf's [[HenPeckedHusband domineering wife]], Wolnie. As Weslie escapes, Wolffy figures out the disguise and gives chase armed with a club. Unfortunately for Wolffy, he happens to run into the real Wolnie, and thinking she's Weslie, starts beating her with the club. When he pulls Wolnie's face he realizes its NotAMask and then freaks out as his wife prepares her FryingPanOfDoom.

* The Archbishop of Canterbury in ''Film/JohnnyEnglish'', though in this case it was because Johnny had discovered the villain planned to have a henchman impersonate the Archbishop with a fake rubber mask. The villain, realizing that he had been found out, wisely decided to forego this plan, leading an unaware Johnny to humiliate himself in his attempt to remove the "[[MistakenForAnImposter mask]]" from the Archbishop's face.

* In ''Film/AirForceOne'', President James Marshall gets hold of a satellite phone and calls the White House, who assume he's a prank caller. They perform a PhoneTraceRace on them - which leads to considerable surprise when they realize that it actually is the President calling, redirecting him to the Vice President and Cabinet.

** Bugs again does this to Sam in ''WesternAnimation/HareTrimmed'', in which Sam, having learned that Granny has received a $50 million inheritance, decides to marry her for her money, but Bugs vows to keep the old lady safe. At one point, [[DisguisedInDrag disguises himself as Granny]] to throw Sam for a loop. [[SquashedFlat After crushing his nemesis flat with a piano]], the real Granny appears notices that Sam is "looped" and offers him some black coffee, then goes off to get some. At that moment, Bugs, disguised as Granny, shows up with a coffee tray and asks Sam if he wants one lump or two. Sam asks for two lumps, both of which Bugs serves -- [[CranialEruption to his nemesis' noggin]] [[DropTheHammer with a hammer]], then runs off, laughing. At that moment, the real Granny shows up with a coffee tray. She, too, asks Sam if he wants one lump or two. Thinking it's Bugs about to trick him a second time, an enraged Sam kicks the tray out of Granny's hand and yells, "THAT'S how many!" Granny recoils in shock at his outburst and runs up the stairs, crying, "Oh, he's flipped his lid!" When Sam realizes how Granny sounded like, he realizes his mistake and tries to make amends, to no avail.

* In [[http://coa.inducks.org/story.php?c=D+95208 this]] WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck comic, "Lost Valley", Donald, who through a series of unfortunate events was roped into becoming a tour guide in the Amazon, comes upon an evil intelligent ape and thinks it's Daisy, who was dressed up earlier as one of them to infiltrate their temple. He then tries to help "Daisy" out of her "costume".

* In ''Film/{{Sunset}}'', Michael Alperin refuses to believe that Wyatt Earp is the real Wyatt Earp when Wyatt first introduces himself. (From the way he reacts, it's possible Michael thought Wyatt Earp was dead.) Leads to a funny AndImTheQueenOfSheba moment.

* In ''Literature/TheBrainStealersOfMars'', Rod Blake encounters a {{shapeshifting}} alien plant-thing that disguises itself--poorly--as his partner Ted Penton. He shoots it and it turns into a bat and flies away. He's still in the grip of hysteria when another Ted-Penton-thing shows up, and Rod shoots at it too. Of course, this one is real.

** Deliberately invoked in the Literature/FatherBrown story "The Flying Stars". At a family gathering, the distant cousin suggests putting on a traditional English pantomime, and he phones his old friend to come play the role of the policeman. Soon enough, the old friend arrives in a remarkably realistic costume and he gives a spot-on reaction to all the {{slapstick}} that the distant cousin dishes out for him. And then the policeman turns out to be real, not an actor. [[spoiler:And he came to arrest the "distant cousin", who's actually a notorious thief with a taste for theatricality. The thief suggested staging the pantomime specifically to provide a cover to beat his pursuer senseless and escape from the house.]]

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''

* It's done in ''[[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Garfield's Halloween Adventure]]''. The first time Garfield does that, it's just a kid in disguise. The second time... it's a scary monster disguised as BedsheetGhost. The third time... a monster wearing a mask that looks just like its face. The fourth time... a BedsheetGhost with, well, nothing under the "bedsheet".

* ComicStrip/{{Calvin|AndHobbes}} is derailed by this while using his Stupendous Man costume to mess with his class and disrupt one of his tests. Nobody believes Stupendous Man is anyone other than Calvin in a hood and cape.

* In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', Steve Rogers ends up fighting his past 2012 self after being mistaken for the escaped Loki.

** In another episode, Vanessa tells Cookie that she has to take care of her grandmother, but he think's it just an excuse to get out of a date. At the end, an elderly lady in a wheelchair asks Cookie where Vanessa is, but he doesn't believe it and tosses the wheelchair down the stairs to expose it. Only then does Vanessa appear beside him.

* PlayedForLaughs several times in ''ComicBook/MortadeloYFilemon''. One of the most hilarious examples is when [[MasterOfDisguise Mortadelo]] is ordered by the ''[[BadBoss Súper]]'' to disguise as the latter in order to capture a killer who is attempting to assesinate the ''Súper''. Filemón, oblivious to that, is ordered by Mortadelo to serve him a cup of coffee and a cigar -cue when he knows the truth to look ''really'' angered for Mortadelo, and once he finds him beats the shit out of his companion... just to find he actually beat the ''real'' ''Súper'', who of course is not happy at all-

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': When Thor first meets Touma, he uses magic to disguise himself as Mikoto to troll him. When Touma realizes the deception, he [[AntiMagic negates]] the disguise by touching Thor with his right hand. Later, Touma runs into the real Mikoto and mistakes her for Thor. He tries to negate the disguise again... by [[ThanksForTheMammary touching her chest with his right hand]]. Touma still doesn't get it even when "Thor" maintains the same appearance, and walks off while Mikoto is too stunned to react.