Index: fred2/eventeditor.cpp
===================================================================
--- fred2/eventeditor.cpp	(revision 9625)
+++ fred2/eventeditor.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "cfile/cfile.h"
 #include "sound/audiostr.h"
 #include "localization/localize.h"
+#include "mod_table/mod_table.h"
 
 #ifdef _DEBUG
 #undef THIS_FILE
@@ -223,20 +224,22 @@
 	}
 
 	// add new heads, if not already in
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP2");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VC2");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP4");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP5");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP6");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP7");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP8");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VP2");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VP2");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM2");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM3");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM4");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM5");
-	maybe_add_head(box, "Head-BSH");
+	if (!Disable_hc_message_ani) {
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP2");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VC2");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP4");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP5");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP6");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP7");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-TP8");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VP2");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-VP2");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM2");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM3");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM4");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-CM5");
+		maybe_add_head(box, "Head-BSH");
+	}
 
 /*
 	box->AddString("Head-VC");  // force it in, since Sandeep wants it and it's not used in built-in messages
@@ -1394,6 +1397,11 @@
 
 void event_editor::update_persona()
 {
+	// if not using hard coded retail message ani hacks bail.
+	if (Disable_hc_message_ani) { 
+		return;
+	}
+
 	int i, mask;
 
 	if ((m_wave_filename[0] >= '1') && (m_wave_filename[0] <= '9') && (m_wave_filename[1] == '_') ) {
Index: fred2/management.cpp
===================================================================
--- fred2/management.cpp	(revision 9625)
+++ fred2/management.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 #include "iff_defs/iff_defs.h"
 #include "menuui/techmenu.h"
 #include "missionui/fictionviewer.h"
+#include "mod_table/mod_table.h"
 
 #include <direct.h>
 #include "cmdline/cmdline.h"
@@ -422,6 +423,7 @@
 	ship_init();
 	parse_init();
 	techroom_intel_init();
+	mod_table_init();
 
 	// initialize and activate external string hash table
 	// make sure to do here so that we don't parse the table files into the hash table - waste of space
Index: mod_table/mod_table.cpp
===================================================================
--- mod_table/mod_table.cpp	(revision 9625)
+++ mod_table/mod_table.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
 int Default_detail_level = 3; // "very high" seems a reasonable default in 2012 -zookeeper
 bool Full_color_head_anis = false;
 bool Weapons_inherit_parent_collision_group = false;
+bool Disable_hc_message_ani = false;
 
-
 void parse_mod_table(char *filename)
 {
 	int rval;
@@ -130,6 +130,17 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	optional_string("#FRED SETTINGS"); 
+
+	if (optional_string("$Disable Hard Coded Message Head Ani Files:")) { 
+		stuff_boolean(&Disable_hc_message_ani);
+		if (Disable_hc_message_ani) {
+			mprintf(("Game Settings Table: FRED - Disabling Hard Coded Message Ani Files\n"));
+		} else {
+			mprintf(("Game Settings Table: FRED - Using Hard Coded Message Ani Files\n"));
+		}
+	}
+
 	optional_string("#GRAPHICS SETTINGS");
 
 	if (optional_string("$Enable External Shaders:")) {
Index: mod_table/mod_table.h
===================================================================
--- mod_table/mod_table.h	(revision 9625)
+++ mod_table/mod_table.h	(working copy)
@@ -21,5 +21,6 @@
 extern int Default_detail_level;
 extern bool Full_color_head_anis;
 extern bool Weapons_inherit_parent_collision_group;
+extern bool Disable_hc_message_ani;
 
 void mod_table_init();