QUESTIONS (and Answers)
In the 50's we had The Mickey Mouse Club on TV. But is there another Disney club, a secret club, a secret club inside Disneyland exclusively for dignitaries - free of the hoi polloi? If so, name it.
YES: it's Club 33 named for its address 33 Royal St. Dues are high, but it insures privacy and elegance. Have cocktails and a nice meal in a quiet hideaway smack in the middle of a massive theme park!
I had no eligible winners. No one was ALL EARS on this one.
This urban legend just won't die. It's most publicized incantation is this. This popular radio kids host of the 30's and 40's, didn't know his mike was still on and said, "Well I guess that will hold the little bastards for awhile." Can you name him? Even though listeners swear they heard him say it, this myth pre-dates his show!
WAS: (according to The Encyclopedia of American Radio, R. Lackmann) Uncle Don (Don Carney) who had a very popular NYC kids program from 1929-1949.
I had no eligible winners. Seems all of your mikes were off!
Who invented the knock-knock joke?
WAS: Cartoonist Bob Dunn
I had no eligible winners....
Knock Knock ...No one's there.
It's 1913. Cecil B. De Mille and friend are traveling west to find the ideal location for their new movie. Their SECOND stop proves to be perfect - a sleepy part of LA called Hollywood - year round sunshine plus countryside with mountains, desert, and ocean. BUT where was their FIRST stop? What town could have been the 'Hollywood' if it had fit the bill for these two pioneers?
WAS: Flagstaff, Arizona - hardly has the same ring as Hollywood does it?
I had no eligible winners - your 'flag' was at half mast' or you were lost in the 'desert' - on this one.
Cartoon dog, Scooby-Doo, got his name from a Frank Sinatra song - what was the title of the song?
WAS: Strangers in the Night with that 'shooby dooby doo' singing at the end.
The winner was Jackie from San Jose, CA. It seems the rest of you were shooby dooby dumb on this one!
It's Sept 1848. Six artists and one writer meet to form the group P.R.B. In Jan 1850, they start a short lived monthly magazine that runs 4 issues. Yet it turns out to be the first publication by an avant-garde art group. Name the group - and for an added star and extra credit, the publication.
WAS: The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. And their publication was called The Germ - at least for the first 3 issues, then Art and Poetry for the last issue.
Though some regulars got it - no non-eligible contestants did. Seems most of you belong to the N.C.A.B -No Correct Answers Brotherhood!
This cartoonist was the creator of a lot of the most popular slang of the 1920's and 30's including: ‘Ball and Chain’ (wife), ‘Buttinsky’ (meddler), ‘Cat's Meow’ (wonderful), ‘Dogs’ (feet), ‘Chew the Fat’ (talk it over) and ‘Windbag’ (braggart). Name him.
WAS: T.A. Dorgan
I had no correct eligible answers. And I have no words to express why.
Who played the Anvil on the Beatle song “Maxwell's Silver Hammer” from the Abbey Road album? Clue - he is sometimes considered as a possible 5th Beatle - but he's not one of the main contenders.
WAS: Mal Evans, their roadie from Liverpool!
I had no correct eligible answers. It seems that for most of you, your Beatle info is a little buggy!
The working title for this little known French writer's novel, published in 1886, was Edison's Pardoxical Android. It was the fictional story of Thomas A. Edison, The Wizard of Menlo Park, creating a female android for a lovesick friend! Name the author and his novel.
WAS: ADAM de VILLIERS DE L'ISLE with his novel The Eve of The Future.(note in Google searches you'll get this author with the last name starting with either and 'L" or an "i".)
I had no correct eligible responses - seems for most of you, your bulbs were out on this Edison Question.
When these first came out, they were sometimes referred to as 'Mirrors with Memories" What am I talking about?
WAS: Photographs! Very poetic description, eh?
I had no correct eligible responses - seems the responses were all NEGATIVES on this photography question.
What sci-fi writer said this as his 3rd law:
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" ?
WAS: Arthur C. Clarke
Presto! no correct eligible responses, though many regular contest players got it.
Explain this statement: “Holst's work is now complete again.”
The composer Gustav Holst wrote the classical 7 part tone poem, The Planets with a short musical passage for each planet. But Pluto had not been discovered yet. So his piece only had the planets to Neptune and didn't include Pluto. Now that Pluto has lost its planetary status, Holst work is complete again. (Though don't count Pluto out just yet - there seems to be a pro Pluto backlash against the downgrade).
I had no correct eligible responses. Your knowledge on this is somewhat spacey!
The two greatest artists of the 20th century (by most critics’ assessment) were talking. One said to the other, "I've mastered drawing and am looking for color, you've mastered color and are looking for drawing." Who was speaking and who was listening?
Picasso was speaking to Matisse.
The winner was Brad from Irving, Texas The answers from the rest of you were un-palette-able
Some think the 1952 film, Singing in the Rain was the best American Musical. If you've seen this classic you may remember Donald O'Connor's solo dance. One move in that dance was when he got on the floor and spun around. (It may have influenced break dancing). Donald says he got that dance move from whom?
WAS: Curly from the Three Stooges!
Although many of our regulars got it, there was no eligible winner. We were looking for someone - somewhere - with Moe brains!
This artist fathered the underground comics movement by selling his comics out of a baby carriage on the streets of Haight-Ashbury. Name him.
WAS: Robert Crumb.
Although many of our regulars got it, there was no eligible winner - no one's neurons ZAPPED the correct answer!
In front of me is the Playbill theater program for The National Theater in NYC. On the cover is Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence. The play is Tonight at Eight-Thirty. The date - Feb. 1937. Inside the program is an ad for a nightclub. After I give the clue - name the nightclub: The ad includes this info (sic) Dinner $1.50, 6- 9:30 No Location or cover charge Sat.-Sun.- Hol's. $2 - min. after 10. Then it includes a review from Esquire Magazine from Dec. 1936 that reads:
Bill Robinson or Cab Calloway would make a good show by himself, but when you have these two geniuses along with a hundred assorted entertainers, you have something. And all for the price of two dollars eaten or drunk...
WAS: The Cotton Club!
Although a few of our regulars got it, there was no eligible winner -
Seems the rest of you were wearing polyester knock-offs for skull caps!
I just finished a wonderful book on children's book art called Children's Book Covers by Alan Powers. In it he features the classic picture book Eloise written by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hilary Knight. But what real person was little Eloise based on? She is a famous singer, actress, and relative! Name her.
WAS: Liza Minelli
Although a few of our regulars got it, there was no eligible winner - And that's just scary!
And speaking of scary (Halloween) - the year is 1953 and this man invented a laugh box that added programmed laughs to TV - name him.
Was Charlie Douglass. He got a lot of his laughs from pantomime bits from the Red Skelton Show because there was no dialogue to get in the way.
Excluding one regular there was no eligible winner - and no one is laughing.
I just voted and it was one busy polling place.(If its time for progressive politics, its time for progressive arts!) To celebrate election day, I've chosen a political question. The first published editorial cartoon in America was by who?
Benjamin Franklin (he did so many things!). It was titled ‘Join or Die' and showed a cut-up snake with each part labeled as an American Colony.
Excluding our very smart regulars there were no eligible winner - Seems the rest of you weren't wearing your bifocals on this one!
It's April 2, 1956 - and today on TV, two of the most popular and long running soap operas are having their premiere - both on the very same day. Name them.
IS: The Edge of Night and As The World Turns
Our winner was Kevin, from Batesville, Arkansas. As for the rest of you - seems the world was spinning without you on board!
Its Thanksgiving, and you just might have left over turkey for your lunchboxes. Which brings us to this holiday question. Name the metal lunchbox that was the all time best seller with 9-million sold. Clue - it was a Disney one.
WAS: The Disney Yellow School Bus, with many of the characters pictured in the school bus windows! You can find them in flea markets and antique malls, though those in mint conditions are pretty expensive!
I had no eligible winner. Seems y'all 'missed the bus' on this one!
Who can't see Dracula? There is one person who can't - name that person!
WAS: Dracula - remember he doesn't show up in mirrors - so there is no way to see his own reflection!
I had no eligible winner (though a lot of my regular past winners got it) Seems the rest of you couldn't quite sink your fangs into this question.
My favorite Warner Brothers cartoon character is Marvin the Martian. He's the one that wants to blow up the Earth. The question is - why? Why does Marvin want to blow up the earth? And for an extra star - name his dog.
WAS: Because it blocked his view of Venus! His dog's name was Commander K-9
The winner was Julie from Cheshire, England. The rest of you were just a little 'spacey'.
The ill-received 1967 Beatle film, Magical Mystery Tour premiered around this time of the year. It was the story of the Fab 4 riding a bus and having surreal adventures. Paul got the idea from some zany American bus riders - one of which was a real Paperback Writer. Name the group of American Bus riders.
WAS: Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) and the Merry Pranksters - the bus was called Further.
The winner was Rick, from Seattle WA. The rest of you were OFF THE BUS!
Who wisely developed the Peace Symbol and unveiled it at a campaign For Nuclear Disarmament on 2/21/58. It is a combination of two signs - the semaphore signs for "N" and "D" standing for Nuclear Disarmament.
WAS: Gerald Holtom
There were no eligible winners. Seems everyone was drafted.
"I won't study war no more." Laura Nyro from Save the Country.
In this season of peace, but time of war - when a made up conflict has killed so many innocents and clamped down on the spirit of 300 million Americans - This question is not about Peace but about War ("Old Soldiers never die, they send young ones to do it for them." - Sayings of Editor Art - th.)
In the sixties - the hippies had a slogan, "Suppose they gave a war, and nobody came?" But farther back in 1936 a famous American man of letters said, "Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come." Name the author of that earlier phrase (and for an extra star - what's the line quoted from.)
WAS: Carl Sandburg from The People, Yes
Our winner was Anthony from Washington, IN. Seems everyone else was caught in the draft.
Built in 1851 this behemoth contained 300,000 panes of glass. Name it.
WAS: The Crystal Palace in London by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition which started the World Fair craze.
Our winner was (still pending). Seems everyone else had 'paned' expression on their faces.
This novel, a saga of California hippies on a road trip to Eastern Kentucky was first published in the MARGINS of the Last Whole Earth Catalogue. Name the novel and its author.
(This Q. sent in by one of our regular puzzle players.)
WAS: Divine Right's Trip by Gurney Norman
We had no winners. See you all were on a trip of your own!
It's just about the only item of wearing apparel whose style has remained basically the same since 1850 - that's over 150 years! Name it.
WAS: Denim Jeans by Levi Strauss, originally built for 49-ner gold miners out of San Francisco.
Our winner was Marci, Dallas. All the rest of you were out of style!
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
WAS: 'The Shadow Knows'. That was the lead in to the famous mystery radio show called The Shadow.
Yes the Shadow knows, but unfortunately no one else did. I had no eligible winner.
This author was soooooo prolific that he wrote a book about his first 99 books! But he didn't stop there. He then wrote another about his 2nd hundred, then another about his 3rd hundred! He ended up writing about 500 books! Name this author.
WAS: Sci-fi (and much more) writer of Opus 100, Opus 200, and Opus 300. Isaac Asimov!
Our winner was Frank from Philadelphia, PA. It seems the rest of you haven't even READ 100 books!
He invented* the LIMERICK -
Verse with an ending twist
You know his name,
then play our game,
And get your answer in quick!
(* more correctly he, more than anyone, popularized the form).
WAS: Edward Lear, perhaps best known for his nonsense verse such as The Owl and The Pussycat, but also a very talented artist.
Our winner was Bob from Johnston, PA. It seems the rest of you were thinking nonsense verse.
If you collect stamps you are one of the largest group of collectors. Here's my question for the week. If stamp collectors are the largest group of collectors, what is the second largest group of collectors?
WAS: Collecting Match book covers (according to the Whole Pop Catalog).
There were no correct answers. Your minds must have been closed before thinking - there were no correct 'matches' 3 strikes and you're out - no one was on fire on this one.
What 19th century classic British novel had these concluding lines:
"Ah Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire, or, having it, is satisfied? Come children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out."
WAS: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace, Thackeray (1848)
Our winner was Clive, from Welkom, South Africa It seems the rest of you were Becky Dulls!
This was probably the most famous female haircut in history. A Well known American dance team became the rage of Paris in 1911. 'The female of the team's grace and boyish youthfulness epitomized the new era of simplicity in fashion'. In 1913 she bobbed her hair, and women throughout the Western world cut their hair short for the first time in history. Name the woman with the famous haircut. (Quote from Gini Frings Fashion Textbook)
WAS: Irene Castle. The haircut was called the Castle Bob. It was cut level with the bottom of the ears and around the back of the head.
I had no correct answers. It seems the rest of you had a la'-bob'-o-my
Let's extend the hair subject with this follow up question. One of the best American writers of the bobbed hair era, wrote a superb short story about Bernice who went from slub to vamp when she got her hair bobbed. Name the American Author and the short story.
WAS: Bernice Bobs Her Hair, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I had no correct answers. It seems you all 'bob'bled' this question.
It's 1885. He introduced a radical new treatment whereby several colors were combined and manipulated to create an unprecedented range of hues and 3-d effects. This new material enabled form to be defined by the glass itself rather than by painting on the glass." - (Pomegranate books). Name him.
WAS: Louis Comfort Tiffany
It 'panes' me to tell you but when it comes to the correct answer, you all 'cracked up'
This is the longest running not-a-super-hero comic in the USA, Name it.
IS: Mad Magazine 1952-today. Some suggested Archie which started out in 1942 -today. And I would have suggested either, though I note Archie began as Pep Comics not Archie Comics. Perhaps someone can clear this mystery up. But my Slings and Arrows Comic Guide says Mad.
We had no correct answers - "What YOU Worry?"
This author wrote:
1. the first time travel story
2. the first story dealing with invisibility
3. the first story to deal with an alien invasion
Name that author.
IS: H.G. Wells with The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and War of the Worlds.
I had no correct eligible answers. Well was too deep!