189 Fun Facts About Trivia for Seniors

Which comedienne starred with her real-life husband Desi Arnaz in I Love Lucy?

Lucille Ball starred as Lucy Ricardo opposite her husband Desi Arnaz; I Love Lucy ran on CBS from 1951 to 1957 and topped the ratings in four of its six seasons.

In I Love Lucy, what was the surname of landlords Fred and Ethel?

Fred and Ethel Mertz were played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance, who famously did not get along off screen.

What kind of dog was Lassie?

Lassie was a Rough Collie; the original film Lassie was played by a male collie named Pal, and the TV series ran 19 seasons from 1954 to 1973.

Elvis Presley was born in 1935 in which Mississippi town?

Elvis was born in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935; his twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn 35 minutes earlier.

What is the name of Elvis Presley's mansion in Memphis?

Elvis bought Graceland in March 1957 for about $100,000 and died there in August 1977, aged 42; it opened to the public in 1982.

On Elvis Presley's third and final Ed Sullivan Show appearance in January 1957, how was he filmed?

On January 6, 1957, CBS cameras showed Elvis only from the waist up; his first Sullivan appearance the previous September had drawn about 60 million viewers.

Frank Sinatra was born to Italian immigrant parents in which city across the Hudson from Manhattan?

Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on December 12, 1915, and first sang with the Harry James band in 1939.

Which singer's recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" became the biggest hit of his career?

He first sang it on a Christmas Day radio broadcast in 1941, and it appeared in the film Holiday Inn the following year.

The Beatles' first live Ed Sullivan Show appearance in 1964 drew an estimated how many viewers?

An estimated 73 million people watched the Beatles on February 9, 1964, about 45 percent of US households, a television record at the time.

The Beatles came from which English city?

The Beatles formed in Liverpool in 1960; Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr were all born in the city and played the Cavern Club there.

Which singer made "The Twist" a nationwide dance craze in 1960?

Chubby Checker's 1960 cover of Hank Ballard's The Twist hit number one, helped by repeated appearances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

Doris Day sang "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" in which Alfred Hitchcock film?

Doris Day sang Que Sera, Sera in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) opposite James Stewart; the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Nat King Cole's 1951 hit "Unforgettable" returned to the charts in 1991 as a studio-made duet with which family member?

His daughter Natalie Cole sang over her late father's 1951 vocal; the 1991 duet won the Grammy for Record of the Year and its album topped the Billboard 200.

Who was Fred Astaire's most famous dancing partner, with whom he made ten films?

Ginger Rogers partnered Astaire in ten films, including Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936) and Shall We Dance (1937).

Marilyn Monroe was born under what name?

Her 1926 birth certificate reads Norma Jeane Mortenson; she married Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller and died in 1962 at only 36.

John Wayne won his Best Actor Oscar as one-eyed marshal Rooster Cogburn in which 1969 film?

True Grit (1969) won John Wayne his only Oscar, for Best Actor; born Marion Morrison in Iowa, he died in 1979.

Who played Scarlett O'Hara in the 1939 Civil War epic set on a Georgia plantation?

Some 1,400 unknown women were interviewed for the part before the British actress won it.

In Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine runs what sort of business?

Rick's Café Américain is a nightclub and gambling den, its back-room roulette table drawing refugees, Vichy officials and Germans alike in December 1941.

Which song from The Wizard of Oz won the Academy Award for Best Original Song?

Over the Rainbow, by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, won the Best Original Song Oscar for 1939; Judy Garland was 16 when she sang it.

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz lives on a farm in which state?

Dorothy Gale lives on a Kansas farm with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and the black-and-white Kansas scenes were shot in sepia tone.

The Sound of Music (1965) is set in and around which Austrian city?

The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg, the von Trapp family's home city; Julie Andrews starred as Maria and the film became the top-grossing movie of its day.

The Andy Griffith Show was set in the fictional town of Mayberry in which state?

Mayberry, North Carolina was modeled on Andy Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy; widowed sheriff Andy Taylor raised son Opie, played by Ron Howard.

Who played Andy Taylor's nervous deputy, Barney Fife?

Don Knotts won five Emmys as Barney Fife; the show's whistled theme, The Fishin' Hole, was whistled by its composer Earle Hagen himself.

On Bonanza, what was the name of the Cartwright family ranch near Lake Tahoe?

The Ponderosa, named for its pines, was Ben Cartwright's ranch; Lorne Greene played Ben, whose sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe each had a different mother.

Which Bonanza son, the "warm and lovable giant", was played by Dan Blocker?

Dan Blocker played Hoss Cartwright from 1959 until his death in 1972; Michael Landon was the hot-headed Little Joe and Pernell Roberts the eldest, Adam.

Gunsmoke followed Marshal Matt Dillon keeping the peace in which frontier town?

Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s; James Arness played Dillon on television from 1955 to 1975, while William Conrad had voiced him on radio.

Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners drove what for a living?

Ralph Kramden drove a New York City bus for the Gotham Bus Company; his pal Ed Norton, played by Art Carney, worked in the sewers.

Which child actor played Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver in Leave It to Beaver?

Jerry Mathers played the Beaver from 1957 to 1963; the nickname came from toddler Wally mispronouncing Theodore as Tweeder.

Milton Berle, host of NBC's Texaco Star Theatre, earned what nickname as TV's first superstar?

Milton Berle was dubbed Mr. Television as Texaco Star Theatre drove TV set sales from 1948; he also became Uncle Miltie after telling young viewers to go to bed.

The children's TV show Howdy Doody opened with host Buffalo Bob asking the Peanut Gallery what question?

Buffalo Bob Smith opened each show with "Say kids, what time is it?" and the roughly 40 children in the Peanut Gallery shouted back "It's Howdy Doody Time!"

The Ed Sullivan Show ran on CBS on which night of the week?

The Ed Sullivan Show held CBS's Sunday-night 8 p.m. slot for more than two decades, from 1948 until its cancellation in 1971.

Who was the first person to walk on the Moon, in July 1969?

Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon on July 20, 1969 (US time); Buzz Aldrin followed about nineteen minutes later while Michael Collins orbited in the command module.

The Apollo 11 lunar module that landed on the Moon was named what?

The lunar module Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility on July 20, 1969; Armstrong radioed "The Eagle has landed" and about 600 million people watched the moonwalk.

Which president championed the 1956 law that created the Interstate Highway System?

Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act on June 29, 1956, arguing the highways were essential to national defense during the Cold War.

Jackie Robinson broke baseball's colour line in 1947 playing for which team?

Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947; his number 42 was retired across all of Major League Baseball in 1997.

Babe Ruth's sale to the Yankees is blamed for a Boston title drought known as the Curse of the what?

The drought lasted 86 years; Ruth was also called the Sultan of Swat.

Henry Ford offered the Model T in any colour, so long as it was what?

Ford wrote that any customer could have a car painted any colour "so long as it is black"; early Model Ts of 1908 to 1913 actually came in grey, green, blue and red.

The plastic hula hoop craze of the late 1950s was launched by which California toy company?

Wham-O, founded by Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin, launched the plastic Hula Hoop in 1958 after hearing of bamboo hoops used by Australian schoolchildren.

The first drive-in movie theater opened in 1933 in which state?

Richard Hollingshead opened the first drive-in in Camden, New Jersey, on June 6, 1933, after testing the idea in his driveway with a projector on his car's hood.

Coca-Cola, first sold as a temperance drink and patent medicine, was invented by John Pemberton in the 1880s in which Southern city?

Atlanta was where Pemberton brewed it; Asa Candler bought the rights in 1888.

Which of these companies was a famous maker of jukeboxes?

Wurlitzer's 1946 Model 1015 'bubbler' is the classic jukebox design; Seeburg, Rock-Ola and AMI were the other big makers of the era.

Which engineer led the 1930s design of the Volkswagen Beetle, the 'people's car'?

Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle from 1934 on a German government commission; it stayed in production until 2003, with over 21.5 million built.

Which actor won the Best Actor Oscar as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Gregory Peck won the Best Actor Oscar for playing lawyer Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), adapted from Harper Lee's 1960 novel.

Which 1939 film swept ten Academy Awards and drew 300,000 people to its Georgia premiere?

Gone with the Wind premiered at Loew's Grand in Atlanta on December 15, 1939, with some 300,000 people lining the streets; it won ten Oscars including Best Picture.

Besides 'Ol' Blue Eyes', by which other nickname was Frank Sinatra widely known?

The Chairman of the Board retired in 1971 after 'My Way', came back two years later, and added 'New York, New York' in 1980.

Which 1953 film won Frank Sinatra the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor?

Sinatra won Best Supporting Actor as Private Angelo Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953), a role that revived his flagging career.

What was Elvis Presley's first single for RCA Victor, a number one in 1956?

Heartbreak Hotel, released in January 1956, was Elvis's first RCA Victor single and his first number one, after Colonel Tom Parker moved him from Sun Records.

Which Patsy Cline hit, written by Willie Nelson, followed her breakthrough 'Walkin' After Midnight'?

Crazy, written by Willie Nelson, reached number two on the country chart in 1961; Cline, born Virginia Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, died in a 1963 plane crash.

Which Nat King Cole hit won the Academy Award for Best Original Song of 1950?

Mona Lisa, by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, won the Best Original Song Oscar for Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950) and topped the Billboard chart for Cole.

Which was Chuck Berry's first hit, an adaptation of the country song 'Ida Red'?

Maybellene (1955), reworked from the fiddle tune Ida Red, sold over a million copies for Chess Records; Berry was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's first class in 1986.

What was the name of Buddy Holly's band, which topped the charts with 'That'll Be the Day' in 1957?

The Crickets name let Holly release That'll Be the Day on Brunswick despite his Decca contract; Holly, from Lubbock, Texas, died in a plane crash in February 1959.

The Beatles grew out of which earlier group led by John Lennon?

John Lennon formed the Quarrymen as a skiffle group in 1956 and met Paul McCartney at their Woolton church fete in July 1957.

The name Motown is a blend of which two words?

Motown blends Motor and town, a nod to Detroit's Motor City nickname; Berry Gordy founded it as Tamla Records in 1959 and moved it to Los Angeles in 1972.

Aretha Franklin, the 'Queen of Soul', was the first woman inducted into which institution in 1987?

Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; she grew up singing gospel at her father's New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit.

With which song did ABBA win the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest?

Waterloo won Eurovision for Sweden in Brighton in April 1974, and was voted the best song in the contest's history at its 50th anniversary show in 2005.

On which island were the three Gibb brothers of the Bee Gees born?

All three Gibb brothers were born in Douglas on the Isle of Man, Barry in 1946 and twins Robin and Maurice in 1949, before the family moved to Manchester and then Queensland.

Which instrument did Karen Carpenter play, in addition to singing?

Karen Carpenter started as the Carpenters' drummer, playing the drums and singing on their early records; the family moved from Connecticut to Downey, California in 1963.

What is Elton John's birth name?

Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, in 1947; his 1997 Princess Diana tribute, Candle in the Wind 1997, is the best-selling chart single ever.

On which network did The Lawrence Welk Show air nationally from 1955 to 1971?

ABC carried The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 until cancelling it in 1971; it had begun locally on KTLA in Los Angeles in 1951 and ran another 11 years in syndication.

Which comedy duo performed on the very first Ed Sullivan Show in June 1948?

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, a team only since 1946, appeared on the June 20, 1948 debut of Toast of the Town, alongside Rodgers and Hammerstein previewing South Pacific.

Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' was written by Irving Berlin for which 1942 film?

It won the Oscar for Best Original Song and remains the world's best-selling physical single at over 50 million copies.

Which Glenn Miller record was the first ever gold record?

Chattanooga Choo Choo sold over a million copies, and RCA Victor presented Miller with the first gold record in February 1942; he vanished over the English Channel in December 1944.

How many stars does Perry Como have on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Como has three stars on the Walk of Fame, one each for radio, television and recording; he sold a reported 100 million records.

Johnny Cash's trademark stage wardrobe earned him what nickname?

The Man in Black dressed entirely in black on stage, a long way from the Dyess, Arkansas cotton farm where he grew up after his birth in Kingsland.

Under what name was Dean Martin born?

Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1917; he teamed with Jerry Lewis in 1946 and later hosted celebrity roasts.

Which England-born comedian made seven 'Road to...' films with Bing Crosby and hosted the Oscars 19 times?

Bob Hope, born in Eltham, London, in 1903, hosted the Oscars 19 times; Congress made him an honorary veteran in 1997 and he died 59 days after his 100th birthday.

Who brought French cooking to American kitchens with a 1961 cookbook and The French Chef TV show in 1963?

Julia Child, six feet two with a warbling voice, co-wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) and became one of public television's first stars on The French Chef.

Who grew up in Iowa and Nebraska, served in the Navy in WWII, and hosted NBC's Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992?

Johnny Carson took over from Jack Paar in October 1962 and stayed 30 years, with Ed McMahon's 'Heeere's Johnny!' opening every show.

Which CBS Evening News anchor, 'the most trusted man in America', signed off with 'And that's the way it is'?

Walter Cronkite anchored the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, covering everything from the Nuremberg trials to the Moon landings, and was visibly moved on air announcing President Kennedy's death.

Which 'first lady of game shows' produced a sitcom in 1953 and worked in TV until her death at 99?

Betty White co-produced and starred in Life with Elizabeth in 1953; younger fans know her from The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland, and she died in 2021 at 99.

Which Indiana, Pennsylvania native won an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story and starred in It's a Wonderful Life?

James Stewart won Best Actor for The Philadelphia Story (1940); It's a Wonderful Life disappointed at the 1946 box office and became a Christmas classic only after its copyright lapsed in 1974.

Which Brussels-born star danced for the Dutch resistance as a teenager and later worked for UNICEF?

Audrey Hepburn, born in Brussels in 1929, won the Best Actress Oscar for Roman Holiday (1953) and served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from 1988 until her death in 1993.

Which 'First Lady of Song' rose to fame with Chick Webb's orchestra and 'A-Tisket, A-Tasket'?

Ella Fitzgerald took over Chick Webb's band when he died in 1939 and later recorded her celebrated Songbook albums for Norman Granz's Verve label.

Which New Orleans trumpeter, nicknamed 'Satchmo' and 'Pops', won a 1965 Grammy for 'Hello, Dolly!'?

Louis Armstrong followed his mentor Joe 'King' Oliver to Chicago in 1922; his Hello, Dolly! knocked the Beatles off the top of the US chart in May 1964.

Who painted Saturday Evening Post covers for nearly fifty years, plus Rosie the Riveter and the Four Freedoms?

Norman Rockwell painted 323 Saturday Evening Post covers between 1916 and 1963, and portraits of Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon.

Which Presbyterian minister from Latrobe, Pennsylvania hosted a children's show about his Neighborhood from 1968?

Fred Rogers, ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1963, hosted Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from 1968 to 2001, dealing gently with death, divorce and sibling rivalry.

Who refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery in 1955, becoming the 'mother of the civil rights movement'?

Rosa Parks, born in Tuskegee, was already an NAACP secretary who had registered to vote on her third attempt; her arrest sparked the Montgomery bus boycott.

Which farm wife took up painting at 78, became a folk-art star, made Time's cover in 1953 and lived to 101?

Grandma Moses, born Anna Mary Robertson in 1860, embroidered pictures in yarn until arthritis made her switch to a brush; she died in 1961 at 101.

Which vaudeville violinist turned radio and TV star played a vain miser forever aged 39?

Born Benjamin Kubelsky, he headlined on radio and television from 1932 until his death in 1974.

On Gilligan's Island, what was the name of the shipwrecked charter boat?

The SS Minnow was named, as a jab, after FCC chairman Newton Minow, who had called television a 'vast wasteland'; it set out from Honolulu on a three-hour tour.

Who played the Skipper on Gilligan's Island?

Alan Hale Jr. played the Skipper, whose real name was Captain Jonas Grumby; Bob Denver was Gilligan and Jim Backus was Thurston Howell III.

How was Jed Clampett shooting when he discovered oil in the Beverly Hillbillies opening?

In the pilot and opening titles Jed fires at a rabbit, misses, and oil bubbles up from the swamp; the family then moves next door to banker Milburn Drysdale in Beverly Hills.

Which bluegrass duo played themselves as friends of the Clampetts?

Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs recorded the theme, The Ballad of Jed Clampett, a number one country hit in 1963, and played themselves as the Clampetts' friends.

Which CBS series about a Korean War hospital ran from 1972 to 1983?

M*A*S*H ran 11 seasons on CBS, and its February 1983 finale drew about 106 million viewers, the most-watched US broadcast until the 2010 Super Bowl.

Which actor played Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H?

Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce for all 11 seasons and also wrote and directed many episodes; Wayne Rogers was his early sidekick Trapper John.

Which corporal wore dresses hoping for a discharge on M*A*S*H?

Corporal Max Klinger, played by Jamie Farr, wore dresses hoping for a Section 8 discharge, and later became company clerk after Radar left.

What was the title of the M*A*S*H finale?

Goodbye, Farewell and Amen aired on February 28, 1983 and drew about 106 million viewers, a record for a scripted television episode.

Which song serves as the instrumental theme of M*A*S*H?

Suicide Is Painless, written by Johnny Mandel with lyrics by 14-year-old Mike Altman, came from Robert Altman's 1970 film and was used instrumentally on the series.

Which Norman Lear sitcom topped the Nielsen ratings from 1971 to 1976?

All in the Family, adapted from the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part, was the top-rated show for five straight seasons from 1971-72 to 1975-76.

What nickname did Archie Bunker use for his son-in-law Michael?

Archie called Michael Stivic, played by Rob Reiner, Meathead ('dead from the neck up'), while his wife Edith was Dingbat.

What theme song did Archie and Edith Bunker sing at the piano each week?

Those Were the Days, by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, was sung by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton at the piano over the opening credits.

Which business made the Bunkers' neighbor George Jefferson his fortune?

George Jefferson built a chain of dry cleaning stores, Jefferson Cleaners, and moved the family from Queens to a deluxe apartment on Manhattan's East Side.

Who created and hosted The Twilight Zone?

Rod Serling created, hosted and narrated The Twilight Zone (1959-64), writing or co-writing 92 of its 156 episodes.

Which Disney World thrill ride is themed on The Twilight Zone?

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a drop ride set in the Hollywood Tower Hotel, opened at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida in 1994.

Which actor played defense lawyer Perry Mason from 1957 to 1966?

Raymond Burr played Perry Mason for nine seasons and won two Emmys in the role, returning for TV movies from 1985 until his death in 1993.

Who was Perry Mason's confidential secretary?

Della Street, Mason's confidential secretary, was played by Barbara Hale, who won a 1959 Emmy for the role.

Which district attorney did Perry Mason usually face in court?

District Attorney Hamilton Burger, played by William Talman, lost to Mason almost every week; Paul Drake was Mason's private investigator.

Who created The Dick Van Dyke Show?

Carl Reiner created the show and played the tyrannical star Alan Brady; it ran on CBS from 1961 to 1966 and was shot at Desilu Studios.

What did Rob Petrie do for a living on the show named for its star?

He was head writer for the fictional Alan Brady Show.

What piece of furniture did Rob Petrie famously trip over in the opening?

Rob tripped over an ottoman in the opening credits; a second version, filmed later, had him sidestep it instead.

Which suburb did the Petries live in?

The Petries lived at 148 Bonnie Meadow Road in New Rochelle, New York, the same street Carl Reiner himself lived on in the 1950s.

How did Samantha cast spells on Bewitched?

Samantha, played by Elizabeth Montgomery, worked her magic by twitching her nose; Montgomery actually wiggled her upper lip to create the effect.

Which actor replaced the ailing original Darrin on Bewitched in 1969?

Dick Sargent took over as Darrin in 1969 after Dick York, suffering from a chronic back injury, collapsed on set and left the show.

Who played Samantha's mother, Endora?

Agnes Moorehead, a four-time Oscar nominee, played Endora, Samantha's witch mother, throughout the 1964-72 run.

Which cartoon studio produced Bewitched's animated opening credits?

Hanna-Barbera, the studio behind The Flintstones, produced the show's animated opening credits; Sol Saks created Bewitched in 1964.

What did Larry Hagman's character do for a living on I Dream of Jeannie?

Larry Hagman played Major Tony Nelson, a NASA astronaut at Cape Kennedy who found the bottle; Barbara Eden was the 2,000-year-old genie.

Which novelist created I Dream of Jeannie?

Sidney Sheldon, later the best-selling novelist of The Other Side of Midnight, created I Dream of Jeannie in 1965; Screen Gems produced its 139 episodes.

What breed was Mister Ed?

Mister Ed was played by a palomino gelding named Bamboo Harvester, with former Western star Allan 'Rocky' Lane providing the voice.

Which town was Green Acres set in?

Oliver Douglas gave up a New York law career to farm outside Hooterville, the same town that served Petticoat Junction's Shady Rest Hotel.

Which actress played Lisa Douglas on Green Acres?

Eva Gabor, younger sister of Zsa Zsa, played Lisa Douglas, the glamorous Hungarian who swapped Park Avenue for a farm, from 1965 to 1971.

Which POW camp was the setting of Hogan's Heroes?

Stalag 13 was the fictional camp near Hammelburg run by Colonel Klink, whose boast that no prisoner had ever escaped hid Hogan's tunnel network.

Which Hogan's Heroes character often said 'I know nothing!'?

Sergeant Hans Schultz, played by John Banner, said 'I know nothing! Nothing!' to avoid noticing the prisoners' schemes.

Which actor played Colonel Klink on Hogan's Heroes?

Werner Klemperer, son of conductor Otto Klemperer, won two Emmys as the bumbling Colonel Klink; Bob Crane starred as Hogan.

What was Mike Brady's profession on The Brady Bunch?

Mike Brady, played by Robert Reed, was an architect who worked from a den at home; the house exterior seen in the opening is in Studio City, California.

Who played the Bradys' housekeeper, Alice?

Ann B. Davis, already a two-time Emmy winner for The Bob Cummings Show, played housekeeper Alice Nelson for all five seasons.

Which producer created both Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch?

Sherwood Schwartz created Gilligan's Island in 1964 and The Brady Bunch in 1969; the Bradys never cracked the Nielsen top 30 in their original run.

Which Carol Burnett sketch dress, made of a curtain, was donated to the Smithsonian?

In the 1976 Went with the Wind! sketch Carol's Starlet O'Hara wore a curtain still on its rod; Bob Mackie's dress was later donated to the Smithsonian.

Which sitcom grew out of the Eunice sketches on The Carol Burnett Show?

Mama's Family starred Vicki Lawrence as Thelma 'Mama' Harper, running on NBC from 1983 and then in syndication until 1990.

Which comedian became a regular on The Carol Burnett Show in 1975?

Tim Conway, a frequent guest since 1967, joined the cast full-time in 1975; Dick Van Dyke lasted only ten episodes when he replaced Harvey Korman in 1977.

Which city was The Mary Tyler Moore Show set in?

Mary Richards produced the news at station WJM in Minneapolis; the opening credits' hat toss was filmed on Nicollet Mall downtown.

Which Mary Tyler Moore Show neighbor got her own spin-off series in 1974?

Rhoda Morgenstern, played by Valerie Harper, got the spin-off Rhoda in September 1974; Phyllis Lindstrom's own series followed a year later.

Who wrote and sang the Mary Tyler Moore theme 'Love Is All Around'?

Sonny Curtis, a Lubbock guitarist who joined the Crickets after Buddy Holly's death, wrote and sang Love Is All Around.

Which classic Mary Tyler Moore episode dealt with a clown's death?

Chuckles Bites the Dust (1975), in which Mary cannot stop laughing at the clown's funeral, won the Emmy for comedy writing; the series took 29 Emmys in all.

Which actor created and played Sergeant Joe Friday in Dragnet?

Jack Webb created Dragnet and played Sergeant Joe Friday from its 1949 NBC radio debut through the 1967-70 television revival.

Under what alternate title was Dragnet syndicated?

Badge 714, Friday's badge number, was the syndication title given to reruns of the 1950s Dragnet to set them apart from the network run.

Which town did the Flintstones live in?

The Flintstones lived in Bedrock, a Stone Age town whose population was given as 2,500 and whose cars were powered by foot.

Which cigarette brand co-sponsored The Flintstones' first two seasons?

Winston co-sponsored the first two seasons, and Fred and Barney puffed Winstons in its commercials ('Winston tastes good like a cigarette should').

Which classic sitcom inspired The Flintstones?

The Flintstones was modelled on The Honeymooners, with Fred and Barney echoing Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton; William Hanna called it one of TV's finest comedies.

Where did Fred Flintstone work?

Fred operated a bronto-crane at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company under his boss Mr. Slate.

Which businesswoman created the Barbie doll in 1959?

Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, modelled Barbie on Germany's Bild Lilli doll and named her after her daughter Barbara; the doll debuted at the 1959 New York Toy Fair.

What is Barbie's full name?

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, and her fictional hometown is Willows, Wisconsin.

At which department store was the Slinky first demonstrated in 1945?

Richard James, the naval engineer who invented it in 1943, sold 400 Slinkys in 90 minutes at Gimbels in Philadelphia in November 1945.

In which year did Mattel launch its Hot Wheels die-cast cars?

Hot Wheels launched in 1968 with sixteen original castings, the 'Sweet 16', as Mattel's answer to Britain's Matchbox cars.

Which powder coats the inside of an Etch A Sketch screen?

Aluminum powder, mixed with tiny plastic beads, clings to the inside of the glass; the stylus scrapes it off to leave a dark line.

Which company manufactured the Etch A Sketch from its 1960 launch until 2016?

Frenchman André Cassagnes invented it; Ohio Art sold the brand to Spin Master in 2016.

Who turned Tupperware home parties into a marketing empire as vice president?

Brownie Wise built the Tupperware party-plan sales system and became vice president in 1951; in 1954 she was the first woman on the cover of Business Week.

What holiday meal made up the first Swanson TV Dinner?

The 1953 original was a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with cornbread dressing, peas and sweet potatoes, served in a compartmented aluminum tray like an airline meal's.

Which Nebraska city was home to the Swanson company?

C.A. Swanson & Sons, founded by Carl Swanson, was based in Omaha, where its frozen TV Dinner was launched in 1953.

Who founded Polaroid and created the first instant camera in 1948?

Edwin Land founded Polaroid in 1937 and sold the first Land Camera, the Model 95, at a Boston department store in November 1948.

In what year did the Soviet Union launch Sputnik 1?

Sputnik 1 launched on October 4, 1957, and orbited for three months before burning up in the atmosphere on January 4, 1958.

On whose dairy farm was the 1969 Woodstock festival held?

Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York, hosted the festival, about 40 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock itself.

Which guitarist closed Woodstock on Monday morning?

Jimi Hendrix closed the festival around 9 a.m. on Monday, August 18, 1969, playing his feedback-laden Star-Spangled Banner to a dwindling crowd.

Which actress made her feature film debut in Mary Poppins?

Julie Andrews won the Best Actress Oscar for Mary Poppins (1964), her first feature film, after being passed over for the film of My Fair Lady.

Which Mary Poppins song won the Oscar for Best Original Song?

Chim Chim Cher-ee, by the Sherman Brothers, won Best Original Song; the film took five Oscars from 13 nominations, a record for a Disney film.

Which actor played Norman Bates in Psycho?

Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) and reprised the role in three sequels; Janet Leigh played Marion Crane.

Which novelist wrote the book Psycho was based on?

Robert Bloch's 1959 novel, loosely inspired by Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein, was adapted for Hitchcock by screenwriter Joseph Stefano.

How many Academy Awards did Ben-Hur win in 1960?

Ben-Hur won eleven Oscars at the April 1960 ceremony, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Charlton Heston, a tally later equalled by Titanic and The Return of the King.

Roughly how long is Ben-Hur's famous chariot race?

The chariot race runs about nine minutes and was staged on an 18-acre set at Rome's Cinecittà studios by second-unit directors Andrew Marton and Yakima Canutt.

Under what name did Simon and Garfunkel record as teenagers?

As Tom & Jerry, the teenage pair had a minor 1957 hit with 'Hey, Schoolgirl', an imitation of their idols the Everly Brothers.

In which New York borough did Simon and Garfunkel meet at school?

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met in 1953 at Public School 164 in Forest Hills, Queens, where they appeared together in a sixth-grade play.

In which California city did the Beach Boys form in 1961?

Brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine formed the band in Hawthorne, a Los Angeles suburb, in 1961.

Which 1966 Beach Boys album is regarded as one of the greatest of all time?

Pet Sounds, released in May 1966 with God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice, regularly tops critics' lists; 'Good Vibrations' followed that October.

Under what name did the Supremes form in Detroit in 1959?

The Primettes, formed in 1959 as a sister act to the Primes, became the Supremes on signing to Motown in 1961; the members came from the Brewster-Douglass housing project.

In which Kentucky city was Muhammad Ali born?

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay in Louisville in 1942 and took up boxing at 12 after his bicycle was stolen; the Muhammad Ali Center stands in the city.

Whom did Ali fight in the 'Rumble in the Jungle'?

George Foreman was the opponent in Zaire; the 'Thrilla in Manila' was against Joe Frazier.

Why did teenagers remove their shoes at a sock hop?

Dancers took off their shoes to protect the varnished gym floor from scuffs, hence the name; the events were also called record hops because a DJ spun records.

Which Dallas eatery was the first drive-in restaurant in 1921?

Kirby's Pig Stand opened on the Dallas-Fort Worth Highway in 1921, serving barbecue sandwiches to motorists; its carhops sometimes served on roller skates.

In which Indiana city was Studebaker based?

Studebaker built wagons and then cars in South Bend from 1852 until the plant closed in December 1963; its last car rolled off a Hamilton, Ontario line in March 1966.

In what year did Chevrolet introduce the Corvette?

The first Corvette appeared at the January 1953 GM Motorama, and 300 fiberglass-bodied cars, all Polo White, were built that year.

Which car segment takes its name from the Ford Mustang?

The pony car class, compact and sporty with a long hood, took its name from the Mustang, which sold over 400,000 in its first year after an April 1964 launch.

Route 66 ran from Chicago to which California city?

Route 66 ran about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica on the Pacific coast; it was removed from the US highway system in 1985.

Which Steinbeck novel popularized the nickname 'Mother Road' for Route 66?

Steinbeck called Route 66 'the mother road, the road of flight' in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) as the Joads head west; it was also dubbed the Main Street of America.

From which city was American Bandstand broadcast until 1964?

American Bandstand was broadcast from WFIL in Philadelphia until it moved to Los Angeles in 1964; Dick Clark hosted from 1956 to 1989.

Which overture provided the Lone Ranger's theme music?

The galloping finale of Rossini's William Tell Overture (1829) played under 'Hi-yo, Silver, away!'; Jay Silverheels played Tonto.

Which actor played the Lone Ranger on television?

Clayton Moore played the masked man from 1949 to 1957, apart from one season when John Hart replaced him during a contract dispute.

What was the name of Roy Rogers's golden horse?

Trigger, a palomino stallion, carried Roy Rogers in films and on TV and was mounted by a taxidermist after his death in 1965; Rogers's German Shepherd was Bullet.

Under what name was Roy Rogers born?

Roy Rogers was born Leonard Slye in Cincinnati in 1911 and was billed as Dick Weston before Republic Pictures renamed him in 1938; he became the King of the Cowboys.

Which actor played Hopalong Cassidy in 66 films?

William Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy in 66 films from 1935 to 1948, then bought the rights and became an early television star; Hoppy's white horse was Topper.

Who played Captain Kangaroo for 29 years?

Bob Keeshan, earlier Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody, was Captain Kangaroo on CBS from 1955 to 1984, basing the show on the bond between grandparents and children.

Which Mouseketeer became the most famous member of the original Mickey Mouse Club?

Annette Funicello, picked by Walt Disney himself in 1955, became the most popular Mouseketeer and later starred in Beach Party films; Jimmie Dodd hosted as Head Mouseketeer.

Who created and hosted Candid Camera?

Allen Funt created Candid Camera, which began as Candid Microphone on radio in 1947, and greeted victims with 'Smile, you're on Candid Camera'.

Who moderated What's My Line? in its original run?

John Charles Daly moderated the CBS original from 1950 to 1967; panelists such as Bennett Cerf and Arlene Francis were blindfolded for the weekly mystery guest.

Which producers revived The Price Is Right in 1972?

Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, whose company had produced the 1956 original, revived it as The New Price Is Right in 1972 with Bob Barker hosting until 2007.

Who hosted Jeopardy! from 1964 to 1979?

Art Fleming hosted the NBC original from 1964 to 1975 and a 1978-79 revival; Merv Griffin created the show and Don Pardo was its announcer.

Which cosmetics company sponsored The $64,000 Question and its isolation booth?

Revlon sponsored The $64,000 Question from its 1955 debut and saw its sales soar; host Hal March sent contestants into a glass isolation booth.

Which shaving cream was famous for rhyming roadside sign sequences?

Burma-Shave, a Minneapolis brushless shaving cream launched in 1925, posted rhyming sign sequences along highways from 1926 until 1963.

What was the liquid concentrate that Kool-Aid was based on called?

Edwin Perkins dried his Fruit Smack syrup into a powder to cut shipping costs, creating Kool-Aid in Hastings, Nebraska in 1927.

Which singer was nicknamed 'The Velvet Fog'?

Mel Tormé was dubbed The Velvet Fog by New York disc jockey Fred Robbins in the 1940s for his smooth voice; he also co-wrote The Christmas Song.

Which company introduced Spam in 1937?

Hormel Foods of Austin, Minnesota introduced Spam in 1937, and it spread across the Pacific with American troops during World War II.

Which Kansas City undertaker patented the automatic telephone exchange in 1891?

Almon Strowger, a Kansas City undertaker, won US patent 447,918 in March 1891; the first Strowger exchange opened in La Porte, Indiana in 1892.

In which Florida city did the four women of The Golden Girls share a house?

The house at 6151 Richmond Street, Miami, belonged to Blanche; the friends worked out their problems around the kitchen table over late-night cheesecake.

Which make of battered old car did TV detective Columbo drive?

Columbo drove a battered 1959 Peugeot 403 convertible; the rumpled raincoat was Peter Falk's own, and he often ad-libbed 'Just one more thing'.

Happy Days followed the Cunningham family in which Midwestern city?

Happy Days was set in 1950s Milwaukee, where Richie's father Howard ran a hardware store; the biker Fonzie grew from a minor character into the show's biggest star.

The Waltons was set on Walton's Mountain in which US state?

Creator Earl Hamner based the Depression-era stories on his own childhood in Schuyler, Nelson County, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge foothills.

Jessica Fletcher of Murder, She Wrote lived in the small coastal town of Cabot Cove in which state?

Cabot Cove, Maine was fictional, with exteriors shot in Mendocino, California; Angela Lansbury's Jessica took her maiden name MacGill from Lansbury's own mother.

On Dallas, who was revealed in November 1980 to have shot J.R. Ewing?

Kristin Shepard, played by Mary Crosby, was Sue Ellen's sister and J.R.'s mistress; the 'Who Done It?' episode of November 21, 1980 ended an eight-month wait.

Which two-word order did Steve McGarrett bark at the end of most Hawaii Five-O episodes?

Usually aimed at Danny 'Danno' Williams, the line sometimes added the charge, as in 'Book 'em, murder one'.

Which CBS newsmagazine, opened by a ticking stopwatch, premiered in 1968?

60 Minutes premiered on CBS on September 24, 1968, created by producer Don Hewitt, and adopted its ticking-stopwatch opening in its early years.

What was Ben Matlock's favourite food, a running joke throughout the series?

Hot dogs were Matlock's favourite food, a running joke about the frugal millionaire lawyer who happily ate them for lunch; Andy Griffith played him from 1986 to 1995.