Sunday, January 25, 2009

Television Trivia

I've got nothing right now...so, I propose a game of Television Trivia. I'll start the ball rolling. You answer my question in the comments and then put up your own question. Since it's Sunday and traffic will be light, feel free to answer and ask as many questions as you like (but only one at a time).

I'm only setting one rule: Your question has to relate to a TV show...movies (and movie versions) don't count.

So, here's my question:

On The Jetsons, the family dog is actually discovered to be the long lost pet of a millionaire, J.P. Gottrockets. What did the Jetsons call the dog (too easy and doesn't count as the answer), and what did the original owner claim his name really was?

43 comments:

Eric said...

Thanks, Nathan: this is one of those instances where the act of asking the question has knocked the answer out of my brain. I can't even think of what the fucking Jetsons called the dog. My brain is now going through the song and it's going, "His dog Elroy!" which is clearly, fundamentally wrong.

So, thanks. Thanks a lot. Asshole.

Nathan said...

Well, just to make it easier, I'll point out that it's not "The Professor or Mary-Anne" either.

And I've been elevated to Asshole! Ooh! I feel all tingly.

Jeff Hentosz said...

I assume we're on our honor not to use Google. I know the dog's Jetson's name, but not his original name. So I'll wait my turn.

Nathan said...

You guys are all really disappointing me now. And, of course (as always), things are open to anonymous/lurker comments. And I know some of you have been here.

This isn't even that hard of one!

Anonymous said...

We had no idea - although Bryan remembered watching the episode - so we googled and disqualified ourselves.

Maybe you're setting the bar too high to start? ;)

Nathan said...

I've set the bar too high?

"Sheeeesh" (As Astro said every time he was reminded that his real name was supposed to be Tralfaz)

OK, we'll try again.

Who played Will Robinson on Lost in Space and what other show was he really well known for (with a role as the creepiest kid you ever met)?

MWT said...

I've been here, but I don't watch the vast majority of TV or movies. So this is exactly the wrong kind of trivia game to try to suck me into. ;)

neurondoc said...

Who played Will Robinson on Lost in Space and what other show was he really well known for (with a role as the creepiest kid you ever met)?

Billy Mumy. And he was that creepy kid in the Twilight Zone episode called "Good Life" (or something similar). Watched it once. Totally freaked me out.

Anonymous said...

The actor was Bill Mumy, and the show he's remembered for was the Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" where he played a creepy psychotic kid who could kill with his thoughts. The character had total telekinetic, all-powerful abilities.

New question:

This Oscar winning actor was beaten out for the role of Spock on Star Trek. He later appeared on another science fiction series.

Anonymous said...

Neurondoc beat me to it while I was fact-checking my new question. :)

Tania said...

Dang it, I know who the actor Bryan mentions is, but all I can think of are his movies. And Mission: Impossible, which does not count.

Arrgh.

Eric said...

Ahem, Bill Mumy is also well-remembered among skiffy fans these days for being a regular on Babylon 5, I believe the character was Lanier (checks)--sorry, that's spelled "Lennier," my bad.

I presume all of you know the name of the earworm novelty song Mr. Mumy is famous for co-authoring/performing.

And I have no idea what the answer to Bryan's question is.

Tania said...

Yeah, but what SF show is it? I could go look on IMDB, but that's cheating.

Eric said...

Oh, and since I can't think of a good TV trivia question right now, Tania can have mine (she gave me Landau, after all).

You're up!

Eric said...

Space 1999.

Nathan said...

I don't remember what SciFi show Landau was on, but I think Billy Mumy co-wrote "Fish-heads".

I don't get the Karloff reference and I believe we need a new question.

Eric said...

Right on Mumy's songwriting credit.

Landau's Oscar was for playing Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's Ed Wood, which is where the "call Karloff a cocksucker" line is from (the elderly Lugosi, according to the movie, had a bit of a rivalry with his former occasional co-star, who continued to get work and recognition long after most people believed Lugosi to be dead). And if you haven't seen Ed Wood you need to go rent that movie ASAP, what the hell is wrong with you? (I recommend making it a double-feature with an original Wood classic, e.g. Plan 9 From Outer Space.)

Tania said...

YES! Thanks Eric.

Ok. My TV trivia question...

Considering his lead role in a previous film this non-award winning actor possibly could've been able to call the mice for the lizard people to eat in his cult-favorite TV series.

Tania said...

Oh, and if you ever watch PBS, he's actually a pretty good classical theatre performer. Really!

Nathan said...

Well this has been a dismal failure hasn't it?

And I haven't got the first clue about the show Tania's asking about. I even tried cheating and couldn't get anywhere.

kimby said...

The only answer I have known is the dog's name was Astro...and then..I've got nothing.
But Nathan, it wasn't THAT bad of a failure, it did get you 22 comments!

Jeff Hentosz said...

Maybe a referee could call time every now and then. Wonder who we could get to do that?

Tania said...

Marc Singer (Beastmaster!) in Shawn's favorite 80's TV show "V"

Someone else's turn?

Random Michelle K said...

Wow. Even if I'd been near the Internet, the only thing I would have been able to contribute was that Mumy played Lennier in Babylon 5, and was in one episode of DS9 where he did NOT have to be an alien and got to be himself.

Can't remember the name of the episode off the top of my head, but it was the episode in season 7 where Nog lost his leg in battle

Jeff Hentosz said...

New question:

Before Rankin & Bass became famous for their 3D holiday specials, they produced a traditional 2D animated Saturday morning program based on what classic children's book series?

If you know, can you give the names R&B made up for the lead character's sidekicks.

Nathan said...

I haven't got the first clue about the answer, but I went to college with Jules Bass' daughter...Any points for that?

Jeff Hentosz said...

No points. You shared a kindergarten nap mat, or nothing.

What am I talking about? It's your game. You can declare yourself the Exalted High Poobah of All TV Trivia here if you want.

Nathan said...

OK, the official rule is that whoever asks the question decides about point scoring.

Jeff Hentosz said...

It's Calvin Trivia! ("Okay, I'll ask the question. You go around the back of your garage and sing "Together (Wherever We Go)" from Gypsy. If someone answers the question before you get back, open three cans of tomato soup...")

It's been over an hour, so I'll call time on my own puzzler (it's "The New Adventures of the Wizard of Oz" and the three companions were Socrates, Rusty and Dandy and it was my most favoritest cartoon when I was four or five.)

Score so far: Neurondoc, 10 for a correct answer; Bryan, 9 for having the right answer, but getting screwed on time by his work ethic; Tania 8 for stumping everyone, but -6 for making me remember Marc Singer in a barbarian fur thong (eww); Eric and Michelle, 2 each for superfluous chit-chat, but at least amusing superfluous chit-chat; Jeri, MWT and Kimby, a participation ribbon each; and Nathan -9,284,571 for not doing this on a day when we could get some serious traffic.

Next?

Eric said...

What record label was founded by the brother of the composer of the theme music for the CBS television show The Equalizer?

What? It's a TV question. It's about The Equalizer. Sort of. And anyway it's not even that hard.

Eric said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Eric said...

Okay, just in case that one's not "TV" enough: the composer for The Equalizer subsequently played drums in a supergroup/vanity project with an equally-talented bassist and guitarist; that bassist in turn composed and sang the main theme for a popular animated series. Can you name the band, the bassist, and the show?

Thphbbt.

Eric said...

What, no answers.

Okay, a hint, then: the music for The Equalizer was composed and performed by the drummer for what was arguably the biggest band in the world in the early 1980s, a power trio (bass, guitars, drums). The fistfights between said drummer and the bassist/vocalist/chief songwriter were a legend unto themsleves and contributed to the band's breakup ca. 1985 after an attempt to record a follow-up to their final and most successful album degenerated into nothing more than a session spent re-recording one of the band's biggest hits (this became the centerpiece for the Greatest Hits album that was the band's swan song until an epic reunion world tour last year).

The label founded by the drummer's brother-in-law hosted early R.E.M., the Go-Gos and The Bangles, among other acts.

The animated show mentioned in the follow-up is famous for its use of language.

Anybody?

Tania said...

Ok, I know who the drummer is/was. And the bassist.

Stewart Copeland and Sting.

No clue on the label or the cartoon.

Some dude stuck in the Midwest said...

According to Wiki "The Equalizer ..Stewart Copeland, founder and drummer of the famous pop/rock New Wave band The Police.." The Bassist should be then Sting

The only animated series I found connected to him is The Emperor's new Groove.

The same drummer composed the theme song for the pilot of which sc-fi show?

vince said...

::raises hand::

I know! I know! Babylon 5 (coming around again to Bill Mumy).

My turn.

There was more than one version of the classic 50's show "Howdy Doody's Show". In the Canadian version, what now iconic actor played Ranger Bill?

Eric said...

Actually, the question about the bassist was in reference to one of the two supergroups Copeland was in after The Police.

Specifically, Oysterhead with Primus' Les Claypool (who, yes, is a better bassist than Sting, tho' Sting is quite handy at the bass) and Trey Anastasio of Phish.

And Claypool, of course, composed the title music for South Park.

Sorry I made it too hard. :-(

(Oh, and Stewart's brother is Miles Copeland, who founded I.R.S. Records back in the day.)

Anonymous said...

In re: to Eric's question:


O.O

Love,
Janiece's Stepdog

Jim Wright said...

OH for shit's sake, I can't believe you pulled a TV trivia game on a Sunday. Damn it all to hell, Nathan, I rule at obscure TV Trivia

Example (and you won't find this on IMDB), Gillian's Island, the Cannibals episode, the Professor makes Gilligan memorize "Let the captives Go!" in headhunter (because Gilligan looked exactly like the stone cannibal god carving of course). What was the exact phrase?

I've been saving that question up, just in case it's ever asked on Jeopardy - or on a blog.

- but Saturdays and Sundays I make it a general rule to be outside away from the freakin' computer. Damn you, Nathan, all these years and you totally screwed me.

Nathan said...

It's somehow my fault if you let my blog go untended on the weekend?

Nathan said...

Oh, and I haven't the first clue the answer to your question...and I don't feel bad about it either.

Jim Wright said...

Poolu See Bumgumba

Duh.

I memorized that as a kid, just in case. Headhunters, you know.

Forty fucking years later and I still remember it. Mind like a stainless steel trap. That's right. Who's the man? That's why Matt Jarpe wants me for his partner in the Zombie Apocalypse. Me.

:::visualize Jim thumping his chest and looking around for the cannibals:::

Nathan said...

Clearly, you've already found the cannabis. :D