Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: television

  • Yet More What ‘*’ — Answers

    Expedition ship Terra Nova during the British Antarctic Expedition, c.1911.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s Answers

    Day 4 of our continuing theme.

    One

    What ‘P’ links a creature from Greek myth and Bénouville Bridge, Normandy?

    Answer: Pegasus.

    Pegasus is a winged white stallion in Greek mythology, sired by Poseidon and born from Medusa after she was decapitated by Perseus. He later ascended to heaven to serve Zeus by bringing lightning and thunder from Olympus.

    Pegasus Bridge, originally the Bénouville Bridge, is a historic road crossing over the Caen Canal in Normandy. Built in 1934, it became famous during the Second World War when a British glider-borne force captured it intact on 6 June 1944 to limit German counter-attacks after the Normandy invasion. Renamed in honour of the operation and the shoulder emblem worn by British airborne forces, the original bridge is now a war memorial at the Memorial Pegasus museum, having been replaced by a modern bascule bridge in 1994.

    Two

    What ‘Q’ is a capital city; sits on the equator; and is amongst the highest capitals by elevation? Of what country is this city the capital, and what other country’s two capitals vie with this one as highest capitals?

    Answers: Quito, Ecuador; Bolivia.

    Quito, formally known as San Francisco de Quito, serves as the capital and second-largest city of Ecuador. Its population is estimated at 1.7 million within the city and 2.8 million across the metropolitan area. Situated in a valley on the eastern slopes of the active stratovolcano Pichincha in the Andes at 2,850 metres (9,350 ft), Quito ranks as either the highest or second-highest national capital globally, depending on whether La Paz or Sucre is regarded as Bolivia’s capital.

    Three

    Which ‘R’ was somewhat of a maverick before becoming a saint, then adopted a licence to kill on seven occasions? Who is the actor, and in which television production did Tony Curtis appear as a co-star?

    Answers: Roger Moore; The Persuaders!.

    Sir Roger George Moore was an English actor best known as the third actor to portray James Bond, starring in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985. On television, he played the lead role of Simon Templar in The Saint, starred in the American Western Maverick, and appeared alongside Tony Curtis in The Persuaders!.

    Four

    What ‘S’, in 1991, superseded SALT, which dated from the sixties? The answers are both an acronym and its meaning.

    Answers: START; Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

    The START I treaty, proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, led to the removal of about 80% of strategic nuclear weapons by late 2001. Following the Soviet Union’s collapse, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan agreed to its terms. After START I there were START II, III and then the New START Treaty in 2010, which extended nuclear weapon reductions until its expiration in February 2026, despite Russia suspending its participation in 2023.

    Five

    What ‘T’ was Captain Robert F. Scott’s ship on his ill-fated trip to Antarctica? Which explorer beat him to the South Pole by a few weeks?

    Answers: Terra Nova; Roald Amundsen.

    Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his party of five reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912, only to find Roald Amundsen had arrived first. On their return journey, a planned meeting with supporting dog teams failed, and the entire party died from exhaustion, starvation, and extreme cold just miles from their next supply depot. When their bodies were discovered, they were found with the first Antarctic fossils, which later proved the continent was once forested and connected to other landmasses.

  • Yet More What ‘*’

    See question five. Expedition ship … during the British Antarctic Expedition, c.1911.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Day 4 of our continuing theme.

    One

    What ‘P’ links a creature from Greek myth and Bénouville Bridge, Normandy?

    Two

    What ‘Q’ is a capital city; sits on the equator; and is amongst the highest capitals by elevation? Of what country is this city the capital, and what other country’s two capitals vie with this one as highest capitals?

    Three

    Which ‘R’ was somewhat of a maverick before becoming a saint, then adopted a licence to kill on seven occasions? Who is the actor, and in which television production did Tony Curtis appear as a co-star?

    Four

    What ‘S’, in 1991, superseded SALT, which dated from the sixties? The answers are both an acronym and its meaning.

    Five

    What ‘T’ was Captain Robert F. Scott’s ship on his ill-fated trip to Antarctica? Which explorer beat him to the South Pole by a few weeks?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • And Now For Something Completely Different — Answers

    Today’s Answers .

    Sean Connery as James Bond. See question four.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    On 5 October 1969, I was in my mid-teens and interested in aviation, so I settled in to watch a new BBC TV series at its debut. Although it turned out to be unrelated to flight, it was excellent and became a turning point for television comedy: what was the programme, and who were the half-dozen people who created, wrote, and performed in it?

    Answers: Monty Python’s Flying Circus; Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam.

    Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by the “Pythons”—Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam. Premiering in 1969, the show aired 45 episodes over four series until 1974 and is known for its absurd situations, observational sketches without punchlines, and unique animations by Gilliam. The troupe also produced five films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979).

    Two

    Born on this day in 1975, this actress portrayed Ophelia, Rose, Hester, and Iris across five years starting in the mid-nineties. Who is she, and in which four films did she assume these roles?

    Answer: Kate Winslet; Hamlet; Titanic; Enigma and Iris.

    Kate Winslet is an English actress known for her roles as headstrong women in independent films and period dramas. Born in 1975, she has won numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Emmys, five BAFTAs, and five Golden Globes, and was appointed a CBE in 2012. She studied at Redroofs Theatre School and made her screen debut at age fifteen.

    Three

    In October 1970 PBS began broadcasting on American television taking over many of the functions of what predecessor organisation; and what children’s show featuring live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry were one of its great successes?

    Answer: National Educational Television (NET).

    PBS, a nonprofit in Arlington, Virginia, distributes educational programmes via over 350 member stations. Funding includes dues, pledges, sponsorships and donations; Corporation for Public Broadcasting support runs from 1969 to 2025. Standards prevent funding influence.

    Four

    In 1962, the first ‘official’ Bond movie by Eon Productions premiered on this day. What was the film and what actress, although she is not to appear on the screen in this film, is widely regarded as the first ‘Bond girl’ and what was her role?

    Answers: Dr. No; Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder.

    Dr. No, directed by Terence Young and starring Sean Connery, launched the James Bond series in 1962. Bond investigates a disappearance in Jamaica, uncovering Dr. No’s plot against Cape Canaveral. It established iconic elements and achieved financial success. Although Honey Rider is widely regarded as the first Bond girl, Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench and Zena Marshall as Miss Taro.

    Five

    In 1961, the comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s premiered. Your answers are four names: who starred as Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak; who directed the film; and who wrote the novella the film was based on?

    Answers: Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard; Blake Edwards; Truman Capote.

    Directed by Blake Edwards from George Axelrod’s screenplay, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) stars Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. It earned two Academy Awards and was preserved in the National Film Registry, though Mickey Rooney’s role caused controversy as being perceived as racist.

    And Now For Something Completely Different

    The post title was frequently used in Monty Python often as a transition between sketches and was also the title of the troupe’s first film released in 1971.

  • And Now For Something Completely Different

    Sean Connery as James Bond. See question four.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    On 5 October 1969, I was in my mid-teens and interested in aviation, so I settled in to watch a new BBC TV series at its debut. Although it turned out to be unrelated to flight, it was excellent and became a turning point for television comedy: what was the programme, and who were the half-dozen people who created, wrote, and performed in it?

    Two

    Born on this day in 1975, this actress portrayed Ophelia, Rose, Hester, and Iris across five years starting in the mid-nineties. Who is she, and in which four films did she assume these roles?

    Three

    In October 1970 PBS began broadcasting on American television taking over many of the functions of what predecessor organisation; and what children’s show featuring live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry were one of its great successes?

    Four

    In 1962, the first ‘official’ Bond movie by Eon Productions premiered on this day. What was the film and what actress, although she is not to appear on the screen in this film, is widely regarded as the first ‘Bond girl’ and what was her role?

    Five

    In 1961, the comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s premiered. Your answers are four names: who starred as Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak; who directed the film; and who wrote the novella the film was based on?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Flowery Twats — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    See question four. Fawlty Towers episode 11 sign.

    Today’s first question is date-related to 3 October. The subsequent questions are not date-related but follow on a theme created in the first.

    One

    On this date, episode 1 of The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered. The show starred Dick Van Dyke as Rob Petrie, but who played his wife, Laura; and in what year did this episode air?

    Answers: Mary Tyler Moore; 1961.

    The Dick Van Dyke Show was an American sitcom that aired from 3 October 1961, to 1 June 1966, consisting of 158 episodes across five seasons. Created and produced by Carl Reiner, the series starred Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, and others. The show focused on the life of Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), a television comedy writer for the fictional Alan Brady Show. Petrie lived in suburban New Rochelle with his wife, Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore), and young son, Ritchie (Larry Mathews). The series achieved critical success, winning 15 Emmy Awards, and has maintained a strong reputation among critics and industry groups, earning high rankings on lists from TV Guide and the Writers Guild of America.

    Two

    Which of these was a character in an episode in the first season of The Flintstones; and what was Fred a member of at that time?

    • Hot Lips Hannigan; Loyal Order of Dinosaurs
    • Radar Rockpile; Loyal Order of Woolly Mammoths
    • Spearchucker Stone; Loyal Order of Pteranodon

    Answers: Hot Lips Hannigan

    The Hot Lips character predates MAS*H by some 10 years, and the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes replaced the dinosaurs in later episodes. The Flintstones, produced by Hanna-Barbera, was the first prime-time animated sitcom on ABC, set in a romanticised Stone Age. Its popularity stems from blending modern concerns with this setting; it was the most successful animated series for three decades.

    Three

    It is well known that the stars of Friends negotiated their contracts collectively, but this was only true for part of their ten-season run. In which season or seasons did they get different salaries; and in which season(s) did they receive $1 million per episode? (Answers will be number(s) between 1 and 10.)

    Answers: Season 2; Season 9 and 10.

    Wikipedia explains it as follows:

    In their original contracts for the first season, cast members were paid $22,500 per episode. The cast members received different salaries in the second season, beginning from the $20,000 range to $40,000 per episode. Before their salary negotiations for the third season, the cast decided to enter collective negotiations, despite Warner Bros.’ preference for individual deals. The stars were each paid $75,000 per episode in season three, $85,000 in season four, $100,000 in season five, $125,000 in season six, $750,000 in seasons seven and eight, and $1 million in seasons nine and ten, making Aniston, Cox, and Kudrow the highest-paid TV actresses of all time.

    — Wikipedia

    Four

    What two actors were the co-creators and co-writers of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, and who played the Spanish waiter Manuel in the same series?

    Answers: John Cleese and Connie Booth; Andrew Sachs.

    In May 1970, the members of Monty Python stayed at the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, where owner Donald Sinclair’s rudeness, including discarding Eric Idle’s briefcase, influenced John Cleese and Connie Booth. The building was demolished and replaced by a nursing home, Sachs Lodge, which was named after the late Andrew Sachs.

    Five

    In Frasier, the lead character returns to his hometown to present a radio psychiatry programme. Which two cities mark his move from and to, and which two actors played Frasier’s father and brother?

    Answers: Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington; John Mahoney (as his father Martin Crane) David Hyde Pierce (as his brother Niles Crane).

    Frasier, an NBC sitcom created by David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee, followed Frasier Crane’s return to Seattle. It won 37 Primetime Emmys, including five consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series awards.

    Flowery Twats

    The title draws from the opening sequence of Fawlty Towers, where the hotel sign shifts into forms such as Farty Towels and Fatty Owls; however, Flowery Twats in the penultimate episode is the sole arrangement using every letter of Fawlty Towers.

  • Flowery Twats

    See question four. Fawlty Towers episode 11 sign.

    Today’s first question is date-related to 3 October. The subsequent questions are not date-related but follow on a theme created in the first.

    One

    On this date, episode 1 of The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered. The show starred Dick Van Dyke as Rob Petrie, but who played his wife, Laura; and in what year did this episode air?

    Two

    Which of these was a character in an episode in the first season of The Flintstones; and what was Fred a member of at that time?

    • Hot Lips Hannigan; Loyal Order of Dinosaurs
    • Radar Rockpile; Loyal Order of Woolly Mammoths
    • Spearchucker Stone; Loyal Order of Pteranodon

    Three

    It is well known that the stars of Friends negotiated their contracts collectively, but this was only true for part of their ten-season run. In which season or seasons did they get different salaries; and in which season(s) did they receive $1 million per episode? (Answers will be number(s) between 1 and 10.)

    Four

    What two actors were the co-creators and co-writers of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, and who played the Spanish waiter Manuel in the same series?

    Five

    In Frasier, the lead character returns to his hometown to present a radio psychiatry programme. Which two cities mark his move from and to, and which two actors played Frasier’s father and brother?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Can I have a ‘P’ please, Bob?

    Jaws film poster, 1975 (cropped).
    See question one.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are not date-related but the answers are consistant with the title.

    One

    Who wrote the book Jaws, which gave great white sharks such a bad reputation?

    Two

    In the human body, what is produced from the sudoriferous (or sudoriparous) glands?

    Three

    According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, 70% of a species of big cat live in Amazonia. This cat’s binomial name fits into today’s theme: what is that binomial name and what is its normal English name?

    Four

    Erle Stanley Gardner wrote more than 80 novels based on what character?

    Five

    Who was ‘the Gardener’s Daughter’ on Elvis Presley’s album Frankie and Johnny?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Prancing Pony — Answers

    The Prancing Pony, Bree.
    Image LOTR Fandom

    Five random questions today, neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    In the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, who are said to be the inhabitants of Bree?

    Answer: Big Folk and Hobbits.

    Bree, east of the Shire, is the only Hobbit and Man settlement in Bree-land, inspired by the English village of Brill and Tolkien’s linguistics. The Prancing Pony in Bree is where Frodo’s use of the ring brings him to the attention of Aragorn and the Black Riders. 

    Two

    What is the world’s longest snake?

    Answer: Reticulated Python.

    The reticulated python is the only snake with verified human consumption, prompting a 2015 US import ban later partially rescinded. Documented fatalities and consumption of humans are recorded from 1638 to 2026, these are mainly in Indonesia.

    Three

    What is the nearest star to our Sun? 

    Answer: Proxima Centauri.

    Proxima Centauri, discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes, is the nearest star to Earth after the Sun, located 4.25 light-years away in Centaurus. A red dwarf which will remain a main-sequence star for four trillion years. Proxima Centauri has two confirmed exoplanets: Proxima Centauri b and Proxima Centauri d.

    Four

    In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Wednesday is revealed to be an incarnation of what God?

    Answer: Odin.

    Neil Gaiman’s 2001 fantasy novel American Gods centres on Shadow and won Hugo and Nebula awards. A 2011 expanded edition, audio versions and a 2017 Folio Society edition followed. It was adapted for television in 2017 with Gaiman as executive producer.

    Five

    Which character from television’s Friends is also a moon of the planet Saturn? 

    Answer: Phoebe.

    Phoebe Buffay is a main character in Friends, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and played by Lisa Kudrow. Phoebe, Saturn’s largest irregular satellite, was discovered photographically by William Henry Pickering in 1899. Cassini’s 2004 flyby enabled detailed study. Its retrograde orbit places it in the Norse group.

  • The Prancing Pony

    The Prancing Pony, Bree.
    Image LOTR Fandom

    Five random questions today, neither date-related nor themed.

    One

    In the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien, who are said to be the inhabitants of Bree?

    Two

    What is the world’s longest snake?

    Three

    What is the nearest star to our Sun? 

    Four

    In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Wednesday is revealed to be an incarnation of what God?

    Five

    Which character from television’s Friends is also a moon of the planet Saturn? 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Vice Versa — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Alexander Hamilton.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question is about the date 11 July. The other questions aren’t date-related but share a theme beginning with the first question.

    One

    At dawn on 11 July 1804, the U.S. vice president took part in a duel which resulted in Alexander Hamilton being fatally wounded. 

    • Who was the vice president involved in this duel
    • What was Hamilton’s senior role in the U.S. government of George Washington between September 1789 and January 1795?

    Answers

    • Aaron Burr
    • 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury
      The Burr–Hamilton duel occurred on July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey, between U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Burr fatally shot Hamilton, weakening the Federalist Party and ending Burr’s career. The duel followed a long-standing political rivalry and was near Hamilton’s son’s duel site. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical Hamilton, based on Ron Chernow’s biography, debuted in 2015 and received critical acclaim, winning numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 11 Tony Awards. The musical’s popularity even influenced the decision to keep Alexander Hamilton on the ten-dollar bill.

    Two

    The US vice-president referred to in question one was in that role during which president’s first term?

    Answer: Thomas Jefferson

    Aaron Burr Jr. (1756-1836) was the third US vice president (1801-1805) and a Democratic-Republican. He is remembered for the above duel and his conspiracy to form an independent country. 

    Three

    Who was Richard Nixon’s first Vice President?

    Answer: Spiro Agnew.

    Spiro Agnew, the 39th U.S. vice president, served from 1969 to 1973 under Nixon. A Republican, he was Maryland’s governor and Baltimore County executive. Agnew resigned amid a tax evasion investigation, unrelated to Watergate. He later wrote a memoir and novel, blaming Zionists for his downfall, and died in 1996.

    Four

    Which TV crime drama’s theme tune was a Billboard Hot 100 number one for Jan Hammer in 1985?

    Answer: Miami Vice, aka Miami Vice Theme.

    Miami Vice Theme by Jan Hammer, the theme song for the TV series, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 and won Grammy Awards in 1986. The music video features Hammer as a fugitive, performing the theme while being chased by the show’s main characters.

    Five

    What former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister became Facebook’s vice-president of global affairs and communications in 2018?

    Answer: Nick Clegg. 

    Sir Nicholas Clegg, born in 1967, was UK Deputy Prime Minister (2010-2015) and Liberal Democrat leader (2007-2015). Educated at Cambridge, he served as an MEP and MP. Clegg’s coalition with Conservatives led to controversy over tuition fees. Post-politics, he joined Facebook, becoming vice-president for global affairs and communications, a post he left in 2025. In 2026, Clegg joined the board of British AI startup NScale.

    Vice Versa

    The title originates from Latin and translates to ‘in-turned position’. It doesn’t have any direct relevance to today’s question aside from the word “vice” which appears in each question and answer groupings.