Show Biz Wiz Quiz!

It's quiz time. Find the answers to these questions by looking at my last 10 blog entries.

1. What jazz vocalist/trumpet player hails from British Columbia, Canada and is receiving rave reviews for her work?

2. Which "Rat Pack" member started performing in Vaudeville theatres in 1929 performing with his father and uncle?

3. Who is the comedy legend that filled in for Johnny Carson 87 times as guest host of the NBC Tonight Show?

4. Between 1946 and 1956, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis performed regularly at what legendary New York City nightclub?

5. What groundbreaking situation comedy set the record for the highest Nielsen rating (67.3) in 1952-53?

6. Which late night TV host retired in May, after 33 years hosting his own show?

7. Who is the Canadian actor who has starred in the TV shows Family Ties and Spin City?

8. Which multi-talented Hollywood performer wrote 2 books about his life, called "Why Me" and "Yes I Can"?

9. What Harvard-educated actor starred in the films The World According to Garp, Terms of Endearment and Footloose?

10. Canadian entertainers Martin Short and Paul Shaffer met in the 1970s while working on a Toronto production of which musical?

Answers

1. Bria Skonberg

2. Sammy Davis Jr.

3. Bob Newhart

4. The Copacabana

5. I Love Lucy

6. David Letterman

7. Michael J. Fox

8. Sammy Davis Jr.

9. John Lithgow

10. Godspell

How did you do? Leave a comment below. Also, feel free to let me know about what topics you would like to see covered on this blog.

John Lithgow: "Drama: An Actor's Education"

Many people know the actor John Lithgow from his role as Dick Solomon in the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001). But, he released a book called "Drama: An Actor's Education" which chronicles his life in television, film and live theatre.

He was born to an actress mother and a theatre director/producer father. His family moved frequently as he grew up and John worked for his father on various live theatre productions. At one point his father worked for Princeton University.

When he first started his college career, Lithgow wanted to be an artist. He was excited to meet his artistic hero Norman Rockwell. Lithgow graduated from Harvard and studied theatre abroad in London.

When he was drafted for the Vietnam war, he dodged the draft by utilizing his acting skills. He pretended to have psychological problems and did not serve. He compared it to a scene from the film Alice's Restaurant. To this day, he still feels guilty about avoiding his military service.

In the 1970s he appeared in many Broadway shows, but few musicals. He said that the two worlds of musical theatre and the world of non-musical plays were separate. He had an affair with one of his co-stars, Liv Ullman. She was the muse of iconic film director Ingmar Bergman. During this period he met an unknown teenage actress whom everyone knew was bound for greatness, Meryl Streep.

His career highlights include; All That Jazz (1979), The World According to Garp (1982), Terms of Endearment (1983), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Footloose (1984), The Pelican Brief (1993), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001, 139 episodes), Shrek (2001), and Dexter (2009, 12 episodes).

Lithgow has been nominated for two Academy Awards. He has won two Golden Globes and five primetime Emmy Awards. He has been nominated for three Grammy Awards. He has won two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

His autobiography is beautifully written, with many interesting stories about his life in show business. My only complaint with the book is that sometimes Lithgow comes off as a bit pompous and self-righteous. I think that he is an intellectual snob. But, he did graduate from Harvard after all.

*Some information from imdb.com.