Q. My friends and I are nuts over Phoebe Cates. Tell us about her. - M. and the Boys, Downers Grove, Ill.
A. Cates, 28, was born and raised in Manhattan, the daughter of TV producer Joseph Cates, niece of director Gilbert Cates. She attended Professional Children's School, started out as a model and got her first acting job in a short-lived TV series, "Mr. and Mrs. Dracula." She made her movie debut at 17 in "Paradise," her stage debut shortly after in Joe Papp's "The Nest of the Wood Grouse." Her biggest TV role was in the 1984 miniseries "Lace." She's married to actor Kevin Kline.Q. My friend claims he's seen all the versions of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." I remember one with Anthony Quinn and Sophia Loren. He says I'm nuts. - V.E.E., West Valley, Utah.
A. Not quite. But it was Gina Lollobrigida with Quinn in the 1957 version. The other "Hunchbacks": 1923, with Lon Chaney and Patsy Ruth Miller; 1939, with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara; 1982, with Anthony Hopkins and Lesley-Ann Down. The last was a made-for-TV movie and the video title is "Hunchback."
Q. On "As The World Turns," Lisa Mitchell's long-lost son Scott has re-appeared. This actor was on another soap. But which one? It's driving me crazy. - L.H., Clawson, Mich.
A. Joseph Breen has two previous soap credits. He was Dr. Will Jeffries on "The Guiding Light," 1987-1989, and Paul Slavinsky on "Loving," 1990-1992.
Q. Tell me about Vincent Irizarry, Nick McHenry on "The Guiding Light." Give an address. - S., Oconee, Ga.
A. Irizarry was born in Queens, N.Y., Nov. 12, 1959, studied music and acting and did some theater before landing in soaps. He was Lujack, the gang leader, on "The Guiding Light," 1983-85, did prime-time TV and movies, until 1987, when he went back to daytime as Dr. Scott Clark in "Santa Barbara.' In 1991, he returned to "GL" as new character McHenry. He married Cigny Coleman, who played his girl friend on "SB." They have a son. Write: CBS-TV, 51 W. 52nd St., New York, NY 10019.
Q. In what movie did Judy Garland star when she sang "You Made Me Love You" to Clark Gable? - R.P., Philadelphia.
A. The movie was Garland's third, "Broadway Melody of 1938." She was featured, not a star of the movie, but her heartfelt "Dear Mr. Gable," sung to Gable's picture, made her MGM bosses take notice.
Q. How old is Billy Dee Williams? My husband and I have a bet. I say he is in his 60s. He was in his 40s in "Lady Sings the Blues" with Diana Ross. - R.M.F., Detroit.
A. Williams was 55 last April 6. He was 35 in 1972's "Lady."
Q. Who starred in the play and the movie "Voice of the Turtle"? I know it was long time ago but I'm interested. - M.B., Buffalo, N.Y.
A. Margaret Sullivan, Elliott Nugent and Audrey Christie were in the wartime play. Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker and Eve Arden were in the 1947 movie.
Q. Can you give some information, past and present, on Kurt Kreuger, who was the German submarine navigator in the Robert Mitchum movie "The Enemy Below"? - A.M., Warner Robins, Ga.
A. Kreuger was born in Michenberg, Germany, on July 23, 1916, raised in Switzerland and attended school in London and New York's Columbia University. He played mostly Nazi roles during World War II after his movie debut in "The Moon is Down" in 1943. He continued to make movies, mostly in Europe, into the late 1960s. No word of him since.
Q. Courtney Thorne-Smith, Allison on "Melrose Place," looks familar but we can't figure out where we've seen her before. - S., Warren, Mich.
A. Thorne-Smith, 25, has been acting since high school when she made her debut in the feature "Lucas." Other movies: "Revenge of the Nerds II," "Summer School." She's done TV guest roles and been a regular on two previous TV series, "Fast Times" and "Day by Day."
Q. Tell me about Al Franken of cable's Comedy Central Network and "Saturday Night Live." Include an address. - C.S., Cherry Hills, N.J.
A. Franken's a New Yorker, a Harvard graduate and has been involved with "SNL" since the beginning in 1975, when he was the youngest member of the writing staff. He wrote for the show until 1980, developed several of the show's sketches including "Weekend Update," "Point-Counterpoint" and most of the political skits. He rejoined the show in 1985, and with his partner Tom Davis produced the show, 1986-87. Since then, he's been a writer and performer known for his impersonations of Paul Tsongas, Sen. Paul Simon and Pat Robertson. He co-produced 1990's "SNL 15th Anniversary Special" and the recent "SNL Presidential Bash." His latest character is Stuart Smalley, the 12-step advocate and proclaimer of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me," which is the title of his new book. Write: NBC-TV, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10012.
Q. My wife says it was Richard Crenna who starred in "Kosak: The Night Stalker." I say it was Darren McGavin. Who's right, please. - R.A., Nevada, Iowa.
A. It was "Kolchak" who was the night stalker and it was McGavin who was the wise-cracking reporter who kept running into vampires. It lasted only a season, 1974-75.
Q. About "Gilligan's Island," what was Gilligan's first name; what is the Skipper's full name; what is the professor's full name; what is Ginger's last name, and what is Mary Ann's last name? - M.C., Lima, Ohio.
A. Jonas Grumby was the skipper; Roy Hinkley was the professor. It was Ginger Grant and Mary Ann Summers. But Gilligan never had a first name in the show. Bob Denver, who was Gilligan, once revealed that he and the show's creator, Sherwood Schwartz, had talked it over and decided that it might be Willie Gilligan.
Q. What happened to Tina Louise, who was Ginger on "Gilligan's Island"? Why wasn't she on "Return to Gilligan's Island"? Has she died? - A.O., Orange, N.J.
A. Louise is alive, still acting occasionally and still trying to shed the role of Ginger. That was one reason she didn't do any of the reunion movies. Also, she wanted too much money, according to the producers.
Q. What is the title of the TV movie in which Marlo Thomas played a woman who was institutionalized for years for panic attacks, got out, went to school and lived on her own. As a sufferer from this disorder, I and my support group would really benefit from seeing this film. Is it on tape? - L.M., Ann Arbor, Mich.
A. Thomas starred in 1986's"Nobody's Child," the story of Marie Balter, who became a mental health care professional after 20 years in mental instituions. The film is not listed on tape.
Q. Tell me about Richard Thomas. I love watching him in reruns of "The Waltons." I never see him anymore. How old is he now? - M.M.P., Wichita Falls, Texas.
A. Thomas was 41 on June 12. He has concentrated on theater and an occasional TV movie since the series ended in 1977, largely to help him shed the image of John Boy Walton. He was appearing on stage in Houston in October and had to miss joining others of the shows's cast at the opening of the Walton's Mountain Museum in Schuyler, Va. - the home of Earl Hamner Jr., who created the Waltons based on his own family.
Q. I've noticed that several of the old half-hour TV comedy shows have been cut. Why is this? - C.K., Portland, Ore.
A. The cuts are made to fit in more commercials.
Q. We recall an incredible show in the 1970s called "Banana Splits." When did it originally air, what were the characters' names and who played them? - K.K. and J.D., Philadelphia.
A. "The Banana Splits Adventure Hour" was on NBC, 1968-70. The names of actors in the animal suits, playing rock 'n' rollers Drooper, Snorky, Bingo and Fleegle, were not recorded for posterity.
Q. Where does cable's Weather Channel broadcast from? I've seen an address in New Jersey for some material they were offering but I'd like the headquarters. - Mrs. E.B., Berkley, Mich.
A. Write: The Weather Channel, 2600 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339.
Q. Whatever became of Rossano Brazzi, the Italian heartthrob who starred in '50s movies like "Three Coins in the Fountain"?
A. At 76, he is still making movies in Europe. Brazzi has played himself in more than 160 films, usually as the suave, continental lover planting kisses on leading ladies from Michele Morgan to Katharine Hepburn. "But I'm no lover," he insists. "I'm too lazy."
Q. Tell me everything about Brendan Fraser ("School Ties"). How old is he? What school did he attend? - K.K., Cherry Hill, N.J.
A. Fraser is 23, son of a Canadian diplomat. He grew up and attended schools in Canada, the U.S. and the Netherlands, where his father was posted.
Q. What was the year the motion picture "Velvet" was released, starring Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor, and how old were they at the time? - P.S., Royal Oak, Mich.
A. It was "National Velvet" and it was released in 1944. Rooney was 24 and Taylor 12.
Q. Tell me the birthdays of Robert DeNiro, Jack Nicholson and Anthony Hopkins. They're my favorites. - E.R., Northwood, N.D.
A. Nicholson, April 23, 1937; Hopkins, Dec. 31, 1937; DeNiro, Aug. 17, 1943.
- Send your questions to Celebrity Questions, Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48231.