Q. I'm an admirer of Hal Holbrook currently on "Evening Shade." I'd like information on him: age, birthplace, education, acting history, etc. - M.B., Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
A. Holbrook (Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr.) was born Feb. 17, 1925, in Cleveland and raised by his grandparents in South Weymouth, Mass., after his showgirl mother left him to work on stage. He attended Culver Military Academy and Denison University in Granville, Ohio, before serving in the Army during World War II. He started acting in TV in the 1950s in the soap opera "The Brighter Day." His TV, theater and movie credits are too many to list but he is best known for his one-man show "Mark Twain Tonight," which he has done over 3,000 times. He is married to third wife Dixie Carter, of "Designing Women."Q. Scott Reeves, who plays Ryan McNeil on "The Young and the Restless," resembles a young man I knew in Columbus, Ohio. - O.K., Lakeside, Ohio.
A. Reeves was born in Santa Monica, Calif, and raised in the San Fernando Valley. After graduating from high school, he studied acting, then made his professional bow in the 1987 feature "Big Man on Campus." He was Jake Hogansen on "Days of Our Lives" and did several TV movies before he joined "Y & R" in May 1991. He's married to Melissa Reeves, who he met while both were in "DOOL."
Q. Tell me about Rossano Brazzi, a star in the 1950s. He was such a cool guy. - D.F., Mentor, Ohio.
A. Brazzi, now 76, started out to be a lawyer, then turned movie actor in his native Italy in 1939. He was a major star in Europe before he made his first U.S. movie, "Little Women," in 1949. His three major U.S. movies, "Three Coins in the Fountain," "The Barefoot Contessa" and "Summertime," were made in the mid-'50s but he continued to be seen in European films until the late 1970s. He lives in Rome.
Q. My parents named me after Ina Rae Hunton. I would like to know about her. - I.R.H., Rochester Hills, Mich.
A. Ina Ray Hutton was best known as a band leader, at first of an all-girl band, later of an all-male band. She was 4 when her mother started her in vaudeville as a singer/dancer. Later, she was on stage in the Ziegfeld Follies. The all-girl band made its debut in 1935, but finding women musicians wasn't easy and in 1940, she switched to leading men. She retired in 1947 but came back on TV in 1949. In 1960, she retired again. She died at 67 in 1984. Hutton's sister June was a band singer, but they weren't related to Betty and Marion Hutton.
Q. My only request is: What has happened to Susan Oliver? The lady is fantastic and so much print is wasted on the much less deserving. - W.G., Northridge, Calif.
A. Actress/author/pilot Oliver died at 53 in 1990.
Q. What is Richard Thomas' real name? I think he was a camp counselor named Eric in upstate New York in 1973. I dated him. - Mrs. J.S., Portland, Ore.
A. That was another fellow. Richard Thomas' real name is Richard Thomas. He was named for his father, dancer Richard Scott Thomas. In 1973, Thomas was playing John Boy in "The Waltons."
Q. Provide some information about actor Mitchell Laurance. When I attended high school in Hewlett, N.Y., there were twin brothers Mitchell and Matthew Ditkoff. Is Mitchell Laurance the same individual? - M.R., Voorhees, N.J.
A. Mitchell Laurance, 42, brother of twin Matthew, is the same chap. They're the Dickoff twins from Hewlett. Both graduated from Tufts University and admit that being in the same profession can cause confusion. They've done a few things together: "Cop Rock," "The Commish" and "Room for Two."
Q. Tell me about Timothy Daly, of "Queen" and "Wings." How old is he? Married? What other acting has he done? Where can I write to him? - V.T., Cheasapeake, Va.
A. Daly, 37, is the son of the late James Daly and little brother of Tyne Daly. He majored in drama at Bennington (Vt.) College and started out in a rock band in New York. He made his movie debut in "Diner" but concentrated on theater. He's done two TV series, "Almost Grown" and "Ryan's Four"; the miniseries "I'll Take Manhattan"; the TV movie "Red Earth, White Earth"; and features, "Made in Heaven," "Love or Money" and "Just the Way You Are." Daly and wife Amy Van Nostrandt are parents to Sam, 8, and Emelyn, 2. Write: Paramount Television, 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90038-3197.
Q. Who played Jane Seymour's mother on "Dr. Quinn," Jane Wyatt or Jane Wyman? - R.T., Burbank, Ill.
A. Wyman.
Q. Tell me about Dale Midkiff of the new sci-fi show "Time Trax." I remember him as Elvis and the abusive husband in "The Tracy Thurman Story." What else has he done? - J.L.P., Sacramento, Calif.
A. For one thing, his first movie was a horror movie so horrible it never got released. But Midkiff, 32, also has been seen on TV in "Dallas: The Early Years," "The Marla Hansen Story," "Dream Street" and in the feature "Pet Sematary."
Q. What has happened to Linda Evans? She was a famous and beautiful actress but we haven't seen her in many years. - J.G., Pryor, Okla.
A. After "Dynasty" folded its scandals in 1989, Evans, now 50, happily settled back to live on residuals in her Washington state home with her lover, Greek musician Yanni. She's made an occasional foray into TV: a 1990 movie, "I'll Take Romance," and 1991's "Dynasty: The Reunion."
Q. There was a show on every now and then and I loved it. It poked fun at our politicians in an honest manner. It's "The Powers That Be." Can it be the powers that be have kept it off the air? I don't like to think that. - M.T.B., Flourtown, Pa.
A. The power that scuttled the Norman Lear comedy was lack of audience interest. NBC renewed it after last spring's tryout, gave it two tries this season, then gave up.
Q. My brother and I have a $10 bet on whether one of the "Brady Bunch" girls died. I say no; he says yes. - S.S., Wyandotte, Mich.
A. Tell your brother to fork it over.
Q. In Philadelphia, we get "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" five nights a week. How come Lancaster and Lebanon, not far away, get the shows on Saturday, too? - J.R., Phoenixville, Pa.
A. The syndicator of both programs makes a sixth show (a rerun) available to stations that want to program it. In previous seasons, more stations used the sixth show. But since the advent of several new syndicated series ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," for instance), many stations dropped the extra shows.
Q. What's the address of "Jeopardy"? - B.T., Inkster, Mich.
A. 1090 N. Las Palmas Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. 90028.
Q. What happens when expensive items are won on game shows like "Wheel of Fortune" if the contestant can't pay the tax on the item? Is the contestant given cash in the same amount? - W.J.F., Delphos, Ohio.
A. What's the difference? It's all subject to income tax, whether cash or merchandise. Occasionally, some shows try to accommodate by helping dispose of unwanted merchandise, but mostly it's the contestant's problem. As they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Q. I was watching "King Solomons' Mines" with Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone. I told a friend that the best movie of "King Solomons' Mines" was in the 1930s with Sir Cedric Hardwicke, John Loder and Paul Robeson. Am I right? - W.J.M., Oaklyn, N.J.
A. There are four versions of H. Rider Haggard's tale, the first the 1937 version you mention. Critics liked it and also the 1950 color version with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr. A 1977 version with David McCallum and the 1985 Chamberlain version get the big "thumbs down" from the critics. All four versions are on tape and the 1950 "Mines" also is on laser disc.
- Send your questions to Celebrity Questions, Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48231.