Question:On "The Andy Griffith Show," were Andy and Barney cousins?
Answer: Yes. It was only mentioned in the series pilot, however.
Question:In the mid-1970s my husband and I saw a movie about the first money and barter system. It was set in caveman days, and I think it had a largely Italian cast. Can you tell us the title and if it's possible to obtain it on video?
Answer:That's the 1972 film "Quando le donne persero la coda," released in America as "When Women Lost Their Tails." It's the sequel to 1970's "Quando le donne avevano la coda," released in America as "When Women Had Tails." It's on video, and that's no tall tale.
Question:My co-worker is looking for a Christmas movie that aired about 1996. The movie was about an ornament named Noel that came to life. Any help locating the name or availability of the movie would be appreciated.
Answer: That's a 1992 animated film called "Noel," narrated by Charlton Heston. It was on video but is now out of print.
Question:I'm looking for the name and availability of a movie I saw many years ago. It took place in the 1890s or early 1900s and was about a legend regarding the disappearance of some young girls. They may have been part of some school field trip or other group activity. This may have occurred in the United States or possibly New Zealand or Australia in a rural area. Can you help?
Answer: The movie is "Picnic at Hanging Rock," released in 1975. It's on video and DVD. It is an Australian film directed by Peter Weir.
Question:In the 1950s there was a cartoon mouse named Sniffles. There were several cartoons written around him, but the most memorable for me was one in which Sniffles tries his best to stay awake Christmas Eve, only to fall asleep the instant Santa appears. Is this cartoon on video?
Answer: And here I thought it was a true story! The cartoon is "Bedtime for Sniffles," released in 1940. It's not yet on video.
Question:Can you tell me the name of the song that plays during the credits of "A Series of Unfortunate Events"? I've heard it many times, but never the name.
Answer: It's "Hungarian Dance No. 5" by Johannes Brahms.
Question:I am a fan of the show "Invasion." There is a young man who plays a deputy sheriff by the name of Lewis on the show. He only has one arm. Could you tell me his name? Is he, in fact, an amputee?
Answer: Lewis is played by Nathan Baesel, who has both arms in real life.
Question:There is a holiday movie with Kris Kristofferson about some early American settlers who tell the story of Christmas to some American Indians who capture them. Can you tell us the title and if it's on video?
Answer: That's the 1992 TV movie "Miracle in the Wilderness," which also stars Kim Cattrall and John Dennis Johnston. It was on video but is now out of print.
Question:This is a question about the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show." What was the name of the song sung by Seal?
Answer: Seal sang "Love's Divine" from his CD "Seal IV."
Question:The subject is "Everybody Hates Chris." Specifically, the actress who plays his mother. I think she was on a soap long, long ago. Am I right?
Answer: You're right. Tichina Arnold played Sharla Valentine on the ABC soap "All My Children" in 1989-90. She played Zena Brown on the ABC soap "Ryan's Hope" from 1987 to '89. She's probably best known for her roll as Pam on "Martin," also starring comedian Martin Lawrence.
Question:A few years ago, John Ritter had a sitcom in which he played a single dad who had moved back to his hometown and bought the failing newspaper. I remember he had a man in the show who worked for him. I am thinking that it was Billy Bob Thornton and that he was pretty heavy, not at all like the thin man we see today. No one seems to remember this show, let alone Billy Bob Thornton. Can you help?
Answer: That show was "Hearts Afire," which ran on CBS from 1992 until 1995. It actually had two formats. In the first, John Ritter played an aide to U.S. Sen. Strobe Smithers (George Gaynes) who became romantically involved with Georgie Anne Lahti (Markie Post). This setting lasted for one season, because it wasn't very funny. Then the Ritter and Post characters married and moved to a small Southern town to run the newspaper. This format wasn't very funny either. Billy Bob Thornton played Ritter's pal in both formats.