Question:Please help. This has been driving my husband and me crazy. For weeks we have been trying to figure out where we have seen the woman who plays Berta on "Two and a Half Men." She played the same kind of sarcastic character she plays on this show. Who is she? Also, the wife on "Listen Up" sounds and looks like Marlo Thomas.
Answer: Conchata Ferrell plays Berta, and her TV and movie credits are extensive. She was a regular on several series, including "Hot L Baltimore" (ABC, 1975), "BJ and the Bear" (NBC, 1979-80); the original "E/R" (CBS, 1984), "L.A. Law" (NBC, 1991-92), "Hearts Afire" (CBS, 1993-95), "Townies" (ABC, 1996) and "Teen Angel" (ABC, 1997). She's appeared in the films "Erin Brockovich," "Mr. Deeds," "KPAX," "True Romance" and "Edward Scissorhands." And Wendy Makkena, who plays Dana Kleinman on "Listen Up," is no relation to Marlo Thomas.
Question:There was a show that had a guy, a dog and a stopwatch that could freeze time. I realize this isn't much to go on, but I hope you know this one. If so, is it on video? There may have been a girl, too. (Usually if there is a guy, then there's a girl.) I think this was in the late '70s.
Answer: That's the 1980 TV movie "The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything" starring Robert Hays as the guy and Pam Dawber as the girl. It's not yet on video.
Question:What is the name of that music that is in the commercials for the Nike Free shoe where the guy is running along the beach?
Answer: Clearly you are too young to have seen the 1981 film "Chariots of Fire," from whence the song by that name (and the imagery) of that commercial are taken. It is available on the movie soundtrack. The Academy Award-winning movie, loosely based on the story of runner Eric Liddell, is available on DVD. It has no Nikes but lots of running.
Question:What was the name of the actress who played Cissy on "Family Affair"? Did she ever appear on an episode of "Magnum, P.I."? And what is up with "Tru Calling"?
Answer: Fine. I go through seven rehab programs to erase the bitter memory of "Family Affair" from my tortured brain, and you just come prancing along without so much as a howdy-do and put it right back in there! Thanks a lot! Kathy Garver played Cissy on "Family Affair," which ran on CBS from 1966 to 1971. She never did a guest shot on "Magnum, P.I." "Tru Calling" has been canceled.
Question:Many years ago, I saw a three-part film starring Orson Welles in three short stories. One was about a member of Parliament who dreams that he kills his opponent who has been harassing him. Another is where a character steps out of a painting in a museum and invites a hapless victim to enter the picture, never to emerge. The third one I have forgotten. What was the name of the picture, and what was the third story about? I would love to have a DVD or VHS of it.
Answer: That's the 1955 film "Three Cases of Murder," which also stars John Gregson and Elizabeth Sellars. The third story is about two men who are romantic rivals and become murder suspects when the woman they love is killed. It's on video.
Question:Can you find the name of a movie for my husband? It is about an elderly gentleman building a boat and putting material for another boat in the bottom. After some time, he came to a big waterfall. He carried all the material to build a boat to the top of the mountain and then carried the motor up also.
Answer: That's "Fitzcarraldo," which just happens to be the finest film ever made about an obsessed Irishman who wants to build an opera house in the Peruvian jungle. Granted, that's not a very crowded field. Anyway, it stars Klaus Kinski and Claudia Cardinale. It's on video and DVD.