Question: A few weeks ago someone wrote to you asking whether Rudolph's mother died in the animated Christmas special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." You answered that Rudolph's mother did not die, and that's correct. But I wonder whether the questioner was referring to another Christmas special, "Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey," which was produced by the same people.
Answer: Thanks! "Nestor" had its premiere in 1977, and Nestor's mother does indeed freeze to death trying to keep him warm. Voices for the special were supplied by Roger Miller and Brenda Vaccaro, among others.
Question: I remember watching a TV show back in the late 1950s or early 1960s titled "Pete Smith Presents." None of my friends seem to remember this show. It was a number of short clips showing pranks and tricks played on unsuspecting people. I have been unable to locate any reference to this show on the Internet or elsewhere. Can you help knock some rust off the memories that I have of this show?
Answer: Well, you may have seen them on TV, but "Pete Smith Specialties," as they were known, were produced as movie short subjects for MGM studios during the 1930s and '40s. They were syndicated during the early days of TV, and now they show up pretty regularly between features on my very favorite cable channel, Turner Classic Movies.
Question: Back in the mid-1960s when the TV movie was first introduced I remember seeing one about a couple who, I think, were secret agents living as suburbanites. Can you tell me the title and the stars?
Answer: Sounds like "The Borgia Stick," a 1967 TV movie with Don Murray and Inger Stevens as suburbanites who are fronts for a crime syndicate but then fall in love and try to escape. The cast also includes Barry Nelson and Fritz Weaver.
P.S.: TV movies were around before the mid-1960s, though.
Question: On the premiere episode of TNT's "Men of a Certain Age" there was a scene where Ray Romano was sitting in a car singing along with a song. Can you tell me what it was and who performed it?
Answer: The song was "Reflections of My Life," by Marmalade.
Question: In "Four Weddings and a Funeral," what is the name of the poem John Hannah's character reads at the funeral of his mate?
Answer: The poem is "Funeral Blues," by W.H. Auden.
Question: What has happened to "Drop Dead Diva" on Sunday nights on Lifetime? I thought it was really funny!
Answer: "Drop Dead Diva" finished its first season in October, but it was picked up for a second season, which is scheduled for next summer.
Question: I go crazy every time I see episodes of "That '70s Show" where Fez is dating Big Rhonda. Is Big Rhonda played by Katherine Heigl, who plays Izzy on "Grey's Anatomy"? Thanks for making me sane again!
Answer: It's nothing, really.
Cynthia Lamontagne played Big Rhonda, not Heigl, so enjoy your sanity.
Question: Whenever people start talking about old-time Christmas TV shows I always remember the episode of "The Jackie Gleason Show" where Gleason fell during a holiday skit and broke his leg, but the show went on anyway. No one else seems to remember this so now I am wondering if it actually happened! Can you verify?
Answer: How's this for verification — yes and no.
Gleason did do Christmas themes on his variety shows in the 1950s and '60s, including one where Ralph and Alice Kramden, of "The Honeymooners," try to adopt a baby.
And Gleason did indeed break his ankle on live television doing a comedy sketch.
But the break occurred on the episode of Jan. 30, 1954. While he recuperated, hosting duties were handled by CBS stars such as Red Skelton, Arthur Godfrey and Garry Moore, as well as by sidekick Art Carney.