TV Trivia Questions

TV Trivia

Friday Nov 10
Q: Who started MTM Studios?

A: Mary Tyler Moore, along with hubby #2 Grant Tinker, started MTM Enterprises around 1970. This company produced such quality shows as Newhart, WKRP in Cincinnati, and Hill Street Blues. The founders decided to play upon the obvious similarity between the names MGM and MTM: Since MGM had always featured a massive, roaring lion as their mascot, MTM, the tiny newcomer, was symbolized by a cute, meowing kitten.

Roar! Meow!

Thursday Nov 9
Q: The Naked Gun movies are based on what short lived TV show? For a bonus point: Leslie Neilson played Lt. Frank Drebin in the movies, but who played that character in the TV show?

A: Leslie Neilson played Lt. Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun movies, as well as the original TV show, Police Squad! As with the movie Airplane! (which also featured Neilson), the exclamation point is actually part of the title. Both were produced by the Zucker brothers.

Police Squad!

Wednesday Nov 8
Q: Well, fellow Americans, another Presidential Election is upon us, and we have all been asked to make a solemn decision. I, personally, voted no less than twice. I know that we often feel like our vote doesn't count for anything. Not true! As an example of how important our civic duty is, today's trivia question shows that a measly few million votes can directly effect someone's television career: Which SNL actor stood to lose the most work when Clinton was elected to his first term?

A: Since he played George Bush, Dana Carvey fell out of the spotlight when Clinton was elected.

Not gunna do it

Tuesday Nov 7
Q: What show, which featured a star of the drama hit I Spy, is considered by many to be the most popular series of the 1980's? And, since I love bonus questions (and who doesn't?): Why did the words "Believe it or not it's just me" just pop into my head?

A: Bill Cosby, who starred in I Spy, went on to play the lead in the amazingly popular Cosby Show.

The Huxtables (Click for full image)
 
As for the bonus question: Robert Culp, who played alongside Cosby in I Spy, went on to play Bill "Holy Scenarios" Maxwell in the not-nearly-as-popular Greatest American Hero. The show's theme song was "Believe it or Not, It's Just Me". My apologies to the many people who got that song stuck in their head for much of the day :-)

Any landing you can walk away from... (Click for full image)

Monday Nov 6
Q: What was the first video to air on MTV? For a bonus point, who was the artist?

A: The first (and the one millionth) video to play on MTV was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles.

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