# Anybody want to play 20 questions? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 8, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757 "2009-05-08T16:02:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/681 "2009-05-29T02:36:15Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Is he fictional? > If not, did he die before 1900? 1. No, not fictional 2. No, did not die before 1900. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/682 "2009-05-29T03:01:25Z")
Was he a performer in front of audiences? (such as an entertainer, athlete, or actor). ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/683 "2009-05-29T03:05:10Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Was he a performer in front of audiences? (such as an entertainer, athlete, or actor). 1. Yes ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/684 "2009-05-29T03:12:39Z")
Did he die prior to 1980? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/685 "2009-05-29T03:15:31Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Did he die prior to 1980? 1. No ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/686 "2009-05-29T04:29:54Z")
Was he Caucasian? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/687 "2009-05-29T14:05:28Z")
Was he a musician? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/688 "2009-05-29T16:50:46Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Was he Caucasian? 1. Yes, Caucasian 2. No, not a musician ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/689 "2009-05-29T17:39:46Z")
Is he an entertainer or actor? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/690 "2009-05-29T18:13:13Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Is he an entertainer or actor? 1. No, he wasn’t thought of as an entertainer, per se, but I guess it really depends on how broadly you interpret the word “entertainer.” He performed a job and, in his doing his job, many people were ultimately entertained. He was not known as an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/691 "2009-05-29T18:22:26Z")
1. Was he American? 2. Was he a comedian or comic of some kind? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/692 "2009-05-29T18:37:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > 1. Was he American? > 2. Was he a comedian or comic of some kind? 11a. The category is Famous American, so, yes. 😉 11b. No, he was not a comedian or comic of some kind ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/693 "2009-05-29T18:54:25Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > 11a. The category is Famous American, so, yes. ;)… Thanks. :smack: 1. When he entertained people, would he typically stand on a stage? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/694 "2009-05-29T18:57:38Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Thanks. :smack: > > 1. When he entertained people, would he typically stand on a stage? 1. No HINT TIME: Entertaining people was a byproduct of his work. Similarly, a movie producer is not an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/695 "2009-05-29T19:43:35Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > HINT TIME: Entertaining people was a byproduct of his work. Similarly, a movie producer is not an actor. A major hint is available at the cost of 1 question. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/696 "2009-05-29T20:07:18Z")
Hmmm. Just musing here. According to question 6, he was “a performer in front of audiences.” That would seem to rule out a movie director, producer, composer, etc. And he wasn’t a musician, so he couldn’t be a conductor, would he? Let’s see… 1. When he entertained people, would he be alone in his work? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/697 "2009-05-29T20:08:52Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Hmmm. Just musing here. According to question 6, he was “a performer in front of audiences.” That would seem to rule out a movie director, producer, composer, etc. And he wasn’t a musician, so he couldn’t be a conductor, would he? Let’s see… > > 1. When he entertained people, would he be alone in his work? 1. No. To clarify, he performed his job, among others, and performed it in the presence of an audience, who found it entertaining, although his “job” was not to cater directly to the audience, like a comedian or actor would. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/698 "2009-05-29T20:37:50Z")
Question 11 doesn;t count!! Bearflag already established that he was an American in opening. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/699 "2009-05-29T20:53:38Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Question 11 doesn;t count!! > > Bearflag already established that he was an American in opening. I didn’t count #11 against your total ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/700 "2009-05-29T21:57:50Z")
HINT: Sports [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757.md?page=36)