No, it was John Candy, best known for his work with SCTV, his leading roles in films such as ‘Uncle Buck’ and ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ and his unforgettable small roles such as the polka musician in ‘Home Alone’. ‘Hostage for a Day’ was his directorial debut, but he died before it was broadcast.
DQ: Are you known for your work in the arts, broadly defined so as to include visual arts, literature, music and theatre arts?
The first is Calvin Coolidge. The second is Calista Flockhart, formerly of Ally McBeal, whose husband is Harrison Ford. Correct that the third is Prince Charles, notoriously recorded in a private cellphone conversation with the future Duchess of Cornwall.
I’ll reserve my two DQs for now.
“R’lyeh” doesn’t sound very Italian, but I have nothing else, so…I am not George Clooney.
Too bad; I had begun to type “Carroll O"Connor” when Cosby occurred to me.
No and no.
You are not H.P. Lovecraft’s best known creation Cthulhu, said to be trapped in the underwater city of R’lyeh.
DQ: Were you born before the time of Christ/Before the Common Era (B.C./B.C.E)?
Aha, I actually did think of that, but I didn’t think Cthulhu was a living thing (I have not read Lovecraft). A few hours ago and I might have guessed there was yet another way to spell Qhadophie.
Was your Dad the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient?
Did Arthur Conley, Cat Stevens, Herman’s Hermits and the Spinners all have top 40 hits with cover versions of songs you wrote?
Is it widely believed, though there’s no evidence, that you were the first US President born in Canada?
Soul Dad, Herman Cain?
Top 40 guy; Chuck Berry?
I personally believe Calvin Coolidge was born in Canada, though I have no evidence.
IQ: Are you the title character in a screenplay by Gore Vidal?
Cuba Gooding Sr. (father of actor Cuba Gooding Jr.) was lead singer of the Main Ingredient, best remembered for “Everybody Plays the Fool.”
Herman’s Hermits scored a hit with Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World,” Cat Stevens with “Another Saturday Night,” the Spinners with “Cupid.” And Arthur Conley’s “Sweet Soul Music” was just a revamped version of Sam Cooke’s “Yeah Man.”
Chester Alan Arthur’s official birthplace was Fairfield, Vermont, but his political opponents (and latter-day trivia buffs) have long insisted he was really born in Canada.
DQ1: Were you known for political or military accomplishments?
DQ2: Were you known as a scientist or intellectual?
DQ3: Were you Greek?
No, and I don’t know who this is (The Best Man?). Ask a DQ.
Yes, no and no.
No, I am not Calvin Klein?
The other two, no guess and I am not John Glenn(?), respectively.
OK, my two earned DQs are:
Roman?
Royalty or aristocracy?
Then:
IQ: Were you a Roman emperor who allegedly made his horse a consul of the Empire?
IQ: Did you figure out a cheap way to extract aluminum and then go on to found ALCOA?
IQ: Were you a Fifties Bostonian doctor to be reckoned with?
I am not Caligula.
I am not Carnegie?
I am not Ben Casey?
Gore Vidal wrote the screenplay to Bob Guccione’s Caligula.
DQ: Are you Asian?
IQ: Did your enemy consult the oracle of Delphi, to be told that if he attacked you, a great empire would be destroyed? (It didn’t work out the way he thought…)
“The Beach” was a cologne concocted by Cosmo Kramer on “Seinfeld”
Guitarist Steve Cropper played on both versions of “Soul Man” (on both records, the singer yells, “Play it, Steve!”).
Mr & Mrs Cash named their son “J.R.” When he enlisted in the Air Force, they told him he needed a first name, not just initials. So he chose the name Johnny.
DQ1: Did you regard the Romans as an enemy?
DQ2: Were you a prominent general or warrior?
DQ3: Have you every been the subject of a Hollywood movie?
Oh right, Caligula. I am not Asian. Will update list of knowns in the next post.
I am not Cyrus the Great.