Botticelli September 2011

Thread Games
401

Yes.

  1. Male
  2. Real
  3. Dead
  4. Not born in 20th century
  5. Not American
  6. Last name begins with “S”
  7. Broadly speaking, I work in the arts
  8. Born in the 19th century
  9. European
  10. Not a writer
  11. Not involved in publishing
  12. Not born in the British Isles
  13. Alive in 1900
  14. Not a painter
  15. First initial is from among A-M
  16. Not an architect
  17. A creative rather than a supportive “artiste” (using the self-mocking spelling to emphasize the stretch)
  18. Not a stage performer
  19. Neither a singer nor a musician
  20. Known for my skill in the culinary arts
402

Are you associated with beef, sour cream and mushrooms?

403

I am not Stroganoff.

404

Well, one of the Stroganoffs would have been my best guess - shazbot! Ummm…

Last Guess for a specific name: Is your name one of two names associated with a grand hotel? (Total long shot…)

405

There definitely is some association with a famous hotel, though I am not sure you are on to the right person (I am also not sure that you aren’t). I will volunteer that I have much in common with another Mr. S who is one of two names associated with a different famous hotel, but that one is American and so obviously not the right man.

406

Yeah, I thought Ellmore (?) Statler was an American, but I was hoping that I just had it wrong and he was a German immigrant. No such luck. Anyone else wanna take a swing?

407

For the record, I admit defeat. Should we just get AppallingGael to tell us who it was and pick another one?

408

Ok, I guess it is time to declare victory. I am Franz Sacher, inventor of the Sachertorte. My son Eduard founded Vienna’s famous Sacher Hotel. The American hotel I had in mind for the one you may have had in mind was the Sherry Netherland (though “Netherland” does not refer to a person). Louis Sherry was a restaurateur famed particularly for his desserts.

I am of no known relation to Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and saccharine was not named for me.

Who wants to go next?

409

That’s a toughie. I guess I always assumed Sacher was a city or region and not a person.

Le Ministre had question 20; wanna start the next round?

410

All right, since no one has objected in the more than 12 hours since Elendil’s Heir’s suggestion - I’m someone with the initial J.

411

Are you #24601?

412

Did you surprise millions of rock fans by recording your own version of the elevator music classic “Love Is Blue”?

413

Did “Bertie & Jeeeves” creator P.G. Wodehouse write lyrics for many of your songs?

414

Who am I? I’m NOT Jean Valjean!

Wild guess - I’m not Johnny Lydon/Johnny Rotten. If I’m wrong, take a DQ.

Equally wild guess - I’m not Jerome Kern. In the event of wrongness, take a DQ.

415

Absolutely right about Jerome Kern (Wodehouse wrote the words to “Bill” from Show Boat, for instance) and Jean Valjean.

But the guy who did an unexpectedly faithful cover of “Love Is Blue” was Jeff Beck.

DQ: Are you a real person?

416

Were you the captain of the ill-fated SS Minnow?

417

Was your first spouse the composer of “The Stripper”?

418

Did you drop your Lithuanian name and adopt an Irish one, to draw more fans to your fights?

419

Yes.

Despite hours wasted watching Gilligan’s Island, I cannot think of when Skipper, played by Alan Hale, was ever called by name - take a DQ!

Wild guess - I’m not Julie London, though I don’t remember her as being married to David Rose. If I’m wrong, that’s another DQ for you.

No clue whatsoever - take another DQ.

Summary -

  1. Real person
420

  1. David Rose, composer of “The Stripper,” was ***Judy Garland’s ***first husband

  2. Jonas Grumby, playd by alan Hale Jr., was the Skipper on “Gilligan’s Island.”

  3. Lithuanian heavyweight boxer Joseph Zukauskas became a champion under the Irish pseudonym Jack Sharkey.
    DQ1: Male?

DQ2: American?

DQ3: Born in the 20th century?