# Common denominators **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 17, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486 "2008-12-17T00:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/141 "2008-12-22T12:58:57Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Originally Posted by twickster: > > Julia Child > Sylvia Plath > Nancy Reagan > > They were all Smithies… that is, they went to Smith College. Bingo. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/142 "2008-12-22T20:31:13Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > _Charlotte’s Web_, by EB White > _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_, by JK Rowling > _Anansi Boys_, by Neil Gaiman > > (One common denominator is obvious. They’re all fantasies to one extent or another. But what else do they have in common?) They all (I think; I’ve never read _Anansi Boys_) feature spiders as a central plot point. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/143 "2008-12-22T21:49:03Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > They all (I think; I’ve never read _Anansi Boys_) feature spiders as a central plot point. Ding! Well done. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 23, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/144 "2008-12-23T03:47:22Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Another shared birthday: September 1st. Yes. Mine, too! Try these (and it’s more specific than “American actors”): Bob Hope Halle Berry Paul Newman ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/145 "2008-12-23T03:59:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Yes. Mine, too! Try these (and it’s more specific than “American actors”): > > Bob Hope > Halle Berry > Paul Newman All from Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/146 "2008-12-23T04:15:35Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > They’re all really tall (6’1"+) WWII pilots. > > EDIT: Full disclosure - I only knew about Dahl, McGovern and Stewart. I had to google the other two. I didn’t know anything about their heights, but yes- Tom Landry, Roald Dahl, George McGovern, Gene Roddenberry & Jimmy Stewart were all Allied pilots during the Second World War. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/147 "2008-12-23T04:41:24Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > All from Cleveland. Close; all were raised in the area. Newman was born in the suburb of Shaker Heights; Hope moved here from England when he was 8, IIRC. How about: Ross Perot George H.W. Bush Bill Clinton John McCain Barack Obama (Other than the obvious, “presidential candidates”). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/148 "2008-12-23T05:14:26Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Ross Perot > George H.W. Bush > Bill Clinton > John McCain > Barack Obama And not Inigo Montoya. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/149 "2008-12-23T14:15:10Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Ross Perot > George H.W. Bush > Bill Clinton > John McCain > Barack Obama > > (Other than the obvious, “presidential candidates”). All left-handed? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/150 "2008-12-23T22:05:32Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Close; all were raised in the area. Newman was born in the suburb of Shaker Heights; Hope moved here from England when he was 8, IIRC. How about: > > Ross Perot > George H.W. Bush > Bill Clinton > John McCain > Barack Obama > > (Other than the obvious, “presidential candidates”). All of their fathers were dead when they sought the presidency? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/151 "2008-12-23T22:17:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If it was Lenin instead of King, I’d say the connection was that all three survived being shot at by a woman. And Ford’s name originally was King. But I can’t get what connects all three. Close,a woman tried to kill all 3 of them,though MLKs would be assassin used a knife. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/152 "2008-12-24T01:03:42Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > All left-handed? Correct! How about these: Oberlin College Gryffindor House Kingdom of Spain ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/153 "2008-12-24T01:16:31Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Oberlin College > Gryffindor House > Kingdom of Spain Colors are (some form of) red and (some form of) gold. ---
**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:** [December 25, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/154 "2008-12-25T01:32:34Z")
Oooh, you’re good! Correct. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/155 "2008-12-25T01:43:56Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > 1. Comedian Ernie Kovacs > 2. Oscar-winning actor Jose Ferrer > 3. Home run hitter/Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt Uh, they all have moustaches? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/156 "2008-12-25T13:55:29Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > How about a couple more: > Lewis > Barker > Owens I’m still brooding about this one. Should we infer that there’s some trick involved in your only giving surnames? (Though I guess Lewis could be a first name as well.) (Carl) Lewis and (Jesse) Owens are both Olympic runners … should I be looking for a Barker who was as well? ---
**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:** [December 25, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/157 "2008-12-25T16:49:56Z")
Victory Constitution Mikasa ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/158 "2008-12-25T21:00:18Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m still brooding about this one. Should we infer that there’s some trick involved in your only giving surnames? Yes! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/159 "2008-12-25T22:03:11Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Uh, they all have moustaches? Hmmm… Ernie Kovacs, Jose Ferrer & Mike Schmidt DID all have mustaches at one time or another, so you aren’t wrong. But the common link I had in mind involved their last names. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486/160 "2008-12-25T23:31:22Z")
How about: seals rhinos cattle And, inspired by astorian’s three above: Ernie Kovacs Jose Ferrer AA Milne [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-denominators/477486.md?page=9)