# Gimme some odd TV trivia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259 "2001-11-14T03:38:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/41 "2001-11-14T23:43:21Z")
Pittsburgh was the home of not only the first radio station but the first public broadcast TV station. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/42 "2001-11-14T23:48:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > (3) Dame Joanna Lumley of Absolutely Fabulous fame starred in The Avengers, pre-Diana Rigg. > > No – she was the first post-Diana Rigg female companion. Honor Blackman preceded Diana Rigg, and there was at least one male companion before Blackman. > > \*\* Well, not quite. Linda Thorson replaced Diana Rigg. Joana Lumley played Purdy in the New Avengers, a later version of the original series. ---
**Author:** ![Tennessee\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Tennessee\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tennessee_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/43 "2001-11-15T00:02:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jet Jaguar \* > \*\*Here’s another bit of Seinfeld trivia: The bike in Jerry’s apartment is a Klein mountain bike. It’s there because Michael Richards (Kramer) is an avid cyclist and he told the set designer a bicycle would give the apartment a more interesting look. Also, Jerry never once used the bike on the show. \*\* For a few episodes, the green Klein was replaced by a Cannondale Flying V (I believe). Rumor had it that Cannondale paid big bucks to have their bike placed there. No idea why it switched back. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/44 "2001-11-15T00:04:47Z")
Get Smart’s Agent 99 never reveals her real first name. There IS one episode where she gets engaged to a wealthy casino baron and the audience are led to believe that her real name is revealed (I forget what it was), but she later explains that it was just a cover-up. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/45 "2001-11-15T00:28:32Z")
Mjolinir, Will have to disagree with you on the first Klingon. Even then, it depends on what your definition of “first appearance” is “is.” Lundin played Kor’s (John Colicos) second in command in the episode “Errand of Mercy,” where he was billed as Klingon Lieutenant (or maybe just Lieutenant). The first Klingons to appear in the episode are a squad being marched across a courtyard. Although the “sergeant” in command of the squad appears to be calling cadence or somesuch, it’s a silent scene with Kirk’s log narration falling over it. So, technically these extras are the very first. 2nd Klingons – two guards (extras with no dialogue) enter the Organian council chambers and step aside as. . . Kor enters. Kor says to the Organians: “This is the ruling council?” As the first Klingon with dialogue, as well as the first Klingon of importance, he is always accorded the honorific “First Klingon on Star Trek.” Vic Lundin doesn’t appear until a good deal later in the episode. All in fun. . . Sir Rhosis And no, this not from memory, I have the episode on DVD and just sat skipping through it to confirm. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/46 "2001-11-15T00:33:16Z")
Gilligan’s Island: Raquel Welsh was also up for Gilligan’s Island- auditioning not for Ginger, but Mary Anne. Jeffersons- Tom and Helen Willis were TV’s first racially mixed couple. ---
**Author:** ![Saitou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Saitou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saitou)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/47 "2001-11-15T01:11:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MJH2 \* > \*\*(1) On _The Golden Girls_, Estelle Getty, who played the oldest character of the four principals, was the youngest actress. Not Estelle Getty (25 July 1923\*) but Rue McClanahan (21 February 1935\*), Blanche, is the youngest actress of the bunch. \*facts and faults provided by [imdb](http://www.imdb.com) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/48 "2001-11-15T01:22:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*Also, _Gunsmoke_ holds the record for most episodes (635) for a primetime show (news programs are not included). \*\* And **Law & Order** (1990-?) is now #2. Dick Wolf says that his goal is to beat **Gunsmoke** ’s record. And considering that the show’s ratings keep on rising, he just may do it… ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/49 "2001-11-15T01:33:03Z")
Roxie Roker…Helen Willis on the Jeffersons… Is Lenny Kravitzs’ mother ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/50 "2001-11-15T04:07:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Also, Gunsmoke holds the record for most episodes (635) for a primetime show (news programs are not included). Sorry, but no. “Captain Video” ran five days a week for four years, four days a week for an additional three months, plus nearly a year on Saturdays. I don’t believe they did reruns, either. But assuming they had new episodes 39 weeks a year (the standard in the 50s), that’s over 880 episodes in prime time (which began at 7:00 p.m. at the time). The first host of Saturday Night Live was Howard Cosell (a trick question – there was a show “Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell” first telecast a month before the better known version). “War Bride,” broadcast by WRGB in Schenectady, NY, in 1946 was the first TV soap opera. “Faraway Hill” was the first network soap opera later that year. Michael Keaton’s first job in the media was on “Misterroger’s Neighborhood.” The “The Texas Wheelers” is the only network TV show whose theme song was about the joys of smoking marijuana (John Prine’s “Illegal Smile”). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/51 "2001-11-15T04:21:49Z")
The longest running TV show with the same host is _The Open Mind_ with Richard D. Heffner. 45 Years and counting. It’s on PBS. [http://www.aptvs.org/catalog.nsf/bpt/24CAAC0CCB54180985256A87006C7B2C?OpenDocument](http://www.aptvs.org/catalog.nsf/bpt/24CAAC0CCB54180985256A87006C7B2C?OpenDocument) ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/52 "2001-11-15T04:39:41Z")
The Skipper’s “real” name was Jonas Grumby. Professor’s “real” name was Roy Hinkle. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/53 "2001-11-15T05:08:33Z")
Okay, here are 2 odd facts: 1. Both the Kinks and the Who recorded versions of the theme song from “Batman.” 2. Batman’s butler Alfred was played by Alan Napier. Napier’s grandson, Brian Forster, was Chris the drummer, in “The Partridge Family.” ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/54 "2001-11-15T06:56:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frinkboy \* > And **Law & Order** (1990-?) is now #2. Dick Wolf says that his goal is to beat **Gunsmoke** ’s record. And considering that the show’s ratings keep on rising, he just may do it… **Law & Order** isn’t even close to #2 (it’s actually #24). It is number two of shows currently running (the **Simpsons** is number one). **L&O** will have to be on the air for about another seventeen seasons to have more episodes than **Gunsmoke** … For a list of shows with the most episodes, check here: [http://www.angelfire.com/trek/proutsy](http://www.angelfire.com/trek/proutsy) Eric ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/55 "2001-11-15T18:13:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Kelsey Grammer is well on his way to being the actor who has portrayed the same character for the most consecutive years. His first appearance as Fraiser was on an episode of Cheers in 1983. The current record is held by James Arness who was Matt Dillon for 20 years on Gunsmoke (1955-1975). Actually, Kelsey Grammer first appeared as Frasier Crane in September 1984. He has received Emmy nominations for playing Frasier in 3 different shows: “Cheers”, “Wings”, and “Frasier”. ---
**Author:** ![MJH2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@MJH2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJH2)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/56 "2001-11-15T18:29:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > No – she [Joanna Lumley] was the first post-Diana Rigg female companion. Honor Blackman preceded Diana Rigg, and there was at least one male companion before Blackman. > > Trivia note: Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Joanna Lumley, and Patrick MacNee all went on to appear in James Bond films. Oops… thanks for setting me and the record straight. And thanks to **kinilou** for additional info. An interesting follow-up to your point, then, is that Joanna Lumley’s character on _Ab Fab_ was once a Bond girl – in a movie which never appeared. Also thanks to **saitou** for the correction on the _Golden Girls_. Trivial Pursuit, anyone? Clearly I’m easy pickins. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/57 "2001-11-15T19:52:34Z")
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” was originally conceived for a different lead actor – Carl Reiner. The title was changed when Van Dyke was hired. Reiner produced, and played Alan Brady – originally his face was never shown, but they changed their mind on that. The first name of the Chief of Control in “Get Smart” was Thaddeus. No last name was ever given. The first person to write an entire season of a TV show all by himself was David Kelley of “Picket Fences.” Richard L. Bare directed every episode of “Green Acres,” the most for a director on one series. William Conrad played Marshall Matt Dillion of “Gunsmoke” – on the radio, that is. When they made the transition to TV, Conrad was considered unacceptable, so he didn’t appear as a regular on TV until “Cannon” and later “Jake and the Fat Man.” He also did voice work, including the narrator in Rocky and Bullwinkle. The TV show “Car 54, Where Are You” was shot on the streets of New York. In order to keep people from thinking they were real cops, the police cars used were painted green and white instead of the usual black and white. Since the show was shot in black and white, they cars looked authentic on screen. The final episode of the “Dick Van Dyck Show” was the only one shot on location. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/58 "2001-11-15T19:55:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*Get Smart’s Agent 99 never reveals her real first name. > > There IS one episode where she gets engaged to a wealthy casino baron and the audience are led to believe that her real name is revealed (I forget what it was), but she later explains that it was just a cover-up. \*\* I believe the alias was Susan Hilton. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/59 "2001-11-15T20:43:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tennessee Ben \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Jet Jaguar \* > > \*\*Here’s another bit of Seinfeld trivia: The bike in Jerry’s apartment is a Klein mountain bike. It’s there because Michael Richards (Kramer) is an avid cyclist and he told the set designer a bicycle would give the apartment a more interesting look. Also, Jerry never once used the bike on the show. \*\* > > For a few episodes, the green Klein was replaced by a Cannondale Flying V (I believe). Rumor had it that Cannondale paid big bucks to have their bike placed there. No idea why it switched back. \*\* More on the bike: The way I hear it, Cannondale gave everyone in the cast a bike as part of the agreement to get their bike on the show. Shorty thereafter, the Cannondale was stolen off the set, so the original Klein went back up. You can tell the difference by the colour: the Klein was green, and the Cannondale was blue and white. When it first appeared (the Klein), the front fork was installed backwards. This was fixed after one season. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259/60 "2001-11-15T21:00:48Z")
> [@](#): > > William Conrad played Marshall Matt Dillion of “Gunsmoke” – on the radio, that is. When they made the transition to TV, Conrad was considered unacceptable, so he didn’t appear as a regular on TV until “Cannon” and later “Jake and the Fat Man.” He also did voice work, including the narrator in Rocky and Bullwinkle. IIRC, he also did a short-lived **Nero Wolfe** series on network TV, long before the current A&E series. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimme-some-odd-tv-trivia/93259.md?page=4)