# Obscure but interesting celebrity trivia. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392 "2015-06-01T22:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/221 "2015-07-01T13:54:41Z")
Okay, hold on here, people. A few are lambasting \*\* dougie\_monty \*\* for that throw-away joke about Giamatti. You shouldn’t criticize him for that joke. If anything, people should be getting pissed at me for it. I made the initial “bad taste” by suggesting that Bart Giamatti \* was, in fact, \*\* Loach’s\*\* father \*\*. All \*\* dougie\_monty \*\* did was riff off my inappropriate joke. If you want to blame \*\* dougie\_monty \*\*, though, be consistent in your outrage. > [@cochrane](#): > > That’s fucked up, **dougie\_monty** ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/222 "2015-07-01T21:17:59Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Nonsense! Why do people keep saying things like that? People write, and get published, hokey, unbelievable, bullshit plots all the time. “You can’t make this up,” and such really means, “I’d be too embarrassed to show this to my publisher.” Rule should read more popular fiction and watch more TV. That was Rule’s initial thought, and one that I think would occur to anyone. When Robert Resslear, head of the FBI’s Serial Killer Unit, went to interview John Wayne Gacy, he thought Gacy was bullshitting him when he mentioned that he remembered growing up in the same neighborhood as Resslear. However, Gacy spoke of the church they attended Cub Scout meetings together, the roller rink they went to, and how he used to deliver groceries to Resslear’s house. He especially remembered some unique flower pots on the porch of Resslear’s childhood home. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/223 "2015-07-01T21:56:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > So what do you think Giamatti should have done? This was a private organization, **Rose didn’t break any laws** , so why should the legal system have been involved? They only did so because Rose filed a lawsuit. (Bolding added) Actually, Rose did break the laws against tax evasion. Admittedly, it’s just a nitpick, since that was neither here nor there in regards to the investigation of whether Rose was betting on baseball. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/224 "2015-07-01T22:10:15Z")
Eh - Nicolas Cage appears in a bit role in _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_. If you look on IMDB you’ll see that Elizabeth McGovern ([Elizabeth McGovern - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001527/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm)) has a brother who’s a professor of mathematics. I happen to work in that particular math department. So does that give me one degree of separation from Elizabeth McGovern, or two? ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/225 "2015-07-01T22:38:59Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > Eh - Nicolas Cage appears in a bit role in _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_. It’s also one of the few films where he appeared under his birth name, Nicolas Coppola. He changed his name to minimize accusations of nepotism. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/226 "2015-07-02T02:19:23Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > So does that give me one degree of separation from Elizabeth McGovern, or two? Two. I think the rules say you need to sleep with Elizabeth McGovern to make it one. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/227 "2015-07-02T03:04:01Z")
racepug writes: \> If you look on IMDB you’ll see that Elizabeth McGovern \> ([http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001527/b](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001527/b)…\_=nm\_ov\_bio\_sm) has a brother \> who’s a professor of mathematics. Are you aware that this brother was named after his (and Elizabeth McGovern’s) grandfather who is sometimes thought to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones?: > **[William Montgomery McGovern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Montgomery_McGovern)** > > William Montgomery McGovern (September 28, 1897 – December 12, 1964) was an American adventurer, political scientist, Northwestern University professor, anthropologist and journalist. He was a possible inspiration for the character of Indiana Jones. > By age 30, McGovern had explored the Amazon and braved uncharted regions of the Himalayas, survived revolution in Mexico, studied at Oxford and the Sorbonne, and become a Buddhist priest in a Japanese monastery. He was also a lecturer, war correspond... ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/228 "2015-07-11T02:12:55Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Phil Collins was one of the extras in the crowd scene during the stage show in the film “A Hard Day’s Night.” Collins is also a huge Alamo geek. He wrote the book [The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector’s Journey](http://www.amazon.com/The-Alamo-Beyond-Collectors-Journey/dp/1933337508). He recently donated his collection of Alamo artifacts (the largest private collection in the world!) to the Lone Star State and was named an “Honorary Texan” by the state legislature. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/229 "2015-07-11T06:27:19Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > (Bolding added) > > Actually, Rose did break the laws against tax evasion. Admittedly, it’s just a nitpick, since that was neither here nor there in regards to the investigation of whether Rose was betting on baseball. How about THAT! Did he go to court or did that Yalie stiff convict him on his own? And apparently it didn’t matter to the Commissioner that Steinbrenner OWNED A RACETRACK! I guess you don’t bite the hand that feeds you… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/230 "2015-07-12T17:50:54Z")
Dr. Ruth is a trained sniper. She can load an automatic rifle in less than a minute…blindfolded. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/231 "2015-07-12T18:09:58Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > How about THAT! Did he go to court or did that Yalie stiff convict him on his own? > And apparently it didn’t matter to the Commissioner that Steinbrenner OWNED A RACETRACK! I guess you don’t bite the hand that feeds you… :mad: I didn’t realize you could bet on baseball at a racetrack. Rose was punished for betting on baseball, not the horses. Anne Meara got her equity card after appearing in a small theater in Southold, NY (my home town). Also at the theater that year were Walter Matthau, Jack Warden, and Robert Earl Jones (father of James). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/232 "2015-07-19T17:27:41Z")
I just came across one I’d forgotten about: Harrison Ford was a roadie for The Doors, can be glimpsed in the documentary _Feast Of Friends_. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/233 "2015-07-19T19:30:17Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > Dr. Ruth is a trained sniper. She can load an automatic rifle in less than a minute…blindfolded. I mentioned that in post #85 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/234 "2015-07-21T05:20:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I didn’t realize you could bet on baseball at a racetrack. Rose was punished for betting on baseball, not the horses. Oh golly, you got me there! It was my impression that the eleventh commandment was Thou Shalt not be involved in gambling unless Thou art a clubowner, who got ME this nice job. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/235 "2015-07-21T10:26:02Z")
Other words/phrases not spoken in Star Wars ep4 (nor in V or VI, IIRC): Tusken Raider Grand Moff Sith (although Vader is addressed as “Lord Vader”) I had never noticed about Tattooine not being mentioned, but now I can’t think of anyone saying it in IV. The closest would be Luke saying to C3PO “If there’s a bright spot in the galaxy, this is the planet farthest from it” or something like that. All these terms were used in the promotional material, particularly the [trading](http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/12905/22307356/1977%20Allens%20&%20Regina%20SW%2021%20-%20PSA-6%20-%2022307356.jpg) [cards](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7e/cf/99/7ecf998546d03c1eebeea9b7f8e86a5b.jpg), which really did a lot to add to the mystique of episode IV at the time. In other news, [Anton Fig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Fig), famous for being the drummer in David Letterman’s band, played uncredited on two albums with KISS in [1979](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasty_(Kiss_album)) and [1980](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmasked_(Kiss_album)). Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi was briefly a member of Jethro Tull in 1968, his only appearance being in [The Rolling Stones Rock 'n Roll Circus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones_Rock_and_Roll_Circus), although his guitar was later overdubbed. I guess the fact that Ted Knight was in [Psycho](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SoQks3EnSAQ/UnFK7aBR8aI/AAAAAAAAO3M/fqtJwyzNt30/s1600/ted-knight-psycho-ending.jpg) is pretty common knowledge by now, right? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/236 "2015-07-21T11:53:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Two. I think the rules say you need to sleep with Elizabeth McGovern to make it one. Challenge accepted! > [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Oh golly, you got me there! It was my impression that the eleventh commandment was Thou Shalt not be involved in gambling unless Thou art a clubowner, who got ME this nice job. Are you purposely missing the point? It is not that baseball or any sport has taken a moral stance against all gambling. You can be a professional baseball player and go and blow your entire check at a casino if you want. Everyone will think you are an idiot but you won’t be banned from baseball. Pete Rose was betting on baseball with bookies tied to organized crime. Not only was he betting on random games of other teams, he was betting on games that he could effect the outcome of. After lying for years he finally admitted to betting on Reds games. After the 1919 Black Sox scandal that almost ruined baseball the league is understandably touchy about anything that might suggest game fixing. If you can’t see the difference between that and owning a track I don’t know what to tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/237 "2015-07-21T14:03:55Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > I had never noticed about Tattooine not being mentioned, but now I can’t think of anyone saying it in IV. The closest would be Luke saying to C3PO “If there’s a bright spot in the galaxy, this is the planet farthest from it” or something like that. Well, right before the Empire destroys Alderaan, Leia bluffs, saying that the Rebel base is on Dantooine. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/238 "2015-07-21T14:21:08Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Well, right before the Empire destroys Alderaan, Leia bluffs, saying that the Rebel base is on Dantooine. IIRC she wasn’t bluffing. They went to it, saw it was abandoned and when they called her on it she insinuated that they were there but now she doesn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/239 "2015-07-21T14:45:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Challenge accepted! > > Are you purposely missing the point? It is not that baseball or any sport has taken a moral stance against all gambling. You can be a professional baseball player and go and blow your entire check at a casino if you want. Everyone will think you are an idiot but you won’t be banned from baseball. Pete Rose was betting on baseball with bookies tied to organized crime. Not only was he betting on random games of other teams, he was betting on games that he could effect the outcome of. After lying for years he finally admitted to betting on Reds games. After the 1919 Black Sox scandal that almost ruined baseball the league is understandably touchy about anything that might suggest game fixing. If you can’t see the difference between that and owning a track I don’t know what to tell you. Well, tell me this: Was Rose convicted by a court? That’s what they’re for, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392/240 "2015-07-21T15:02:23Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Well, tell me this: Was Rose convicted by a court? That’s what they’re for, you know. Of tax evasion yes. No one is going to arrest you for making bets in the past even if they were illegal. Is being left out of the Hall of Fame the same as going to jail? Courts are there to determine guilt or innocence of crimes. They are not there to determine if your employer can fire you or ban you from their buildings or not honor your previous service. If your employer decides to not give you a gold watch when you retire should that go through the court? There is no doubt he bet on Reds games. The original investigation had damning evidence. But that doesn’t matter since Rose admitted to gambling on baseball including games he played and managed in his book. There is no doubt it happened. There is no need for a court to determine it. He readily admits it (now that he was able to make money off the admission). So what is your point? You don’t think he did it? Need more proof than his own admission? If your argument is that he should be let into the Hall of Fame I happen to agree with you. Enough time has passed. But he should have absolutely been kicked out at the time. He was guilty of violating baseball’s prime directive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-but-interesting-celebrity-trivia/721392.md?page=13)