# Trivia Dominoes: Play Off the Last Bit of Trivia **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 4, 2010, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657 "2010-02-04T08:12:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 116
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2301 "2010-03-25T21:32:32Z")
The phrase “I know it when I see it” can be traced back to the American poet James Whitcomb Riley, who wrote “when I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.” ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2302 "2010-03-26T01:43:53Z")
Jackie Gleason’s first TV show was “The Life of Riley” for the Dumont Network. William Bendix originated the role on radio, but was prohibited from doing TV, so Gleason was hired. Later, after Gleason left, Bendix took over the role. Groucho Marx developed the original concept. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2303 "2010-03-26T02:17:27Z")
It was actually pornography, not obscenity, that Justice Potter Stewart so “defined.” Groucho Marx’s name, in Cyrillic, looks remarkably similar to the phrase “Exapno Mapcase,” hence the username of one of our fellow Dopers. Marx saw it on a poster while visiting Russia. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2304 "2010-03-26T02:23:28Z")
Karl Marx is standing between science fiction writer HG Wells and rotund comedian Oliver Hardy, on the cover of \*\*\*Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. * * * ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2305 "2010-03-26T02:31:02Z")
(Actually, it was Harpo Marx’s name, not Groucho, that looked like Exapno Mapcase in Cyrillic.) Speaking of brothers, Broadway actor James Naughton (known for playing Billy Flynn in the revival of _Chicago_) was the brother of David Naughton, who came to fame singing the “I’m a Pepper” jingle. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2306 "2010-03-26T02:59:11Z")
David Naughton starred in _An American Werewolf in London_ written and directed by John Landis who had also directed and co-written _Blues Brothers_, _Animal House_ and _Kentucky Fried Movie_. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2307 "2010-03-26T03:03:57Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > David Naughton starred in _An American Werewolf in London_ written and directed by John Landis who had also directed and co-written _Blues Brothers_, _Animal House_ and _Kentucky Fried Movie_. The body of Harland David Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, lay in state in the rotunda of the Kentucky state capitol building after his death in December 1980 at the age of 90. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2308 "2010-03-26T04:36:39Z")
George Sanders provided the voice of man-eating tiger Shere Khan in \*\*\*The Jungle \*\*\*_ **Book** _, the last movie Walt Disney was directly involved in making. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2309 "2010-03-26T04:42:26Z")
George Sanders played Charles II in _Forever Amber_; while he didn’t have two famous mistresses, he was married to two Gabor sisters (Zsa Zsa and Magda). ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2310 "2010-03-26T07:09:00Z")
ZsaZsa Gabor played the villianess Minerva in the final episode of the 1960’s “Batman” series. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2311 "2010-03-26T12:07:23Z")
Minerva was the Roman equivalent to the Greek Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic, and the inventor of music, according to her mythology. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2312 "2010-03-26T12:37:35Z")
The motto of Union College in Schenectady, NY is “Sous les lois de Minerve nous devenons tous frères.” (“Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers.”) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2313 "2010-03-26T12:39:57Z")
In Greek & Roman mythologies, Hermes/Mercury is the god of both merchants… and thieves. Make of that what you will. He fathered, among many others, Autolycus (Lone Wolf. No, not that one :)) who was the original Prince of Thieves, and who once stole Odysseus’ helmet _while he was wearing it_. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2314 "2010-03-26T13:16:21Z")
Among the translations of the “Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus” is one by Sir Isaac Newton. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2315 "2010-03-26T13:18:53Z")
The story of Newton’s falling apple first appears in Voltaire’s _Elements de la Philosophie de Newton_, published in 1738, 11 years after Newton’s death and 73 years since the alleged event. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2316 "2010-03-26T13:26:29Z")
The saying, “I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” a key principle in the concept of freedom of speech, is usually attributed to Voltaire. The French philosopher corresponded extensively with the Russian ruler Catherine the Great, who (contrary to legend) was not squashed to death while enjoying sexual congress with a horse. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2317 "2010-03-26T14:22:02Z")
Carl Sagan named the skeptical heroine of his novel \*\*\*Contact \*\*\*“Ellie Arroway” in honor of the skeptical French philosopher Voltaire, whose real last name was “Arouet.” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2318 "2010-03-26T14:55:37Z")
In the novel _Contact_ Ellie Arroway wears a necklace of synthetic rubies made as part of her master’s thesis, while her friend Palmer Joss (who is much older than Matthew McConaughey’s same-name character in the movie) has a detailed globe tattooed on his torso as a leftover from his days in circus sideshows. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2319 "2010-03-26T15:09:23Z")
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady had the Battle of Waterloo on her front and the Wreck of the Hesperus on her back. (Harpo Marx in Cyrillic would be XAPΠO MAPKC) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/2320 "2010-03-26T15:25:36Z")
The city of Austin, the capital of Texas, was originally named Waterloo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=115) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=117)