Urban Legends Television Trivia Quiz

Answer: Eddie Haskell, Wally's obnoxious pal

Apparently porn star John Holmes once announced he played 'little Eddie Haskell' on "Leave it to Beaver." This was not true. Rocker Alice Cooper once said the same thing. In real life, Eddie was played by Ken Osmond in the 1957-1963 sitcom.

Another Beaver rumor was that Jerry Mathers, who played the title role, was killed in Vietnam. This was reported in the papers, but it was actually another Jerry Mathers who was killed. Other rumors include Lumpy Rutherford marrying Raquel Welch and of an off-screen romance between June and Wally.

Answer: "It's a bird, it's a plane..." He jumped off a building trying to fly.

According to rumor, Reeves plunged to his death in an attempt to fly. In reality, he suffered from depression and shot himself. Reeves starred in 'The Adventures of Superman' from 1952-1958.

Answer: Ernie

This rumor started when Muppet creator Jim Henson died in 1990. According to the stories, Henson was the only one who could do Ernie's voice. Ernie was scheduled to die in a bus accident, or succumb to leukemia or AIDS. High school and college students, horrified about their childhood friend getting the ax, circulated 'save Ernie' petitions. Luckily, Ernie survived. A muppet WAS retired when Henson died, though. Rowlf the Dog, whom Henson considered to be his alter-ego, was removed from the subsequent Muppet movies in tribute.

Another persistent "Sesame Street" rumor was that Bert and Ernie were an openly gay couple. Some people saw evidence, but PBS flatly denied they were anything more than good friends. The off-Broadway musical "Avenue Q" parodied this legend.

Answer: Willy

According to the story, the name was mentioned in the first episode, when a radio announcer read the names of the missing castaways. However, Gilligan was only referred to as 'First Mate Gilligan.' Bob Denver, who played the title role, mentioned that Willy was the name they might have used had they ever needed a first name.

Other people associated with the show insist that Gilligan was the character's first, not last, name.

Answer: Arnold Ziffel, the pig from "Green Acres", was roasted and eaten at the wrap party.

"Green Acres" ran from 1965-1971 and dealt with a wealthy New York couple who chucked everything and move to a farm. The rumor said Arnold the pig was an annoying animal, and the crew took great delight in shoving an apple in his mouth and roasting him on a spit.

In reality, several pigs played Arnold (as if you could tell the difference), and were retired to a farm when the show was cancelled.

Answer: 'A Horse is a Horse' (Mister Ed)

"Mister Ed", which ran from 1961-1966, was about Wilbur Post and his talking horse, Mister Ed.

At a 1986 youth revival meeting, evangelist Jim Brown accused the show of being a satanic vehicle. When you play 'A Horse is a Horse' in reverse, you can hear the messages 'Someone sang this song for Satan' and 'The source is Satan.'

Disk jockeys picked up on the accusation and began playing the song backward on the air. Apparently a songwriter is owed royalties whether their song is played forward or backward, and composer Jerry Livingstone made a neat little profit over the rumor.

Answer: Dr. Ruth Westheimer served as a sniper in Israel.

Believe it or not, the tiny sexpert was actually a member of the Israeli underground in the 1940s. She was an expert marksman and grenade thrower. She never killed anyone, however. On her twentieth birthday she was injured by mortar fire and moved to France, then the United States.

The Mr. Rogers rumor was a classic, but not true. Fred Rogers never served in the military, and since he was born in 1928, he would have been too old for Vietnam service.

Keeshan was a Marine veteran, but signed up too late to see action in the Second World War. According to rumor, he served with actor Lee Marvin.

Knotts, who played bumbling Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960) and nerdish landlord Ralph Furley on "Three's Company" (1977) was an army veteran, but never saw combat. He was never a drill instructor, but man, that's quite a mental image, isn't it?

Answer: Paul, the nerdy friend from "The Wonder Years"

"The Wonder Years" (1988-1993), was about Kevin Arnold, a teenager growing up in the late 1960s.

The kid who played geeky Paul Pfieffer, Kevin's sidekick on the show, supposedly hit his stride as terrifying Marilyn Manson. In reality, Paul was played by Josh Saviano, and Manson's real name is Brian Warner.

Answer: Bill Cosby

They say Cosby felt certain characters, such as Buckwheat, showed blacks as foolish and crude. This rumor is not true. The TV version of "The Little Rascals" premiered in 1955.

A related rumor said that Ted Turner bought the rights to "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979) to keep it off television, because of the negative portrayal of Southerners - also not true.

Answer: Fred Grandy (Gopher, the ship's purser from "The Love Boat")

Grandy starred in "The Love Boat" (1977-1986), and went on to serve in the United States congress (as did Bono, Jones, and Thompson).

The story goes that Grandy, a new congressman, was extremely sensitive about his acting career. One day he boarded an elevator and a young page jokingly asked "Lido Deck or Promenade Deck, Sir?" Grandy had the teenager fired on the spot.

In reality, Grandy himself used to break the ice with the "Lido or Promenade?" line in the Capitol elevators. The story got turned around through retelling.

Thanks for playing. I got my facts from http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/tv.asp, the urban legends books by Richard Roeper, and the 'Rumor' books by Hal Morgan and Kerry Tucker.