Dummies For Dummies Quiz | Entertainment Other

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. It never spoke so its bite was worse than its bark. It nearly caused one of Britain's top talkshow interviewers to lose his cool and attacked one of America's best-known hosts. What sort of 'dummy' was in a double act with Rod Hull?

Answer: An emu

Rod Hull and Emu were a popular 'double act' in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s, though their formative years were on Australian television. 'Emu' was based on the flightless bird of the same name, with Hull having one arm up its neck and forming its mouth. That 'mouth' could be used for a variety of actions, both physical and purely visual. In 1972, Emu destroyed a bunch of flowers presented to the Queen Mother at the Royal Variety performance in London. Four years later, it attacked Michael Parkinson on his chat show. Parkinson, probably the best and most admired UK talkshow host of his era, was clearly seen to struggle hard to preserve his dignity - and his temper. Emu also appeared on US TV shows.

In 1985, it attacked Johnny Carson live on "The Tonight Show".

2. "The Muppet Show" was television magic for generations of people. The performance of Muppet characters had critics, not least two snappily dressed gentlemen who heckled and made remarks from a stage-side box in the music hall where the 'action' mostly took place. What were their names?

Answer: Statler and Waldorf

Statler and Waldorf were named after the robber barons E.M. Statler and William Waldorf Astor. They first appeared in the show in 1975.
Muppets were controlled by unseen operators using levers for various parts of their bodies. The Muppets were created in 1955 by Jim Henson, and went on to appear in TV shows and movies worldwide.

3. If we start talking about 'Baby Bear', 'Big Bad Wolf', 'Big Bird' and 'Captain Vegetable', which venerable kids' TV programme might we be reminiscing about?

Answer: Sesame Street

"Sesame Street" began educating children on US TV in 1969. It used animation and the Muppets created more than ten years earlier by Jim Henson. By the time it celebrated its 40th anniversary, "Sesame Street" was being broadcast in 140 countries.

4. It was billed as a puppet show for adults, but the concept and TV run were short-lived. What was the name of the US show that was virtually a puppet sit-com?

Answer: Greg The Bunny

The show debuted on a local TV station in New York until the Fox Network picked it up and made a season of programmes that went on-air in early 2002. Fox toned down some of the wilder elements, and the show lost its way, being cancelled the same year. It later acquired cult status.

5. Satire has always been a popular form of entertainment, but in the UK in the 1980s political satire seemed to have lost its way. Along came a puppet show that lampooned political leaders by turning them into often grotesque caricatures. What was the show called?

Answer: Spitting Image

Between 1984 and 1996, "Spitting Image" became one of the most talked about shows on British television. Puppet models of UK and US politicians and other world leaders were made, and top comedy writers and voice actors employed. The concept of the show was aided by the fact that it came about at a time of truly colourful politicians. Among the most popular 'characters' were Margaret Thatcher and most of her Conservative Ministers. Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev also appeared, as did many members of the British Royal Family and celebrities.
Many of those featured loathed the show, others loved it. If truth be told, it was better to be parodied on "Spitting Image" than ignored. Music was a strong feature of the show, and there were sketches in which Nancy Reagan sang "Da Do Ron Ron" to encourage voters to reelect her husband. On a more serious note, Sting re-voiced his hit "Every Breath You Take" to "Every Bomb You Make", with each line illustrated by a puppet of a political leader:

"Every bomb you make
Every job you take
Every heart you break
Every Irish wake
I'll be watching you

"Every wall you build
Everyone you've killed
Every grave you fill
All the blood you spill
I'll be watching you

"Ohhhh can't you see
You belong to me
There'll be a bill to pay
On that judgement day..."

6. He was named "America's favorite comedian" and at a time was the top-grossing standup act in North America. Who was the voice behind dummies such as 'Peanut", 'Melvin the Superhero Guy', and 'Achmed the Dead Terrorist'?

Answer: Jeff Dunham

Born in April 1962, Jeff Dunham appeared on some of America's top-rated shows, including "Late Show with David Letterman", "Comedy Central Presents" and "The Tonight Show.". He also had numerous special of his own. A trademark of several Dunham dummies was there rudeness and insults.
Ronn Lucas dummies were 'Buffalo Billy', 'Scorch' and 'Tillie the Troll'; Paul Winchell introduced 'Jerry Mahoney' and 'Knucklehead Smiff'; while Edgar Bergen produced 'Charlie McCarthy', 'Mortimer Snerd' and 'Effie Klinker'.

7. The concept of ventriloquism is having a human 'throw' his, or her, voice so that is comes out of the 'mouth' of a dummy. But what if you had dummies that did not speak and the human had to tell the audience what they were saying! Bizarre; yet it was the concept behind the UK's gentlest and best-loved glove puppet double act. Who were they?

Answer: Sooty and Sweep

'Sooty' was a puppet of a bear and 'Sweep' was a dog. They were conceived by the late Harry Corbett and taken over by his son, Matthew. Sooty first appeared in 1952 on the BBC's 'Talent Night'. 'Sweep' joined the show later. The audiences never heard what 'Sooty' said, he whispered his comments into the ear of the operator. Many TV series and stage shows ensued.

8. The ventriloquist Shari Lewis created a puppet that had the alter-ego of a feisty six-year-old girl and together they entertained audiences for more than 40 years. What was that puppet called?

Answer: Lamb Chop

'Lamb Chop' was - what else? - a ewe that Lewis introduced to her act in 1957. Decades of TV shows followed until 'Lamb Chop' retired in 1997. Shari Lewis died the following year. In the 1990s, the PBS children's show "Lamb Chop's Play-Along" was an Emmy Award winner for five years in a row.

9. Not many ventriloquists' dummies have hit the top reaches of the pop charts, yet one called 'Orville' did so in the UK in 1983. What kind of creature was 'Orville'?

Answer: A duck

Orville's Song:

"Orville: I wish I could fly way up to the sky but I can't,
Keith: You can,
Orville: I can't!
Orville: I wish I could see what folks see in me but I can't,
Keith: You can,
Orville: I can't!
Keith: Look, Orville,
Orville: Yes?
Keith: Nothing that you can say
Will change how I feel today:
I know that we'll never part;
Now hear what I'm saying, Orville?
Orville: Yes?
Keith: Who is your very best friend?
Orville: You are.
Keith: I'm gonna help you mend your broken heart.
Orville: Thank you."

"Orville's Song" reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1983. Orville was the companion of Keith Harris. He (Orville that is) was an overweight green duck that wore nothing but a nappy and spoke in a very high voice

10. OK, let's see if we can get this straight: A ventriloquist 'throws' his, or her, voice so that it comes out of the mouth of a dummy and the audience sees the dummy's reaction. Fine, good luck with that concept on radio is what I say, but which dummy actually found fame on a radio show?

Answer: Archie Andrews

"Arche Andrews" was the puppet of Peter Brough and first appeared on British radio in the show "Educating Archie" in the 1950s. The show transferred to television in 1958.
The show introduced human collaborators who were to go on to be among the pick of British comedy and entertainment personalities for decades, including Julie Andrews, Max Bygraves and Tony Hancock. Others to appear included Benny Hill, Harry Secombe, Dick Emery and Bernard Bresslaw. [Source: The Daily Telegraph.]

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Dummies For Dummies Trivia Quiz

"Gottle of geer, gottle of geer" - it is not easy to 'throw' a voice, yet ventriloquism has been a staple form of entertainment for decades. Test your knowledge of dummies and puppets and the people behind them.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>