There Was No Cane in "Citizen Kane"! Quiz

Answer: House M.D.

Dr. Gregory House, played by actor Hugh Laurie, has been one of the most controversial medical doctors ever portrayed on American television. Debuting in 2004, "House M.D." or simply "House" was an instant hit. Its controversial and somewhat unconventional story-lines and characters has been responsible for its large group of dedicated fans. Hugh Laurie plays a narcissistic physician who uses a cane to cope with a serious leg injury that occurred after a misdiagnosis of an infarction.

The permanent and debilitating injury led to a drug addiction and this topic is explored intricately throughout the show.

The character is often described as a medical version of Sherlock Holmes.

Answer: Henry VII

King Henry VII helped restore some stability to the country of England at the end of the War of the Roses. He founded the house of Tudor and ruled for 24 years. He had a love of canes and was known to use one throughout adulthood, although it is not clear if this needed because of injury/illness or just because he liked them.

The cane became a symbol of royal power after this. Many books about him mention his multi-purpose cane that was finished in gold. In the top of the cane was a knife, a perfume dispenser, two compasses and a pair of tweezers.

Answer: It was in style

In Victorian England it was very stylish to use or carry a cane if you were a member of the upper class. Holmes was always described as a man of culture and carried the cane because it would have been the fashionable thing to do.

Answer: False

The term for collecting canes and walking sticks is called Rabology. One of the worlds largest cane collectors was Queen Victoria who had over 100 and Billy Sutton of Cartersville, Virginia who has almost 1,000 at last count in 2012. Many people find collecting to be very entertaining and sometimes, profitable, as well.

Answer: Charlie Chaplin

This particular bamboo cane was used by Charlie Chaplin in his movie "Modern Times". It was sold to anonymous buyer at a Christies auction held in London. Up to that time, it was one of the highest prices ever paid for a piece of movie memorabilia. The cane, mustache and bowler hat were part of his movie image. Most people would not recognise a photo of him without these accoutrements.

Answer: False

There was no character in this movie that used a ruby encrusted cane, or any cane, for that matter. Long considered one the finest movies to come out of the 1940's "Citizen Kane" and was nominated for nine Academy Awards. This movie purported to describe, in part, the real life of several real American business magnates including William Randolph Hearst, under the facade of fiction. Joseph Cotten portrayed a character named Jedediah Leland, who is the best friend of Charles Foster Kane.

Although best friends at the beginning of the movie, by the end of the movie they have grown apart under the insidious corruption that can be caused by money and power.

Answer: Rum

The drinking of alcoholic beverages has long been part of many cultural traditions especially those considered to be entertaining. Sugarcane is used to make rum, one of the most widely used alcoholic beverages in the world. Most rum is made in the Central and South American regions as well as on the Caribbean Islands where it is believed to have originated. Sugarcane was also used in ancient China and India for making various fermented beverages.

Answer: Dog food

A Cane Corso is a large dog from the mastiff family. It is one of the most expensive guard dogs you can purchase. The Cane Corso has the large head and powerful jaws that are usually seen in mastiffs. They are usually black, but do come in fawn and occasionally brindle.

This is a rare dog that requires an owner who is willing to put in the time need for proper training. This is an old breed, first mentioned in Roman writings from the early 13th century. At that time they were used in gladiator fights, as guard dogs, and for hunting large prey animals.

Answer: Yellow

Caneware is an old type of stoneware that is buff to yellow in color. This type of stoneware is believed to be the creation of Josiah Wedgewood, who was already a noted pottery maker in the late 18th century. Some pieces have been found that have decorations painted in the other colors but the plates/bowls are always the same muted yellowish color.

Answer: Jimmy Smits

"Cane" was a serial drama that dealt with the family interactions and struggle for power. Jimmy Smits starred as Alex Vega the chosen heir to his family's sugar and rum business. Noted actors Hector Elizondo and Rita Moreno played his parents. While it got good reviews from critics, the show only lasted one season and had 13 episodes, despite its all-star cast.