Television's Greatest Misses - Part 2 Quiz | Television

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Running from March 6 to June 19, 1975, on NBC, "The Bob Crane Show" featured the late actor starring an insurance executive who quits his job to do what?

Answer: Go to medical school

Although best known for is work on the CBS sitcom "Hogan's Heroes", Bob Crane appeared in a number of well-known TV programs before his untimely death in 1978. He was joined on this short-lived sitcom by the likes of prolific character actors Todd Susman (Officer Shiflett on "Newhart") and James Sutorius (Mike Andros of the short-lived journalism drama "The Andros Targets").

2. The sitcom "Shaping Up" didn't shape up to be a hit for ABC, running from March 20 to April 17, 1984. What actor, best known for his comedic work in another short-lived sitcom, "Police Squad", played health-club owner Buddy Fox in this show?

Answer: Leslie Nielsen

All four men listed in this question appeared in the short-lived "Police Squad", itself the basis of the very successful series of "Naked Gun" movies. Alan North played Captain Ed Hocken; Ed Williams played police scientist Ted Olson; and in the opening credits, Rex Hamilton played an Abraham Lincoln who shoots back at a would-be assassin.

But it was Leslie Nielsen, whose roles widely varied during his career, who drew the short straw with "Shaping Up". Also appearing with him on that short-lived show were future poker champion Jennifer Tilly (as aerobics instructor Shannon Winters) and Miss Universe 1980 Shawn Weatherly (as aerobics instructor Melissa McDonald).

3. "Reggie", an American version of the British sitcom "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin", ran on ABC from August 2 to September 1, 1983. Which actor, better known for playing a pediatrician on a successful NBC sitcom later in the decade, played the lead role of ice cream company employee Reggie Potter?

Answer: Richard Mulligan

"Reggie" turned out to be a Who's Who of Television, as it featured a number of well-known actors. Joining Richard Mulligan, star of the NBC sitcom "Empty Nest" from 1988 to 1995, were Barbara Barrie ("Barney Miller") as his wife Elizabeth, Timothy Busfield ("Thirtysomething") as his his son Mark, Timothy Stack ("Son of the Beach") as his son-in-law Tom Lockett, and Jean Smart ("Designing Women") as his secretary Joan Reynolds.

The other actors mentioned in this question were also part of medical shows during the 1980s and 1990s. Hector Elizondo starred on the CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope" from 1994 to 2000. Elliott Gould starred on the CBS sitcom "E/R" from 1984 to 1985. And David Rasche was featured on the NBC sitcom "Nurses" - itself in the same universe as "Empty Nest" and "The Golden Girls" - from 1992 to 1994. Unlike Elizondo and Gould, however, Rasche did not play a doctor.

4. Looking to capitalize on the popularity of "That '70s Show", Fox tried "That '80s Show", launching it in January, 2002 and pulling it that May. In which western U.S. city was "That '80s Show" set?

Answer: San Diego

"That '80s Show" starred Glenn Howerton ("It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia") as struggling musician Corey Howard, who works at a San Diego record store in 1984. He eventually falls for his rude, punk-rocker co-worker Tuesday (Chyler Leigh of "Gray's Anatomy"), and his best friend Roger (Eddie Shin) is a fan of both Ronald Reagan and dancing.

"That '80s Show" was not a direct spinoff of "That '70s Show". The characters from those two shows never crossed paths, nor did any storylines intersect.

5. Boasting 130 episodes between 2001 and 2002, "Beat The Geeks" was a short-lived trivia-based game show appearing on the Comedy Central network. The show featured contestants playing against experts - the "Geeks" - for thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Which of the following was not among the three fields of expertise represented by the Resident Geeks?

Answer: Science

On "Beat the Geeks", contestants faced four Geeks - three Resident Geeks (one for Movies, one for Music and one for Television) and a fourth Guest Geek who represented a specialized field. For example, stand-up comedian Dana Gould represented the movie "Planet of the Apes" and actor Ggreg Snyder represented Saturday-morning cartoons during the second season.

Actor and writer J. Keith van Straaen hosted the first season of "Beat the Geeks", while comedian Blaine Capatch hosted the second season. Actress and model Tiffany Bolton served as co-host during both seasons.

6. ABC struck out with "Day Break", a show about a cop caught in a strange time loop that was only around for a short time - November 15 to December 13, 2006. What well-known African-American actor headlined this show, as Los Angeles Police Detective Brett Hopper?

Answer: Taye Diggs

In "Day Break", Brett Hopper relived the same day. Each day, he found himself framed for the murder of an assistant district attorney, and each day he pieced together more and more of the plot against him. ABC originally broadcast only six of the show's 13 episodes.

The final seven episodes were made available for viewing on ABC's website, and all episodes were telecast on the U.S. cable network TV One.

7. A precursor to shows like "The Newlywed Game", "Two in Love" ran on CBS from June 19 to September 11, 1954. Which well-known personality, better known for hosting beauty pagaents, handled the hosting duties on "Two in Love"?

Answer: Bert Parks

Occupying the 10:30-to-11:00 PM time slot on Saturday nights throughout its run, "Two in Love" originally featured engaged couples, newlyweds, or couples celebrating an anniversary answering questions that, if correct, would add to their cash winnings. Later in the show's run, only engaged couples were featured as contestants.

Bert Parks, who for many years hosted the Miss America Pagaent, hosted "Two in Love" - one of several game shows he hosted during his lengthy career. Ron Ely, who replaced Bert Parks as host of Miss America in 1980 and 1981, was the host of the popular game show "Face the Music". Bud Collyer was the longtime host of the classic game show "Beat the Clock". And Bob Barker, host of the long running "Truth or Consequences", served as host of the Miss USA and Miss Universe contests for many years.

8. Originally airing on Britain's Sky One network from 1994 to 1995, and seen in syndication in North America, "Space Precinct" was created by Gerry Anderson, of "Thunderbirds" fame. What American actor, well known for his work on a major American prime-time soap opera, headlined "Space Precinct"?

Answer: Ted Shackleford

A mix of science fiction and crime procedural, "Space Precinct" starred Ted Shackleford, who played Gary Ewing in the "Dallas" spinoff "Knots Landing", as former New York Police Detective Patrick Brogan, who finds himself on the police force of Demeter City, on the planet Alitorp, in 2040.

The force itself was comprised of humans and aliens. Rob Youngblood was onboard as Brogan's partner, Jack Haldane, and Simone Bendix played Haldane's love interest, Jane Castle.

9. NBC failed to capture audiences with "Nearly Departed", a show that featured elements of other "ghost" shows like "Topper" and "Jennifer Slept Here", and ran on the network from April 10 to May 1, 1989. Which member of the famed Monty Python comedy troupe starred as the dearly-departed Grant Pritchard in this short-lived sitcom?

Answer: Eric Idle

In "Nearly Departed", college professor Grant Pritchard, played by Eric Idle, was killed in an automobile accident with his wife Claire (Caroline McWilliams of "Benson"). He and Claire watched as plumbing contractor (Stuart Pankin), his wife (Wendy Schaal) and their son (Jay Lambert) moved into their home and started remodeling it.

The only contact the Pritchards had with the living was in the form of the grandfather of the home's new residents (Henderson Forsythe).

10. The animated series "Calvin and the Colonel" ran briefly on ABC in two different stretches between October, 1961 and September, 1962. What well known comedy team provided the voices of Calvin, a loveable bear, and his best friend, a wily fox known as The Colonel?

Answer: Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll

Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll are legendary for creating the radio comedy show "Amos 'n' Andy" on Chicago radio station WMAQ in 1928. Their show lasted until 1960, and a television adaptation ran on CBS, featuring an African-American cast, from 1951 to 1953. Joining Gosden and Correll in the voice cast of "Calvin and the Colonel" were prolific radio star Virginia Gregg as The Colonel's wife, Maggie Belle, and voice actor Paul Frees as lawyer/weasel Oliver Wendell Clutch.

The other three comedy teams had broken up by 1961, when "Calvin and the Colonel" debuted. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis broke up in 1956 and went their separate ways. Stan Laurel died in 1957, and Lou Costello passed away in 1959.

Source: Author cag1970

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Television's Greatest Misses - Part 2 Quiz

The vast Graveyard of Television contains programs that were canceled after only a short time on the air. Here's a second helping of Television's Greatest Misses!

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>