And Now the News... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jim Dial

Jim Dial was the stuffy, pompous news anchor for the TV newsmagazine "FYI", the show within the show "Murphy Brown" (1988-1998). Charles Kimbrough played the role to perfection, opposite Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown with her co-workers, Frank Fontana and Corky Sherwood, and a multitude of secretaries for Murphy.

While the show was an award-winning comedy, it also dealt with many serious issues, e.g., politics (remember Dan Quayle?), abortion, integrity, etc.

Answer: Howard Beale

Paddy Chayefsky wrote the screenplay for the award winning 1976 satirical, black comedy "Network". Peter Finch won the first posthumous Academy Award in the acting category for playing aging, UBS TV anchorman Beale..."I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" This was only the second film (after "Streetcar named Desire" from 1951) to win three Oscars for acting, i.e., Finch for Best Actor, Faye Dunaway for Best Actress and Beatrice Straight for Best Supporting Actress, with Chayefsky winning for Best Screenplay.

Answer: Robin Scherbatsky

Robin Charles Scherbatsky Jr. worked for Metro News 1 as journalist, later turned-morning-show-host ("Come On, Get Up New York!") on "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-2014). Also known as Robin Sparkles, Night Falcon and Robin Daggers, she was played by Canadian actress Cobie Smulders. During the course of the show Robin winds up marrying womanizer Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) in 2014 in "The End of the Aisle"; it is later revealed that they divorced in 2016, setting up a possible relationship again with Ted Mosby.

Answer: Sally 'Tally' Atwater

John Gregory Dunne and his wife, Joan Didion, started to write the screenplay for this film, "Up Close and Personal", based on TV reporter Jessica Savitch's life. However, when the movie was finally released in 1996, it had little to do with Jessica Savitch.

It turned out to be the story of two May-December journalists: Warren Justice, a local Miami news director (Robert Redford) and his protegee, Sally 'Tally' Atwater (Michele Pfeiffer). With Atwater's ascension in the news world and Justice's declining fame, it has been billed as a "Star Is Born" meets "The Way We Were" (Leonard Klady of "Variety").

Answer: J. Jonah Jameson

J. Jonah Jameson is the editor-in-chief of The Daily Bugle, a New York City newspaper for which Spider-Man's alter-ego, Peter Parker, becomes a photojournalist. Jameson is voiced by J.K. Simmons (of "Whiplash" fame). He sports a toothbrush mustache, flattop haircut and the ever-present cigar, and always seems to be yelling at someone or something. Did you know that Peter's Aunt May, after spending years as a widow, finally married John Jonah Jameson Sr. (J. Jonah's father), so that Peter and J. Jonah are now related?! (For you hard core fans: I wonder if the rice thrown at Aunt May's second wedding was 'Uncle Ben's'?)

Answer: Phil Connors

"Groundhog Day" is a 1993 American comedy starring Bill Murray as arrogant Pittsburgh TV meteorologist Phil Connors who is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the February 2nd Groundhog's Day ceremonies. He grudgingly gives his report but, due to a blizzard, winds up having to spend another night in Punxsutawney.

It seems that he is caught in a time loop, with the same day (February 2nd) repeating itself over and over. At first, Phil decides to take advantage of the circumstances, that is, with no long-term consequences, but he later learns to re-evaluate his life and his priorities.

Answer: Lou Grant

Lou Grant was the news director at fictional TV station WJM-TV on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977). Although he "hated spunk", he made Mary Richards his associate producer and kept tabs on the zany crew, including anchor-man Ted Baxter. Lou Grant was wonderfully played by Ed Asner.

When "MTM" went off the air in 1977, Lou Grant found himself a job as editor of the Los Angeles Tribune, making Grant the first leading character to have the same role on both a popular comedy show and an hour long dramatic series.

He won Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor on "MTM" in 1971, 1972 and 1975, and Best Lead Actor for "Lou Grant" in both 1978 and 1980.

Answer: Tom Grunick

"Broadcast News" is a 1987 satire on network newscasters. William Hurt plays Tom Grunick, a typical pretty-boy rookie newscaster in Washington who is 'a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic'. He has been promoted from sports anchor to local anchor chair, despite his inexperience and his style of flash over substance. Enter the other two parts of this triangle, i.e., Holly Hunter as news producer Jane Craig and Albert Brooks as correspondent Aaron Altman (smart but sweaty).

The film was nominated for a number of awards, and is one of the better movies about the internal workings of a network newsroom.

Answer: Les Nessman

"WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978-1982) was about a local radio station which switched from playing sedate, elevator music to top-40 rock and roll. New program director Andy Travis brings in DJ Venus Flytrap to work with 'burned- out' Dr. Johnny Fever, and bring the station into the current century (or rather the past century). Les Nessman is the neurotic newsman, played to perfection by Richard Sanders, who gives the news, weather and local farm report.

In its time, it was a classic comedy, both well-written ("Turkeys can't fly"?) and well-acted.

Answer: Andie Sachs

Fresh out of journalism school, Andie (Andrea) Sachs gets a job working as second assistant for Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of high fashion's Runway Magazine, in "The Devil Wears Prada", a movie from 2006. Andy is played by actress Anne Hathaway (no, not Shakespeare's wife). Fortunately for Andy, she gets assistance from first assistant Emily about the boss' preferences, and the stylist Nigel helps Andy to dress better.

In the end, the choices she makes at work help her to navigate more successfully in the world outside.