Deaths In The News: 2000 Trivia Quiz

Answer: "Shoe"

MacNelly cut his teeth as a cartoonist for The Daily TarHeel, the student newspaper at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and the Chapel Hill Weekly. After leaving Chapel Hill for the Richmond News Leader, he created his strip. The title character, a cigar-chomping old bird, was named for his editor at the Chapel Hill Weekly. (Thanks for macnelly.com and CNN.com for information on Jeff MacNelly.)

Answer: Billie Jo

MacRae was actually the third Billie Jo Bradley, following Jeannine Riley (1963-65) and Gunilla Hutton (1965-66). She remained with the series until the end of its run in 1970. She was later a fixture on the game show circuit and served as a host for many years on the United Cerebral Palsy telethon. (Thanks to tvtome.com, CNN.com, and the Dead People Server for information on Meredith McRae.)

Answer: The Rocket

Known for his toughness and temper, Richard became the first person to score 50 goals in a season and the first to score 500 goals in a career. A 13-time all-star selection, Richard won eight Stanley Cups as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. The trophy given to the NHL's regular-season goal-scoring leader is named in his honor.

Answer: Louisiana

The oldest of eleven children, Jimmie Davis managed to excel in both entertainment and politics. While belting out country and gospel tunes and staring in "B" movies in Hollywood, he held posts, at separate times, as public safety commissioner of Shreveport and state public service commissioner. During two separate terms as governor (1944-48 and 1960-64), he set up the state retirement system, a statewide driver's licensing program, and funded a myriad of public works projects.

Inducted into both the Country Music and Gospel Music Association halls of fame in 1972, Davis died in his sleep at his home in Baton Rouge only months after his last public appearance. "You Are My Sunshine", by the way, is one of the state's two official songs. (Thanks to peermusic.com and the Louisiana Secretary of State's website for information on Jimmie H. Davis.)

Answer: He flew into space three times.

A decorated air force pilot, Titov was the backup to Yuri Gagarin when he made his famous flight aboard Vostok I in April 1961. Four months later, after Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom had become the US's first men in space, Titov's mission on board Vostok II would carry him around the earth 17 times, and included him performing such tasks as eating, exercising and sleeping in the capsule.

He also had the first recorded case of motion sickness, which has plagued space travelers on many missions since. Titov never returned to space, instead working in the Soviet military and space ministries and serving as a member of the parliament, known as the Duma. (Thanks to space.com for information on Gherman Titov.)

Answer: Runaway Train

Best known as playing a comic foil opposite Jack Lemmon in movies like "The Odd Couple" and "Grumpy Old Men", Walter Matthau played in a variety of roles during his career. In the Cold War drama "Fail Safe", for example, he played a professor convinced that the United States could win a nuclear war against the Soviets.

In the comedy "First Monday", he played a Supreme Court justice (opposite Jill Clayburgh). And in the disaster classic "Earthquake", billed as Walter Matuschanskayasky, he is almost unrecognizable as a drunk who survives the great shake.

Answer: "Annie Allen"

Born in Topeka, Kansas in 1917, Gwendolyn Brooks moved at age 4 to Chicago. At an early age, she exhibited interest in poetry and prose writing. Her first book of poetry, "A Street in Bronzeville", was published in 1945. "Annie Allen" was published four years later.

In 1968, she was named Poet Laureate of the state of Illinois, and she served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress from 1985 to 1986.

Answer: 5

Tom Landry became the head coach of the expansion Dallas Cowboys in 1960, and established a reputation for keeping cool under fire. In five Super Bowl appearances, his Cowboys won twice--Super Bowl VI in New Orleans in 1971 and Super Bowl XII, also in New Orleans, in 1978.

After Jerry Jones took over the team in 1989, Landry, whose last teams did not enjoy the great success fans had become used to, was unceremoniously dismissed. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2003, Jones hired his fifth coach of the post-Landry era, Bill Parcells.

Answer: Lester Pearson

Hailing from wealthy Quebec stock, Trudeau worked very closely with Pearson during his time as Justice Minister. After Pearson retired, Trudeau became the leader of the Liberal party and eventually won the prime ministership. In two separate terms--1968-79 and 1980-84, bookending a nine-month stint with Conversative Joe Clark at the helm--Trudeau was instrumental in preventing Quebec's bid for ceding from Canada, patriated Canada's constitution from Britain's Parliament, and developed the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (equivalent to the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution).

A flamboyant statesman, Trudeau also enjoyed the high life, dating celebrities and driving fast cars. (Thanks to wikipedia.com and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation website, cbc.ca, for information on Pierre Trudeau.)

Answer: "Schoolhouse Rock" (ABC)

A staple of ABC's Saturday-morning cartoon blocks for many years, the "Schoolhouse Rock" series set valuable educational lessons to catchy, memorable tunes and animation. Among the best-known segments are "Conjunction Junction", "I'm Just A Bill", "Figure Eight" and "Interjections!" Yohe also served as executive producer of the 1980 TV series "Drawing Power". (Thanks to the Internet Movie Database for information on Thomas Yohe.)