Assistants, please! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jenna Fischer

Jenna Fischer played Pamela Morton Beesly Halpert on the US version of the sitcom "The Office" (2005-2013). Pam started out as a receptionist for the paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin, located in Scranton, PA. She worked her way up to salesperson and, eventually, office administrator before her termination in the series finale. On a personal level, the character of Pam evolved during the series as she became romantically involved with one of her business colleagues, Jim Halpert.

As time goes by, Pam marries Jim and, in the premiere episode of Season 6, it is revealed Pam is pregnant. Side note: Fisher got to name her fictional daughter i.e., Cecilia Marie.

Answer: Harry Shearer

Waylon Smithers has been the faithful executive assistant to Springfield Nuclear Power Plant boss C. Montgomery Burns on "The Simpsons" from 1989 on. He has been voiced by Harry Shearer who is also responsible for the voices of Montgomery Burns and Ned Flanders.

In 2015 Shearer gave us all a scare when he tweeted he would not be returning to the "The Simpsons" for the following year. However, after contract talks, the show was renewed for its 27th season (2015-2016) and its 28th season (2016-2017), and Harry and the entire cast will be kept intact, with 22 episodes per year at about $300,000 per episode.

As Mr. Burns would say "EXCELLENT!".

Answer: Loni Anderson

Loni Anderson was in her prime when she portrayed the beautiful blonde bombshell receptionist, Jennifer Marlowe, for the AM radio station "WKRP in Cincinnati" from 1978 to 1982. However, the writers chose to eschew the 'dumb-blonde' stereotype in favor of making Miss Marlowe wise, sophisticated and well-spoken, which belied her rural roots from a poor family in the fictional town of Rock Throw, West Virginia.

She was actually the one who kept all the lunatics from the station, i.e., Mr. Carlson, Venus Flytrap, Dr. Johnny Fever, et al, in check. Jennifer answered phones and took messages, but was clear that her job description did not involve taking dictation, typing or coffee!

Answer: Dule Hill

Before Dule Hill played Burton 'Gus' Guster, straight man and sidekick to "Psych"'s Shawn Spencer, Hill was Charlie Young, Personal Aide to President Josiah Bartlet on the NBC drama "The West Wing" (1999-2006). Dule was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2002 for his "West Wing" role. During the sixth season of "West Wing", Charlie Young became a Special Aide to the Chief of Staff. Hill left to co-star with James Roday in "Psych" which premiered on July 7, 2006 and lasted through 2014.

He has also appeared on Broadway in "Stick Fly" and "After Midnight".

Answer: Megan Mullaly

Grace Adler's wealthy, pill-popping assistant on "Will and Grace" (1998-2006) was played to wacky perfection by Megan Mullally, whose Karen Walker was originally supposed to be a supporting role opposite Will and Grace and their ridiculously upbeat friend Jack McFarland.

However, her high-pitched, drug-addled, promiscuous, multi-millionairess (from her husband Stan's money), socialite character, with the morality of a 'man', quickly became an audience favorite. She was probably one of the worst assistants on TV but, in 2010, Karen Walker was ranked #23 on the "TV Guide Network Special" of the '25 Greatest TV Characters of All Time'.

Answer: Marcia Wallace

Before winning an Emmy Award for playing Bart Simpson's long-suffering teacher Edna Krabappel on "The Simpson's from 1992 until her death in 2013, Marcia Wallace was Carol Kester. She was the acerbic receptionist for psychologist Bob Hartley on "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978), later becoming Carol Kester Bondurant in 1975.

In fact, the original role was written specifically for Wallace by Grant Tinker based on the recommendation of CBS founder Bill Paley. Marcia Wallace, it seems, was always working: on stage, in films and on TV.

In 2004 her autobiography,"Don't Look Back, We're Not Going That Way", was published; it detailed her life experiences to that point.

Answer: Eddie Cahill

From 2000 to 2001, Eddie Cahill played Rachel Green's handsome young assistant Tag Jones. Ross and Rachel must have "been on a break" at the time. These were the episodes, on the sitcom "Friends" (1994-2004), when Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) worked at Ralph Lauren. Tag was young (as I mentioned), good-looking and had great hair! Don't feel too sad for Eddie Cahill; he wound up playing young, good-looking, Detective Don Flack on "CSI: NY" from 2004 through 2013, and then "Under the Dome".

Answer: Nancy Kulp

Nancy Kulp (1921-1991) portrayed prim Miss Jane Hathaway on "The Beverly Hillbillies" for the entire run of the show, i.e., 1962 until it was cancelled in 1971. She was the prototypical uptight secretary/assistant for the Clampett's banker, Milburn Drysdale, and wound up as an excellent foil for the other zany characters. Side note: Aside from being in too many shows to mention, in 1944 Nancy Kulp left the University of Miami to volunteer in the US Naval Reserve during World War II. Cool!

Answer: Jack McBrayer

'Kenneth' Ellen (sic) Parcell was the ever optimistic character played by Jack McBrayer, and created by Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006-2013). A religious, polite 'rube' from Stone Mountain, Georgia, Kenneth was one of nine siblings, whose father was a pig farmer. Kenneth worked for the suave NBC executive, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). Parcell's real persona, Jack McBrayer, became noticed for the portrayals of his cheerful, overly polite, child-like characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". McBrayer was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006.

Answer: Kathryn Joosten

Another "West Wing" character, Mrs. Landingham was the personal secretary of President 'Jed' Bartlet, PhD., from 1999 until 2001. Kathryn Joosten (1939-2012) played Mrs. Landingham until Episode 21 of Season 2, "18th and Potomac", when her character was killed in a car crash by a drunk driver while she was headed back to work to show the president her new car.

Many characters these days are killed off on their shows, but none sadder than Mrs. Landingham! Joosten had also played Karen McCluskey on "Desperate Housewives" for which she won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in 2005 and 2008.