Curmudgeon at Large Trivia Quiz

Answer: Archie Bunker

Carroll O'Connor's wonderful portrayal of the loud, opinionated and often obnoxious Archie opened a new world in television when "All in the Family" debuted in 1971. Controversial topics such as racism, gay rights and religion were the focus of many altercations between Archie and his liberal son-in-law, Mike (a.k.a. "Meathead").

The talented Mr. O'Connor won countless awards, including five Emmys for Outstanding Actor (four for "All in the Family" and one for "In the Heat of the Night") before his death in 2001.

Answer: "Our House"

After the death of his son, Gus (portrayed by Wilford Brimley) opened his home to Jessie (Deidre Hall) and her three children. Despite the challenges of adjusting to their new home and lifestyle, the children and Jessie soon learned that Gus's bark was much worse than his bite, and that his cantankerous ways were merely a very thin veil for his soft heart and genuine love for his family.

"Our House" aired from 1986 through 1988.

Answer: Fred Mertz

Often irritable and sarcastic, Fred Mertz was the husband of Ethel Potter Mertz and the landlord of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Notoriously tight with money, Fred was frequently the subject of Ethel's wisecracks and was occasionally drawn into his wife's and Lucy's hilarious schemes.

"I Love Lucy" debuted in 1951 on CBS and starred William Frawley and Vivian Vance as the Mertzes, along with real-life husband and wife team Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. The series spawned several sequels and remains one of the most loved shows in television history.

Answer: "Little House on the Prairie"

Harriet and Nels Oleson were the owners of Oleson's Mercantile in the town of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Prone to gossip and selfishness, Harriet was a role model to her children, especially daughter Nellie and her adopted sister Nancy. Katherine MacGregor's brilliant portrayal allowed audiences to see past the villain and even sympathize with the complicated and brooding character.

Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's series of novels, the show won multiple awards and launched the careers of several actors, including Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson.

Answer: "NYPD Blue"

As the series progressed, Andy's negativity and bigotry were explained by revelations about his alcoholism, failed marriage and troubled childhood. Despite his crude and often insensitive persona, his loyalty to his job and coworkers made the character a favorite with both viewers and critics.

After twelve seasons, the final episode of "NYPD Blue" aired on March 1, 2005.

Answer: Lou Grant

Ed Asner's Emmy winning performance as the somewhat volatile Lou Grant began on the comedy "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and continued into the drama series "Lou Grant", which was created after the first show's cancellation in 1977. Prone to outbursts and general crankiness, those who knew him saw a lonely, vulnerable man who had been hardened by years in the journalism business.

Stanley Zbornak, Felix Unger and Blake Carrington were characters on "The Golden Girls", "The Odd Couple", and "Dynasty", respectively.

Answer: Diner

Mel Sharples, played flawlessly by the late Vic Tayback. was the grouchy owner of Mel's Diner in the 1974 film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". He reprised the role two years later in the series "Alice", which was based on the movie.

Mel's habit of banging on a bell with his spatula and trading insults with his customers and employees became a focal point of the show. Despite his miserly and overbearing ways, those who knew him realized there was a soft spot buried beneath his gruffness.

"Alice"'s nine season run ended on March 19, 1985.

Answer: Sophia Petrillo

Often using her age as an excuse for her crankiness and outrageous behavior, Sophia's constant whining and fault-finding led to many hilarious retorts by her daughter Dorothy. Despite her nagging and grumbling, Sophia loved "her girls" unconditionally and would have gone to any lengths to protect and defend them.

Estelle Getty won an Emmy for her role in the series, as did costars Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Betty White. The show had two spin-offs after it ended in 1992 and remains one of the most popular in syndication.

Answer: "Sanford and Son"

Based on the British comedy "Steptoe and Son", the series debuted in 1972 and centered around junk dealer Fred Sanford and his son Lamont. Frequent visitors included the Bible toting Esther (Fred's sister-in-law and nemesis), pals Grady and Bubba, and several of Lamont's friends who continually endured verbal abuse from Fred. When faced with repercussions from his trouble-making, the elder Sanford would dramatically clutch his chest, look upward and scream to his deceased wife Elizabeth that he was "comin' to join ya, 'Lizabeth".

The ground-breaking series ended in 1977 when Redd Foxx left to pursue another venture.

Answer: Lucy Van Pelt

The self-appointed "Queen" of the Peanuts Gang has been called "the world's greatest fussbudget" by her comic strip mother. Crabby and ill-tempered, Lucy was only happy when she was pushing around the other children or playing mean pranks (most notably pulling away the football the last second before Charlie Brown's attempts to kick it). An insufferable know-it-all, she continually pointed out the faults of others and was always available to offer advice (for the mere sum of a nickel).

Lucy, Linus, Charlie Brown and the rest of this beloved group were the creation of cartoonist Charles Schulz, who wrote the strip from 1950 until his death in 2000. The holiday television specials and movies continue to draw millions of viewers annually, and in 2013, TV Guide listed "Peanuts" among its top five cartoons of all time.