DIS-STAFF Trivia Quiz

Answer: psychiatrist

On "The Sopranos" (1999-2007), when New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) had an emotional crisis, he turned to psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi for help. Dr. Melfi was played by Lorraine Bracco. I wonder if, in his session, she had the guts to tell him his time was up. Bracco also appeared in "Goodfellas" (1990) and on TV in "Rizzoli & Isles", playing the mother of Detective Jane Rizzoli, and on "Blue Bloods" where she played the Mayor of NYC.

Answer: pilot

"Northern Exposure" (1990-1995) took place in the small town of Cicely, Alaska, with eccentric locals who live 'off the beaten track'. Because of its location, people and supplies often had to be flown in by plane. Enter the town pilot, Maggie O'Connell, played by Janine Turner. Maggie became the love interest of the protagonist Dr. Joel Fleishman, who was forced to do his residency there. Turner has also been in films which include "Cliffhangers" and "Solace".

Answer: advertising executive

"Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992) was one of the earlier TV sitcoms which showed a working woman as head of the household. Judith Light played advertising executive Angela Bower, a single mother who lived with her son in a Connecticut suburb. In came ex-jock Tony Micelli (Tony Danza) and his daughter.

In order to give his daughter a better life, Tony became Angela's housekeeper (and more). Light went on to play Jeffrey Tambor's daughter on "Transparent".

Answer: architect

Meredith Baxter played the liberal leaning mother with a career as an architect on "Family Ties" (1982-1989). The humor here revolved around former "hippie" parents who had a Nixon Republican for a son, i.e., Alex P. Keaton,, played to perfection by Michael J. Fox. Meredith Baxter (formerly Birney) had a long career in TV, dating back to when she played the oldest daughter on "Family", and later as Betty Broderick in the TV movie "A Woman Scorned".

Answer: funeral home beautician

More recently, we have "Mike and Molly" (2010-2016), with Kathy Mixon as Molly's sister, Victoria Flynn. Victoria was a lovely, single, pot-smoking, wine drinking woman who worked at a funeral home, making corpses look good. Although she had her share of men, she was afraid of commitment, but wound up with Mike's cop partner, Officer Carl McMillan. Mixon went on to play the lead, Katie Otto, on TV's "American Housewife".

Answer: baseball pitcher

"Pitch" (2016-2017) was a short-lived network drama about the first woman to pitch in the Major Leagues. Kylie Bunbury played Ginny Baker who became a pitcher for the Major League baseball team, the San Diego Padres. While it showed the pressures placed on her by being 'the first', it also showed how she inspired young girls to see that anything was possible. Kylie has also appeared on the television mini-series "When They See Us", as Angie Richardson.

Answer: technical analyst

"Criminal Minds" (from 2005) is a crime drama about the B.A.U. (Behavioral Analysis Unit), a division of the FBI. Profilers try to catch those who commit heinous crimes by analyzing their actions and predicting their behavior. Kristen Vangsness is their computer specialist with an amazing mind and skill set.

She is often the reason they are able to apprehend these serial killers. Vangsness has played the role to perfection for over a decade.

Answer: Secretary of State

"Madam Secretary" first began airing in 2014. Tea Leoni plays Elizabeth McCord, in the title role, as the United States Secretary of State, who takes the job after her predecessor's mysterious death. She is given the difficult job of maintaining order and international diplomacy in a chaotic world, while at the same time raising a family with her husband and three children. Leoni has appeared in films such as "Jurassic Park III" and "Deep Impact".

Answer: saloon owner

Going back to the'horse operas' of the early days of television, we have the incredible, long running "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975). Amanda Blake played Kitty Russell, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. By the way, the Long Branch really did exist in Dodge City, Kansas. Blake played opposite James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon who kept folks honest in 'them there days'. Sadly, Miss Blake died in 1989 of AIDS-related hepatitis.

Answer: private detective

"Moonlighting" (1985-1989) was a dram-com with Cybill Shepherd playing Maddie Hayes, former model turned private eye. It seems Maddie's accountant absconded with all her money and left her with only The Blue Moon Detective Agency. Wise-cracking employee David Addison (played by the yet-to-be-famous Bruce Willis) convinced her to keep the business and make the career change (with occasional 'boinking'). Cybill went on to star on her eponymous TV comedy, "Cybill".

Answer: policewoman

"Blue Bloods" first began airing in 2010. The show depicts the Reagans, a family of cops and lawyers, starring the still impressive Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, patriarch and NYC Police Commissioner. Vanessa Ray plays Edit "Eddie" Janko, a cop whose father has been arrested for a Madoff-like Ponzi Scheme. Eddie first becomes partners with policeman Jamie Reagan (youngest of Frank's kids) and later becomes his wife. Ray also previously appeared on "Pretty Little Liars".

Answer: interior decorator

I could have chosen Grace Adler from "Will and Grace", but instead I went with the older sitcom "Designing Women" (1986-1993). The show took place in the design firm of Sugarbaker and Associates, located in Atlanta Georgia. Annie Potts played Mary Jo Shively, one of the members of the design firm, along with Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker and Charlene Frazier, and with the help of an ex-con named Anthony. Potts went on to play Sheldon Cooper's grandmother on "Young Sheldon".

Answer: mystery writer

The great actress and winner of more than five Golden Globe Awards, Angela Lansbury starred in "Murder, She Wrote" (1984-1996). Angela's career started back in 1944 when she stood out in a smaller role in the film "Gaslight". On her TV show, Lansbury played Jessica Fletcher, former English teacher and mystery writer from Cabot Cove, Maine.

It seemed that wherever she went, murder followed and she was the one who solved it.

Answer: housekeeper

Going back to the early 1980s, we have the comedy "Gimme a Break!" (1981-1987). Nell Carter (1948-2003) played Nell Harper, housekeeper for Glenlawn, California Chief of Police, Carl Kanisky. After the death of Carl's wife, he asked his friend Nell to help him out as housekeeper for him, and as surrogate mother for his three daughters.

The family grew as Carl's father moved in and Nell took in a foster son (the "cousin Oliver syndrome").

Answer: ghost chaser

I decided not to ignore the distaff side of the animated world with "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" (1969-1970). On this cartoon show, Nicole Jaffe and Rosalinda Galli both voiced Velma Dinkley, one of the four kids (and their Great Dane) who traveled around in the bright green van called the Mystery Machine. Velma, Fred, Daphne and Shaggy went around chasing ghosts, uncovering criminals and solving mysteries.

The concept has been redone, including several movies.