Double the Pleasure Trivia Quiz

Answer: Elaine Benes

The versatile actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been the most successful of the post "Seinfeld" cast. She was wonderful as Elaine Benes, Jerry's on-again-off-again girlfriend on "Seinfeld" which ran from 1990 to 1998. Besides her appearances on "Saturday Night Live", she also starred in the short-lived series "Watching Ellie" (2002-2003) and appeared on "Curb Your Enthusiasm". From there Julia went on to star on "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (2006-2010) and, later, as Vice-President Selina Meyer on the sitcom "Veep" (2012-2019).

She was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for the latter role.

Answer: Elliott Stabler

Christopher Meloni has given us portrayals ranging from a prisoner to an officer of the law. Talk about versatility! Chris has appeared in films which include "Carlo's Wake" (1999) and "Man of Steel" (2013). He starred in the quirky TV show "Happy" about an injured hitman with an imaginary friend, and appeared in "The Handmaid's Tale" (2019).

His breakout role may have been as the violent criminal Chris Keller in the prison drama "Oz" (1998-2003). My personal favorite was his role as the strong, troubled detective and father of five, Elliott Stabler, on "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" from 1999 to 2011.

Answer: Dorothy Zbornak

Bea Arthur (1922-2009) was a fine actress and wonderful comedienne. Did you know that, prior to her TV series, she was a deuteragonist in the 1974 movie "Mame"? From 1972 to 1978, she played Maude Findlay in the eponymous "Maude" about a strong-willed, independent liberal from Tuckahoe, New York.

The Norman Lear sitcom was years ahead of its time, dealing with sensitive topics like abortion. She may be most famous as Dorothy Zbornak, one of the "Golden Girls", daughter of Sophia Petrillo. The show ran from 1985 to 1992, and was one of the first to deal with women in their "golden" years in a comedic fashion.

Answer: Bonnie Plunkett

Actress Allison Janney won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the movie "I, Tonya" (2017). She first came to fame as C.J. Cregg, President Josiah Bartlet's White House Chief of Staff and Press Secretary on "The West Wing". The political drama, which ran from 1999 to 2006, was the creation of Aaron Sorkin, and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series. From there, Allison went on to star as Bonnie Plunkett on the sitcom "Mom", created by Chuck Lorre.

The comedy first aired on September 23, 2013.

The premise of the show involves Bonnie and her daughter, Christy, as recovering alcoholics.

Answer: Phil Coulson

If you are a fan of superhero films, you may be familiar with Clark Gregg. He appeared in the 2012 movie "The Avengers" as Phil Coulson, the same role he plays on the TV series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. which first aired in 2013. Coulson heads the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. On a much lighter note, Clark played Richard Campbell, the ex-husband of Christine Campbell (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on the sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine" which ran from 2006 to 2010. Richard's second wife was also named Christine, hence the title.

Answer: Sue Ann Nivens

How could I have a quiz like this without including the inimitable Betty White? In fact, an entire quiz could be dedicated to this wonderful and talented actress. When TV was in its infancy, Betty starred on the show "Life with Elizabeth" from 1952 through 1955.

She was the first female game show host on "Just Men" (1983) for which she won an Emmy Award, and she played the sweet, dumb Rose Nylund on "Golden Girls". She is also know for her role as the conniving "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and as the rich, shallow Ellen Harper Jackson, daughter of Thelma on "Mama's Family".

Answer: Thomas Magnum

If you've watched any TV shows in the last thirty years, it was probably easy to guess the fact that Tom Selleck is the actor responsible for creating the iconic roles of New York Police Commissioner Francis (Frank) Reagan and the hunky private detective Thomas Magnum in "Magnum, P.I." (1980-1988). Selleck began his TV career way back in 1969, and has continued to star in both TV and movies ever since.

His films include "3 Men and a Baby" (1987) and "In and Out" (1997). Tom plays the patriarch of a large family of police officers and lawyers on "Blue Bloods" which began airing on September 24, 2010.

Answer: Sammy Jo Carrington

Heather Locklear has appeared on many TV shows during her long career, but she may also be known for her troubled personal life which includes stints in rehab and marriages to rock stars Tommy Lee and Richie Sambora. She may be best known as the scheming Amanda Woodward on "Melrose Place" (1993-1999) and, more recently, as Caitlin Moore on "Spin City" in 2002.

However, I took her older roles for the quiz. Heather played Sammy Jo Dean Carrington, niece of Krystle and wife of Steven, on the nighttime soap opera "Dynasty" (1981-1989). Prior to that, she played Officer Stacy Sheridan on the cop show "T.J. Hooker" (1982-1986).

Answer: Michael

Ted Danson is probably best known for his role as former Red Sox pitcher and bar owner Sam Malone on the great sitcom "Cheers" from 1982 to 1993 (with the last words: "Sorry, we're closed"). He also starred in movies like "Body Heat" (1981) and "3 Men and a Baby" (1987). I chose his more recent parts. First he appeared as D.B. Russell, replacing Laurence Fishburne as Raymond Langston, on the show "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" from 2011 to 2015. Ted became the head of the Las Vegas forensics team.

He went on to play Michael, head architect in the afterlife, on the fantasy dramcom "The Good Place" beginning in 2016.

Answer: Melanie Moretti

If you're old enough, you may remember Valerie Bertinelli as Barbara Cooper on the comedy "One Day at a Time" (1975-1984) which was an early Norman Lear sitcom depicting a divorced mother (Bonnie Franklin as Ann Romano) and her two daughters in Indianapolis, Indiana. For her part, Valerie won Golden Globe Awards in 1981 and 1982 for Best Supporting Actress.

She became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig in 2012, and went on to star as Melanie Moretti in the comedy "Hot in Cleveland" (2010-2015). The plot depicted three best friends flying to Paris when their plane is forced to make an emergency landing in, you guessed it, Cleveland.