Female TV Characters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sternin

Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane first appeared on the sitcom "Cheers" (1982) and later on the spin-off "Frasier" (1993). She and Frasier (played by Kelsey Grammer) had a son named Frederick Gaylord Crane who was played by Trevor Einhorn. Their marriage ended up in divorce after she cheated on Frasier. You may recognize the other incorrect choices as that of Diane Chambers and Rebecca Howe (also from "Cheers"), and Samantha Stevens from "Bewitched" (1964).

Answer: Hill Street Blues

"Hill Street Blues" (1981-1987) was a gritty drama set in an urban police precinct in an unnamed city. Joyce Davenport played a defense attorney and the 'girlfriend' of the precinct captain, Frank Furillo, played by Daniel J. Travanti. What made this show so innovative was the fact that, in portraying the lives of these law officers, they combined humor with drama.

It led the way to later 'ensemble' shows like "ER" and "LA Law". As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus always said, "Be careful out there".

Answer: McConnell

"Mork and Mindy" (1978-1982) was set in Denver, Colorado with Mindy playing opposite the alien Mork from Ork, played by the irrepressible Robin Williams. She took Mork in and became his girlfriend, his wife and later the mother of his child, Mearth, played by Jonathan Winters. Mindy was calm and sane and a perfect foil for the looney alien who was trying to adapt to the customs of his new planet.

Answer: Christine and Mary Beth

For the first time, the police buddy show starred two women as partners. "Cagney and Lacey" (1981-1988) featured Mary Beth Lacey, played by Tyne Daly, as the stable, married wife and mother, while Christine Cagney, played by Sharon Gless, was single, outspoken and tough.

They were the only female detectives in their New York precinct, which was just one of the obstacles they had to overcome in their professional and personal lives.

Answer: Hyatt

The sitcom "Alice" (1976-1985) was based on the 1974 movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" with Ellen Burstyn in the lead role of a widow with a teen-age son who set out to find herself and wound up in Phoenix, Arizona where her car broke down. On the television show, Alice Hyatt aspired to be a singer but wound up as a waitress in Mel's Diner. Mel, the other waitresses, e.g., Florence ("Kiss My Grits") Jean Castleberry and the patrons of the diner provide most of the humor.

Answer: Laura Innes

Laura Innes began playing the role of Dr. Kerry Weaver in the second season of the Chicago-based medical drama "ER" (1995) and became a regular cast member the following year. Dr. Weaver used a forearm crutch to get around (Congenital Hip Dysplasia) but her disability did not diminish her ambition; she was disliked by many of her colleagues due to her cold, dispassionate personality.

Innes' character appeared in more "ER" episodes than any actor other than Noah Wyle (John Carter). Prior to "ER", Innes appeared on stage with John Malkovitch in "A Streetcar Named Desire".

She later went on to be nominated for an Emmy for directing episodes of "ER" and "The West Wing".

Answer: Feeney

After first appearing on the sitcom "Happy Days", "Laverne and Shirley" was spun off featuring two friends, roommates and bottlecappers at Shotz Brewery in Milwaukee. The show first aired in 1976 and depicted the era of the late 1950s and 1960s. While Laverne was the tough, athletic, somewhat promiscuous, Italian from Brooklyn, Shirley was the prim, perky one who claimed, "I don't voo-de-o-doe-doe".

Their personalities were foils for each other and, along with their kooky neighbors, provided most of the laughs.

Answer: April Dancer

April Dancer was originally a character played by Mary Ann Mobley on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.". When it was spun-off, Stephanie Powers played the role, with Noel Harrison playing Mark Slate, her sidekick, and Leo G. Carroll reprising his role as Alexander Waverly, who headed the agency, i.e., United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Among April's nemeses was the evil THRUSH, which stood for Technical Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity. Unlike its predecessor, the series may have been a bit too 'campy' for its own good and was cancelled after only two seasons.

Answer: Winnie Cooper

Winnie Cooper's 'real' first name on the comedy-drama, set in the 1960s, was Gwendolyn. When we first met Winnie, we found out that her older brother, Brian, had been killed in Vietnam in 1968. Kevin and Winnie's poignant on-again, off-again relationship became one of the major plot points of the show.

When Winnie moved to Paris to study art, she and Kevin continued to correspond for eight years. When she returned to the United States, she was met by Kevin at the airport... along with Kevin's wife and eight-month old son. Fred Savage played the young, innocent Kevin Arnold in the series which ran from 1988 through 1993.

Answer: Calista Flockhart

Calista Flockhart played Ally from 1997 through 2002. The show followed her 'trials' and tribulations at the law firm of Cage and Fish, as well as in her personal life. Calista won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a TV series -Comedy or Musical for 1997, and was nominated for an Emmy the same year.

The Golden Globe Awards were apparently good luck for Calista since she met her future husband, Harrison Ford, at the 2002 award ceremonies. She went on to play Kitty Walker, a lead role in "Brothers and Sisters" (2006-2011) and voiced the part of Doris in "The Penguins of Madagascar" in 2012.