Sixty Years of Sitcoms Trivia Quiz

Answer: Life of Riley

Did you know that it was John Herbert 'Jackie' Gleason (1916-1987) who first starred as Chester A. Riley in the short-lived 1949-1950 TV show "The Life of Riley"? The show was based on the radio show and the full length movie. Chester was an employee in an aircraft plant in California who spends most of his time at home playing (what was to become) the prototypical 'dumb' dad. Gleason was replaced by William Bendix from 1953 through 1958. "What a revoltin' development this is!"

Answer: Father Knows Best

Springfield's own Jim Anderson was played by Robert Young (1907-1998); he later went on to medical school and became Marcus Welby. "Father Knows Best" aired from 1954 to 1960. Jim Anderson was an insurance salesman, although we rarely saw him at work.

The show centered around Anderson, his advice and his three children (Betty, Bud and Kathy), with Jane Wyatt as wife Margaret Anderson who rarely had issues of her own (it was the 1950s!). Don't fret for Wyatt though; she went on to become Spock's mother.

Answer: Hazel

Shirley Booth (1898-1992) was originally a stage actress. In 1953 she was awarded an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal in the film "Come Back, Little Sheba", opposite Burt Lancaster. From 1961-1968, Shirley starred as "Hazel" Burke, a maid and housekeeper for corporate lawyer George Baxter and his family. Baxter was the bumbling husband and father who often needed Hazel's help to get 'out of trouble'.
Side note: George's wife Dorothy was played Whitney Blake, real life mother of Meredith Baxter (no relation to George).

Answer: My Favorite Martian

I will now tell you something that very few people know (or care about),
i.e., the real name of 'Uncle Martin' was actually Exigius Twelve and a Half. The wonderful actor Ray Walston played a Martian exo-anthropologist whose spaceship landed in Los Angeles. He is rescued by Tim O'Hara, a newspaper reporter played by Bill Bixby (who went on to play David "you wouldn't like me when I'm mad" Banner). 'Uncle Martin' had retractable antennae, an ability to become invisible and a decidedly sarcastic temperament, way before "Mork".
Bonus: Walston was also Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High".

Answer: Room 222

James L. Brooks (of "The Simpsons") is responsible for creating the Emmy Award winning series "Room 222" (1969-1974), about black history teacher Pete Dixon, played by Lloyd Haynes. Pete Dixon taught at Walt Whitman High School, always had all the right answers, and was beloved by his students. The show also featured Denise Nicholas as school counselor Liz McIntyre and Karen Valentine as student teacher Alice Johnson.
On a sadder note, Lloyd Haynes died of lung cancer in 1986 at 52 years old.

Answer: Benson

While James Noble (1922-2016) did not play the eponymous "Benson" (Robert Guillaume) which ran from 1979 to 1986, he was the widowed, scatterbrained Governor Eugene Gatling opposite the calm, level-headed, sarcastic butler Benson DuBois (on loan from the Governor's cousins, Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell from "Soap"). I always assumed he was Governor of Connecticut, the venue for "Soap", but the state was actually never named. Benson was hired as head of household affairs for the governor and his young daughter, and he went on to become state budget director and, finally, Lieutenant Governor.

Answer: Major Dad

Actor Gerald McRaney ("Simon and "Simon") played Marine Major John MacGillis in "Major Dad", a sitcom which lasted from 1989 to 1993. The premise was the hard-core, 'by-the-book' soldier meeting and marrying Polly Cooper, a pacifistic journalist who has three daughters (sort of a "Family Ties" in reverse).

The humor revolved around teaching the females how to adapt to Marine life (no, NOT the sea!), while the Major had to adapt to becoming a father...the old liberal vs conservative battle, with love in between.

Answer: Empty Nest

"Empty Nest" (1988-1995), set in Miami, Florida, was originally a spin-off of "The Golden Girls". Richard Mulligan (Burt Campbell on "Soap") played Dr. Harry Weston, a widowed pediatrician with two grown daughters, Barbara and Carol, who have returned to 'the nest' after failed marriages. Of all the characters on the show, my favorite was Dreyfuss, the dog...does that tell you anything?

Answer: Just Shoot Me

Before Wendie Malick was "Hot in Cleveland, she played Nina Van Horn, the promiscuous, narcissistic ex-model who worked for the high-style fashion magazine 'Blush' on "Just Shoot Me" (1997-2003)Christoi. Nina's high-strung temperament fit in well with all the loonies from the magazine's staff which included: Jack Gallo, the owner, his feisty daughter Maya, womanizing photographer Elliot DeMauro and sardonic secretary Dennis Finch (played by David Spade).

Answer: That '70s Show

Before Christopher 'Ashton' Kutcher was Charlie Sheen's replacement on "Two and a Half Men", Kutcher played the dumb, but lovable Michael Kelso on "That 70s Show" which was set (appropriately enough) in the 1970s, where the main characters got together in Eric Forman's basement to smoke pot and giggle and tell silly stories. In their polyester world, the major problems were who was dating whom (a la "Ozzie and Harriet). "Hello, Wisconsin!"
Ashton was formerly married to Demi Moore, and then subsequently married his "70s" co-star, Mila Kunis.