The Truth Was on TV and in Black and White Online Trivia | Television

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1. Very few characters in the entire history of television would be as easily recognized as The Lone Ranger. The television show's main stars were Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger, Jay Silverheels as Tonto and the ranger's horse, Silver. Fans of the show, "The Lone Ranger", knew the masked man was a former Texas Ranger but what was his name (family name) - according to the television series?

Answer: Reid

To preserve the aura of anonymity, the writers gave very little info about "The Lone Ranger" beyond what was necessary for each script. It took years of watching the show to format Reid's biography - piece by piece. According to the television series Reid was a Texas Ranger who was injured in a shoot-out with outlaws - a fracas that killed his own brother and co-Ranger, Captain Daniel Reid.

Some sources say John Reid was the full name of the character; other sources say the name "John" was never mentioned. Regardless, the premise of the show was a masked man of ultra-high moral character would avenge transgressions with his life-long friend, Tonto, while riding a white horse and shooting silver bullets molded from the ores of his secret silver mine. Now that was a BIG show!

2. One very successful TV star of the last half of the twentieth century premiered his own variety show in October of 1950. An immensely successful entertainer, he would be a television favorite for decades - in several capacities. Who is this "39 year old" star of later shows that also bore their sponsors' names. Those included Lucky Strike, State Farm Insurance, Lipton Tea and Jell-O?

Answer: Jack Benny

Jack Benny was a multi-talented performer who was already familiar to the American public before the accessibility of television, thanks to radio. In the late 1940s and through the mid-1950s, Jack Benny's "The Jack Benny Program" was one of the most highly rated radio programs to be broadcast. Benny's dead-pan humor and his spot-on recognition of amenable talent to support him, made the transition to television a natural - and welcomed - step in his career. Jack Benny's first television show was broadcast in 1950. Through the years and into the decades, television viewers saw many of the same wonderful original characters and made friends with just as many new faces as they watched their favorite "penny-pinching, miser" on television. All the while, Jack Benny remained "39".

3. The main cast of the television show, "I Love Lucy" were Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley. In the television series, among those four people, the two women - Lucy and Ethel - were married to the two men - Ricky and Fred. What were the family names (sire names) those characters used on this series?

Answer: Ricardo and Mertz

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz played Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Vivian Vance and William Frawley played neighbors, landlords and best friends of the Ricardos, Ethel and Fred Mertz. The first episode (series episode - not the pilot) of "I Love Lucy" aired in October of 1951. Soon, both Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz were recognized as trail blazers for their contributions to the fledgling medium of entertainment - television. Beyond that Lucille Ball may possibly be the best comedienne to ever grace the small screen.

The other three actors were top-notch, too!

4. This early television show had been a very successful radio program before it appeared on the small screen. The three main characters of the TV series were Kirby Grant, Gloria Winters and Ron Hagerthy. What was the series in which they starred together? The "cast" also included an airplane that was a twin-engine Cessna.

Answer: "Sky King"

"Sky King" began in the 1940s - on radio - as did some of the 1950s television shows. This show had it all. It was set around two young people destined to live with a wise, brave and benevolent uncle. The entire family fought crime together and/or aided the downtrodden just because it was the right thing to do.

They did all of this while living on a Arizona cattle ranch. WOW! As if that were not enough - they had their own airplane! Their ranch was named the Flying Crown Ranch. One of the planes used during the run of the series was a Cessna 310B named the Songbird.

5. Two of the main characters from a television show which had its first episode air in September of 1953 were Danny Thomas and Sherry Jackson. The series would enjoy an amazing eleven season duration that included many major changes. For its final seasons the series was known as "The Danny Thomas Show". What was its title during it first three seasons of broadcast?

Answer: "Make Room For Daddy"

Danny Thomas was one of several popular entertainers who made the transition from (live) club shows to television. In this show, there was some type casting. Danny Thomas portrayed Danny Williams who was a professional entertainer. Initially the show featured a father, mother, daughter, son and housekeeper.

Much of the comedy and drama concerned the ever-absent yet well-meaning and over-worked father, Danny. One of the major changes of the show came at the end of season three when Jean Hagen left the show. Jean had played Danny's wife and mother of the two children, Margaret. Margaret Williams has been given credit as being the first character in a television sitcom to written out of a show due to the character's death.

6. Television's Cleaver family most often provided delightful, homey and wholesome entertainment. The characters of "Leave It to Beaver" included father, Ward; mother, June; older brother, Wally and younger brother, Beaver. The fictitious town in which they lived was often mentioned during the run of the series. What was the name of their home town?

Answer: Mayfield

The Cleavers lived in Mayfield. They offered a slice of life that many Americans - even in the early 1960s - only wished were truly possible. Did parents really approach ALL of life's crises barely EVER raising their voices? Did two young boys really live in an impeccably clean environment ALL of the time? And, the biggie: Did moms REALLY vacuum, cook and do laundry wearing pearls and heels? It all may seem a bit far fetched but it was as hard not to enjoy the weekly visits with the Cleavers as it may have been to believe their way of life.

7. Chuck Connors starred as Lucas McCain; Johnny Crawford portrayed his son, Mark McCain. The show was set in post-Civil War New Mexico (Territory). Although he intended to be a homesteader and a farmer, Lucas McCain spent most of his time righting the wrongs in and around the fictitious town of North Fork. What was the name of the series?

Answer: "The Rifleman"

Americans seemed to have an insatiable appetite for television shows that were set in the west and/or revolved around a close knit family and/or assured the good guys always won. "The Rifleman" that premiered (as a series) in September of 1958 finished that year in the number 4 spot in popularity according to the U.S. Nielsen ratings, most likely because it offered all three.

In what would become an all-too-popular scenario, "The Rifleman" was one of the first prime time television series that featured a widowed father raising his child/children.

But the rifle - which was a modified .44-40 caliber Winchester - that was carried by Lucas McCain was what distinguished their show.

8. As television became more popular and more prominent in American life of the early 1960s shows were created based on several previous formats of entertainment. Radio, theater, vaudeville and club acts made their way to TV. One television show was based on a comic strip (cartoon) that had been drawn by Hank Ketcham. What was the name of this show that starred Jay North in its title role?

Answer: "Dennis the Menace"

"Dennis the Menace" starring Jay North as Dennis aired from 1959 until 1963. Dennis was based on a cartoon (or, comic strip character) of the same name drawn by Hank Ketcham. CBS had lost its favorite family, the Cleavers, when "Leave It to Beaver" moved to ABC.

There was an obvious void to be filled. "Dennis the Menace" was more than apt at craving its own niche. During its original run of four years, "Dennis the Menace" was popular enough among American TV viewers to place it among the Top 30 Shows three times.

Its second year it barely missed the Top Ten by placing 11th in popularity. A worthy accomplishment for Dennis and "Good ol' Mr. Wilson".

9. Few in the television viewing public did not fall in love with Blair General's (Hospital) "Dr. Kildare" when he made his house calls in the early 1960s. Two of the show's stars were Daniela Bianchi and Raymond Massey. The show also featured a young star who portrayed the title character, Dr. Kildare. Who was this heart-throb whose character was often seen wearing his iconic sweater vest?

Answer: Richard Chamberlain

Decades before Patrick Dempsey was "McDreamy" on "Gray's Anatomy" and before George Clooney saved lives on "ER", the television viewing audience swooned for Richard Chamberlain as Dr. James Kildare. He was young, he was smart, he was kind, he was sooooo good-looking and he was a doctor! How could any one resist such an enticing combination? "Dr. Kildare" premiered on NBC (the television network) in September of 1961 and ran for five seasons. Richard Chamberlain's work was only beginning! With his looks, his talent and his (to that point) unparalleled popularity, it was not difficult for him to find work. For many years - well into the nineties and early 21st century - Richard Chamberlain continued to work in movies, theater and, of course, on TV.

10. Four of the main characters of the TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" were: Jed, Granny, Jethro and Elly May. Through the show's run we, the viewing audience, would meet a plethora of family and friends (of the Clampetts). Irene Ryan played the irrepressible Granny. On that show (almost) everyone called her "Granny" but she was actually the grandmother of only one of the characters on the show. Who was Granny's grandchild?

Answer: Elly May

Elly May Clampett's mother, who was also Jed's wife, had died years before we met the Clampetts and their kin. The character of Granny aka Daisy May Moses was Jed's mother-in-law. Elly May was Jed's daughter; thus Granny was Elly May's grandmother. Jethro was the son of Jed's cousin, Pearl, which would have made him (Jethro) a cousin to Elly and a cousin, once removed, to Jed and no (blood) relation to Granny.

Although Jethro (and, his sister Jethrine) called Jed, "Uncle Jed" and called Granny, "Granny", it was obviously a signal of respect rather than identification. All those relationships seemed to have the magic necessary for a successful TV show. "The Beverly Hillbillies" premiered in September of 1962, continued through nine seasons and remained extremely popular in syndication for decades beyond its initial run.

Source: Author cowboybluedog

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The Truth Was on TV and in Black and White Quiz

Did those wonderful black and white shows give us a glimpse of truth or an escape from our reality? Whichever, we were captivated. (For this quiz, any reference to actors, characters, shows, times, etc. refer those of USA TV broadcasts.)

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