Why Don't I Know Your Face? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Debbie Malvina Wolowitz

Until her death in 2014, Carol Ann Susi was the strident, grating New Jersey voice of Debbie "Ma" Wolowitz in "The Big Bang Theory." Despite her girth and extreme facial hair, "Deb" was the classic stereotype of a mom: loving, meddlesome, unwilling to let go of her fully grown son.

We "saw" Debbie in brief parts (perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we saw brief parts of Debbie) three times in the series. Season 5 gave us a vague overhead shot of someone in a pink dress. In a single season 6 episode, she was shown from the neck down, walking past a doorway. Later in the same show, we saw "Ma's" arms pulling a fleeing Raj through a window, back into the house. Season 8's "The Leftover Thermalization" serves as a touching farewell to both Ma and Carol Ann Susi.

The alternate choices are actual supporting characters in the show and have been seen in several episodes. Incidentally, "BBT"'s 12 confirmed seasons is second only to "The Simpsons" as the longest continuously running TV comedy show.

Answer: Bob Sacamano

David Puddy is Elaine's occasional boyfriend. Newman (no first name was ever offered) was Jerry's perennial archenemy, of course. J. Peterman was Elaine's boss at (and founder of) the J. Peterman Co. All three of these characters appeared on screen in numerous stories.

Bob Sacamano is the brainchild of director/producer Larry Charles, who wrote some 17 episodes of the show. Charles apparently based the character on a real-life friend with the same "BS" name. Bob appears...well, non-appears...in ten "Seinfeld" episodes, most of which can be viewed on YouTube.

Answer: Maris Crane

In "Frasier," Maris is described as very, VERY pale; EXTREMELY Caucasian. She is an elitist social snob, afflicted with webbed fingers, an inflexible spine, and an addiction to continual plastic surgery. After a long, mostly passionless marriage, Niles and Maris split. During the ensuing nasty divorce, Maris attempts to destroy Niles emotionally and fiscally. A last minute discovery by his lawyer restores Niles to his rightful social status. Perhaps he celebrates by cutting a urinal cake?

The only documented sightings of Maris are a dim view of her shadowy outline, seen through a shower curtain. In a second hospital scene, she is shown completely swathed in bandages.

Daphne and Roz are regulars on the series; Lilith is a frequent guest star.

Answer: Vera Peterson

Vera was played by Bernadette Birkett on "Cheers". We heard her voice in at least four (possibly five) episodes. In each of these voice cameos, Vera was calling Cheers in an effort to find her (beloved?) Norm. Vera's single on-screen appearance was in the episode "Thanksgiving Orphans." We saw her entire body, but her face was obscured - completely covered by a holiday pie thrown by Diane Chambers.

Ms. Birkett also appeared on "The Gary Shandling Show," "St. Elmo's Fire," "Heartbreakers," and "Frasier." In a pleasant twist of fate, it turns out that Norm really did love Vera - Birkett has been married to George Wendt (that's Norm, in case you didn't know) since 1978.

The alternate choices of Carla and Kelly were the Cheers barmaid, and Woody's girlfriend, respectively. Vernice is totally fictitious.

Answer: Enid Kelso

The three non-contenders are all medical staff at Sacred Heart

Robert Kelso's wife Enid (aka "Bunny") was in a bad way. Blinded by glaucoma and confined to a wheelchair, she still somehow managed to "kick" her philandering spouse out of the house. Her springtime antics with the neighbor's houseboy might be worth exploring.

Enid gained 136 pounds after her marriage, and made annual (unsuccessful) pilgrimages to fat farms. If all that weren't enough, her burps were said to reek of milk and pickles. As you might imagine, Enid ultimately died!

Answer: Ercole DeMio

Like many criminals, the invisible DeMio had several AKAs: Ercoli, Eckley, Domenico, Dominic. This fictitious character served to lend authenticity to the family history. As a mentor during Tony's early years, this character provided background to the series. DeMio is mentioned in at least four "Sopranos" episodes. This unseen boss was based in large part on the real-life Giovanni Riggi.

The three distractors were very real underworld kingpins. New Jersey boss Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi was released from prison in 2012. He died at home in 2015, at the age of 90. And yes, he is the same Riggi that inspired the DeMio character. Al Capone was the infamous Chicago gangster, dead in 1947 from syphilis related causes. John Gotti, the so-called "Teflon Don," died in a Federal prison in 2002.

I found a VERY intricate interactive Sopranos relationship chart online.

Answer: Stanley Walker

If you're any sort of TV addict, you quickly eliminated the three cowboy characters from 1950s-60s westerns.

All we ever saw of Stan were his arms (season 3), and his incarcerated silhouette (season 4), but his escapades would make him a nominee for "drama king of the year award." He was a convicted felon (tax evasion) and frequently unfaithful. When caught in the act by wife Karen, he conveniently died during divorce proceedings.

Stan was quite the odd fellow - he never washed his toupe, and his favorite "perfume" was roast beef & lamb chop. You can deduce that he was a "large" guy. How large WAS he? Well, his cremation took four days; his remains were stored in two 5-gallon popcorn cans! In fine soap "opera-esque" tradition, later episodes reveal that Stanley faked his own death. I can't help but wonder what was in those popcorn tins.

COMMENT - It's interesting how at least three of the characters in this quiz are obese; only one is said to be underweight.

Good news for "W&G" fans! In 2017 NBC announced a two season, 29 episode revival of the show, featuring the four original actors.

Answer: Robin Masters

The incorrect answers include Magnum's helicopter flying partner TC, and the estate manager Higgins. Frank Reagan is Selleck's patriarchal screen role in TV's "Blue Bloods."

Robin [His] Master's voice (sorry, couldn't resist the chance for an easy Victory) was done almost exclusively by renowned actor/filmmaker Orson Welles (1915-1985).

Late in the series, a suspicion arises that Higgins might actually be the reclusive owner, but the idea comes to naught.

Tom Selleck has appeared in television and film roles since the 1960s. "Magnum, P.I." is considered to be his breakout role, leading to series such as "Jesse Stone" movies and the aforementioned "Blue Bloods."

Answer: Lars Lindstrom

Writing the II for this question was difficult. We don't know a lot about Lars. He was a Minneapolis dermatologist who owned the house in which Mary and Rhoda rented apartments. Sometime in 1975? Lars died, leaving his wife and daughter destitute. This allowed them to move in with Lars' mother in San Francisco, thus setting up the spinoff series "Phyllis."

The rhyme scheme of bars-cars-stars-scars was intended as a hint. The Ted and Gordon alternatives were live actors on "MTM." Gordie Howe was a famous pro hockey player.

Answer: Charles "Charlie" Townsend

Most of us can immediately discard renowned 1930s actors Lorre and Karloff from the choices. And you may recall that Robin Masters was the absentee owner of a large estate on Oahu, Hawaii.

Townsend is a former OSS agent and retired police detective who made many enemies through the years. In order to protect his employees, he never meets them personally; all business is conducted via phone, with the help of his personal assistant P.A. Bosley. We do catch an occasional glimpse of Charlie from behind, but his face is never shown.

During the show's six year run (some sources say five years), Charlie's "Good morning, Angels!" kicked off each episode. Quite a few of us can recall the adventures of private investigators Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith (and their several replacements), as they bounce from one dilemma to another. For some reason, the Angels' antics gave rise to the term "jiggle TV." Unbalanced wheels on the camera, most likely.