Ask Mr. Know-It-All
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A: Cartwright was a three-time widower who had one son with each of his wives. The story of his marriages was told in flashbacks. His first wife, Elizabeth Stoddard (Geraldine Brooks), was the mother of Adam (Pernell Roberts). Inger Borgstrom (Inga Swenson), a woman of Scandinavian descent, was the mother of Eric, who was better known as “Hoss” (Dan Blocker). And Marie DeMarigny (Felicia Farr) was the mother of Little Joe (Michael Landon). Hoss, by the way, is Norwegian for “good luck.”
Q: I was a long-time fan of TV’s “Murder, She Wrote,” with Angela Lansbury. Lansbury played the role of Jessica Fletcher, a widow who gained fame as a mystery novelist after the death of her husband. The show takes place in Cabot Cove, Maine. Is there really such a place? — J.D., Lake City, Fla.
A: Cabot Cove is a fictional seaside village near the real-life Boothbay, Maine. Truth is, the outside shots for the show were filmed in Mendocino, Calif., and Jessica’s Victorian house is actually the Blair House Inn, a bed-and-breakfast in the town. Most of the program, however, was filmed on the Universal Studio lots in Southern California.
The show ran for 12 years, and each week Jessica solved a new murder. Though not all of the crimes occurred in her hometown, enough of them did for Cabot Cove to have been the Murder Capital of New England.
Q: Is “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” really old? — B.W., Columbia, Ind.
A: I suppose that all depends on what you call old. Robert Thomas published the first almanac in 1792. After 212 years and thirteen editors, the book is still being published. The publishers of the Almanac claim that it’s North America’s oldest continuously published periodical. I would call that old.
Q: While traveling though Canada a few years back, I heard the term, “cow storm” several times. What is it? — J.T., Albany, N.Y.
A: The term supposedly started on Canada’s Ellesmere Island, which is almost entirely within the Arctic Circle, to describe a strong gale. I can only assume that the winds are so strong they cause “udder” destruction. Locals, however, say the storm can blow the horns off a cow. I like my description better.
Q: For years, during the credits for “ABC’s Wide World of Sports,” the portion the announcer called “the agony of defeat” featured a man falling off a ski jump. Who was he? Whatever happened to him? — W.K., Ardmore, Okla.
A: His name is Vinko Bogataj, and he’s a Yugoslavian ski jumper. The accident happened during the International Ski Flying Championships in West Germany on March 21, 1970. He did not suffer any serious injuries from the mishap and is currently alive and well and coaching in Slovenia.
Yugoslavia’s contact with the outside world was limited during the Cold War era, so for many years Bogataj had no idea he was a TV icon in the West. So it was no wonder that he was a bit surprised when ABC Sports invited him to an anniversary program. Many notable sports figures were in attendance, and most asked Bogataj for his autograph. That’s when he learned of his peculiar brand of fame.
Q: What was Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., originally called? — K.L., Plainview, Texas
A: Before the Federal City was built in 1790, the hill was known as Jenkins Hill or Jenkins Heights. The highest point of the hill, which is 88 feet above the nearby Potomac River, is where the U.S. Capitol building is located. “The Hill” is a term used for the entire complex of buildings that serve Congress, as well as the shops and homes near the Capitol.
Q: Is there a technical name for those hazy streaks of light from the sun seen just before or after sunset? — C.A., Miami, Okla.
A: Yes. They’re called crepuscular rays.
(Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at gclothier@readingeagle.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016)