Butch the one-hit wonder dog
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A: I can. In the episode ‘The Diet,’ which originally aired on Oct. 29, 1951, Lucy is horrified to learn she has gained weight since her marriage to Ricky. Lucy then learns Ricky needs a replacement dancer for his club, a job she wants. The costume is too small, of course, so she goes on a crash diet. During one scene, Lucy is wrestling with the Mertzes’ dog, Butch, over a piece of meat. After this episode, Butch is never seen again.
Q: I have another question about the movie ‘The Wild One.’ What motorcycles were used? ‘ R.W., Annapolis, Md.
A: Marlon Brando, along with most of the Black Rebels, rode Triumphs and other British motorcycles in the 1953 film. Lee Marvin and his rival gang rode Harley-Davidsons. By the way, Brando rode his own Triumph motorcycle in the movie.
Q: Is there a way to write 1,000 by using only eights? ‘ W.E.B., West Palm Beach, Fla.
A: There sure is: 8888-888/8 = 1,000.
Q: I have a Bible question. Who were the first apostles to follow Jesus? Where can I find the passage in the Bible? ‘ M.F.L., Halifax, Nova Scotia
A: In Matthew 4:18-20, ‘As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once, they left their nets and followed him.’
Q: Sheena Easton is one of my favorite singers. I have had little luck finding any biographical information on her. Is Sheena Easton her birth name or stage name? When and where was she born? ‘ P.W., Bangor, Maine
A: Sheena Shirley Orr entered the world April 27, 1959, in Bellshill, Scotland. In 1979, she married Sandi Easton. The marriage lasted less than a year, but she kept her married name.
Q: During the 1970s, there was a fullback for the New England Patriots named Sam Cunningham. Was he related to the quarterback Randall Cunningham? ‘ I.B., Mobile, Ala.
A: He is the older brother of Randall Cunningham, who played in the NFL from 1985 to 2001. Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham Jr. was an All-American fullback at USC. He played with the Patriots from 1973 to 1982 and made the Pro Bowl in 1978. He finished his career with 5,453 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns.
Q: This is something I should know, but I don’t. Who was the first European to explore what is now California? ‘ H.K., Toledo, Ohio
A: On Sept. 28, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo anchored his flagship, San Salvador, in San Diego Bay. He spent several days there and then sailed north, possibly going as far as Oregon. His voyage opened the door for Spain to expand its empire in the New World.
Q: ‘Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.’ was one of the silliest shows on television, but as a kid I loved the program. My grandmother told me that Gomer Pyle was a biblical name. I’ve never found the name in the Bible, and I have always been too embarrassed to ask anyone. But I’ll ask you. Is it true? ‘ H.T., Fargo, N.D.
A: I don’t know of any Gomer Pyle in the Bible, but in Genesis 10:1-2, we read: ‘These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to whom sons were born after the flood. The descendants of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.’ There is also a female named Gomer in the Bible, identified as the wife of the prophet Hosea in Hosea 1:3: ‘So he went and took Gomer, daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.’
(Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at [email protected] or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016)