I'm Not Blind, but I Play One on TV and in Movies Quiz

Answer: Longstreet

"Longstreet" (1971-1972) first appeared on television as an ABC Movie of the Week. Set in New Orleans, the show began with a bomb explosion which caused the death of Mike Longstreet's wife and his blindness. After the pursuit and capture of these killers, Mike continued to work as an investigator with the help of his guide dog, Pax.

Twenty-four episodes of "Longstreet" were produced. Besides James Franciscus, the show also featured Ann Doran, Peter Mark Richman and Bruce Lee as Li Tsung.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: People who had limited vision were instructed in classes called "Sight Saving". The idea was to "save" any remaining sight.

Answer: Wait Until Dark

"Wait Until Dark" (1967) featured Audrey Hepburn as a newly blind woman who must defend herself against drug dealers in her own home. Susie (Hepburn) was unaware that a doll within her apartment contained illegal narcotics. Although the theatre audience knew exactly what was going on, Susie had to figure out how to save herself which provided a great deal of suspense and tension throughout the film.

Besides Hepburn, the movie starred Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Susie's husband, Richard Crenna as the drug dealer and Alan Arkin as the chilling psychopathic killer. When I saw this movie in college, I remember toward the end of the movie, Alan Arkin's character made a "surprise" appearance (do not want to spoil it for any of you who may wish to view the film). It startled me so much that my date had a sore hand for a week!

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: People labeled as blind more often than not have some remaining usable vision.

Answer: Geordi - Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-1994) was a sequel to the original "Star Trek" (1966-1969) set 80 years in the future. The role of Geordi LaForge was created by Gene Roddenberry who, it has been said, named the character after a real Star Trek fan, George LaForge who was himself disabled.

Geordi started his career on the Enterprise-D as a helmsman but was quickly promoted to Chief Engineer. Born blind, he was able to "see" using a device called a VISOR (Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement). The device, although it did not allow for normal light perception, interacted with Geordi's brain and allowed him to "see" the electromagnetic spectrum which included ultraviolet and infrared rays as well as radio waves.

LeVar Burton (Geordi) reported that when he wore the VISOR, his normal vision was reduced by at least 85 percent. The VISOR was also extremely painful to wear and caused LeVar to incur daily headaches.

As far as the possibility of such technology in our future, I quote directly from a Wikipedia article:

New Scientist magazine reported on research as to whether a device similar to a VISOR can actually be created for blind or visually-impaired people. Partial sight has been successfully restored to blind rats by installing an implant behind the retina.

As of 2006, 16 blind people worldwide have had sight partially restored in a procedure where electrodes implanted in their brains take impulses from a camera to allow patients to see lights and outlines of objects.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Braille, a tactual reading system was invented by Louis Braille in 1821.

Answer: A Patch of Blue

"Love is blind" was the major theme behind the movie, "A Patch of Blue" (1965). Selina D'Arcey, a blind white girl (Elizabeth Hartman) was befriended by a black man, Gordon Ralfe (Sidney Poitier). Selina became blind at an early age because one of her mother's (Rose-Ann D'Arcey played by Shelley Winters) "boyfriends" threw acid at Rose-Ann but scarred Selina instead.

Set in the ever-growing awareness of the civil rights movement, the film contained scenes of Hartman and Poitier kissing which were removed from the movie for theatres located in southern states of the United States.

Shelley Winters won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her over the top performance as Rose-Ann D'Arcey. The cast also included Ivan Dixon as Gordon's brother, Mark, and Wallace Ford as Selina's grandfather, Ole Pa.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Through the use of assisted devices, blind people can now have full access to today's technology.

Answer: Master Po - "Kung Fu"

"Kung Fu" (1972-1975) starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk trained by blind Master Po (Keye Luke). Set in the old American West, the series followed Caine, a martial arts expert, as he searched for his half brother, Danny Caine. Told in flashbacks, the show featured Keith Carradine as the teenage Caine and Radamas Pera as a young Caine.

Kwai Chang Caine was called "Grasshopper" by his teacher, Master Po. The following quoted exchange was typical for each weekly episode:

Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear?
Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.
Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?
Caine: No.
Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?
Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

Bruce Lee was considered for the role of Caine. In "Kung Ku, the Movie" (1986) and "Kung Fu the Next Generation" 1987), Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was featured.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Helen Keller is probably the most well known blind person in the United States. However, without her teacher, Annie Sullivan, none of her accomplishments would have materialized.

Answer: At First Sight

"At First Sight" (1999) attempted to show audiences that there are other ways to "see" besides the use of our visual system.

Amy Bernic (Mira Sorvino) took a break from her very hectic life to relax and recharge at a resort where she met Virgil Adamson (Val Kilmer) a blind masseur. After forming a romantic bond, Amy urged Virgil to have an operation that restored his vision. But Virgil was not able to interpret what he was seeing at first and found the entire experience of "seeing" to be frustrating. Because of the stress of learning to "see" as well as the pressure put on their relationship, Amy and Virgil broke up, and Virgil lost his vision again.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Blind people used to be categorized into two groups; partially sighted (having some remaining vision) and blind (no vision at all). The term "visually impaired" to describe all people with limited vision became popular during the 1990s.

Answer: Mary Ingalls

Melissa Sue Anderson portrayed the character of Mary Amelia Ingalls in the popular television show, "Little House on the Prairie" (1974-1983). As in real life, Mary was the oldest daughter of Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Mary had what was described as brain fever (probably scarlet fever) and lost her vision at age 15 (on the television show) or age 14, according to her sister's (Laura Ingalls Wilder) books.

Mary attended the Iowa Braille School in Vinton, Iowa from 1877-1889. Unlike the television show, the "real" Mary did not meet her future husband at the school nor did she ever marry. She died in 1928 of pneumonia at age 63.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Visually impaired children used to be almost exclusively educated at state schools for the blind which were usually residential facilities.

Answer: Blind Fury

"Blind Fury" (1989) had the tagline, "He may be blind but he don't need no dog." Rutger Hauer (as Nick Park) played a Vietnam War veteran wounded in said conflict. He was rescued by local villagers and taught how to wield a sword with the best of them. Once back in the United States, Park looked up his old friend, Frank Devereaux (Terry O'Quinn - yes, that Terry who played John Locke on "Lost" (2004-2010)).

Frank had been cheated by a Las Vegas casino and as a result, owed them a great deal of money. However, the boss of the casino was willing to forgive the debt if Frank would make designer drugs for him. Nick and Frank's son, Bill (Brandon Call) travel to Las Vegas to rescue Frank and thus the sword play ensued.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Popular occupations for visually impaired persons through the years have been piano tuner, chair makers and beggar. During the 21st century, many more career pathways have been conquered including attorney, psychologist and doctor of chiropractic.

Answer: True

Based on a true story, "Love Leads the Way" (1984) starred Timothy Bottoms as Morris Frank, a young man who lost his sight at the age of 16 in a school fight. Frustrated by his lack of independence, especially in being able to travel on his own, Morris went to Switzerland in 1927 where Dorothy Eustis was training German Shepherds to be guide dogs for the blind.

Upon his return to the states, Morris worked and convinced others to start a school in the United States to train Seeing Eye dogs. In 1929, The Seeing Eye (the first of its kind in the USA) opened in Nashville, Tennessee. Two years later the school moved to Morristown, New Jersey because the heat in Tennessee proved to be too much for the German Shepherds.

The first Seeing Eye dog trained and employed was Buddy, a female German Shepherd. People were amazed to see Mr. Frank navigating his own way around town with the help of Buddy. More interesting was the fact that Buddy had been taught "intelligent disobedience". Buddy followed all of Morris's commands except when doing so would have put Morris in danger.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: German Shepherds, along with Golden Retrievers and Labradors, have been the most common choices, although other breeds have been used. Since its inception, The Seeing Eye has trained over 14,000 dogs to be guide dogs for the visually impaired.

Answer: Scent of a Woman

"Scent of a Woman" (1992) told the story of a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino) and the young student, Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell) over Thanksgiving weekend. To say that Frank's disposition was irritating was an understatement. Besides being blind (as a result of Frank juggling hand grenades while drunk) Frank had a severe drinking problem.

Frank left for New York City along with Charlie who was dumbfounded about the surprise trip. While in New York, Frank told Charlie that he wanted to do five things while he was there; eat an expensive restaurant, stay at a fancy hotel, see his brother, make love to a beautiful woman and then commit suicide.

By the end of the movie, Frank found new reasons to live. He also helped Charlie out of a thorny situation at his school. By the time the credits rolled, one got the feeling that a lifelong friendship had begun between the two.

Interesting "Blind" Tidbit: Blind people do not have a "sixth sense" as popular folklore would have us to believe. Like all people, blind or visually impaired people, work hard to develop their other senses to compensate for their blindness. Think of it this way: your average person cannot run right out and climb a mountain, but with training a practice, the task can be accomplished.