The Amazing Non-Common Bond Quiz

Answer: It was shot in one take

The great John Ford refused to let the actors rehearse what ended up being the real climax of the film (as Steinbeck's original ending was promptly chopped and tidied up for the film version). What he got was something transcendent. (Stalin probably wept as he watched this scene.) Fonda: "Well, maybe it's like Casey says.

A fella ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul.." sniffle... need a tissue... GO ON TO NEXT ANSWER. I'M OK. I MEAN IT!

Answer: They traded wives and families

Their careers went into almost immediate eclipse, though whether this was as a result of or in spite of the trade, no one will ever know.

Answer: Gilbert Gottfried

He claims to hate the Amish (" Harrison Ford comes there, all of a sudden they're taking off their clothes. John Ritter goes there... nothing. MAYBE they open a zipper...") and has become legendary for a number of his wildly inventive routines, including one in which space aliens reach Earth, descend from their craft, survey the scene "with their unblinking red eyes" and then say, "Ben Gazzara's a good actor. Why doesn't he have a network show?"

Answer: 2 and1/2 years

You get only 2 and 1/2 years to sue a doc, but 3 to sue an accountant, a lawyer or an engineer. This makes very little sense, but when one realizes that quite recently, orthotists, prosthetists and "Christian Science nurses" (?) were exempt from jury service in New York, the thing takes on a somewhat clearer focus.

Answer: The former Prime Minister of Rhodesia

Now Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe, who's held the reins of power down there for two decades, allowed Smith to stay on, but later revoked his citizenship. Smith, who turned 83 in 2002, has been openly critical of Mugabe's regime and says the "Comrade's" days are numbered. His memoirs were published a few years back.

Answer: "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin"

Biblical. The ominous writing, interpreted as a dire prophecy, is magically inscribed by a disembodied hand on a wall at King Belshazzar's feast, and the king soon loses his realm. It was perhaps most memorably portrayed by Rembrandt in of his many great Biblical paintings (he painted the letters in Hebrew).

The "Belshazzar's Feast" motif was later borrowed for a political cartoon that may well have helped to lose New York State, and thus the presidential election, for James G. Blaine in his 1884 run against Cleveland.

Answer: Hungary

Hungarian is Finno-Ugric, though the country is surrounded by speakers of Slavic and German languages, and even of one Romance language (Roumania). This and the fact that an unusual number of Hungarians have achieved prominence in the sciences has led many to speculate that the Magyars are actually Martians. On the printed page, the language looks like a series of consonants in unpronounceable combinations, with occasional "y"'s and spaces interspersed.

Answer: Horatio

The melancholy Dane, having a chat with a skull. Why does everyone think the quote is "I knew him well"?

Answer: It houses the work of a productive and famous family of artists

The family is the Wyeths... N.C., his son Andrew and Andrew's son Jamie. The museum is right in the midst of their stamping grounds and visitors, if lucky, may see one of the painters (though not NC!), or, more frequently, one of the subjects of the paintings, about the museum or its nearby environs.

Answer: Danzig

Danzig, one of the first Mr. Prospectors, won by the length of the stretch; he probably could've won with me in the saddle that day. His career (3 of 3 lifetime) was unfortunately truncated, but he went on to become arguably one of the top five sires in the sport.

His exploits and those of Fappiano, another great sprinter, turned everyone's attention to the sire Mr. Prospector, who would himself become possibly the greatest sire in thoroughbred racing following the death of Northern Dancer.