Random Acts of Actolence Quiz | Characters and Actors

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. From 1986 to 1994, "L.A. Law" kept viewers glued to their screens. In the show's fourth and fifth season, the actress playing antagonist Rosalind Shays certainly contributed to this - who is she?

Answer: Diana Muldaur

The portrayal of the ruthless associate in her last significant television outing earned Mrs. Muldaur two Emmy nominations, although she won neither of them. The other options were all main characters: Susan Ruttan played secretary Roxanne Melman throughout the entire series, Conchata Ferrell was season 6 main Susan Bloom and Sheila Kelly portrayed intern Gwen Taylor in seasons 4 to 7.

2. From the West Coast to the East: "Key West" was a thirteen episode series in 1993 focusing on an aspiring writer (Fisher Stevens) who suddenly got his opportunity due to a lottery win. Who, however, played the mayor of Key West in the series?

Answer: Denise Crosby

When Seamus O'Neill, an unassuming factory worker, strikes the jackpot, he moves to Key West to walk in the footsteps of his idol, Ernest Hemingway. He soon finds that not only Hemingway, but most of Key West's residents are rather eccentric, among them Dr. Clarke (Myers), Sheriff Jefferson (Thompson), Savannah Sumner (Tilly) and, of course, mayor Chaucy Caldwell, masterfully portrayed by Crosby.

3. "The Big Bang Theory" is one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. All of the following had recurring or starring roles on the show, but which of these four appeared as himself?

Answer: Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton is one of a long line of science and entertainment personalities who appeared on "The Big Bang Theory" as fictional versions of themselves. Wheaton appeared in at least one episode each season from the third to the ninth. The others are all main characters: Sussman is Stuart Bloom, Nayyar portrays Caltech genius Raj Koothrappali and Jim Parsons is, of course, none other than Sheldon Cooper.

4. "Don't call me Ahab" is a quote by this famous British actor uttered in a movie released in 1996. However, he would rather be called Ahab in 1998 because that's just the role he played in the two-part miniseries "Moby Dick". Who was he?

Answer: Patrick Stewart

The for-television remake of "Moby Dick" filmed in Australia 1997 and first aired in March 1998 came hot on the heels of one of Stewart's greatest lines from "Star Trek: First Contact": "Don't call me Ahab!" (complete with him firing an early 20th century style machine gun at the Borg). "Moby Dick" won an acting Golden Globe, but it did not go to Stewart's lead performance but rather to his predecessor as Ahab in the 1956 movie who appeared in the new version as Father Mapple.

5. The ABC production "Castle" is another crime series in this lineup. Which of the following (the only one of the listed not part of the starring main cast) played the recurring psychiatrist Dr. Carter Burke?

Answer: Michael Dorn

Dr. Burke is Katherine Beckett's psychiatrist and helps her deal with the aftermath of having been shot as well as her often suppressed feelings. John Huertas, as Detective Esposito, and Seamus Dever, as Detective Ryan are both on Beckett's team, while Nathan Fillion is of
course the man behind the titular Richard Castle.

6. Our next actor is also a well-known voice talent, but the role I want to focus on is that of the 2012 to 2015 crime drama "Perception". Originally intended just as a recurring character, anthropologist Paul Hayley became a mainstay, portrayed by whom?

Answer: LeVar Burton

"Perception" used the special talents of a schizophrenic neuroscientist, Dr. Pierce (McCormack), to aid in the investigation of some of Chicago's most mystifying crimes. Scott Wolf (as Max Lewicki) and Burton are both on Dr. Pierce's staff while Scott Wolf's Donald Ryan was a US attorney, primarily seen in the third and final season.

7. I won't offer you Patrick Swayze as an option in a question about "North and South"; that would be too obvious. Who depicted Stanley Hazard in all three incarnations of this miniseries of miniseries?

Answer: Jonathan Frakes

Based on the novel trilogy of the same name, "North and South" was filmed as three separate miniseries in 1985, 1986 and 1994. The first two parts of six episodes each were well received while the third, three-episode, installment did not reach the quality of the other two. The wrong options, including the legendary O'Toole, were all involved only in the third miniseries.

8. How about a royal role for our next actress? I am looking for Queen Onela in the 2007 sci fi Channel original movie "Grendel", based on the Beowulf saga. Who gave her just the right presence in this action-fantasy drama?

Answer: Marina Sirtis

In the literary source and most other movie adaptations of the Beowulf saga, Hrothgar's queen is actually named Wealhtheow, but in this 2007 movie, she takes the name Onela (which actually belongs to the Swedish king in the saga). Alexis Peters starred in the same movie as Ingrid while the other two played Queen Wealhtheow in "The 13th Warrior" (Venora) and the 2007 theatrical release "Beowulf" (Penn) respectively.

9. Our next actress has almost exclusively done guest appearances ever since 1995, when she last appeared in a starring television role for the 13-episode mystery "Marker". Who deserves the leading female credit for this UPN show?

Answer: Gates McFadden

"Marker" was Stephen J. Cannell's second last television production before he turned to writing novels. The story focuses on Richard DeMorra, a man given a strange inheritance composed of thirteen so-called "markers", one in each episode. The other three options were the leading ladies of Cannell's other late works: "Hawkeye" (22 episodes, Carter), "Traps" (6 episodes, Laurie) and "Profit" (8 episodes, Zane).

10. On to a recent production: The first season of the horror drama "Outcast" ran for 10 episodes in 2016 and has been renewed for at least one more season. Which actor lent his talent to the demonic Sidney in the first season?

Answer: Brent Spiner

Originally released as a comic, "Outcast" has been adapted to live action television with very favorable reviews in 2016. Brent Spiner plays the demon leader Sidney while the other three options are all protagonists: Patrick Fugit is the possessed Kyle Barnes, Philip Glenister plays Reverend Anderson and David Denman portrays Officer Mark Holter.

Source: Author WesleyCrusher

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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Random Acts of Actolence Trivia Quiz

Here are ten more or less randomly selected television roles and I'd like to know the actor playing each of them. But it wouldn't be me if that were all there is to it: maybe you can also ace this quiz by answering questions I didn't even ask.

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