Sidekickery Part E Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kato

Kato, the Green Hornet's gentleman's gentleman, was played by a remarkable number of actors on the radio programme (1938-1952): Raymond Hayashi, Roland Parker, Mickey Tolan, and Paul Carnegie. Keye Luke played Kato in the movie serials. The role was taken over the top when Bruce Lee was cast as Kato for the television series (1966-67) in which he was much more than a sidekick, due to his superb skills as a fighter.

Answer: Lt. Col. Henry Blake

Colonel Blake was rather like a father to Radar, an Iowa farm boy without a dad, and Radar was rather like the power behind the throne, who actually ran the operations (no pun intended) of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. The TV role of the commanding officer was played by McLean Stevenson. Blake was killed at the end of Season 3 when his aircraft was shot down on its way to Japan.

He was replaced by Col. Sherman T. Potter played by Harry Morgan.

Answer: Harvey

The 1950 movie in which Jimmie Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd was based on the 1944 stage play by Mary Chase. The name of both is "Harvey" as is the name of the rabbit/pookah. Chase won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Stewart was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor.

In the film, Dowd says to a psychiatrist, "Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it."

Answer: Nicely Nicely Johnson

Kaye also played Nicely Nicely in the original 1953 London production and the 1955 movie with Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra. The play was based on short stories and characters created by Damon Runyon. "Guys and Dolls" won the Tony for Best Musical and would have won the 1951 Pulitzer Prize for Drama but for McCarthyism. Those refined connoisseurs of musical theatre who find "Guys and Dolls" to be the finest example of the genre are completely justified in their erudite opinion.

Answer: Horse

Dudley Do-Right was a take-off from and send-up of the operetta "Rose Marie" (1924) by Rudolf Friml. Dudley Do-Right is a Mountie based on Nelson Eddy and his love interest Nell Fenwick is patterned after Jeanette MacDonald in the 1936 movie. Do-Right's horse is named "Horse"; Nell cares more for Horse than she does for Dudley.

Answer: Max

In "Hart to Hart" Lionel Stander played the rough-voiced assistant to the wealthy Harts, played by Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. Freeway was their dog. Sgt. Charles Enright was the sidekick of Police Commissioner Stuart "Mac" McMillan on "McMillan and Wife" (1971-1977) and Henry was the chauffeur of Amos Burke on "Burke's Law" (1963-1966).

Answer: Dusty

Keillor both wrote and co-starred in this epic and deeply-moving radio drama which endured from 1974 to 2016. Lefty's partner Dusty was played by Tim Russell (who also played Julia Child and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the show). Upon Keillor's retirement, "The Lives of the Cowboys" was not continued on the continuing "Prairie Home Companion." A CD containing ten of the skits was released in 2006.

Consider the following excerpt:

LEFTY: Haven't you read about the dangers of drinking?
DUSTY: I have. And it led me to give up reading.

Answer: Duke

Bush Brothers and Company of Tennessee promoted their canned baked beans (made from their "secret family recipe") by pairing company (and family) spokesman Jay Bush with a talking golden retriever named Duke. The on-going story is that Duke wants to sell the recipe and make a fortune but is foiled by Jay. Duke is so popular that a children's book featuring him was published in 2006.

Answer: Aloysius "Nosey" Parker

The secret organisation International Rescue employs Lady Penelope as their London Field Agent. In the Sixties television series, she is accompanied by Aloysius "Nosey" Parker who drives her tricked-out pink Rolls Royce "FAB 1." He is a (somewhat) reformed cat burglar and safe cracker, which talents are useful in secret agents.

Answer: Barney Rubble

Barney is married to Betty Rubble and is the adoptive father of Bamm-Bamm Rubble. Barney is to Fred as Ed Norton was to Ralph Kramden. Fred and Barney both belonged to the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes. The programme originally ran in prime time from 1960-1966.