20th Century TV Characters I Trivia Quiz

Answer: Flo

The major setting of this sitcom was Mel's Diner. The waitresses were Flo, Vera, and Alice. This was based on the movie "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". Flo was the experienced waitress who didn't put up with any nonsense. If Mel told her to do something she didn't want to do, she would say "Kiss my grits!" Flo eventually had her own spinoff series called "Flo", but it didn't last long.

Answer: Tonto

One of the early superhero cowboy stories, based on a comic strip and radio series, was "The Lone Ranger". He wore a mask to hide his identity, but he also dressed like a regular person in disguise to find out information. Tonto was his native American sidekick who helped him fight a different villain in each episode.

Answer: Lobo

Sheriff Lobo ran Orly County and caused B.J. trouble whenever B.J. had to transport something in his truck across Orly County. Sheriff Lobo became popular enough that he was given a spinoff series called "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo". In the second season, the name was shortened to "Lobo", and he moved to Atlanta to solve crimes in the big city with his two deputies. ("MAD Magazine" suggested there be a season three in which they moved to outer space to solve space crimes.)

Answer: Gonzo

Gonzo was a doctor who lived in a camper trailer in the parking lot of the hospital. He worked there with Trapper John, a doctor who had been on the TV series, "M*A*S*H", but Trapper John was played by Pernell Roberts instead of Wayne Rogers, who instead played a doctor in "House Calls", which was based on a movie.

Answer: Wojo

Wojo, Harris, and Barney Miller were the only characters to last from the first episode to the last episode of the series "Barney Miller". This was a sitcom set in the squad room of a police station in New York City. People would be brought in if they were criminals or victims. Wojo was a muscular man who would ask Barney advice about the job and his private life.

Answer: Cato

This was a superhero show produced by the people who made "Batman". John ran a newspaper and wore a costume to fight crime as the Green Hornet. Cato, played by Bruce Lee, was his Asian sidekick who helped him fight criminals.

Answer: Jethro

Jethro, Granny, and Elly moved with Elly's father, Jed, to a fancy mansion in Beverly Hills after Jed struck an enormous amount of oil on his swamp land. Jethro wanted to have fun with their wealth, but the rest of the family was stuck living their old ways.

At various times Jethro wanted to be a fry cook, a movie producer, or a brain surgeon, after he graduated the sixth grade as an adult.

Answer: Roscoe

Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane tried to catch Bo and Luke Duke each week whenever they drove their car, the General Lee, too fast. The Duke boys were cousins who were always trying to stop the illegal activities of Boss Hogg, but Sheriff Roscoe unofficially worked for Boss Hogg.

Answer: Groucho

"You Bet Your Life" was one of the early quiz shows which began on radio and moved to television. Groucho Marx, the comedy movie actor, would ask a pair of contestants about themselves and say wise cracks. He then asked them trivia questions so they could win money.

They could risk their winnings on one last question, doubling their winnings if they were right or losing it all if they were wrong.

Answer: Sammy Jo

This was a nighttime soap opera in which Crystal had married Blake Carrington, who was enormously wealthy. Blake's ex wife, Alexis, moved into the mansion to cause trouble. Later, Sammy Jo, Crystal's relative, also moved in and began an affair with Blake's son, Steven.

The scenes between Alexis and Sammy Jo were funny because everyone else was intimidated by Alexis, but she couldn't control Sammy Jo.