The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep: The Friday Quiz: Super Duper Grab Bag-a-palazzo

Call in sick. Throw your cell phone into the fish tank, and stop the mail. You won't want any distractions. Let's get started!

1. First introduced to American audiences in 1971, this fictional persona was driven by a selfish obsession. But as those who control his destiny now say, "His joyous spirit helps everyone overlook the fact he's a little slow and clumsy sometimes." In Brazil a song about him was released, called "Lá Vem o Shaky." What is his name in the U.S.?

2. The unabridged version of what 1953 novel contained a primer on a card game which takes its name from the lowest possible hand? Bonus: name the card game.

3. In 1960, at the centennial meeting of a large U.S. health care professional organization, Squib Pharmecutical introduced the first device of this kind manufactured for widespread commercial use in the United States (although Swiss versions had been available since the 1930s, and early versions go back to the 1880s). What kind of device was it?

4. In 1975, an influential British director, just before the release of the biggest commercial project he had yet filmed, began work on another film whose plot centered on the idea that one famous 19th-century composer stole the musical ideals of another in order to advance evil ideas. The main role was played by a rock musician, and the score by a less-well known prog-rock artist. Who were the two composers? For bonus points, name the director, the star, the prog-rock artist who composed the score, and name the film.

First person to get any of these right gets to admit without shame that they'd go see that new Cronenberg movie just to watch Aragorn duking it out all naked and everything in the steam bath. (Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo!) And a cookie. No Googling or consulting your own lovingly hand-sewn and illuminated index to all of the published fiction of 1953. One guess on any part or part of a part per comment, but comment as constantly as if you were a cup of Constant Comment (TM).

Comments

1. Cookie Monster

Posted by: Jonathan | September 21, 2007 01:40 AM

1. El Topo
2. Catcher in the Rye; "I Doubt It"
3. spagnomomometer
4. This has got to be some kind of Ken Russell spectacular -- Lizstomania? (So, Franz Lizst and um hmmm? Wagner?); played by Sting; prog-rock artist = Mike Oldfield?)

The last Cronenberg (most mainstream yet) was a hoot just for crazy William Hurt action.

Thanks for the early quiz.

Posted by: art | September 21, 2007 03:25 AM

1. Don Quixote
2. Acey-Deucey (card game); To Here From Eternity (novel)

Posted by: art | September 21, 2007 03:27 AM

1. The Amazing Mr Limpet

Posted by: art | September 21, 2007 03:30 AM

Viggo!

1. Ironsides
2. Mr. Ripley
3. The IUD
4.Tommy

OK, 3 or 4 of these guesses are bunk. But Viggo!!!

Posted by: shananan | September 21, 2007 08:19 AM

1. The Trix Rabbit
2. Lolita.
3. Dialysis machine
4. Wagner and Schubert

Posted by: boxjam | September 21, 2007 08:59 AM

There's been no light shed on the first three, but Art's all over #4: he gets the composers (Liszt and Wagner), the director (Russell), and the name of the film (the improbable "Lisztomania"). Shananan gets hon. mention for citing Tommy, which is the film Russell was releasing at the time he started work on the Liszt project.

But the star and the composer of the score are still unsolved.

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 09:20 AM

1. Snuffaluffagus

Posted by: shananan | September 21, 2007 10:21 AM

Nope, although the non-human guesses for #1 are certainly on the right track.

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 10:46 AM

1. Grimace.
2. Travels with Charley.
3. X-ray machine.

Posted by: boxjam | September 21, 2007 11:09 AM

2. Deuces?

Posted by: shananan | September 21, 2007 11:41 AM

1. Juan Carlos, the coffee guy
2. Novel: A Separate Peace. Game: Lowball
3. Blood pressure gauge.

Posted by: bootsy3000 | September 21, 2007 12:20 PM

Changing my #1. to Wiley E. Coyote

Posted by: bootsy3000 | September 21, 2007 12:22 PM

1. Hamburglar (lame, I know)
3. catheter

Posted by: Jonathan | September 21, 2007 12:23 PM

Boxjam gets No. 1. Apparently Grimace was originally a covetous quasi-Hamburglar type, who tried to take Ronald’s trans-fat-loaded nourishments. And in Brazil he is “Shaky” – hence the song “Here Comes Shaky.”

We’re still waiting on the correct answers to #2 and #3, as well as the star and composer of Lisztomania.

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 12:24 PM

1. Goofy

Posted by: Jonathan | September 21, 2007 12:24 PM

Grimace was a milk-shake thief, and had more arms than he does now.

2. The Manchurian Candidate.
3. a gold-filling extractor.

Posted by: boxjam | September 21, 2007 12:40 PM

2. The Naked and the Dead

Posted by: boxjam | September 21, 2007 01:40 PM

Wasn't the star Mr. Roger Daltrey?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 21, 2007 02:04 PM

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Gavin, both old and new boss of rock trivia in Wombatland, pegs the Daltrey. But who, I ask you, who scored Lisztomania? (And no, is wasn't anyone else from the Who. The answer is much more positive).

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 02:29 PM

Anderson?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 21, 2007 03:55 PM

Bruford?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 21, 2007 03:58 PM

Wakeman?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 21, 2007 04:01 PM

Howe?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 21, 2007 04:03 PM

I guess that clue was a bit broad...Yes, yes, yes. It's Rick Wakeman.

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 04:13 PM

WB, that 50s book stumpers me.
It makes me want to make bad jokes:

The Bad Seed/Old Maid
Naked Lunch/Spoons
Lord of the Flies/Lord of the Fries
Peyton Place/Oh Hell
The Caine Mutiny/Mumblety-queeg

None of these are right.

Posted by: shananan | September 21, 2007 04:22 PM

No, none of them are. And what's funny is that Naked Lunch does have an instructional appendix about heroin addiction, which he included as a sop to obscenity laws (see, the whole thing is a lesson about the evils of drug use!)

Posted by: BT | September 21, 2007 06:18 PM

Early, HR Pufnstuf-inspired Grimace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZm1n3Jomaw

1953 novel...I dunno...South Pacific?

Posted by: boxjam | September 21, 2007 07:44 PM

3. thermometer -- your choice (oral or anal)

Posted by: art | September 22, 2007 04:02 AM

3. contact lens

Posted by: art | September 22, 2007 04:03 AM

3. stethoscope

Posted by: art | September 22, 2007 04:05 AM

3. Latex glove

Posted by: Jonathan | September 22, 2007 10:54 PM

A clue to No. 2 -- the novel in question was recently adapted for the movies. It was the second major adaptation; the first, however, involved almost a completely new plot.

A clue for No. 3: it was a device with moving parts.

Posted by: lewombat | September 22, 2007 11:19 PM

3. pacemaker

Posted by: art | September 23, 2007 07:54 AM

By the way, I'm not sure I'd describe Ken Russell as influential, except on Baz Luhrmann, who's the thirty-years-later version of him.

Also, I did not know until yesterday, when I accidentally stumbled on the credit during one more listen to "Life on Mars?", that Rick Wakeman played most of the piano parts on Hunky Dory. Which has some really amazing, non-proggy piano on it.

Oh, I guess I should guess.
2. The Stepford Wives?
3. The insulin-delivering cuckoo clock?

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 23, 2007 12:46 PM

Gavin, here's at least one argument in favor of Russell as a major influence in British filmmaking:

http://thecamerajournal.blogspot.com/2007/09/ken-russells-influence-on-stanley.html

I did, actually, know that Wakeman had played the piano on much of Hunky Dory, because in a phase of intense listening to the album in a post-breakup phase, I became rather obssessed with it (odd for me in that I'm not only the whole anything like a big Bowie fan).

Oh and no, and no.

Posted by: BT | September 23, 2007 09:41 PM

There is a rather withering analysis of the virtues (ahem!) of Ken Russell in the July/August issue of Film Comment in their review of a recent book about him (Joseph Lanza’s Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films). But I still think "The Devils" is worth seeing!

There have been a fair few useless remakes of late but I can't seem to jog my memory for the one you want (I believe it might be something that has yet to open in Australia, my humble excuse!)

Posted by: art | September 24, 2007 03:54 AM

The Invisible Man taught me how to play UNO. I couldn't tell if he was cheating...

Posted by: shananan | September 24, 2007 08:53 AM

Posted by: shananan | September 24, 2007 08:54 AM

One of those crazy hospital beds, with all the ways that people get comically hurt when they're in traction.

Posted by: boxjam | September 24, 2007 11:20 AM

A multi-speed speculum.

Posted by: boxjam | September 24, 2007 11:23 AM

Of Mice and Men (although I think that's at least 10 years older than 1953, and it's barely a novel...)

Posted by: boxjam | September 24, 2007 11:25 AM

3. Blood pressure cuff

Posted by: Jonathan | September 24, 2007 11:58 AM

3. Home pregnancy test kit

Posted by: Jonathan | September 24, 2007 11:59 AM

3. One of those motorized tooth-brushers?

Posted by: shananan | September 24, 2007 11:59 AM

Shananan brings home #3 -- it was the first commercial model of the electric toothbrush for the U.S. market.

The final clue for the novel/game in question for #2: one variant of the game is called "chemin de fer."

Posted by: BT | September 24, 2007 04:14 PM

If not Invisible Man, then Native Son...though I don't recall any card games.

Posted by: art | September 25, 2007 08:45 AM

"two-seven off suit"

Posted by: boxjam | September 25, 2007 10:38 AM

Native Son is a really good guess, btw - I'm fairly certain it's been a movie exactly twice - although remade 'recently' would mean about 10-15 years ago...

I can't think of any more novels I can confidently place in that timeframe. I'm afraid I'll look stupid guessing something way off base.

Posted by: boxjam | September 25, 2007 10:43 AM

In the recent film adaptation, the original card game played in the novel is replaced by Texas Hold'em Poker.

Posted by: BT | September 25, 2007 12:25 PM

Oh, you're talking about Casino Royale.

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 25, 2007 02:02 PM

Which means the game is also known as baccarat.

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 25, 2007 02:05 PM

There's nothing quite so satisfying as the last detail of the Quiz being put to bed. Baccarat and Casino Royale, exactly. Well done, Gavin -- and thanks, all, for staying with us.

Posted by: BT | September 25, 2007 02:44 PM

Thanks for the continued clueage! That was a fun set of questions.

Posted by: gavinedwards | September 25, 2007 03:41 PM

The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep

The Wombat File is a Delaying Tactic that May Save Your Life

The Friday Quiz: Super Duper Grab Bag-a-palazzo

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