Tuesday trivia: Actor roles

Name the actor based on TV and film roles (I can’t tell if these are easy or hard; I’ll give hints if needed):

1. A cop (tv), a shepherd (tv), a friend’s lawyer (tv)
Solved by Tom Hilton.

2. A nun (tv), a bipolar mother (tv), a soap star (movie)
TIE: Solved by Tom Hilton and Melville.

3. A bank employee (movie), an immigrant (tv), a political volunteer working backstage (movie)
Solved by Melville.

4. A bus driver (tv), a sheriff (movie), a pool player (movie)
TIE: Solved by Tom Hilton and Melville.

5. A law firm bigwig (tv), an expatriate (movie), a jazz saxophonist (obscure movie only I have seen)
HINT: A dancer (movies)

6. A medical resident (tv), a wine enthusiast (movie), a lesbian (movie)
Solved by Wendy.

7. A brother-in-law (movie), a reporter for the Boston Globe (tv), an advertising guy (tv)
HINT: God these are such easy clues, I don’t even know what to do with you people. Okay, a television production guy (tv)
Solved by Ben.

24 comments

  1. Tom Hilton says:

    And I think #2 is Sally Field.

  2. Deborah Lipp says:

    Should’ve known you’d get #1 instantly, Tom.

  3. Tom Hilton says:

    And #4 is Jackie Gleason.

  4. Melville says:

    #2 is Sally Field (The Flying Nun, Brothers & Sisters, Soapdish)

    #3 is Carol Kane (Dog Day Afternoon, Taxi, Annie Hall)

    #4 is Jackie Gleason (The Honeymooners, Smokey & the Bandit, The Hustler)

  5. Deborah Lipp says:

    Mel, I’m giving you all three; you’re within 2 minutes.

  6. Tom Hilton says:

    Not sure what the third one is for Ron Glass, but the first two are Barney Miller and Firefly.

    Sally Field is Flying Nun and Soapdish; not sure what the other one is.

    Jackie Gleason is Honeymooners, Smokey & the Bandit, and The Hustler.

  7. Deborah Lipp says:

    Melville, I don’t watch Brothers & Sisters — she’s bipolar? I meant Abby’s mother on ER. Amazing recurring role.

  8. Melville says:

    Thanks. And you must know I knew Ron Glass, too. (“Shepherd” is too big a clue for us Whedonites. 🙂 )

  9. Deborah Lipp says:

    Of course you’re right. I vainly hoped the lowercase would divert you.

    I was a HUGE Barney Miller fan.

  10. Tom Hilton says:

    Wow, fast & furious competition today!

  11. Tom Hilton says:

    One of my favorite Queen Latifah tracks samples the bass riff from the Barney Miller theme. Great stuff.

  12. Melville says:

    I don’t watch Brothers & Sisters, either. I just know she’s supposed to be the mother of a contentious family. I forgot about her role on ER (I was still watching it when she guest-starred.)

  13. Melville says:

    I loved Barney Miller, too. I wish TV Land would start showing it.

  14. Deborah Lipp says:

    Melville, I watched the entire run of ER. She appeared in a guest role for years.

    ER was an amazing showcase for talent; the list of guest stars was staggering. Off the top of my head, William H. Macy, Bob Newhart, Stanley Tucci, John Leguzamio, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, Sally Field.

  15. Melville says:

    I might have thought of Bronson Pinchot from “Perfect Strangers.” I think his character was supposed to have been a shepherd (original meaning).

  16. Daven says:

    The only two I know were solved already….

    Yes, I got #1 and #2 (just recently re-watched Soapdish and introduced my 17 year old to it). Too bad I was asleep when Melville and Tom were awake.

  17. Wendy says:

    #6 is Sandra Oh, I think, but I can’t think when she played a lesbian.

  18. […] keeps my brain stimulated. Most times I have no clue what movies she’s talking about, but I thought I knew two of them today. Too bad they were already solved when I got there. Still, she’s a good […]

  19. Evn says:

    I believe #7 is Bill Pullman. (While You Were Sleeping, that one TV show where he played a reporter for the Boston Globe, and Lost Highway.)

  20. Evn says:

    Wait, never mind, I got the clues from #5 and #7 jumbled up.

    Is #5 Bill Pullman?

  21. Melville says:

    I’m stumped. 🙁 But I’m looking forward to finding out the ultra-obscure jazz movie. I know of a couple, but none with a star that fits the other clues.

  22. Ben says:

    I’m thinking that #7 is Timothy Busfield, with the bonus hint referring to Studio 60.