Q: Is Donna Douglas, who played Elly May Clampett in the long-running television series “The Beverly Hillbillies,” as much of an animal lover as her TV character appears to be?ˇ— J.B., Charleston, Tenn.
A: In an interview, Donna Douglas said she “really loves pets.” She went on to say that animals know if you love them or not. She was born in September 1933.
Q: I found it interesting in your column that you said Emmett Kelly was at one time the mascot of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Was that his birth name? When and where was he born? — M.E., Cozad, Neb.
A: Emmett Leo Kelly (1898-1979) was from Sedan, Kan., and was famous for his clown figure “Weary Willie.” Kelly began circus life as a trapeze performer. He created his clown routine early in his career, but circus management would have nothing to do with a “tramp” clown. Then came the Depression. Thinking audiences would better identify with the downtrodden clown, circus officials gave their OK. Kelly and his routine were, of course, a giant hit.
Q: The bishop is going to visit our Catholic church. How does a bishop rank compared with a priest or a cardinal? I’m sure every Catholic knows this answer, but I’m a member of the Baptist church. — I.U., Anderson, S.C.
A: The lowest ranking is the ordained priest. Above the priest is the bishop. Next is the archbishop, then a cardinal and finally the pope.
Q: Several years ago, the movie “Silver City” with Richard Dreyfuss told the story of an inept politician’s bid for the governorship of Colorado. When being filmed while fishing for an environmental campaign ad, the wannabe governor hooks a corpse in the lake. The movie seems to have been removed from circulation. Is this true? — B.S., Macomb, Ill.
A: Richard Dreyfuss played the role of Chuck Raven, campaign manager for politician Dickie Pilager (Chris Cooper). You can purchase the DVD at Amazon.com for less than $5 new and, when I looked, for a penny used.
Q: What is the correct pronunciation of Spokane, Wash.? Spo-can or Spo-cane? — J.L.
A: The phonetic pronunciation is spoh-CAN.
Q: Are you into computer games? What about “Angry Birds”? What can you tell me about this game? — R.L., Madison, Wis.
A: “Angry Birds” is a puzzle video game developed by Finland-based Rovio Mobile and first released for Apple’s iOS in December 2009. The intent of the game is to destroy pigs that are inside or atop various structures. How do you destroy pigs? By using birds fired from a slingshot. Once all the pigs are destroyed, you move to the next playfield. In part, the game was inspired by sketches of wingless birds. Then an enemy was needed. According to the company, swine flu was in the news at the time, so why not use pigs as the enemy?
As for me, I’m smiling. Other than backgammon, I have never enjoyed computer games until a friend urged me to try “Angry Birds.” I downloaded it and have been addicted to it ever since.
Q: My family and I paid a visit to my niece, who is attending Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. During our journey we noticed many places whose names ended in “kill.” What is the significance of this suffix? — G.L., Roanoke, Va.
A: The suffix “kill” comes from the Old Dutch word “kille,” meaning riverbed or channel. Some notable places ending in “kill” include Peekskill, Fishkill and Catskill.
Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.