Let's play Botticelli!

[choie]

See, I knew about three questions after I started that I'd made a poor choice!

EH IQs:

1. No, I am not Clytemenestra or however she spelled it

2. Staggeringly stumped. Defended granaries? This sounds like a John Steinbeck play.

3. Is this Wrong Way Corrigan? I suppose the likeliest answer would be Charles Lindbergh but I don't remember him crossing America. Then again, the whole thing with Corrigan was that he pretended to cross American but actually went across the Atlantic, so I have no idea. Likely Stumped.

CIAS IQs:

1. No, I am not Cassandra

2. No, I am not whoever-the-heck-this-is from (I think) Blake's Seven?

3. YES, I am Cleopatra, aka Cleopatra VII Philopator, Queen of Egypt, her brother's wife, Caesar's lover, Marc Antony's wife/lover, and suicide-by-asp doer.

FWIW, the answers to your final two questions, EH, were Died before 1500 and Not originally from the Western Hemisphere. Well done, CIAS!

[CatInASuit]

IQ
2. It was Cally from Blake's Seven.

Excellent - time to think of a new person.

[choie]

I was hoping that one of you would ask the (somewhat chauvinistic) question "Married to someone famous?" to which I could say "Yes," thus throwing you off the track a little. (The reason I say it's somewhat chauvinistic is 'cause I don't think anyone's ever asked that of a male. )

[Elendil's Heir]

Good one - I was getting close to guessing Cleopatra but not close enough. Well done, CIAS.

Previous IQs:

Were you Agamemnon's wife? - Yes, the murderous Clytemnestra.
Did you defend the granaries at the start of your play? - The title character in Shakespeare's Coriolanus. Ralph Fiennes directed and starred in a pretty good recent movie adaptation of it.
Did you fly across America, crash by crash? - Cal Rodgers. Always thought his story would make a great movie; we saw his plane, the Vin Fiz, at the Air & Space Museum in Washington a few weeks ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal_Rodgers
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...2012-05-15.jpg

[CatInASuit]

I was hoping that one of you would ask the (somewhat chauvinistic) question "Married to someone famous?" to which I could say "Yes," thus throwing you off the track a little. (The reason I say it's somewhat chauvinistic is 'cause I don't think anyone's ever asked that of a male. )

Surely anyone chosen should be famous enough in their own right and not need to bathe in the reflected glory of their partner.


Next Letter is M

[Elendil's Heir]

First Ladies and nonreigning queens fall into that category, actually.

IQs:

Were you a frequent and offbeat castmember of the early Late Night with David Letterman TV show?
Were you a spy and doctor who befriended a mariner?
Did Anthony Hopkins play a doctor who studied you?

[choie]

My next person is gonna be a male spouse of someone famous and you are gonna be sorry!

IQs:

1. Were you a wealthy female eccentric who survived the Titanic disaster and, indeed, received a longlasting nickname as a result?

2. Speaking of nicknames, as a controversial politician, could yours (which was both a compliment and an insult, depending on who was using it) have been rendered as Fe ♀

3. Did the king of Sweden give you things you were needin'?

[CatInASuit]

Were you a frequent and offbeat castmember of the early Late Night with David Letterman TV show?
Were you a spy and doctor who befriended a mariner?
Did Anthony Hopkins play a doctor who studied you?

1. Stumped totally.
2. Given the clue, I should be able to think of someone, but totally stumped.
3. Dr Lecter question isn't it. Umm, oh wait the last film er. it's Mason Verger or something like that.

1. Were you a wealthy female eccentric who survived the Titanic disaster and, indeed, received a longlasting nickname as a result?

2. Speaking of nicknames, as a controversial politician, could yours (which was both a compliment and an insult, depending on who was using it) have been rendered as Fe ♀

3. Did the king of Sweden give you things you were needin'?

1. Is she the one portrayed by Kathy Bates? . I think the first name is Mary, but I don't remember the rest.
2. That would be the Iron Lady - Margaret Thatcher - who has had more cojones than every other male politician since.
3. That looks like a song reference, but no idea. Stumped

Couple of DQs apiece.

[choie]

1. Is she the one portrayed by Kathy Bates? . I think the first name is Mary, but I don't remember the rest.

Sooo close! Margaret / Molly Brown, aka "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."

2. That would be the Iron Lady - Margaret Thatcher - who has had more cojones than every other male politician since.

Indeed. Would've fit in well with the Orion Syndicate.

3. That looks like a song reference, but no idea. Stumped

Oh man, this is gonna hurt: Minnie the Moocher!

DQs:

1. Real?
2. Male?

[Elendil's Heir]

Previous IQs:

Were you a frequent and offbeat castmember of the early Late Night with David Letterman TV show? - Larry "Bud" Mehlman
Were you a spy and doctor who befriended a mariner? - Stephen Maturin, in the Aubrey & Maturin book series set during the Napoleonic Wars.
Did Anthony Hopkins play a doctor who studied you? - Not a Dr. Lecter question - Joseph Merrick, in The Elephant Man.

DQs:

Last name start with M?
American?

One DQ reserved.

IQs:

Are you a top Wildling?
Were you the shortest costar of the movie Pain and Gain?
Were you the young protagonist of The Phantom Tollbooth?

[Elendil's Heir]

Previous IQs:

Were you a frequent and offbeat castmember of the early Late Night with David Letterman TV show? - Larry "Bud" Mehlman
Were you a spy and doctor who befriended a mariner? - Stephen Maturin, in the Aubrey & Maturin book series set during the Napoleonic Wars.
Did Anthony Hopkins play a doctor who studied you? - Not a Dr. Lecter question - Joseph Merrick, in The Elephant Man.

DQs:

Last name start with M?
American?

One DQ reserved.

IQs:

Are you a top Wildling?
Were you the shortest costar of the movie Pain and Gain?
Were you the young protagonist of The Phantom Tollbooth?

[CatInASuit]

DQs

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American

Excuse me: I'd like to claim Mason Verger as correct as he does fit the question. Can I get a verdict from the neutral party please choie

IQs:

Are you a top Wildling?
Were you the shortest costar of the movie Pain and Gain?
Were you the young protagonist of The Phantom Tollbooth?

1. I'm not up on my Game of Thrones, as in never read it. Stumped
2. I remember Mark Wahlberg being it?
3. I've heard of the story but never read it...again. Stumped.

Take a couple more DQs.

[choie]

Oh wow, I get ot be an arbiter of justice! Since I don't know the Hannibal books (but I did think the answer EH was looking for was Merrick--although I remembered his name as John) I have to go to Wikipedia to check. And I'm back. (How fast was that?!) The blurb does say that this charming Mason fellow went to Dr. Lechter for "therapy" (and got a nice facialectomy as a result), I think CIAS can claim this one.


Just realized I forgot to ask my new IQs last time.

1. Did you share a throne with your 1st cousin/spouse, after your dad got his crown removed?

2. Speaking of relations and thrones, did you allegedly plot against your cousin resulting in years of prison until you got your own crown removed--fatally?

3. Are you a highly obstinate woman with a strange taste in horticulture design?

[Elendil's Heir]

Once again, remember, players are not supposed to do any research. This is a game of memory and not research skills. The quizmaster may check a resource only to ensure a correct answer to a DQ.

Previous IQs:

Are you a top Wildling? - Mance Rayder
Were you the shortest costar of the movie Pain and Gain? - Yes, Mark Wahlberg
Were you the young protagonist of The Phantom Tollbooth? - Milo

I will ask only one DQ due to the Mason/Merrick dispute (and it's Lecter, not Lechter).

DQ:

Living?

IQs:

Were you an insurgent known for operating in wetlands?
Are you an actor who played a character strongly based on him?
Did you ask your militia to fire once and then retreat?

[CatInASuit]

Once again, remember, players are not supposed to do any research. This is a game of memory and not research skills. The quizmaster may check a resource only to ensure a correct answer to a DQ.

Just as an aside to the game - how should this situation be handled as I'm unsure and hopefully you can clarify. How do you resolve a correct guess which answers the question but is not the answer the person was looking for?

Mason Verger was an educated guess to your question, it was from memory and it was a correct answer, but it would probably take a quick check to confirm it completely.

What should happen in that situation: Is it up to the quizmaster to know for sure that their answer is correct, can the guess be checked by someone else as confirmation (as occurred in this situation), should the asker check to make sure the answer does fit their question - what is the next step to resolve it?

[CatInASuit]

1. Did you share a throne with your 1st cousin/spouse, after your dad got his crown removed?

2. Speaking of relations and thrones, did you allegedly plot against your cousin resulting in years of prison until you got your own crown removed--fatally?

3. Are you a highly obstinate woman with a strange taste in horticulture design?

1. Given European family trees it could well be the Duke of Edinburgh, who I think has Mountbatten somewhere in his name.
2. Mary - Queen of Scots. Can't remember what her surname was, I don't think it was Tudor.
3. I'm going to go for Morticia Adams for this one. She only ever does what she wants and she likes to cut the heads off roses. QED.

IQs:

Were you an insurgent known for operating in wetlands?
Are you an actor who played a character strongly based on him?
Did you ask your militia to fire once and then retreat?

1. Not a clue. My knowledge of swampy terrorists is sadly lacking.
2. Without knowing the first,I'll say Mel Gibson, because that would be his kind of role.
3. Nope - stumped on this one as well.

DQs

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living

[choie]

Once again, remember, players are not supposed to do any research. This is a game of memory and not research skills. The quizmaster may check a resource only to ensure a correct answer to a DQ.

I will ask only one DQ due to the Mason/Merrick dispute (and it's Lecter, not Lechter).

And it was John Merrick, not Joseph Merrick--in the film, anyway, which is what you referred to.

As for the not-doing-research cavil, we needed an arbiter, someone had to check, and as a disinterested party (players are vying against each other as well as against the guesser) I fit the bill.

What should happen in that situation: Is it up to the quizmaster to know for sure that their answer is correct, can the guess be checked by someone else as confirmation (as occurred in this situation), should the asker check to make sure the answer does fit their question - what is the next step to resolve it?

Hey, there are three of us playing and EH ain't the GM in this game, so let's put it to a vote: in a case of a possible correct answer, may a third party do the required research to settle a point? I see no problem with it since it's not like researching one's own questions/answers, thus not ruining the spirit of the "memory only" clause. So that's an "aye" from me.

Given European family trees it could well be the Duke of Edinburgh, who I think has Mountbatten somewhere in his name.

#1: Hee, Liz and Phil are cousins but they ain't that close. But you're right that Phillip adopted Mountbatten (the literal translation of the too-Germanic-sounding Battenberg!) as his last name right before marrying Elizabeth, so good memory! But I meant Mary II, as in the 1st cousin/wife of William III, and the daughter of James II. After James II was booted off the throne, she was co-regnant with her husband William. And I feel really dumb giving this info to someone from the UK when I couldn't possibly tell you anything nearly as detailed about my own country's placeholder presidents.

#2 was indeed Mary I of Scotland (and hell yeah it wasn't Tudor... 'twas Stuart. I'm sure you're now face-palming.)

I'm gonna have to give you #3 because that's another clever answer. I forgot about Morticia cutting off the roses' blooms! But I'll re-ask the question since I had another person in mind.


New IQs:

1. Did you guest star playing a couple of sexy doctors in an early incarnation of a science fiction show, and then many years later, play a more mature but at least not just a one-off doctor in a later version of the same show?

2. Did you--a fairly snobby, elegant person--once get squiffy from your best friends'/neighbors' homemade wine (Peapod '73), and admit to having a childhood nickname of "Starchy Sturgis"?

3. If someone was digging in your flower beds, would they find musical instruments made out of precious metal, mollusc body parts--and, far more sinister--the bodies of attractive young virgins laid out sequentially?

DQ:

6. Primarily known for the performing arts?

[Elendil's Heir]

Once again, remember, players are not supposed to do any research. This is a game of memory and not research skills. The quizmaster may check a resource only to ensure a correct answer to a DQ.

Just as an aside to the game - how should this situation be handled as I'm unsure and hopefully you can clarify. How do you resolve a correct guess which answers the question but is not the answer the person was looking for?

Mason Verger was an educated guess to your question, it was from memory and it was a correct answer, but it would probably take a quick check to confirm it completely.

What should happen in that situation: Is it up to the quizmaster to know for sure that their answer is correct, can the guess be checked by someone else as confirmation (as occurred in this situation), should the asker check to make sure the answer does fit their question - what is the next step to resolve it?

It's up to the quizmaster. Only the QM is permitted to do research, and only to ensure a correct answer to a DQ.

...And it was John Merrick, not Joseph Merrick--in the film, anyway, which is what you referred to. ....

True, but his correct first name was Joseph (and the letter this time is "M").

Previous IQs:

Were you an insurgent known for operating in wetlands? - Francis "The Swamp Fox" Marion, in South Carolina during the American Revolution.
Are you an actor who played a character strongly based on him? - Very good! Yes, Mel Gibson in The Patriot.
Did you ask your militia to fire once and then retreat? - Gen. Daniel Morgan, also during the Revolution.

DQs:

Born since 1960?
Born north of the Mason-Dixon Line?

IQs:

Could your show, in an alternate universe, have been named Owl Stretching Time?
Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite?
Did Jonathan Winters play your son?

[CatInASuit]

DQs

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line

New IQs:

1. Did you guest star playing a couple of sexy doctors in an early incarnation of a science fiction show, and then many years later, play a more mature but at least not just a one-off doctor in a later version of the same show?

2. Did you--a fairly snobby, elegant person--once get squiffy from your best friends'/neighbors' homemade wine (Peapod '73), and admit to having a childhood nickname of "Starchy Sturgis"?

3. If someone was digging in your flower beds, would they find musical instruments made out of precious metal, mollusc body parts--and, far more sinister--the bodies of attractive young virgins laid out sequentially?

1. Crumbs,I think I can remember the person and the roles you mean but not the name. Is this the doctor who fixed Worf up in a stupid episode when they found out that Klingons have backup parts for everything...wait, is it Diane Mulduar (excuse the spelling), although if I'm correct you only have yourself to blame
2. This looks like an upper class twit question, to which the answer is Stumped.
3. Mary, Mary quite contrary - how does you garden grow.

IQs:

Could your show, in an alternate universe, have been named Owl Stretching Time?
Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite?
Did Jonathan Winters play your son?

1. Not a clue, not even sure if it is a play on words or not - Stumped.
2. *Invokes Godwin's law* Dr Josef Mengele, who was a fine doctor after the war in Patagonia. *shudder*
3. It might help if I knew who Jonathan Winters was - Stumped

[choie]

Oh my lord, CIAS, I'm gonna write and ask Cameron to revoke your UK citizenship--not so much for missing my second question, but EH's first. DUDE.

Bravo on Mary Mary Quite Contrary and Diana Muldaur (so close!). #2 is Margot Ledbetter, from my favorite sitcom of all time, The Good Life, played by the inimitable (and now Dame) Penelope Keith. Specifically referring to "The Wind-Break War" episode, but if you don't know The Good Life that wouldn't help. (Although I thought not knowing TGL was a treasonable offense over yonder.)

One DQ then.

9. Are you known as a writer?

IQs:

1. As an elected politician, did you once defend your stance for pursuing a tax bill by saying your husband told you to support that bill, and after all, God says wives must be submissive? (And also blame a devastating earthquake on America's having encouraged God's wrath? And also wish Elvis a 'happy birthday' on what was actually the anniversary of his death? And claim that carbon dioxide is a misunderstood compound that has never been proven to cause harm? Sorry, I could go on and on here...)

2. On your first date with your husband, who at the time was a colleague at the same law firm where you worked, did you go to see the Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing?

3. As a well-known sports figure, did you become infamous in the late 2000s for your involvement with an illegal dog-fighting ring?

[Elendil's Heir]

Previous IQs:

Could your show, in an alternate universe, have been named Owl Stretching Time? - Monty Python.
Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite? - Didn't know that about Mengele. I'll rephrase.
Did Jonathan Winters play your son? - Mork from Ork, on the TV show Mork and Mindy.

DQs:

Political/military?
Born east of the Mississippi River?

IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite before 1873?
Were you an American woman who displayed remarkable heroism on a battlefield before 1860?
Are you Kenny Loggins's former musical partner?

[CatInASuit]

The only reason I know about Diane Muldaur is because I was looking up human telepaths (like Kylah) in Star Trek the other day and she has played on of the few.
As for The Good Life - I've only ever seen reruns - it belongs to the generation before me.

IQs:
1. As an elected politician, did you once defend your stance for pursuing a tax bill by saying your husband told you to support that bill, and after all, God says wives must be submissive? (And also blame a devastating earthquake on America's having encouraged God's wrath? And also wish Elvis a 'happy birthday' on what was actually the anniversary of his death? And claim that carbon dioxide is a misunderstood compound that has never been proven to cause harm? Sorry, I could go on and on here...)

2. On your first date with your husband, who at the time was a colleague at the same law firm where you worked, did you go to see the Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing?

3. As a well-known sports figure, did you become infamous in the late 2000s for your involvement with an illegal dog-fighting ring?

1. I have happily scrubbed the lady's name from my memory.
2. Is this an Ally Mcbeal question or an LA Law question, or something else - totally stumped.
3. I really should know this one - Michael someone, excellent QB, but cannot remember the surname. Aaargh.

Previous IQs:
Could your show, in an alternate universe, have been named Owl Stretching Time? - Monty Python.

Hold on a moment. Monty Python is the name of the group not a particular individual - I'm not sure its valid, it would be like saying the Rolling Stones is acceptable.
I'll answer one DQ now for certain.

DQs:

Political/military?
Born east of the Mississippi River?

IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite before 1873?
Were you an American woman who displayed remarkable heroism on a battlefield before 1860?
Are you Kenny Loggins's former musical partner?

1. Ok, Mark Anthony of Cleopatra fame, who spent some time subjugating them. Great lover though.
2. No idea - stumped
3. I only know Kenny Loggins for Footloose and Top Gun. Stumped

DQs:

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military

[Elendil's Heir]

...Hold on a moment. Monty Python is the name of the group not a particular individual - I'm not sure its valid, it would be like saying the Rolling Stones is acceptable.
I'll answer one DQ now for certain.
...

I chose my phrasing purposefully. The name of the eventual show is possessive: "Monty Python's Flying Circus." It was intended to refer to a fictitious individual. From Wiki:

There are differing, somewhat confusing accounts of the origins of the Python name although the members agree that its only "significance" was that they thought it sounded funny. In the 1998 documentary Live At Aspen during the US Comedy Arts Festival, where the troupe was awarded the AFI Star Award by the American Film Institute, the group implied that "Monty" was selected (Eric Idle's idea) as a gently-mocking tribute to Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, a legendary British general of World War II; requiring a "slippery-sounding" surname, they settled on "Python". On other occasions Idle has claimed that the name "Monty" was that of a popular and rotund fellow who drank in his local pub; people would often walk in and ask the barman, "Has Monty been in yet?", forcing the name to become stuck in his mind. The name Monty Python was later described by the BBC as being "envisaged by the team as the perfect name for a sleazy entertainment agent."

I hope you will answer my second DQ now.

Previous IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite before 1873? - I'll rephrase.
Were you an American woman who displayed remarkable heroism on a battlefield before 1860? - Molly Pitcher, a heroine of the American Revolution, who served on the crew of a cannon when her husband was wounded IIRC.
Are you Kenny Loggins's former musical partner? - Jim Messina.

DQs:

Born since 1980?
Scientist/inventor?

IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873?
Did Kirsten Dunst play you, a non-American, in a recent movie?
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s?

[CatInASuit]

Life's too short to argue. Well played EH

DQs:

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military
11. Born east of the Mississippi River
12. Not Born since 1980
13. Not a scientist or inventor.

I'm going to go an ponder the IQs.

[choie]

And EH could've had such an easy out with "Oh er sorry, I meant Michael Palin." (That's actually who I assumed he meant in the first place.) Meanwhile I think we'll be here a while on that anti-semite question -- heck, you can pick almost anyone from history and make a good case for it!

The answers to my questions are 1) Michelle Bachman, looney tunes freak Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota; 2) First Lady Michelle Obama, although I love that your mind went to Ally McBeal at all; and 3) Michael Vick, who sadly is now on the NY Jets, a fact that shames me as a New Yorker. Anyway, I'm going to give you the last one because you knew who I meant and had the right first name, so fair do's.

My DQs:

14. A sports figure?
15. A business/industrial figure?

New IQs:

1. Did you write the most often-covered song in music history--oh and also three more songs in the list of top ten?

2. Did you rise to fame playing what would become an iconic noble hero, but more recently earn plaudits for playing an iconic psycho villain... so I hear?

3. The first black person to perform at the Met, were you once denied permission to sing before an integrated audience by a group of so-called patriots--causing the First Lady to publically resign from this group in disgust?

[CatInASuit]

DQs:

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military
11. Born east of the Mississippi River
12. Not Born since 1980
13. Not a scientist or inventor.
14. Sports Figure
15. Not a business or industrial figure

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873?
Did Kirsten Dunst play you, a non-American, in a recent movie?
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s?

1. Thomas More - on the grounds that he was good to everyone and terrible at being anti-Semitic. (I love English double meanings on occasion)
2. This is likely from the Lars von Trier film, or maybe not- stumped
3. Milosevic

Have another DQ.

IQs:

1. Did you write the most often-covered song in music history--oh and also three more songs in the list of top ten?

2. Did you rise to fame playing what would become an iconic noble hero, but more recently earn plaudits for playing an iconic psycho villain... so I hear?

3. The first black person to perform at the Met, were you once denied permission to sing before an integrated audience by a group of so-called patriots--causing the First Lady to publically resign from this group in disgust?

1. All I know is the most oft covered song is Happy Birthday, but I have no idea who wrote it. Stumped.
2. I'm probably going to kick myself when you tell me this one. - Stumped, but I'm all ears.
3. Not an event I am aware of - Stumped.

3 DQs to the clever lady over the pond.

[choie]

Ooh snap! I actually got a DQ. And it's a sports figure. Oh lord, if this is wrestling I haven't a prayer. Hmm.

My answers:

#1 - while "Happy Birthday" is sung more often than any other song, the song with the most recorded cover versions is "Yesterday," by Paul McCartney of course, and the fact that he wrote three more of the most-performed songs should've been your clue. Who else is such a songsmith? (The other songs by Sir Paul on the list are "And I Love Her," "Blackbird," and "Eleanor Rigby." Interestingly while all of these are credited to Lennon-McCartney, they're also the ones most definitely McCartney-only. Suck it, Lennon! )

#2 is the man who gave us Luke Skywalker and the highly acclaimed/popular voice of the animated Joker: Mark Hamill.

#3 is Marian Anderson. The Daughters of the American Republic (relatives of people who lived during the time of the American Revolution) told this amazing singer to shove off because they didn't want a 'colored person' singing at Constitution Hall. Freedom, huh? Eleanor Roosevelt, a DAR herself, was outraged and made a public resignation, following it up with a historic invitation for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial for Easter in front of a crowd of at least 50K. "Genius draws no color line," as the famous intro says. (And you can imagine she's singing "God Save the Queen" if you like, since it's the same tune. )

Okay, so that's three DQs. Well, I'll try to narrow it down a tad, but I won't use all three until EH gets a chance and we can confer.

14. Does he play in a team sport?

[choie]

(Forgot to mention that the "so I hear" in my Mark Hamill question was the hint that part of his work was audio/voice-only. Sort of a crossword puzzle-esque clue.)

[CatInASuit]

My answers:

#1 - while "Happy Birthday" is sung more often than any other song, the song with the most recorded cover versions is "Yesterday," by Paul McCartney of course, and the fact that he wrote three more of the most-performed songs should've been your clue. Who else is such a songsmith? (The other songs by Sir Paul on the list are "And I Love Her," "Blackbird," and "Eleanor Rigby." Interestingly while all of these are credited to Lennon-McCartney, they're also the ones most definitely McCartney-only. Suck it, Lennon! )

#2 is the man who gave us Luke Skywalker and the highly acclaimed/popular voice of the animated Joker: Mark Hamill.

1. D'oh. I was thinking of the song that was sung the most instead of covered and released by other artistes.
2. I shall now hand in my geek badge - I really, really should have known that one as he is the best Joker there is.

DQs:

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military
11. Born east of the Mississippi River
12. Not Born since 1980
13. Not a scientist or inventor.
14. Sports Figure
15. Not a business or industrial figure
16. Did play in a team sport <- Yes, that is a hint.

[Elendil's Heir]

Previous IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873? - I'll rephrase again.
Did Kirsten Dunst play you, a non-American, in a recent movie? - Marie Antoinette.
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s? - I'll rephrase.

DQ:

Businessman?

IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible non-British anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873?
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s, who was not Slobodon Milosevic?
Did you have a dog which saluted with one of its ears?

[CatInASuit]

DQ:

Businessman?

Just for note, this one has been covered off by #15. Feel free to submit another guess.

[choie]

Yay, I outgeeked CIAS!

Oookay, getting warm (I hope).

IQs:

1. Are you an attractive Dublinite who walks through fairly small streets selling sea-based wares out of a wheelbarrow, including one product that could fit right into the garden of the aforementioned contrary Mary?

2. Are you a womanizing baseball player whose retirement was forced due to alcoholism, yet after sobering up you--rather perversely--decided to buy a bar in Massachussetts?

3. Are you considered one of the best athletes of the 20th century who led your team to an astonishing three-in-a-row championship wins ("threepeats")-- twice?

I'll grab one of my remaining DQs:

- Are you retired from playing your sport?

[Elendil's Heir]

Just for note, this one has been covered off by #15. Feel free to submit another guess.

D'oh! Missed that, sorry. My mind is going.

DQ:

Plays or played a sport involving a ball?

[CatInASuit]

DQs:

1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military
11. Born east of the Mississippi River
12. Not Born since 1980
13. Not a scientist or inventor.
14. Sports Figure
15. Not a business or industrial figure
16. Did play in a team sport <- Yes, that is a hint.
17. Retired from playing his chosen sport
18. Played a sport involving a ball.

IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible non-British anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873?
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s, who was not Slobodon Milosevic?
Did you have a dog which saluted with one of its ears?

1. Marco Polo
2. Noope stumped on this one, the only other one I remember is Radavan Karadic (sp.)
3. No idea on the clever dog - stumped

IQs:

1. Are you an attractive Dublinite who walks through fairly small streets selling sea-based wares out of a wheelbarrow, including one product that could fit right into the garden of the aforementioned contrary Mary?

2. Are you a womanizing baseball player whose retirement was forced due to alcoholism, yet after sobering up you--rather perversely--decided to buy a bar in Massachussetts?

3. Are you considered one of the best athletes of the 20th century who led your team to an astonishing three-in-a-row championship wins ("threepeats")-- twice?

1. That would be the lovely Miss Molly Malone whose ghost is allegedly still in business
2. What I know about baseball could be written on the back of a postage stamp and a small one at that. Total WAG Joe DiMaggio.
3. Total guess but someone like Michael Jordan.

[choie]

Crapples I thought I'd gotten it with the Michael Jordan guess!

The only trouble with the ball clue is that of team sports, it just rules out hockey and... synchronized swimming, I guess? Oh and Quidditch. Unless wrestling can be considered a team sport... I don't know how all that (makes wildly vague gesture with her hand) wrestling stuff works.

#1. and #3 are correct, although I can't imagine anyone else who's like Michael Jordan! And I say this as a long-suffering NY Knicks fan who watched her beloved team fall down to Jordan's Bulls like tiny little matadors.

#2 could have been a distant relative of Sweet Molly M.: Sam Malone, the bartender/owner of Cheers, as played by Ted Danson. (Joe DiMaggio? Maybe if his name were spelled Di Maggio, but that would be a cheat either way!) Actually I just this moment realized the answer could have perfectly suited Mickey Mantle! (Except I don't know if he owned a bar outside NYC.)

This could be so many people! Hmm. I'll ask my last DM--hope this will narrow it down a smidge.

19. Is he white?

[Elendil's Heir]

Previous IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible non-British anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873? - I know of no evidence that Marco Polo was a "terrible... anti-Semite." Were you guessing, or do you know that he was? If the latter, I'll rephrase again.
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s, who was not Slobodon Milosevic? - Ratko Mladic
Did you have a dog which saluted with one of its ears? - Marvin the Martian: http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225...k2YeqgFADQ.jpg

DQs:

football player?

One DQ reserved.

[choie]

I'm assuming our posts crossed in the mail, so to speak -- either that or you never read my posts! Alas we're out of questions.

[Elendil's Heir]

Of course I read your posts. Sometimes the quizmaster will, motivated by a generous spirit, answer all outstanding DQs, even if that takes us over twenty.

[CatInASuit]

DQs:
1. Real
2. Male
3. Last name starts with M
4. American
5. Living
6. Not primarily known for the performing arts, but has appeared on the big screen.
7. Born since 1960
8. Born north of the Mason Dixon Line
9. Not known as a writer
10. Not political or Military
11. Born east of the Mississippi River
12. Not Born since 1980
13. Not a scientist or inventor.
14. Sports Figure
15. Not a business or industrial figure, but does have a foundation named after him.
16. Did play in a team sport
17. Retired from playing his chosen sport
18. Played a sport involving a ball.
19. Yes, the person is ethnically classed as white.
20. This person was a GridIron player (for as we know, football is played with your feet and this guy played with his hands )

Couple more hints added.

Crapples I thought I'd gotten it with the Michael Jordan guess!

The only trouble with the ball clue is that of team sports, it just rules out hockey and... synchronized swimming, I guess? Oh and Quidditch. Unless wrestling can be considered a team sport... I don't know how all that (makes wildly vague gesture with her hand) wrestling stuff works.

#1. and #3 are correct, although I can't imagine anyone else who's like Michael Jordan! And I say this as a long-suffering NY Knicks fan who watched her beloved team fall down to Jordan's Bulls like tiny little matadors.

You have obviously never heard of tag team wrestling. Also, I would class Michael Jordan as a sportsman not an athlete, if only because athletes do track and field and not play sports.

Previous IQs:

Were you, despite many other redeeming features, a terrible non-British anti-Semite after the Roman Imperial era and before 1873? - I know of no evidence that Marco Polo was a "terrible... anti-Semite." Were you guessing, or do you know that he was? If the latter, I'll rephrase again.
Were you a notorious Serb leader of the 1990s, who was not Slobodon Milosevic? - Ratko Mladic

Nope, Marco Polo is me having fun, although the question is so open to interpretation, that anyone non-British in the timespan could fit the bill. Though in MP's days, the Israelites were still not popular across Europe and faced hostility, so most people would be disagreeable towards them as a matter of course.

OTOH, while Ratko Mladic was certainly notorious, highly ranked in the Army and responsible for atrocities in the wars, he was not a Serb Leader, as in leading the Serb people.

Good Luck.

[choie]

Ah, the athlete/sportsman distinction must be a UK vs. U.S. thing--we call anyone in sports an athlete. (Just did a quick lookup and yep, the definition on Google is given as someone who plays sports either individually or on a team, and then they say "British English: someone who is skilled in competitive track and field." Amazing how subtle the differences in the same language can be!)

Well, football or non-soccer, as we call it , is definitely not in my wheelhouse. Just thinking of M names, I can imagine Peyton/Eli Manning, who aren't retired; Joe Montana, who could be a very good choice because he must've done some screen appearances...except i have no idea how old he is; Dan Marino, who I know was MVP a few times and was super-famous for a while, but other than that, he's a blank to me; and Mike Ditka, who is 400 years old so it can't be him.

I'm leaning toward Joe Montana--he seems the most likely person that a non-U.S. person would know (aside from Peyton Manning, perhaps). The age thing is troublesome. Let's say the earliest he could have been born and fit this mystery person is 1960. That'd make him 54 now... seems a little too young, but not impossible. Eh, I'll stick on Joe Montana. Let's see what EH guesses!

[Elendil's Heir]

As to the anti-Semite, I was thinking of Martin Luther. Lutheranism long ago made peace with the Jews, and apologized for his backward views.

I didn't capitalize the second word in the phrase "Serb leader." Mladic was a Serb who led (troops) - just as, say, Rommel was a German leader during World War II, even though not a civilian officeholder. Seems a fair question to me.

As to our mystery person, I was thinking of Joe Montana too. We'll see what CIAS has to say.

[CatInASuit]

Sorry choie - No I am not Joe Montana

As for leader, EH, I see where you're coming from, fair enough.

[Elendil's Heir]

No worries.

Are you Payton Manning? If not, I give up.

[choie]

Rats. We only get one guess each, right?

[CatInASuit]

No worries.

Are you Payton Manning? If not, I give up.

Yup, you only get one guess.

Unfortunately, Joe Montana is too old and Peyton Manning is still playing, so also no, I am not Peyton Manning

The answer as choie so nearly got is Dan Marino.

If you're wondering about the acting, he was probably best known in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective albeit playing himself.

[choie]

Oh, holy cow, LOL, that's frustrating! Well played, CIAS. You stomped two Yanks into the ground using one of our own! I knew the Manning boys were out of the running since they're active, but Montana was just barely possible and is so much more famous (at least to me, not that I follow this sport very closely), but now that the round's over, I see that Montana was born in 1956. Had no idea Marino did films too. SO CLOSE.

Good choice. You go again, sir!

[Elendil's Heir]

:: golf clap ::

[CatInASuit]

I'm feeling in a funny mood.

Let's go with W

PS: Updated the letters used too.

[Elendil's Heir]

IQs:

Were you a giant of the British abolitionist movement?
Were you a fan of the card game Oh, Hell?
Did the Pope give you a special flag for your big project?

[choie]

IQs:

After being captured by a notorious villain, did you plead your case so movingly that he spared your life, and even let you take over his job?
As an adult, were you a freemason who wore the largest freemason ring ever created--and as a child of 9, were you so strong you could carry your father up a flight of steps?
Did you bring your teddy bear to a war zone, and then ask a shell-shocked patient to bless it?