Pop culture Q&A

March 6, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Rich Heldenfels

McClatchy Newspapers

Q. A story about Donald Sutherland’s getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame brought up a question I’ve been wondering about for a long time. What processes determine who gets the star? And for some actors, why is it so long to finally get it when they have been acting for so many years? In this case, Donald’s son Kiefer got his first. How?

A. It may have depended on when each was nominated and who was paying for that star.

Anyone can nominate a celebrity, provided you have written permission from the star or the star’s management. There are five categories: motion pictures, television, radio, recording and live theater performances. Kiefer Sutherland, chosen in 2008, is in the TV category; Donald Sutherland, added in January, is in the movie category. Bob Hope has stars in four categories, all but recordings; Gene Autry has all five.

A committee picks 15 to 25 honorees from the nominated each year; you can read more about the rules and find a nomination form at www.hollywoodchamber.net. But one rule in particular raises eyebrows. Once selected, a celebrity or his sponsors must come up with $30,000 “to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

Q. There is an actor who is really excellent. He was in “Downton Abbey” as Bates, a footman. In “Lark Rise to Candleford,” he is the father of Laura. Who is he?

A. He is Brendan Coyle, an actor who was born in England and grew up in Dublin and London. Seeing a Shakespeare play inspired him to take up acting. Besides the credits you mentioned, he has been in “Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act:” and the British productions of “North & South” and “Jericho.” He has taken on some physically challenging parts, including the lame Bates (written by “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes with Coyle in mind) and a blind man in the series “True Dare Kiss.” He is also the great-nephew of Sir Matt Busby, a legendary soccer player. By the way, a second season of “Downton” is in the works.

Q. All the recent attention about the IBM computer Watson’s appearing on “Jeopardy” has jogged my memory about a movie released in the ’70s (I think). It was about a computer that took over the world. I think the name of the computer was Colossus or Colossal. Don’t remember any of the stars in it. Any info and availability would be helpful.

A. The movie was “Colossus: The Forbin Project,” sometimes just called “The Forbin Project,” from 1970. The cast included Eric Braeden and Susan Clark, with a script based on the first of three “Colossus” novels by D.F. Jones. It is on DVD. There also has been talk for several years about a new movie based on all three books.

Q. I’m a recent viewer of the “Daily Mass” on EWTN. What is the name of the church and its address? Are all the Masses said in Latin?

A. Except for special occasions, Mass is said in Our Lady of the Angels Chapel, 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210. EWTN is based in Irondale. As for the Latin question, according to EWTN, “while the Second Vatican Council [Vatican II] permitted the Mass to be celebrated in local languages, it also directed that Latin continue to be used in parts of Roman Rite liturgies. In compliance with renewed papal exhortations to use Latin in the liturgy, portions of EWTN’s English-speaking Masses are prayed in Latin.”

For information about EWTN and its programming, see www.ewtn.com.

2011, Akron Beacon Journal