Ask Mr. Know It All

January 8, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

By Gary Clothier

Q. Could you please tell me something about journalist, author and television personality Anderson Cooper? Is he married? Does he have any children?

S.S., Mankato, Minn.

A. Anderson Cooper was born in 1967 to writer Wyatt Emory Cooper and artist, designer, writer and heiress Gloria Vanderbilt. He is a great-great-great-grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. Cooper has a home in Westhampton Beach on Long Island and a penthouse in New York. He has never married and refuses to discuss his private life.

DID YOU KNOW?

Alfred Hitchcock and William Holden delivered the shortest acceptance speeches in Oscar history. When Holden won Best Actor in 1954 and when Hitchcock accepted the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in 1967, both simply said “Thank you” and walked off.

Q. You said that the shortest acceptance speeches for Academy Awards were by William Holden (1954) and Alfred Hitchcock (1967), who merely said “thank you” and walked off. Which winning actor gave the longest acceptance speech?

J.B., Scottsdale, Ariz.

A. In 1943, Greer Garson won an Academy Award for Best Actress for “Mrs. Miniver.” A piece of Oscar trivia says that Garson rambled on for more than an hour during her speech, while, in fact, it was no more than 51/2 minutes. Still, hers was the longest acceptance speech ever and will remain so — the Academy has set a time limit since then. Amazingly, Garson began her speech with the line, “I’m practically unprepared!”

SUPER TRIVIA

A fire at Garson’s home destroyed the original Oscar. The Academy later sent her a replacement.

Q. A few years ago, I saw a movie about a man who thought something was missing from his life. By chance, he signed up for dancing lessons. Although clumsy at first, he fell in love with dancing and the changes it made in his life. Do you know the movie?

H.S., Peoria, Ill.

A. It could be “Shall We Dance” (2004), with Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. Gere plays a man who impulsively signs up for dance lessons, which he initially perceives as a giant mistake. But, as his lessons continue, he falls in love with dancing. He keeps his new obsession secret from his family and friends, all while training for Chicago’s biggest dance competition. The movie is available on DVD.

Q. What is the origin and meaning of the phrase “from the git-go”?

E.B., Spring Bay, Ill.

A. The phrase means “from the start.” That was the easy part. As for the origin of the phrase, I turned to “The Mavens’ Word of the Day,” written by Rob Ewen. He says the phrase first appeared in the mid-1960s as African-American slang from “get going.” The word “git” is merely a variation of “get.”

Q. As a youngster, I watched many movies starring Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse. It seems to me they were married to each other. Is this right? Did they have any children?

J.A., Brockway, Pa.

A. Both Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse had a failed marriage before they tied the knot in 1948. They remained happily married until her death in 2008. (She was born in 1922.) They had one son together, Tony Martin Jr. (1950-2011). Martin adopted Charisse’s son, Nicky, from her first marriage.

Tony Martin was born in 1912 and, as of this writing, remains very much alive.

Q. Who was the actor who played Stan, Dorothy’s ex-husband on the TV sitcom “The Golden Girls”? What became of him?

S.C., Fort Scott, Kan.

A. The role of bald Stanley “Stan” Zbornak was played by Herb Edelman. The series aired from 1985 to 1992; Edelman appeared in 26 of the 180 episodes.

Edelman was born in November 1933 and died in July 1996. He attended Brooklyn College and Cornell University, served in the U.S. Army and worked as a cabdriver while waiting for acting work to come along. He had a successful career as a Broadway actor and later guest-starred in more than 50 TV programs and appeared in more than half a dozen movies. His final television appearance was playing a guest role in “Burke’s Law” (1995).

Q. Several months ago on PBS, I heard a fantastic singing group whose name was, I think, Straight No Chaser. I would like to get their CD if they have one.

M.M.S., Waverly, Ill.

A. You have the name right. Straight No Chaser has several CDs available, including at least two Christmas CDs. I have seen the group’s CDs online at several sites; I’m sure you also could buy them at your local music store.

The a cappella men’s group originated in 1996 at Indiana University and is made up of a rotating group of collegiate performers. A few years later, a professional group was formed under the same name, Straight No Chaser. The professional group is often made up of former members of the college group.

Straight No Chaser has signed a multi-album deal with a recording company, so you’ll be able to enjoy many hours of its music.

Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.