Ask Mr. Know It All

By Gary Clothier

Q. In the movie “Charlie Chan at the Opera,” did Boris Karloff do his own singing?

M.M., Van Buren, Ark.

A. Boris Karloff did not do his own singing in the 1936 film. A singer named Tudor Williams dubbed Karloff’s voice.

Q. Which is correct: “I could care less” or “I couldn’t care less”?

T.O.

A. According to Michael Quinion in his column “World Wide Words,” “I could not care less” was originally a British saying and came to the U.S. in the 1950s. The inverted form, “I could care less,” was coined in the U.S. and is found only here. Many claim that the way one says the phrase is crucial: “I could care less” means the same thing as “I couldn’t care less” when said in a sarcastic tone. Otherwise, “I couldn’t care less” is correct.

Q. My wife and I are great fans of the TV series “M*A*S*H.” We watch reruns nearly every night. In the opening credits, five nurses run toward the chopper pad. We are curious about the brunette who is in front: Who is she?

G. and C.W., St. Croix, Virgin Islands

A. Her name is Kathy Denny Fradella. She said she was a runner in high school, so she was more than eager to compete with the other actors for a chance to be in front for the credits. After the series, she acted in “Kojak,” “Starsky and Hutch” and other shows. Fradella lives in Southern California. She is married and has two adult children. She is not involved in show business.

Fans of “M*A*S*H” will enjoy more trivia at mash4077tv.com.

Q. Who is the hunk who does the Ford commercials?

B.D., Fort Smith, Ark.

A. The “hunk” in the Ford commercials is Michael Gregory “Mike” Rowe. He is best known as the host of the Discovery Channel series “Dirty Jobs.” He was born in Baltimore in 1962. He graduated from Towson University with a degree in communication studies. Rowe sang professionally with the Baltimore Opera. His first job on TV was as a host on QVC.

Q. Can you tell me when and why Hydrox cookies became Oreos?

M.D., Naples, Fla.

A. Let me start off with a question: Do you know which cookie holds the title of being “America’s first creme-filled chocolate cookie”? If you said Hydrox, you are right. Hydrox was introduced by Sunshine in 1908; Oreo was introduced by Nabisco in 1912.

Over the years, Hydrox was sold to various companies. In 1999, Keebler replaced Hydrox with a similar cookie, Droxies. Droxies were dropped in 2003 after Kellogg’s took over. There was no merger of cookies; Hydrox was eliminated and Oreo became the undisputed king of creme-filled chocolate cookies.

Q. Years ago, I remember Chuck Connors — of “The Rifleman” fame — played baseball for the Chicago Cubs. Could you give some information about him from when he played the sport?

L.V.G., Henry, Ill.

A. Kevin Joseph “Chuck” Connors was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940 as an amateur free agent. He did not make his major-league debut until May 1949. He had only one at bat that season. In 1951, Connors played first base for one season with the Chicago Cubs. His batting average was .239. For super trivia junkies, he wore number 36 with the Dodgers and 40 with the Cubs.

From 1946 to 1949, Connors played two seasons with the basketball team the Boston Celtics. He was not very productive, which is why he tried baseball. He also was drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

He was born in April 1921 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and he died Nov. 10, 1992, in Los Angeles at age 71.

Q. At the start of the old TV Western “The Rifleman,” what kind of rifle is he using?

W.H., Terre Haute, Ind.

A. Chuck Connors is using a modified 1892 Winchester SRC .44-.40 caliber carbine with a standard 20-inch barrel. The signature rapid-fire mechanism was designed originally to keep Connors’ finger from getting punctured by the trigger as he rapidly fired the gun. The series ran from September 1958 until July 1963.

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

2012 Gary Clothier