Ask Mr. Know It All

Q. What is Richard Thomas of “The Waltons” doing these days? Did he remarry?

B.M., Western Grove, Ark.

A. Since “The Waltons,” Richard Thomas has continued with his acting career. He has many guest appearances and a great deal of stage performances. You may have seen him on “Rizzoli & Isles,” “Law & Order” or “Taking Woodstock.”

Thomas has been married twice. His first marriage, to Alma Gonzales, lasted from 1975 to 1993 and produced a son and triplet daughters. He married his second wife, Georgiana Bischoff, in November 1994. They have one son.

Q. What has happened to the cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized off the coast of Italy? What about the captain?

P.T., Owensboro, Ky.

A. The Costa Concordia, which capsized after running aground off the coast of Italy on Jan. 13, killing 32 passengers and crew members, is still sitting off the coast of Giglio Island. It sits on the bottom on only the two ends of the ship, not the middle. The salvage company contracted to remove the ship plans to build an underwater platform, hoist the ship onto it and attach some sort of ballast structures to each side and inflate them to raise the ship. It will be a complicated and hazardous job. When the ship is righted, it will be towed to a port. It is expected to be removed by spring 2014.

The captain, Francesco Schettino, has been accused of manslaughter, abandoning his ship and causing a shipwreck. He is currently free, but he has been ordered to remain in his hometown while the investigation takes place. The soonest a trial is expected is early 2013.

DID YOU KNOW?

Between 1993 and 1995, Christina Aguilera appeared on “MMC” (a “Mickey Mouse Club” revival).

Q. A couple was standing near me. She sneezed, and I instinctively said, “God bless you.” She said something that sounded like “pravda” and looked at me and said “thank you.” They were foreigners. What does “pravda” mean? I know Pravda as a Russian newspaper.

M.L., Olympia, Wash.

A. In many cultures, including ours, there are multiple sayings uttered after a person sneezes. In Czech, there is no difference. After one sneezes, he might hear “bless God” or “greet God” or “to your health,” followed by the phrase you heard, “je to pravda” — meaning, “it is true.” A very good friend of mine tells me the same phrase is also used in his home country, Poland, and means the same thing.

Q. I’ve heard the saying, “He has more money than you can shake a stick at.” Shake a stick at what?

J.K.

A. There are several explanations of the phrase. Most sources say it was first used in print in the early 1800s. Shaking a stick could be considered a hostile action. Shaking a stick at foes who outnumber you could lead to this phrase. Or a stick might be used in counting: An overwhelming number of things to count might be “more than you can shake a stick at.”

Q. About the TV series “Ballykissangel” — is there a town in Ireland with this name? If so, where is it?

E.R., Chester, Pa.

A. There is no town in Ireland with the name Ballykissangel; however, the name is taken from a town near County Kerry, Ireland, named Ballykissane. Kieran Prendiville, the creator of the show, vacationed in Ballykissane when he was a boy. In Gaelic, Ballykissangel is “Baile Coisc Aingeal,” which translates to “the town of the fallen angel.”

The BBC series aired on PBS from February 1996 through April 2001. The series is available on DVD.

Q. Sometime in late 1976 or early 1977, I was watching a movie on TV and had to leave before the end of it. I’m not certain of the name of the movie, but I think it was “Raging Bull.” I believe the story was about Buford Pusser being booted out of professional wrestling and returning to Tennessee before he became a sheriff. If this is enough information, I would like to know if there is anywhere I can get a copy.

D.W.B., Dallas, N.C.

A. The movie “Raging Bull,” starring Robert De Niro, wasn’t released until 1980. It is about Jake LaMotta, an Italian-American middleweight boxer.

I think the movie you watched is 1973’s “Walking Tall,” starring Joe Don Baker as Buford Pusser. The DVD is available at Amazon.com.

DID YOU KNOW?

Arnold Schwarzenegger was considered for the role of President James Marshall in “Air Force One” (1997). The role went to Harrison Ford.

Q. My favorite actress of the ’50s and ’60s was Mari Blanchard. Could you tell me about her career and what has become of her?

J.F., Eldorado, Ill.

A. Mari Blanchard was born April 13, 1927, in Long Beach, Calif. At age 9 she contracted polio, which forced her to give up her dream of becoming a dancer. She spent years working to regain the full use of her limbs. She attended the University of Southern California, graduating with a degree in international law.

Blanchard began her show business career as a model and film extra in the 1940s. After being noticed by a producer in the early ‘50s, she was signed by Universal-International, where she got better roles. From 1960-61, she starred in the television show “Klondike.” Her last film was with John Wayne in “McLintock!” in 1963. She died May 10, 1970, after a long battle with cancer. She was 43 years old.

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