Ask Mr. Know It All

Q. Which U.S. president was the first born in a hospital?

S.L.S., Lynn, Mass.

A. James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr. was born at the Wise Sanitarium on Oct. 1, 1924, in the small farming town of Plains, Ga. Carter was the 39th president.

Q. The backflip is no longer permitted in Olympic ice skating competition. Did a skater ever try it?

O.D.M., Roseburg, Ore.

A. During the 1976 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, American skater Terry Kubicka tried and lost points. After the Olympics, the move was banned.

After an underwhelming program, French skater Surya Bonaly performed a backflip in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, to wow the crowd. She landed on one foot, and was penalized for the trick.

Q. One of my favorite movies is John Waters’ “Cry-Baby.” I have rented the movie and have seen it on TV. There are slight differences. Why?

W.Z., Rochester, N.Y.

A. “Cry-Baby” is an homage and spoof of the 1950s teen-rock melodramas. The 1990 film features well-known actors, including Johnny Depp, Amy Locane, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, Ricki Lake, Patty Hearst and Willem Defoe, just to name a few. As for slight variations in the movie, I am told it’s not unusual for scenes to be shot more than once, one time for the big screen and another for the little screen. The change could be due to length or content.

Q. Elvis Presley studied karate. Was he good?

M.L.G., Newton, Mass.

A. Presley received his first-degree black belt March 21, 1960. He received honorary advancement through the years, which culminated in an honorary eighth-degree black belt in 1974. Presley trained and taught in regular classes with other students in Memphis, Tenn.

Q. I’ve heard of the artist Grandma Moses. What was her real name? Was she really a grandma?

O.Z., Crawfordville, Fla.

A. Folk artist Anna Mary Robertson Moses (1860-1961) didn’t start painting until she was in her 70s. She became famous for her American primitives. She had four children, 11 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Q. Chanel No. 5 is my favorite perfume. Why No. 5?

B.A.L., Aiden, Ga.

A. Designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971) introduced her first perfume in 1921.

She chose the fifth perfume sample she was given, and decided to keep the name, “Chanel No. 5.”

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

2013 Gary Clothier