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Q: What was the real name of gangster Dutch Schultz? When was he "rubbed out"?
V.C., Peachtree City, Ga.
A: Mom and Pop Flegenheimer named their bouncing baby boy Arthur Simon. He was born on Aug. 6, 1902, in The Bronx, New York. At the age of 17, Flegenheimer was arrested for burglarizing a Bronx apartment and received his first and only prison sentence. Either while in prison or shortly afterward, he took the name of a once-feared gang member, Dutch Schultz. Schultz was gunned down on Oct. 23, 1935, while in the Palace Chophouse, a diner in Newark, N.J. He died the next day.
Q: My music library consists of hundreds of "Greatest Hits" albums from nearly as many artists. Who came out with the first such album?
C.Z., Jacksonville, Fla.
A: In 1958, Johnny Mathis came out with the very first "greatest hits" album ever marketed. As for its success, it was a monster hit. The album was No. 1 for three weeks and was on Billboard's Pop Album chart for 490 consecutive weeks. I'll do the math for you on this one: that's nearly nine and a half years.
Q: When was Columbia University founded? Was it always known as Columbia?
M.F., Central Falls, R.I.
A: Founded by royal charter of King George II of England, King's College opened in 1754 in New York City with an enrollment of eight students. In 1776, instruction was suspended because of the American Revolution. The college reopened in 1784 as Columbia College. In 1896, the name was changed to Columbia University. Today, its official name is Columbia University in the City of New York. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States.
Q: My grandfather loved the breakfast cereal Cheerios, but he would call them something that sounded like "cherry-oats." By any chance is there any significance to the two names?
B.W., Willits, Calif.
A: When the cereal was first introduced in 1941, they were called Cheerioats. A year later, a mascot named Cheeri O'Leary was introduced. In 1945, the name of the cereal was changed to Cheerios.
Q: The theme song for comedy team Laurel and Hardy always seemed to be a dopey type song to me. Do you have any idea of its name?
B.E., Trinidad, Colo.
A: Appropriately, it was "The Dancing Cuckoos."
Q: Liza Minnelli's mother was Judy Garland. Liza has a half-sister. What is her name?
M.E., Pottsville, Pa.
A: Lorna Luft. Lorna was born on Nov. 21, 1952; her father is producer Sidney Luft. Liza Minnelli's birthday, by the way, is March 12, 1946; her father was film director Vincente Minnelli.
Q: I saw a notation about a play, giving credit to Sir Tree. Is there really such a person?
H.R., Cloverdale, Ind.
A: There was. Herbert Draper Beerbohm was born in London, England, on Dec. 17, 1853. He was educated in England and Germany. He took to the stage in 1876 as Herbert Beerbohm Tree, and became one of the great figures in English theater not only as an actor but as a theater manager as well. In 1904, he founded what became the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; he was knighted in 1909. He died on July 2, 1917.
Q: When did Burger King introduce the Whopper sandwich?
T.D., Saginaw, Mich.
A: In 1954, James McLamore and David Edgerton opened their first Burger King restaurant in Miami, Fla. Three years later, the Whopper was introduced. The cost? Thirty-seven cents. A regular hamburger cost 18 cents.
Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at gclothier@readingeagle.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.
V.C., Peachtree City, Ga.
A: Mom and Pop Flegenheimer named their bouncing baby boy Arthur Simon. He was born on Aug. 6, 1902, in The Bronx, New York. At the age of 17, Flegenheimer was arrested for burglarizing a Bronx apartment and received his first and only prison sentence. Either while in prison or shortly afterward, he took the name of a once-feared gang member, Dutch Schultz. Schultz was gunned down on Oct. 23, 1935, while in the Palace Chophouse, a diner in Newark, N.J. He died the next day.
Q: My music library consists of hundreds of "Greatest Hits" albums from nearly as many artists. Who came out with the first such album?
C.Z., Jacksonville, Fla.
A: In 1958, Johnny Mathis came out with the very first "greatest hits" album ever marketed. As for its success, it was a monster hit. The album was No. 1 for three weeks and was on Billboard's Pop Album chart for 490 consecutive weeks. I'll do the math for you on this one: that's nearly nine and a half years.
Q: When was Columbia University founded? Was it always known as Columbia?
M.F., Central Falls, R.I.
A: Founded by royal charter of King George II of England, King's College opened in 1754 in New York City with an enrollment of eight students. In 1776, instruction was suspended because of the American Revolution. The college reopened in 1784 as Columbia College. In 1896, the name was changed to Columbia University. Today, its official name is Columbia University in the City of New York. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States.
Q: My grandfather loved the breakfast cereal Cheerios, but he would call them something that sounded like "cherry-oats." By any chance is there any significance to the two names?
B.W., Willits, Calif.
A: When the cereal was first introduced in 1941, they were called Cheerioats. A year later, a mascot named Cheeri O'Leary was introduced. In 1945, the name of the cereal was changed to Cheerios.
Q: The theme song for comedy team Laurel and Hardy always seemed to be a dopey type song to me. Do you have any idea of its name?
B.E., Trinidad, Colo.
A: Appropriately, it was "The Dancing Cuckoos."
Q: Liza Minnelli's mother was Judy Garland. Liza has a half-sister. What is her name?
M.E., Pottsville, Pa.
A: Lorna Luft. Lorna was born on Nov. 21, 1952; her father is producer Sidney Luft. Liza Minnelli's birthday, by the way, is March 12, 1946; her father was film director Vincente Minnelli.
Q: I saw a notation about a play, giving credit to Sir Tree. Is there really such a person?
H.R., Cloverdale, Ind.
A: There was. Herbert Draper Beerbohm was born in London, England, on Dec. 17, 1853. He was educated in England and Germany. He took to the stage in 1876 as Herbert Beerbohm Tree, and became one of the great figures in English theater not only as an actor but as a theater manager as well. In 1904, he founded what became the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; he was knighted in 1909. He died on July 2, 1917.
Q: When did Burger King introduce the Whopper sandwich?
T.D., Saginaw, Mich.
A: In 1954, James McLamore and David Edgerton opened their first Burger King restaurant in Miami, Fla. Three years later, the Whopper was introduced. The cost? Thirty-seven cents. A regular hamburger cost 18 cents.
Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at gclothier@readingeagle.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.
