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billnutt · Feb 14, 2007, 04:58 PM

I am trying to complete a trivia contest in a newspaper. I have all but one question answered:

"On screen, this New Jersey-raised actress bonded with Bond, wed Fred and kicked up her heels with Kelly. Name her."

Thank you very much in advance for any help that anyone can give!

Bill

ballengerb1 · Feb 14, 2007, 08:29 PM

Virginia Katherine McMath, also know by her stage name Ginger Rogers.

billnutt · Feb 14, 2007, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Virginia Katherine McMath, also know by her stage name Ginger Rogers.

Thank you for your prompt reply, but I think your answer has two flaws in it:

1) Ginger Rogers wasn't raised in NJ.

2) I can't find a connection in which she "bonded with Bond."

If you can clarify these points and correct my misconceptions, I'd appreciate it!

Bill

RubyPitbull · Feb 15, 2007, 07:26 AM

I have to say, that since I saw your posting yesterday Bill, it has been driving me nuts!

You are right, it is not Ginger Rogers. I tried a search on every actress that I could find that was born in or just raised in, New Jersey. Came up with a number of possibilites but none of them fit all 3 hints. ARRGGHH.

I am sitting here with 2 feet of fresh fallen snow, so aside from shoveling my way out to take my mind off this maddening puzzle, I can't get out of the driveway until it is plowed. So I am stuck here with this frustrating question buzzing around in my head.

Thanks A LOT Bill!! :)

By the way, good call on the other posters movie question. I think you are right. Sounds like Defending Your Life.

I will keep on seeing if I can turn up any useful names up for you. So, if I help you, do I get to split the prize with you?;) lol

ballengerb1 · Feb 15, 2007, 08:19 AM

Sorry, you are correct, she is from Missouri.

billnutt · Feb 15, 2007, 09:11 PM

You think this is driving you nuts? Welcome to MY world! I've been wrestling with this question for two weeks!

The tricky part is the ambiguity. We tend to assume that "wed Fred" refers to Astaire and "kicked up heels with Kelly" refers to Gene Kelly. But what if those are the names of the characters, not the actors? And what if it's a different Fred and Kelly? For that matter, what if "bonded with Bond" refers to Ward Bond and not James Bond.

The only part that's clear is "New Jersey-raised" - and that could apply to dozens of actresses.

If no one gives me a better answer, I'm going to go with Priscilla Barnes. She's the only Bond girl I can find who was raised in NJ (actually, she was BORN here, and that is a strike against her; it would more likely say "New Jersey native"), and in a couple of her early movies she played opposite characters named "Freddie" and "Kelly." (NO idea if she married the "Freddie" character, though.)

Still, if you (or anyone) can give me a better answer, I'd appreciate it. My deadline is February 27.

Thanks very much!

Bill

RubyPitbull · Feb 16, 2007, 05:44 AM

Bill, I am giving it my best shot. I love stuff like this. And yes, I started thinking along the lines you were thinking, but in another direction. The other thoughts about the Bond thing, is that you have SO many Bonds but I was negating Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, which I am guessing now, I shouldn't do. George Lazenby only played the role once, and I tried every which way using him. Then, I started thinking, okay, Sean Connery is considered by many purists as THE J.B. What if it is someone who "bonded" with him, but she did it in another film, in which he was playing a totally different character?

The biggest problem is, when the answer is so obscure, that you start overthinking it.

I am not so sure about Priscilla Barnes, but I will take a look. I think you are right in one aspect. It says, "raised" in NJ, not born. I think that is the key clue.

So, if you are online over the next couple of days, and you want to try brainstorming with me, send me a PM (private message). If I am online, I will respond and we can see if we can't put our heads together and discuss the names I have come up with.

billnutt · Feb 16, 2007, 11:13 AM

Dear Ruby (may I call you that?)

Thanks for investing time into this, even though you get nothing from it except my thanks. (If I _do_ win, my wife might have something to say about who goes with me on the trip to Hollywood! )

I know what you mean about overthinking it. And I also know what you mean about Connery or one of the other "Bonds."

I'm not going to be online too much this weekend, but I'll be popping in and out. If you want to let me know what names you're considering, we can go from there.

I've never used IMDb.com so much!

Bill

RubyPitbull · Feb 16, 2007, 11:31 AM

Hey Bill, I just saw your posting as I was about to step away from the computer.

Tell your wife not to worry. I may be a movie buff, but I have no interest in Tinsletown.:)
You just have to let me know the answer if you come up with it. It can be after the contest is over if you are afraid someone else will see it.;)

Okay, before I run off -- The other thing that came to my mind was the original Casino Royale, Woody Allen's version.

Another Fred could be Fred MacMurray.

What if Kelly is Grace Kelly and there was some dance routine that was done with another woman?

THIS is what I meant about overthinking. If you have some other thoughts or ideas for me to follow up, let me know. I will see what I can track down over the weekend.

The women that I have come up with and can't seem to connect to all three clues:

Joan Bennett
Ruth St Denis
Patricia McBride
Dionne Warwick (what?)
Lee Meredith

Eva Marie Saint
Jayne Wyatt
Vivian Blaine
Sandra Dee
Celeste Holm
Joanna Cassidy
Joan Caulfield
Phyllis Kirk
Natalie Schafer (remember Gilligan's Island?)

All of these women are in some way connected to NJ, I am sure I forgot someone but I am kind of rushing.

And, of course, there are more recent ones that I haven't really looked at.

I know what you mean, IMDb is a great resource.

billnutt · Feb 16, 2007, 03:44 PM

Ruby,

I got it.

I can't believe it, but I got it.

I'll let you know in two weeks, after the contest deadline. (I don't think anyone else interested in the contest is here, but just in case... )

Thanks for inspiring me!

I'll give you a hint: I was wrong. Priscilla Barnes is not the only Bond girl with a New Jersey connection.

Bill

billnutt · Feb 28, 2007, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

I have to say, that since I saw your posting yesterday Bill, it has been driving me nuts!

You are right, it is not Ginger Rogers. I tried a search on every actress that I could find that was born in or just raised in, New Jersey. Came up with a number of possibilites but none of them fit all 3 hints. ARRGGHH.

I am sitting here with 2 feet of fresh fallen snow, so aside from shoveling my way out to take my mind off this maddening puzzle, I can't get out of the driveway until it is plowed. So I am stuck here with this frustrating question buzzing around in my head.

Thanks A LOT Bill!!! :)

By the way, good call on the other posters movie question. I think you are right. Sounds like Defending Your Life.

I will keep on seeing if I can turn up any useful names up for you. So, if I help you, do I get to split the prize with you?;) lol

Dear Ruby,

The contest ended 50 minutes ago, so now it can be told:

The answer is Gloria Hendry. She was raised in New Jersey.

She bonded with Bond in LIVE AND LET DIE. In fact, she has the distinction of being the first African-American Bond girl. I don't know HOW I missed her the first time I was going through the Bond movies!

The "Fred" she wed was not Fred Astaire, but Fred Williamson in the movie BLACK CAESAR. She played the same role - as Williamson's EX-wife - in the sequel HELL UP IN HARLEM. (That movie, by the way, figured in the answer of another question in this quiz. This is not unusual; whoever devises these quizzes will sometimes have references to the same movie in a couple of clues.

The "Kelly" with whom she kicked up her heels was not Gene Kelly, but Jim Kelly in a movie called BLACK BELT JONES. Yes, it was one of those kung-fu exploitation movies of the 1970s.

So there you have it.

The drawing for the winner is this weekend. I'll let you know what happens!

Thanks for being a great sounding board!
Bill

RubyPitbull · Feb 28, 2007, 05:02 PM

Bill, I sent you a private message after I saw your post on the other person's question. I guess you didn't see it.

Thanks for coming back to let me know. I never in a million years would have figured that one out. Excellent call Bill! Those questions were tough. I saw others on the boards here that I know where from the same contest. (Didn't even try to answer them in deference to you).:p

I am rooting for you. You have to come back and let me know if you won the contest!! :)

Good job man!

billnutt · Feb 28, 2007, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

Bill, I sent you a private message after I saw your post on the other person's question. I guess you didn't see it.

Thanks for coming back to let me know. I never in a million years would have figured that one out. Excellent call Bill! Those questions were tough. I saw others on the boards here that I know where from the same contest. (Didn't even try to answer them in deference to you).:p

I am rooting for ya. You have to come back and let me know if you won the contest!!!!:)

Good job man!

No, I didn't see your private post. (I hope I can find it!)

I had never heard of Gloria Hendry before this. But then, I hadn't heard of MOST of the actors, actresses and films before this quiz.

It sounds like at least one other person here is fairly confident about responses. We'll see what happens.

Thanks again!

Bill

ToniGirl508 · Feb 28, 2007, 09:48 PM

I also answered Gloria Hendry and had the same thought process as you. Great minds think alike, lol.