How do you play "Ask Me Another"?

[Espee]

Remember a frustrated Groucho, says to Chico(? I believe...):
"Say, we're not playing Ask Me Another..."

and here are some lyrics from "Who-oo? You-oo, That's Who!"--

"Everywhere, now-a-days,
They've got that question-asking craze;
Dad says to Mother,
Ask me another;
Now, I got some questions, too;
I'd like to ask you just a few,
I know the answers; so do you!"

So, is Ask Me Another a game, with rules?

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Ask Me Another" was the Golden Era equivalent of playing "trivia." It started out with a novelty book published in early 1927 called "Ask Me Another," which was simply a collection of 2000 questions and answers on general topics, organized into 30 general-knowledge quizzes, with an additional section of specialized quizzes on individual topics. As part of the marketing the publishers submitted the questions to experts in various fields, and noted how well they did, sort of a primitive "Information Please" idea. They also pushed it as an educational tool, calling it "The Book That Makes Facts Stick in Your Mind!" As an added bit of appeal to sophisticates, the book included a preface by Robert Benchley.

"Ask Me Another" was a huge fad in 1927, like crossword puzzles had been a few years earlier, and for years after newspapers and radio stations would run "Ask Me Another" features when they had some space to fill. A sequel to the original book was published later in 1927, and the two were subsequently reissued in a single volume. A revised edition with updated questions came out in 1938, and was still in print well into the forties, making it one of the longer-lived fads of the time.

 

[Espee]

Thanks so much!

 

[The Wolf]

LizzieMaine does it again!
I hadn't been aware if the books. Thanks for asking the question and thanks to LM for the answer.
Now I want to read some of the questions.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[LizzieMaine]

I just dug out my copy of the original 1927 edition, so here's General Quiz #1, complete and unedited:


Where do immigrants land on arriving at New York Harbor?

Who wrote "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?"

What governor of what state attained national prominence as the result of a police strike in the state capital?

What style of writing did the early Babylonians use?

What Biblical character is famous for his patience under tribulation?

What have the following in common: Grieg, Debussy, MacDowell, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff?

What is coral?

What is the chief export commodity of (a) the United States, and (b) Canada?

What product is advertised by the slogan "Four our of Five get it before they are forty?"

What is a centuar?

In the early days of the World War, the seat of the French government was removed from Paris to what city?

What is a Bunsen burner?

Who painted La Gioconda?

What British music-hall comedian has since become most prominent in American moving pictures?

Who wrote Lorna Doone?

Where has Dr. Grenfell for many years carried on his missionary work?

What was the "Tweed Ring?"

What is the longest bridge in the world?

What columnist created the character of "archy the cockroach?"

To what school of painting does Pablo Picasso belong?

In America, what corresponds to the "Hire Purchase" system of England?

From what is Coal derived?

Who was "The Scourge of God?"

Who discovered the X-Ray?

What are Mandarins?

Who purchased New York from the Indians in 1626?

What is the name of the drops which oculists use to enlarge the pupil of the eye?

Give the next line: "Blessings on thee, little man..."

What was the significance of the English cartoon "Dropping the Pilot?"

Who wrote both "The Circular Staircase" and "The Bat?"

For what popular saying was Dr. Emil Coue responsible?

What position did "Uncle Joe" Cannon hold before his retirement from politics?

What is the capital of (a) Spain and (b) Portugal?

Who is referred to by the expression "Tommy Atkins?"

In what state is each of the following? (a) Amherst College, (b) Dartmouth College, (c) Drake University, (d) Leland Stanford Jr. University, (e) Centre College.

What is the meaning of the Latin expression "E Pluribus Unum?"

Who is the best-known Indiana poet?

What is a paynim?

Who is generally credited with introducing tobacco into Europe?

What have the the following in common? Fernec Molnar, Eugene Brieux, Franz Werfel, Noel Coward, Owen Davis.

Who is responsible for the phrase "Open covenants openly arrived at?"

At whose hands did Jesus receive baptism?

What living British essayist and novelist is famous for his many paradoxes?

How do Kangaroos carry their offspring?

Give within 10 percent the proportion of the earth's surface covered by water.

What is a leviathan?

What is the City of Brotherly Love, and who founded it?

What famous American war correspondent wrote "Soldiers of Fortune," "Van Bibber," and many other novels and short stories?

Who wrote "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?"


We're advised at the start of the quiz that celebrity author Anita Loos scored 80 percent on this quiz, and her husband, celebrity illustrator Ralph Barton scored 84. How will YOU do? Remember, all answers are as of February 1927.

 

[vitanola]

test

 

[vitanola]

I just dug out my copy of the original 1927 edition, so here's General Quiz #1, complete and unedited:


Where do immigrants land on arriving at New York Harbor? Ellis Island

Who wrote "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?" Ibanez

What governor of what state attained national prominence as the result of a police strike in the state capital? Calvin Cooledge of Massachusetts

What style of writing did the early Babylonians use? cuneiform

What Biblical character is famous for his patience under tribulation? Job

What have the following in common: Grieg, Debussy, MacDowell, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff? They are composers

What is coral? a marine animal

What is the chief export commodity of (a) the United States, and (b) Canada? a. oil and petroleum products, b. lumber

What product is advertised by the slogan "Four our of Five get it before they are forty?" a dentifrice, Fordhams, as I recall

What is a centuar? a mythical creature, half man and half horse

In the early days of the World War, the seat of the French government was removed from Paris to what city?

What is a Bunsen burner? a gas burner with a venturi which allows the precise admixture of air and fuel, as used in the Welsbach lamp

Who painted La Gioconda? ???

What British music-hall comedian has since become most prominent in American moving pictures? Lupino Lane

Who wrote Lorna Doone? Blackamoor

Where has Dr. Grenfell for many years carried on his missionary work? Newfoundland, I have yet a Grenfell rug

What was the "Tweed Ring?" the corrupt Tammany administration of New York back in the '60's and '70's

What is the longest bridge in the world? the Florida east Coast Railway viaduct

What columnist created the character of "archy the cockroach?" Don Marquis

To what school of painting does Pablo Picasso belong? cubist

In America, what corresponds to the "Hire Purchase" system of England? buying "on time"

From what is Coal derived? prehistoric plants

Who was "The Scourge of God?" Atilla

Who discovered the X-Ray? Wilhelm Roentgen

What are Mandarins? A cross between a Valencia orange and a tangerine, or a Chinese intellectual caste

Who purchased New York from the Indians in 1626? Peter Minuit

What is the name of the drops which oculists use to enlarge the pupil of the eye? Belladona

Give the next line: "Blessings on thee, little man..." "Barefot boy, with cheek of tan!"

What was the significance of the English cartoon "Dropping the Pilot?" ???

Who wrote both "The Circular Staircase" and "The Bat?" Mary Roberts Reinhart

For what popular saying was Dr. Emil Coue responsible? "Every day in every way I'm getting better and better"

What position did "Uncle Joe" Cannon hold before his retirement from politics? Speaker of the House

What is the capital of (a) Spain and (b) Portugal? a. Madrid, b. Lisbon

Who is referred to by the expression "Tommy Atkins?" a British common soldier

In what state is each of the following? (a) Amherst College, (b) Dartmouth College, (c) Drake University, (d) Leland Stanford Jr. University, (e) Centre College. a. Massachusetts, b. New ampshire, C. Iowa, d. California, e. Kentuckey

What is the meaning of the Latin expression "E Pluribus Unum?" "From many, One."

Who is the best-known Indiana poet? john greenleaf Whittier, not to be confused with J. G. Whortle, the poet laureate of Toonerville

What is a paynim? A Musselman, or a Heathen

Who is generally credited with introducing tobacco into Europe? Sir Walter Raleigh

What have the the following in common? Fernec Molnar, Eugene Brieux, Franz Werfel, Noel Coward, Owen Davis. they are all dramatists

Who is responsible for the phrase "Open covenants openly arrived at?" President Wilson

At whose hands did Jesus receive baptism? John the Baptist

What living British essayist and novelist is famous for his many paradoxes? Arnold Bennett

 

[vitanola]

How do Kangaroos carry their offspring? in a pouch, as do most marsupials

Give within 10 percent the proportion of the earth's surface covered by water. 70%

What is a leviathan? A great sea monster

What is the City of Brotherly Love, and who founded it? Philadelphia, William Penn

What famous American war correspondent wrote "Soldiers of Fortune," "Van Bibber," and many other novels and short stories? Richard Harding Davis

Who wrote "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?" Washington Irving

 

[vitanola]

oops!

In the early days of the World War, the seat of the French government was removed from Paris to what city? Bordeaux

 

[Espee]

I would say Chaplin rather than Lupino Lane

I think Coral is the calcium remains of deceased marine organisms

There was a New York Central (later Amtrak) train named for poet James Whitcomb Riley of Indiana. I don't know if Whittier was from there or not!

(I'll skip the ones where I like your answers better than the ones I had...)

 

[LizzieMaine]

Whittier was not from Indiana -- he came from Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Anyone else want to take a crack before I give the answers? Are you smarter than Anita Loos?

 

[Philip A.]

Who painted La Gioconda? ??? - Leonardo da Vinci (La Gioconda is Mona Lisa)

 

[normanpitkin]

Didn't peter stuyvesant buy new york ,I seem to recall it said so on the back of the packet?
Chaplin is obviously the answer ,not lupino laine
lorna doone written by Blackmore N!OT blackamoor ,this means something else entirely.
Dropping the pilot ,a famous punch cartoon of Bismarck (the man not the herring,haha) resigning.
My two cents worth

 

[vitanola]

I would say Chaplin rather than Lupino Lane

I think Coral is the calcium remains of deceased marine organisms

There was a New York Central (later Amtrak) train named for poet James Whitcomb Riley of Indiana. I don't know if Whittier was from there or not!

(I'll skip the ones where I like your answers better than the ones I had...)

I am quite certain that your are correct about Charlie Chaplin. I really hit a clinker with that one.

Riley! Of course! Whittier did not pen (nor did he record) "Little Orphant Annie". I think that my stupidity may be excused due to local preference, as I live next-door to Will Carelton's home. Good thing I'm not a betting man, or it would be "Over the hill to the Poorhouse" with me.

At the time the living marine organisms marine organisms were commonly called "Corals", as in the song "Where Corals Lie". even so, your answer is more precise and is probably chore strictly correct.

As far as the eye drops used by opthamoligists, an evening's reflection suggests that "Atropine" wild be more strictly correct, though it is a Belladona derivative.

The longest bridge system at the time was indeed the Flagler viaduct, though the longest suspension span was the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, the longest Cantilever span was the Quebec Bridge, and the longest Arch was th Hell Gate.

Blackmore, YES! Memory does play tricks with one doesit not?

I missed the Punch cartoon entirely, though I'm almost embarrasses to so admit.

Guess I'm no Anita Loos. Of course those who've seen my photograph know this.

 

[Fletch]

I'm thinking Peter Minuit bought New Amsterdam and Peter Stuyvesant just was colonial governor. But I might have it backwards.

However, I am dead sure neither of them was Peter Cooper.

 

[Espee]

I had the same Peter Confusion but I looked it up recently-- I had seen a 1960s photo of a "TISHMAN" high-rise office building and I remembered Stan Freberg's version, where Manhattan is purchased by "Peter Tishman." The real answer is Minuet.
(On the back of what packet?)
I suppose in 1927 oil was the biggest U.S. export, but a few years earlier would it have been coal?
At some point later did it become wheat?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Nobody's yet gotten the US export question, so keep cogitating. I'll have the answers tomorrow, to be followed by another set of questions.

 

[Espee]

I'll throw out Starucca Viaduct for the longest rail bridge.
Flagler's Key West Extension was a SERIES of bridges.

Did Ask Me Another come in a flimsy-paper WWII edition?

 

[Espee]

Bismark, not the herring and not a doughnut?

 

[vitanola]

I'll throw out Starucca Viaduct for the longest rail bridge.
Flagler's Key West Extension was a SERIES of bridges.

Depends upon one's definition of "bridge"

The Starucca Viaduct would have been eighty years old, and at a thousand or so feet in length would have been long since eclipsed. The Quebec Bridge was about thirty-two hundred feet long, the Benjamin Franklin was nearly three thousand, the Hell Gate's longest clear span was over a thousand feet, the entire structure being over three miles in length. Even the late Kinzua Viaduct was at least double the length of the Starucca structuRe, was it not?