THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412090299
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: A Twist of Trivia
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
When the communists entered his homeland, our trivia subject for the day exited.
That was 1947, when communism was a frightening fact of life.
Our trivia subject, 92 when he was interviewed four years ago, is Bela Udvarnoki. He lost his wife, their infant daughter and his father during a raid by Soviet forces.
The deaths and the suppression were the reasons the family left their native country.
In this country he edited Gospel Messenger, a newspaper for people from his homeland who, like himself, settled in the United States.
He settled in Murfreesboro, where for many years he was chairman of the department of social science at Chowan College.
You have his name. The question is: What country did he come from?
Now, a few more questions, more general in nature:
1. When she was 6, Santa Claus asked for her autograph. This should not be too hard to figure out.
2. One brother portrayed the inventor of the telephone in ``Alexander Graham Bell.'' The other brother portrayed him in a movie called, ``The Story of Mankind.'' First and last names, please - and don't phone in the answers.
3. Which actress claimed to have married Howard Hughes aboard his yacht? Bad hint: She was young and worked with Young.
4. The Baby Ruth candy bar was named after the daughter of which president? Unhelpful hint: She was five when da-da was elected president.
5. Two ``The Sound of Music'' questions: The first concerns Myra Franklin of Cardiff, Wales. Take a guess - how many times did she sit through the movie? Question 2 is fascinating. I can give you the answer, but no explanation. In what country did a television station show the movie, deleting all the musical numbers? MEMO: Answers are on Page 14 Answers are on Page 14
A Twist of Trivia/The Answers Questions are on Page 13
Our trivia subject, Bela Udvarnoki, came to this country from
Hungary, returning in 1984 on behalf of the newspaper he edited, Gospel
Messenger.
Udvarnoki recalled being carefully watched and heavily censored.
He would like to have returned in 1990, but it would have been a
physical hardship.
Udvarnoki and his second wife, Ruby, lived in Murfreesboro. She is
still in the same house.
``Bela died May 21, 1992. He was 94 years old,'' she said. ``I am
living alone.''
She is not lonely - family and friends are nearby and often keep her
company.
Stay here. There were five other questions in search of answers.
1. When she was 6, she was a major box-office attraction. Santa could
not resist asking Shirley Temple for her autograph.
2. Don Ameche portrayed Alexander Graham Bell in the movie biography
of the inventor. His brother, Jim, a vocal soundalike, played Bell in
``The Story of Mankind.''
3. Terry Moore insists she was the bride of Howard Hughes after
nuptials on his yacht. As for that hint - she starred in ``Mighty Joe
Young,'' another Willis O'Brien offering in his giant ape entries. The
others, of course, were ``King Kong'' and ``Son of Kong.''
4. The Baby Ruth candy bar was named after Grover Cleveland's first
daughter, born Oct. 3, 1891. He may not be well-remembered, but the
chewy candies are still going strong.
5. That lady in Wales, obviously with time on her hands, saw ``The
Sound of Music'' about 925 times, memorizing every Julie Andrews twitch;
a Korean television station once aired the movie, deleting all the
musical numbers. The Korean hills were not alive with the sound of
music.
ILLUSTRATION: Alexander Graham Bell
Which brothers portrayed him?
Bela Udvarnoki was a native of Hungary.
by CNB