Ask American Profile 10/29/2006

Ask American Profile 10/29/2006

Q Did Ken Curtis, who played Festus on Gunsmoke, ever sing with the Sons of the Pioneers?
—V. Smith, Williamsport, Pa.

Colorado-born Curtis was a Big Band singer before he found his way to Hollywood. Prior to joining the TV series Gunsmoke as cantankerous deputy Festus Haggen in 1964, he sang with the Sons of the Pioneers from 1949 to 1952 (and rejoined them briefly in the studio in 1955). He died of a heart attack in 1991 at the age of 74, and his ashes were scattered on the Colorado flatlands.

Q What is the nationality of actress Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy? And what else has she been in?
—Maleah Arhay, Willits, Calif.

Toronto-born Oh, who plays Dr. Christina Yang on the hit ABC-TV series, is the daughter of Korean parents who attended college in Canada. She’s appeared in numerous films, including Big Fat Liar, Under the Tuscan Sun and Full Frontal, but found her breakthrough role in the 2004 hit Sideways.

Q Who are the new guys singing the theme to Monday Night Football this year? I recognize Hank Williams Jr., but that’s all.
—Robert M., Ruston, La.

Hank Jr. has indeed returned to open each game of Monday Night Football (now on ESPN) with a revised version of his hit song “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight,” a telecast tradition that began in 1989. But this year he’s joined by an all-star cast of other musicians, including Little Richard, Charlie Daniels, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Bootsy Collins from Parliament Funkadelic, and musical director “Little Steven” Van Zandt.

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