Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2007 December 27

= December 27 =

Kids Sing the Darndest Things
I asked this question earlier in December. I did check back for answers - thank you very much, but I am not looking for a book. This is a record album by various artists recorded sometime in the early 1960s. Two of the songs on this record were "Let's all sing like the birdies sing", "How much is that doggie in the window". I thought it was recorded somehow by Art Linkletter's company. Would you please research this again for me? Thanks and have a great day!146.18.173.71 (talk) 00:16, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Well, it's not Art Linkletter's Kids Sing the Darndest Things, judging by the album cover. Clarityfiend (talk) 01:43, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

Thank you -- this is awesome! I had this album,too. I guess the album I'm looking for was called something else, oh well.

Shadow Hand Puppets
I cant seem to find an article on the puppets you make by changing a shadows shape by moving your fingers around, its all about puppet theaters, any help? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.191.102.55 (talk) 04:01, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * You are correct. If an article exists on shadow hand puppets, it is very difficult to locate.  I don't know if the article is missing or if we need more disambiguation links. --  k a i n a w &trade; 13:22, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Here is a nice book on the subject from Project Gutenberg: and . SaundersW (talk) 15:40, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

Desperate Housewives season 4
When is desperate housewives season 4 scheduled to air in the United Kingdom on channel 4? Thanks --Hadseys (talk • contribs) 14:52, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
 * January 5, 2008 ...happy holidays --n1yaN t  03:02, 28 December 2007 (UTC)

Black spots in movies...
Do the black dots that you see in the top right of a movie screen tell the projectionist where to splice the film reels together? (As is claimed in Fight Club)Shniken1 (talk) 15:19, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * No, not really. They tell a projectionist on a multiple-projector setup when to switch projectors.  In the old days, each screen had two projectors.  One would be playing a reel of film while the other was cued up and ready to go.  The first dot is the warning to start up the second projector and get it up to speed.  The second dot is there to tell the projectionist to switch projectors.  Then, the projectionist rewinds the first reel and cues up the next one.  Normally, movies come on about 6 reels.  So, it is a bit of work.  It isn't done now because modern theaters use a platter system where all reels are spliced into one big reel.  It pulls film out of the middle and rolls it back up on another platter.  Then, pulls it out of the middle again.  No rewinding.  The projectionist spliced the film together - normally 1 or 2 frames into each end (so you can easily tell which head and tail fit on which reel).  It is much nicer for the projectionist as long as you don't get a "brain wrap" on your platter. --  k a i n a w &trade; 15:28, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * I have no sources handy, but since I worked in the early 80s in a theater with a 2-projecter setup running 20-minute reels, I can confirm this is how it worked. When films came in without these marks, we would scratch white circles into the emulsion with a razor blade, timed 7 seconds apart. The Masters of Horror episode "Cigarette Burns" makes reference to this, tho I suspect it goes over the heads of most viewers. People who worked this job always see these marks when watching movies (and now you probably will too), but the single-frame circles flash by unnoticed by most viewers. / edg ☺ ☭ 22:34, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
 * I have no sources handy, but since I worked in the early 80s in a theater with a 2-projecter setup running 20-minute reels, I can confirm this is how it worked. When films came in without these marks, we would scratch white circles into the emulsion with a razor blade, timed 7 seconds apart. The Masters of Horror episode "Cigarette Burns" makes reference to this, tho I suspect it goes over the heads of most viewers. People who worked this job always see these marks when watching movies (and now you probably will too), but the single-frame circles flash by unnoticed by most viewers. / edg ☺ ☭ 22:34, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * I just thought to note that the cue marks should not be confused with film ID marks. Many movies have one or two places where a unique marking is shown for a single frame.  Those are used by studios to identify a specific print of a movie - tracking down movie pirating. --  k a i n a w &trade; 15:32, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

Freak pro football (NFL) incident, Minnesota v Dallas
I've exhausted a number of searches on the web seeking an incident my father-in-law alleges occured during a Thanksgiving day NFL football game in Dallas, Texas, featuring the Cowboys hosting the Minnesota Vikings. According to him, a fan who was dressed like a snowman caught fire and, anxious to put it out, ran onto the field where a variety of players, refs, etc assisted in extinguishing the guy. This occured on national television, apparently during the late 1960s or 1970s.

I'm looking for a date here and would appreciate any help. Reference materials can be online or print, I'll take anything. Thanks. Wolfgangus (talk) 15:24, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * The earliest Thanksgiving meeting I can find between these two teams was in 1987, so if such an incident did happen, he's either got the teams or the date wrong. See Thanksgiving Classic for a list of all the games played on Thanksgiving.  Bleeding   Blue  16:54, 27 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Hey Wolfgangus, I have your answer: http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=snowman+minnesota+dallas+cowboys&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 It was on January 2, 1978 Happy Holidays --n1yaN t  00:22, 28 December 2007 (UTC)

I love the Wikipedia reference desk! My father-in-law was insistent that it was a Thanksgiving game, and that's what I was searching. NFC Championship, New Year's Day, 1978. Thanks so much for the help, I am very grateful. Wolfgangus (talk) 01:43, 28 December 2007 (UTC)


 * glad to be of service!n1yaN t 04:38, 28 December 2007 (UTC)

Question about Rapper Bizzy Bone.
There is a rumor going on that Rapper Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs N Harmony died in a car accident I have searched and searched but I come up with nothing ... I am sure if it was true it would be on Wikipedia. If someone can find out this information that would be great.

Thanks in advanced, Jessica —Preceding unsigned comment added by Broken doll21 (talk • contribs) 18:48, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Hey Jessica, he's alive. --n1yaN t  00:18, 28 December 2007 (UTC)