The AnswerBank Articles

Did Hitchcock make the scariest films

A. He did according to the American Film Institute. The institute recently announced its 100 best thrillers, and Hitchcock reinforced his reputation when Psycho came top. He had three in the top 1000:00 Sun 05th Aug 2001

Who was the first TV chef

A. The rise and rise of TV cookery programmes has propelled many chefs into celebrity superstardom. The British love affair with TV cookery shows began in the early 1970s when the little known Fanny00:00 Mon 30th Jul 2001

Where did the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy start

A. The comic science fiction epic started on BBC radio and the series quickly became a cult hit. It led author, Douglas Adams, to give it a new lease of life as a book and ultimately it became a BBC00:00 Mon 30th Jul 2001

What was the Black and White Minstrel Show

A. The Black and White Minstrel Show was the most popular family entertainment show in its heyday, regularly attracting over 16 million viewers. Its racist implications were widely acknowledged in00:00 Mon 30th Jul 2001

Is it true Dan Dare will be wearing pink trousers in his new TV series

A. Dan Dare, the comic strip hero, is making a comeback in a 14 million animated television series, and he's had a makeover. His super square jaw and crisp military uniform have been replaced by a00:00 Mon 23rd Jul 2001

Is Laura Dern in Jurassic Park III

A. She's back as paleobotanist Dr Ellie Sattler in the third of the series, but this time in a much smaller role. This time it's Tea Leoni, wife of X-Files star David Duchovny, who has to evade the00:00 Mon 23rd Jul 2001

What was the inspiration behind the film Greenfingers

A. Prison. The new film starring Helen Mirren is the story of a team of criminals from Leyhill prison who won a gold medal at Chelsea Flower Show. It's the true story of six inmates, serving time00:00 Mon 23rd Jul 2001

When did children's TV start

A. 1950 was the year that children's television came of age. It began with Watch With Mother, the brainchild of legendary Freda Lingstrom, who became head of children's television at the BBC. It was00:00 Mon 16th Jul 2001

Which TV programmes attract the most complaints

A. Last year BBC2's Room 101, in which guest Anne Robinson criticised the Welsh, attracted the single most number of complaints - 427 in total. Ms Robsinson, who has achieved worldwide fame with her00:00 Mon 16th Jul 2001

Who is the world's highest paid film star

A. Harrison Ford who returns to the role of Indiana Jones after a 12-year break, is reported to be the world's highest paid film star, commmanding a fee of $20 million. The figure puts Ford higher00:00 Mon 16th Jul 2001

How many films show a character his or her future

A. It's a well established film technique. In Frank Capra's It a Wonderful Life, made in 1946, a guardian angel showed suicidal George, played by James Stewart, how Bedford Falls would have fared had00:00 Mon 09th Jul 2001

What is the BBC spending its money on this summer

Big hit: Pride and PrejudiceA. The BBC has an extra 100 million for drama spread over the next two years to bridge the funding gap with its rival, ITV. The extra 100 million will be spent on00:00 Mon 09th Jul 2001

Who is in the runnning to win this year's National TV Awards

A. The nominations for the National Television Awards have recently been announced and Big Brother presenter Davina McCall has been nominated in five different categories so looks certain to walk00:00 Mon 09th Jul 2001

Which film opens the Edinburgh Festival

A. A French film, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain, opens this year's Edinburgh International Festival, which runs from August 12 - 26. The film, which opens in the UK in the autumn, has been an00:00 Sun 01st Jul 2001

Which films are being shot in the UK

A. There are a host of Hollywood stars in the UK this summer, working on a huge number of films. Around 230 million worth of films are being made, mostly by American directors using a lot of British00:00 Sun 01st Jul 2001

Which film is the biggest flop of all time

A. Town and Country, released here last Friday, is thought to be one of the biggest flops in history. The picture cost 69 million to make and earned just 4 million in four weeks of release before00:00 Sun 01st Jul 2001

Was Alma's death in Coronation Street believable

A. The Coronation Street character Alma Halliwell, played by actress Amanda Barrie, died from cervical cancer last week, only a few months after discovering she had the disease. She apparently had no00:00 Tue 26th Jun 2001

Why are film stars attracted to Scientology

A. The Church of Scientology has a huge following among Hollywood's movie stars. The devotees include John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Lisa-Marie Presley, Demi Moore and Kirstie Alley. John Travolta even00:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

How many films has Pinewood Studios made

The studios say they have made the best part of 1,000 films as well as many TV programmes. For many cinema-goers, it is most famous for making the British classics - Bond, Doctor and Carry On00:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

Are the Ealing comedies making a comeback

A. The studios are to have a 50 million facelift in an effort to rekindle the 'magical days' of British cinema. The studios traditionally made films featuring lovable rogues and gentle eccentrics in00:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001