Tuesday, December 18, 2012 12:02 pm

Bob Newhart brings laughs to Nashville Jan. 31

Dear Ken: How many TV series did Bob Newhart star in? I say two, my wife says three.
Chicagoan George Robert Newhart, 83, starred in five TV series: "The Bob Newhart Show," 1961-1962; "The Bob Newhart Show," 1972-1978; "Newhart," 1982-1990; "Bob," 1992-1993; and "George & Leo," 1997-1998. The former accountant and advertising copywriter also acted in the movies "Cold Turkey," "Catch-22," "First Family," "Elf" and "Horrible Bosses." The father of four will bring his comedy act to Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center at 7 p.m. Jan. 31.

Dear Ken: Just wondering, who are some of the actors who have played Scrooge in the various versions of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" over the years?
More than I can count. Among them are Seymour Hicks, Lionel Barrymore (on radio), John Carradine, Alastair Sim, Jim Backus (as the voice of Mister Magoo as Scrooge), Albert Finney, Henry Winkler, Hoyt Axton, George C. Scott, Bill Murray, Rowan Atkinson, Michael Caine, Susan Lucci, Cicely Tyson, Jack Palance, Patrick Stewart, Vanessa Williams, Tori Spelling, Kelsey Grammer and Jim Carrey. The newest version, reportedly coming to theaters next year, will be "A White Trash Christmas" (I did not make this up), starring Taryn Manning, Eric Roberts, Beverly D'Angelo, Danny Woodburn and Meat Loaf.

Dear Ken: What actress was the voice of Peggy on "The King of the Hill" comedy series? 
That is Kathy Najimy, 55, who talked opposite Mike Judge's Hank Hill in the 1997-2010 animated series. Also a co-star of the TV series "Veronica's Closet," she was in the movies "Hocus Pocus," "Sister Act" and "Rat Race."

Dear Ken: How did Jay Silverheels, who played Tonto to the Lone Ranger in the TV series, die?
Born Harold J. Smith, the son of a Canadian Mohawk chief, Silverheels was a topnotch athlete in lacrosse, boxing and wrestling and began his acting career as a stuntman. He died from complications of a stroke in 1980, at age 67, but left his legacy in such films as "Key Largo," "The Pathfinder," "Saskatchewan," "Walk the Proud Land," "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing" and more than 200 episodes of "The Lone Ranger" TV series (1949-1957).

If you have a trivia question about actors, singers, movies, TV shows or pop culture, e-mail your query to Ken Beck at kbtag2@gmail.com