Marshal battled trio in 'Gunsmoke' opening

BY RICH HELDENFELS

Akron Beacon Journal

Q: My wife and I are wondering who is the man that Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke has the shootout with at the start of the show.

A: According to the detailed ''Tamara's Gunsmoke Web page'' (http://comp.uark.edu/tsnyder/gunsmoke), the opening scene was redone several times over the Western's long run. Three actors could be seen in the shoot-out: Arvo Ojala, Fred McDougall and Bill Strathman.

Q:Many years ago, I watched a movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. As I remember, he escaped from prison and she helped him find a plastic surgeon who could alter his face so no one could recognize him. I cannot remember the name of the movie but would like to know it and if the movie is available for purchasing.

A: You are looking for the movie Dark Passage, from 1947. It is available on DVD.

Q:I would like some information about the movie Since You Went Away.There was a song with that title that we used to sing in World War II. I would appreciate any information you may have.

A: The 1944 movie starred Claudette Colbert as a woman on the home front during the war; Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple played her daughters. The Movie Guide says it ''was a smash hit with audiences . . . grossing well over $4 million at a time when movie ticket prices were as low as 25 cents.'' It was nominated for nine Academy Awards but won only one (for best music score in a drama or comedy). The movie was inspired by a book derived from letters by newspaper columnist Margaret Buell Wilder, written to her husband overseas. It is available on DVD.

Q: There is a MasterCard commercial with a lady who is singing a song from The Sound of Music, then she dives off a cliff. Who is she?

A: According to the Internet Movie Database, that is singer-songwriter and actress Penelope Fortier performing My Favorite Things. You can find out more about her, and hear some other music, at her MySpace page: www.myspace.com/penelopefortier.

Owning a cat 'cuts stroke risk by a third'

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Scientists said owning and stroking a purring feline may reduce stress and anxiety, and so protect against cardiovascular disease. They found even those who no longer owned a cat benefited from these protective effects.

The researchers from the University of Minnesota, looked at nearly 4,500 adults aged between 30 and 75 and found that cat owners had a 40 per cent lower risk of suffering a fatal heart attack.

But the authors warned against people rushing out to buy a new pet. They said while moggies may have a calming effect, it was unclear whether the kind of people who opted for a cat in the first place may have a lower risk of heart attack.

Heart disease is Britain's biggest killer. Every year, about 270,000 people suffer a heart attack.

The study, led by Professor Adnan Qureshi, factored in other heart disease risk factors including smoking and diabetes. The findings were unveiled at the International Stroke Conference.

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