Q: One of my all-time favorite Western movie stars is Andy Devine. I have a biography book of famous people; it says he was born Jeremiah Schwartz. I later read that his father was an Irish-American hotel operator named Thomas Devine, and his mother was named Amy. Was he adopted? -- L.C., Westminster, Md.

A: No. Andrew Vabre Devine entered the world on Oct. 7, 1905, in Flagstaff, Ariz. At one time, the rotund actor was an excellent athlete, playing semipro football under a fake name, Jeremiah Schwartz. He used the false name so he would remain eligible for college football, at which he was quite successful. After college, he turned his attention to Hollywood, where he landed a number of roles in silent films. But when the movies became talkies, his future was imperiled because of his raspy voice, the result of a childhood injury. As we all know, his voice turned out to be an asset; he was incredibly popular in radio, film and television. In all, he appeared in more than 400 movies. He continued acting until his death from leukemia in 1977. His wife and two sons survived him.

Q: I recently watched the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness," with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. Was this a remake of an older movie? If so, who starred in the original? -- C.M., Rainbow City, Ala.

A: Originally titled "Bwana Devil" (1952), the film was released in 3-D. Many claim this was the first American color 3-D film, which launched the 3-D craze. The two movies are based on a true story chronicled in the book "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo" by John Henry Patterson. "Bwana Devil" stars Robert Stack, Barbara Britton and Nigel Bruce.

Q: Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman is one incredible person; everything he touches turns into gold. He has five sons -- all named George. If the family is together and he wants to attract the attention of one special George, how is it done? When was he born? -- T.T., Masury, Ohio

A: Born Jan. 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, George Edward Foreman became a two-time heavyweight boxing champ and Olympic gold medalist. He is a familiar presence on television, famous for his car-muffler and grilling-machine ads. He has 10 children and, as you mentioned, all five boys are named George: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V and George VI. How does he get the attention of one particular George? They all have nicknames.

Q: I have been an avid roller skater since I was a kid. Today, I'm teaching my grandchildren to skate. The 10-year-old asked what I did for fun before the invention of roller skates. I'm curious: when was the modern roller skate introduced? -- K.N.A., Paxton, Ill.

A: In 1863, James L. Plimpton (1828-1911) introduced the quad skate with four wheels, which allowed for easier steering and more stability. He also opened some of the earliest roller-skating rinks in both New York City and Newport, R.I.

Q: When were paper towels introduced? -- M.F., Gary, Ind.

A: The Scott Paper Co. introduced the Sani-Towel in 1907. Brothers E. Irvin and Clarence Scott founded the company in 1879 in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1931, Sani-Towel became ScotTowels, and, around the same time, the company began manufacturing paper napkins. When paper towels were first introduced, they were expensive -- about 25 cents for 200 sheets (equivalent to nearly $6 today). Because of the expense, the only customers were hotels, restaurants and railroads. In time, manufacturing techniques improved, dropping the price and creating a demand for disposable paper products.

(Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.)

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