Ralphie's Dad Drives Away with the Pivot/Lipton Questionnaire

Posted by Billy Christopher Maupin


Theatre IV's stage production of the motion picture classic, A Christmas Story, opens on November 30. Featured in this incredibly exciting production is "Old Man," Ralphie's dad, portrayed by Gordon Bass, recently seen as the Wizard in Theatre IV's The Wizard of Oz. "Ralphie's Dad" has shared with me his answers to the James Lipton questionnaire that he asks all of his guests on Inside the Actor's Studio.

So here goes:

1. What is your favorite word?
Simoniz
It's a brand of car wax. I just love polishing the hood of my car.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Clinker, like the clinkers that get hung in the furnace in the basement and I have to go down and extricate them.

3. What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
A new furnace.

4. What turns you off?
Bumpuse Hounds...the neighbor's dogs. They attack me everytime I come to the house. And they only attack me. They don't bother anyone else.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
The smooth purr of an Oldsmobile engine.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
The Bumpuse Hounds.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
Cushlamochree

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Race car driver, I think.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Dogcatcher

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

"Cushlamochree!"

Come check out Ralphie's Dad and all your favorite characters in Theatre IV's live stage production of A Christmas Story playing November 30 - December 23 at the historic Empire Theatre!