Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Watching the Game Show Network last nite, in the Password game hosted by the late Bert Convy, one of the puzzles' answers was "Lizzie Borden". They have about five clews for contestants to figure out what the answer is. They used "forty" and "whacks" for the first two, and that got my attention. Bill Cullen, one of the celebrity players, guessed "Lizzie Borden" when "ax" was the third clew. There were two more clews they didn't need, but they did show them. I forgot what those were.

That's so cool! Guess everyone knows Lizzie.

Would the Bordens of 8/3/1892 be a good family for the Jerry Springer show? Maury? Oprah?

Bert Convy is dead?!!

Bert Convy died in 1992 of a brain tumor. According to a biography on him he was diagnosed with it about a year and half before. That show must have been late 80's or very early 90's.

I first learned that Lizzie's House was a B and B by watching Jeopardy. The answer was " For $200 a whack, in Fall River Massachusetts, you can spent a night in the house of this accused murderess." The contestant got it right. The thing I didn't know was which house it was, second street or Maplecroft.

A family member of mine told me they were recently watching Jeopardy and when it came to the part when they talk to the contestants, A Lady spoke of how she had stayed at the Lizzie Borden House but she said that she didn't see a ghost.

I was watching who wants to be a millionaire, when it showed the new contestants for the next show it showed one man who was from Fall River. I don't know if he made it to the actual game though, if he did I wonder if they asked him about Lizzie, either as a game question or just in conversation.

When one of "The Simpsons" episodes featured Lizzie Borden (the one where Homer sold his soul for a donut and Lizzie was one of the 12 on the jury from hell), they actually did a New England accent for her voice. (I think she was the foreman.)

Before Bert Convy died, I remember reading in the tabloids that his mother had had a stroke, and he was visiting her often in the hospital. Then I heard he had a stroke and died, but did not read of a brain tumor. (Not doubting Harry, I just did not read of it.) It was sad, because he was young (early 50's?) and I thought he was most likeable.

Bill Cullen died of lung cancer (a real favorite of mine from reruns). I liked him a lot. Allen Ludden died from lung cancer. In Betty White's autobiography she says that he was only sick for a day or two. Gene Rayburn died just a couple years ago at around 81. I read he did not believe in God and was a little surprised by it. Jack Barry (Joker's Wild) died I believe when the show was still on the air - he went jogging and had a heart attack. Larry Blyden (To Tell the Truth, 1970's) died around 44 - I remember it as a car accident. Garry Moore is gone now, I'm almost certain. Steve Allen passed away peacefully on his couch a couple years ago. Arlene Francis passed away not too long ago around the age of 91.

There was a photo of Alex Trebek with Maynard Bertolet's wife in an LBQ once. I think "Jeopardy" had a wrong answer up on the board for a Lizzie question.

Great thought, RayS, about the Bordens doing a Springer-like talk show. It'd be a hoot to see Lizzie get mad and pull the braid out of Abby's hair. Emma would probably attack silently, like trip somebody. The women would start a food fight, and Andrew would be there trying to pick it all up so it wouldn't go to waste.