10. John Adams disagreed with the type of radical democracy promoted by me-- I had the silly idea that men who did not own property should still be allowed to vote and hold public office

Was that a sneaky bonus clue, Landmark? Thomas Paine?

You got it, arthur. Clue # 8 was a bit sneaky too. My best selling book was called Common Sense.

I thought it might be marquis de Lafayette from the first clues, but the no speaking French stopped that thought.

I actually thought Common Sense was written by Ben Franklin and I knew he spent a lot of time in France pre-revolution.

1. I was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve.

2. I received the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

3. However, in the years before the United States entered World War II, my non-interventionist stance and statements about Jews led some to suspect I was a Nazi sympathizer.

4. I opposed not only the intervention of the United States, but also the provision of aid to the United Kingdom.

5. I supported the anti-war movement and resigned my Air Corps commission after President Franklin Roosevelt publicly rebuked me for my views.

6. But later, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent German declaration of war against the United States, I did support the U.S. war effort.

J. Edgar Hoover

7. I flew 50 missions in the Pacific Theater of World War II as a civilian consultant, but did not take up arms against Germany. Because of this, Roosevelt refused to reinstate my Air Corps commission.

8. Although I became famous, what is less known about me is that I was a bigamist. I managed to support entire second families without my spouse’s knowledge.

9. With five children and a wife back in the USA, I met two sisters in Germany, and went on to have three children with one and two with the other. A third German lover, a secretary, also bore me two children. I supported and visited all of them.

Lindbergh?

You got it, Landmark! Prior to digging into his background for this thread, I was not aware that Lindbergh had been a bigamist.

10. In my later years, I became a prolific author, international explorer, inventor, and environmentalist.

11. A personal tragedy involving the death of my son made headlines worldwide.

12. At the age of 25, I went from obscurity as a U.S. Air Mail pilot to instantaneous world fame by making a nonstop flight from New York City to Paris.

Your turn …

In his novel, The Plot Against America, Philip Roth imagines what would happen if Roosevelt had lost the election in 1940 to Charles Lindbergh...


I'm going to pass to whoever wants it.

You guys are making me work!

1. I was born in Ithaca, NY, but grew up largely in Boston, MA.

2. Most people who have heard of me probably aren’t aware that I was formerly a radio deejay.

3. Although I don’t consider myself a comedian, I spent about a decade performing in comedy clubs throughout the United States.

Robin Williams

Andy Kaufman?

4. I gained a reputation for my performances at several nightspots, including the popular Playboy Club.

5. Over the years I’ve been featured on the cover of over 30 magazines.

6. I am considered a legend in my field, and have received a number of awards.

Al Yankovick

7. I have appeared in television series in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Taiwan, England, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Israel, and Chile.

8. I also appeared in U.S. Sitcoms and TV dramas, including Mork & Mindy and episodes of General Hospital.