Not Horace Greeley.

13. My estate's ranch (see #9, above) produces branded, grass-fed beef for retail markets; the ranch's Circle C brand is the oldest registered brand in use in the state.

Is it that ex-senator/congressman who once played a recurring role in Law & Order? Thomson, or something like that?

Not Fred Dalton Thompson.

14. I was well-known for yellow journalism.

Norman Mailer

Not Norman Mailer.

15. The grounds of my residence that is a National Historical Monument (see #11, above) are known for harboring exotic animals; e.g., zebra and giraffes.

Hearst??

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

William Randolph Hearst it is!

The other two clues that I had queued up were that I tried to prevent one of Orson Welles' movies from being shown in theaters, and that my granddaughter was captured by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

My wife suggested "Rosebud".

I had no idea that Hearst had served in Congress. That was the clue that kept baffling me. Nice puzzle, Bill.

I'll pass to whoever wishes to go.

Nor did I. It would have baffled me as well.


Thanks!

Kinda makes up for my two or three previous flops.

Concerning clue #10:

In December, 1979, my wife and I were on our honeymoon and were staying for part of our trip at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. One day we decided to visit Hearst Castle (San Simeon). When we got there, tour #1 (the main house and such) and tour #2 (I don't recall what) were booked solid, so we took tour #3, covering mainly the guest houses. In one of the buildings we were walking down a long hallway; on the wall at the end of the hall was a huge portrait, the name of the painter of which I do not recall. The tour guide stopped to tell us about this painting. Apparently it had hung there for decades without anyone knowing who had painted it. However, the day before we visited the Castle, an art expert was there to study the painting to determine who the artist was. What I do recall is that, whoever the artist was, this was the only example of his work outside Europe, and the best-preserved example of his work anywhere, and it was worth millions. But for decades, nobody working at the Castle had any idea who had painted it. And the best part of the story: the tour guide told us that the art expert's name was . . . honest to goodness! . . . Ed Sullivan.

And, yes, for those of you who have done the math, we're celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary next Saturday.

Great story, and congratulations for next Saturday, Bill!

If nobody minds, I’ll jump in again:

1. I was born to a wealthy family in Indiana.
2. I defied my grandfather's wishes to become a lawyer and took up music as a profession.
3. I learned the violin at age six, the piano at eight.

Liberace?

Not Liberace.

Larry Fine?

Congratulations Bill
I'm coming up on 30 myself.

Congratulations, Cliff!

Congratulations to you too, Cliff! I’ve only reached 24 earlier this year. But then it is my third time. The combined total would be 37. (Three years for the first and ten for the second. That’s not counting the time living together prior to marriages, and separation time before divorces).

Here’s another clue:

4. I wrote the lyrics as well as the music for my songs.

Stevie Wonder

Nope.

5. A horseback riding accident left me in constant pain.

John Cougar Mellencamp?

6. I composed the football fight songs that are still played at Yale today.