Q: Was there a funeral or memorial service for actress Joan Fontaine when she died, and did her estranged sister Olivia de Havilland attend? - R.P., Fayetteville
A: We don't know about a service, but Fontaine's ashes were reportedly scattered in the Pacific Ocean near her longtime home in Carmel, Calif.
We also don't know if de Havilland went to California but we tend to doubt it. That's more because of de Havilland's age - 97 - and distance from California - she lives in Paris - than from the long-bruited animosity between her and her sister.
In fact, after Fontaine's death on Dec. 15 at age 96, a writer who had interviewed her nine months earlier said he had asked her about the feud and that she had vehemently denied its existence, saying it had been concocted by the media. Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter said Fontaine told him that she and her sister had talked and visited over the years and were friends.
Maybe. For many years, both sisters fed into the notion of the feud through their statements and actions. But maybe some of it was hype and some was based on feelings that faded into bygones.
After Fontaine's death, de Havilland issued a statement saying she was "shocked and saddened." She said she and Fontaine's daughter, Deborah, appreciated the many condolences they had received.
Q: What happened to meteorologist Scott Dean on WTVD? - V.H., Carthage
A: The station let his contract lapse last month and replaced him with Liz Horton.
Dean, who studied meteorology at N.C. State University, had been with WTVD since 2007.
On his Facebook page, he said he and his family hope to stay in the Triangle.
"Maybe you'll see me on another station," he wrote.
Q: What has happened to the TV show "Army Wives," which used to be on the Lifetime network? - C.C., Hope Mills
A: The drama series has been canceled, although a two-hour retrospective special is supposed to air sometime this year.
It premiered in 2007 and lasted seven seasons, ending last June. The show was based on a nonfiction book by former Observer staff writer Tanya Biank. "Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives" was published in 2006 about four women at Fort Bragg.
Q: What's the number for the North Carolina Attorney General's office? - B.A., Sanford
A: You can reach the office's consumer protection division at877-566-7226 or call 919-716-6400.
Live Wire seeks to answer questions of general interest and consumer topics within two weeks. Initials are used to identify questioners when names are given. Contact Live Wire at facebook.com/foLiveWire, at livewire@fayobserver.com or at 486-3516.
