DEAR STACY: Whatever happened in that bizarre case in which Olivia Newton-John's boyfriend mysteriously vanished from a fishing boat? — L.B., Huntington, W.V.

DEAR L.B.: Patrick McDermott was located by a group of private eyes working for Dateline NBC in April 2010 about five years after he went missing at sea. He was living under his birth name near Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. As for why he faked his own death, he'd filed for bankruptcy from owing more than $30,000, and many believed he wanted to cash in on a $100,000 life insurance policy for his son. McDermott had his lawyer announce that he was no longer to be "hounded" by investigators or the media.

DEAR STACY: The actor who plays Noah on "Suburgatory" looks familiar. Was he on another series? — Paulette M., Atlanta, Ga.

DEAR PAULETTE: El Paso-born Alan Tudyk played Dale Maddox on "V" a couple of years ago, and was known as "Wash" Washburn on "Firefly." He's also been seen in movies including "Serenity," "I, Robot" and "3:10 to Yuma." (And he's done extensive voice work in cartoons.)

Tudyk will be seen as Stephen A. Douglas in the June-release big-screen adaptation of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," with Benjamin Walker as honest Abe.

DEAR STACY: Whatever happened to Karen Valentine, who was on "Room 222"? She was adorable. I remember her being all over TV in the 1970s. — Margie T., Tacoma, Wash.

DEAR MARGIE: Valentine, now 64, has done regional theater, national tours, Broadway and off-Broadway in intervening years. Her last TV credit was in the 2004 Hallmark Channel movie "Wedding Daze" opposite John Larroquette.

Married since 1977 to musician/songwriter Gary Verna (no children), she has turned up at several events honoring her old show in recent years, including 2010's "Room 222: A Look Back At Walt Whitman High" at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, Calif.

DEAR STACY: Quite a few years ago, there was a show called "Land of the Lost" about a brother and sister who go back to the dinosaur age. Did Clint Howard, Ron's brother, play "ape boy" on this show? A small wager is riding on your answer. — Lisa H., Torrance, CA

DEAR LISA: No. Philip Paley was the actor who portrayed Chaka, also known as "ape boy."

To find out more about Stacy Jenel Smith and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.