6. disk error?

Cheryl - nearly there. A subdivision of your answer would be good

Cue - I salute you! I messed up big-time.

I was thinking of the film Hellfighters where I thought John Wayne played Red Adair, but it was another character based on Red Adair. I'd never even heard of your character, and what a coincidence that it fitted the connection Well ferretted-out...

disk read error?

Putting you out of your misery -> "read error" (only Rs, Ds and vowels)