There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)
Author: Scott F
As a retired trivia writer, editor and quiz compiler, I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand Russell’s quote:
“There’s much pleasure to be gained in useless knowledge.”
Trivia of all sorts has always fascinated me, and for many years, I’ve written and compiled trivia for various media, including traditional TV and radio quiz shows, newspapers and magazines, apps, and other digital platforms.
On 7 May 1794, the Cult of the Supreme Being was introduced by …
Cardinal Richelieu
Maximilien Robespierre
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The burning of Edinburgh by an English army on this day in 1544, was the first action in the…
Harsh courting
Rough wooing
Tough pursuing
The Japanese film director best known for his Godzilla movies was born 7 May 1911, in Asahi, Yamagata, Japan. He was…
Honda Ishirō
Nissán Kenji
Toyota Masaki
María Eva Duarte was born today in 1919, who did she become better known as…
Annie
Evita
May
On 7 May 1915, a German submarine sank a British ocean liner. The sinking resulted in the loss of 1,198 lives and played a part in the entry of the United States into World War I. The ocean liner was the …
The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.
View SE from the top level of the Eiffel Tower: the Champ de Mars, with Montparnasse Tower in the distance. The École Militaire is one third down from the top of the picture. Image Wikipedia (Mattgirling)
On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
Champs de Mars, Paris—The Champ de Mars, a large public park in Paris, was originally a military parade ground. It hosted significant events during the French Revolution and later became a site for national expositions and world’s fairs.
Coat of arms of Moravia. Image Wikipedia
Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
Moravia—Moravia, a historical region in the Czech Republic, was the centre of the medieval Great Moravian kingdom before becoming part of Bohemia in the 11th century. It later was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and then became part of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
Puente Nuevo de Ronda. Image Wikipedia
Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
Spain—Ronda, a municipality in Málaga, Andalusia, is known for its cliffside location and deep canyon. It has a population of about 35,000 and is part of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
The Grand Palace, Bangkok. Image Wikipedia
Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
Bangkok—The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is a complex of buildings built in 1782 as the official residence of the Thai kings. It covers 2.4 million square feet and includes over 100 buildings, the most notable being the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Image Wikipedia
Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
Edinburgh, Scotland—Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city known for its historic Old Town and Neoclassical New Town, both designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s complex character, blending reserved exterior with warmth and gaiety, is reflected in its rich history, including religious conflicts, riots and the influence of its intellectual elite during the Neoclassical period of the 18th and 19th centuries. Edinburgh remains a major centre for finance, law, tourism, education and cultural affairs.
Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 6 May.
On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
Champs de Mars, Paris
Champs de Neptune, Paris
Champs de Venus, Paris
Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
Carinthia
Galicia
Moravia
Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
Ecuador
Mexico
Spain
Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
Amman
Bangkok
Colombo
Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. First edition cover – designed by Vanessa Bell. Image Wikipedia
On 5 May 1927, the novel To the Lighthouse was published. Who was the English author?
Virginia Woolf—Virginia Woolf’s 1927 novel, To the Lighthouse, follows the Ramsay family’s visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The novel explores life through the perspectives of Mrs. Ramsay, Mr. Ramsay and their eight children.
n A Japanese 10-meter diameter Mulberry paper balloon re-inflated at NAS Moffett Field, CA following its downing by a Navy aircraft about 30 miles west of Alturas, CA on January 10, 1945. Image Wikipedia
On this day in 1945, six people picnicking in Oregon were killed in an attack by the Japanese. These were the only deaths by enemy action in the continental United States during World War II. How was the attack launched?
Japan launched Fu-Go high-explosive balloon bomb—Fu-Go was an incendiary balloon weapon deployed by Japan against the United States during World War II. The balloons, launched in Japan and carried by the jet stream, were intended to ignite forest fires and spread panic. On 5 May 1945, six civilians, including four boys and two women, were killed near Bly, Oregon, when they discovered a balloon bomb in Fremont National Forest. This was the only fatality from Axis action in the continental US during World War II.
Adele. Image Wikipedia
Born today in 1988, this singer-songwriter has won 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Who is she?
Adele—Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. Her albums, including 21 and 25, are among the best-selling of the 21st century, with 25 breaking first-week sales records in the UK and US. Adele has won numerous awards, including 16 Grammys and an Academy Award.
Jonathan, the tortoise at Plantation House, Saint Helena, 2021. Image Wikipedia
Napoleon Bonaparte died on 5 May 1821, while in exile on the island of Saint Helena. Which is where?
South Atlantic Ocean—Napoleon I was exiled to St. Helena, a remote British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, after his second abdication in 1815. He spent his final years in isolation at Longwood House, dying in 1821 from a stomach ulcer. On a cheerier note, Saint Helena is home to the world’s oldest land animal…
The oldest known living terrestrial animal is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), originally from the Seychelles but now a long-time resident of the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena. He is believed to have been born c. 1832, thus making him 192 years old in 2024. Guinness World Records
On 5th May, rebel barons in England renounced their allegiance to King John, a pivotal event leading to the Magna Carta. In which year did this occur?
1215—During the 12th century, English kings issued charters promising liberties and good government to nobles and clergy. However, King John, facing challenges from his nephew and France, did not issue a general charter upon his accession. This, coupled with increased taxes and conflicts with the church, led to baronial unrest and demands for a formal grant of liberties.
King John of England, 1167-1216. Illuminated manuscript, De Rege Johanne, 1300-1400. MS Cott. Claud DII, folio 116, British Library. Image Wikipedia
Tower of Hercules, an ancient Roman lighthouse in A Coruña, Spain Image Wikipedia
Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 5 May.
On 5 May 1927, the novel To the Lighthouse was published. Who was the English author?
Hazel Adair
Margaret Jepson
Virginia Woolf
On this day in 1945, six people picnicking in Oregon were killed in an attack by the Japanese. These were the only deaths by enemy action in the continental United States during World War II. How was the attack launched?
Carrier_launched Aichi D3A dive-bomber
Gunfire from a surfaced I-15 submarine‘s deck gun
Japan launched Fu-Go high-explosive balloon bomb
Born today in 1988, this singer-songwriter has won 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Who is she?
Adele
Shura
Rhianna (Kenny)
Napoleon Bonaparte died on 5 May 1821, while in exile on the island of Saint Helena. Which is where?
Mediterranean Sea
North Atlantic Ocean
South Atlantic Ocean
On 5th May, rebel barons in England renounced their allegiance to King John, a pivotal event leading to the Magna Carta. In which year did this occur?
The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.
R2-D2 and C-3PO Image i.insider.comAnthony Daniels has been C-3PO since 1977. Image Wikipedia
Who is the only actor to have appeared in the same role in eleven Star Wars films, including the nine films commonly referred to as The Skywalker Saga, as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story?
Anthony Daniels—as C-3PO. English actor Daniels also portrayed a white, pointy-faced protocol droid, CZ-3, in one shot in the original film. He appeared as Tak in Solo: A Star Wars Story, the second anthology film.
Darth Vader. Image Wikipedia
In which film does Anakin Skywalker transform into Darth Vader?
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith—Anakin Skywalker’s fear of losing his wife, Amidala, led him to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader and aiding Palpatine in destroying the Jedi Order.
Carrie Fisher, 2013. Image WikipediaDebbie Reynolds, 1987 Image Wikipedia
An 84-year-old actress passed away in 2016, the day after her daughter—also an actress who had portrayed Princess Leia in Star Wars—died. Who were the mother and daughter?
Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher—Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, was the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, and was known for her candid discussions about bipolar disorder and drug addiction. She passed away from cardiac arrest in 2016 and was posthumously honoured as a Disney Legend. Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds, a celebrated actress and singer, had a career spanning nearly 70 years, appearing in films like Singin’ in the Rain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. She passed away from a haemorrhagic stroke in 2016, one day after her daughter’s death. According to her son, Todd Fisher, Debbie Reynolds died to be with her daughter Carrie, not from a broken heart. Reynolds was entombed with a portion of Carrie’s ashes. The remainder of her, Carrie’s, ashes are held in a giant, novelty Prozac pill.
Grand Moff Tarkin. Image Superherohype.com
Grand Moff Tarkin, the Death Star’s commander, ordered the super-weapon to be fired at Princess Leia’s home world, completely destroying it and killing all its inhabitants.
Which actor played the role of Grand Moff Tarkin?
Peter Cushing—was an English actor known for his roles in Hammer horror films as well as his role in Star Wars. His career spanned over six decades, including stage, television and radio roles.
Star Wars planet Alderaan (aka Lake Thun in Berner Oberland, Switzerland). Image Wikipedia
What was the name of Princess Leia’s home world that he destroyed?
Alderaan—Leia, daughter of Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, is adopted as a newborn baby by Bail Organa and Queen Breha on Alderaan. She becomes a Resistance General, fighting against the First Order, and, with Han Solo, has a son, Ben, who becomes Kylo Ren, a First Order warlord.
Theatrical poster Star Wars, 1977 Image
The first Star Wars film was released in 1977, what episode number was it?
IV—was followed by the sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), so the original trilogy were episodes IV, V and VI. The prequel trilogy, episodes I, II and III, consisted of the films The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). A sequel trilogy, episodes VII, VIII and IX, with The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) completed the nine films. The chronological order of the story is I to IX but the release order was IV, V, VI, I, II, III, VII, VIII, IX.
Here are a few questions from a galaxy far, far away and where you’ll need to come up with your own answers, as there are no multiple-choice options.
Who is the only actor to have appeared in the same role in eleven Star Wars films, including the nine films commonly referred to as The Skywalker Saga, as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story?
In which film does Anakin Skywalker transform into Darth Vader?
An 84-year-old actress passed away in 2016, the day after her daughter—also an actress who had portrayed Princess Leia in Star Wars—died. Who were the mother and daughter?
Grand Moff Tarkin, the Death Star’s commander, ordered the super-weapon to be fired at Princess Leia’s home world, completely destroying it and killing all its inhabitants.
Which actor played the role of Grand Moff Tarkin?
What was the name of Princess Leia’s home world that he destroyed?
The first Star Wars film was released in 1977, what episode number was it?
True or false MCMXCIX is the Roman numeral for 1999.
True—MCMXCIX is 1999. M=1,000; C=100; X=10; I=1. M + (M – C) + (C – X) + (X – I) = MCMXCIX. There are various online resources explaining this, but here is well-explained one.
True or false, Morecambe and Wise reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1975 with The Trail of the Lonesome Pine.
False—Laurel and Hardy reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1975 with The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. The song was from Laurel and Hardy’s 1937 film Way Out West and was performed by Laurel and Hardy with The Avalon Boys.
The first page of the edition of the Domenica del Corriere, an Italian paper, with a drawing by Achille Beltrame depicting Gavrilo Princip killing Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo. Image Wikipedia
True or false, Gavrilo Princip assassinated US President William McKinley.
False—It was Leon Czolgosz who assassinated President McKinley in 1901. On 28 June 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sophie, Duchess von Hohenberg, in Sarajevo. Their deaths led to the outbreak of World War I.
Margay in Costa Rica. Image Wikipedia
True or false, a margay is a small monkey native to Madagascar.
False—a margay is a small wild cat native to the Americas, ranging from Mexico to Uruguay and northern Argentina.
Procol Harum, 1967. Image Wikipedia
True or false, “Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor” is a line from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
False—it is the second line of the first verse, from Procol Harum’s 1967 number 1 A Whiter Shade of Pale. See quote below.
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Procol Harum
(1967)
We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor I was feeling kind of seasick But the crowd called out for more The room was humming harder As the ceiling flew away When we called out for another drink The waiter brought a tray
And so it was that later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly Turned a whiter shade of pale
She said, “There is no reason And the truth is plain to see” But I wandered through my playing cards And would not let her be One of sixteen vestal virgins Who were leaving for the coast And although my eyes were open They might just as well have been closed
And so it was that later As the miller told his tale That her face, at first just ghostly Turned a whiter shade of pale
And so it was that later As the miller told his tale…
Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on 2 May 1536. True or false, one of the charges she faced was witchcraft.
TRUE—Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft.
Baron Manfred von Richthofen. Image Wikipedia Oberleutnant Hermann Göring, the final Kommandeur of Jagdgeschwader I. Image Wikipedia
Manfred, Baron von Richthofen, born on 2 May 1892, became Germany’s top fighter ace in World War I until he was killed in action. True or false, he was eventually succeeded as commander of his fighter group by future Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
TRUE—Manfred von Richthofen, aka Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war and officially credited with 80 air combat victories. Hermann Göring, himself a veteran World War I fighter pilot ace, served as the last commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG I), the fighter wing—Flying Circus—once led by Manfred von Richthofen. In the above photo Göring is holding a walking stick (the Geschwader-Stock) passed down from von Richthofen.
A BOAC de Havilland Comet jet airliner, en route to Johannesburg from London, breaks its journey at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. 1952 Image Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/BOAC_Comet_1952_Entebbe.jpg
On this day in 1952, the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers took place. True or false, this flight was from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC.
FALSE—The de Havilland DH.106 Comet, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, entered service in 1952 with a flight from London, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. However, within a year, three Comets were lost in catastrophic mid-flight accidents.
Catherine the Great. Image Wikipedia
Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was born today in 1729. True or false, she was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
TRUE—Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, was born in Prussia in the Holy Roman Empire. She oversaw a cultural and scientific renaissance, expanding the empire through conquest and diplomacy. Her reign, marked by Enlightenment ideals, saw the founding of new cities, universities, and theatres, as well as the colonisation of Alaska and the annexation of the Crimean Khanate. Despite her modernising efforts, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions.
James VI and I. (James VI of Scotland and I of England) Image Wikipedia
The King James Version of the Bible was first published on 2 May; True or false, the year of this first publication was1661.
FALSE—The King James Version, commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, is an Early Modern English translation of the Christian Bible. It is considered one of the most important books in English culture and a driving force in shaping the English-speaking world.
Quizology Online 
