Quizology.Online

Tag: entertainment

  • The Silver Screen

    Bullitt.
    Image carbuzz.com

    One

    The iconic car chase in Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen, was filmed in which city?  Secondly, McQueen was driving a Ford Mustang but what make and model was the other car in the chase?

    Two

    Born today in 1920, Montgomery Clift portrayed Perce Howland in the 1961 film The Misfits. Who were his co-stars who played Gaylord Langland and Roslyn Taber.

    Three

    1918 American actress …, whose portrayal of seductresses helped earn her the nickname “The Love Goddess,” was born.

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Born as Margarita Carmen Cansino in New York City this day in 1918, what actress’s name is missing from the above quote?

    Four

    Question 4.

    Three-in-one?

    • Who is the actor in the photograph?
    • He was a regular in which television series from 1982 to 1993?
    • What is his character’s name in that series?

    Five

    On this day in 1939, a classic film premiered. James Stewart stars as the title character, who launches a filibuster in the US Senate to combat corruption. What is the film?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Unsinkable—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    One

    In the film Titanic what were Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s fictional characters full names?

    Answer: Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater

    Titanic film poster.
    Image Original Vintage

    Two

    Name the independent countries in Africa that have names beginning with ‘M’?

    Answer: Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco and Mozambique

    Three

    What type of animal was Flipper, the star of the sixties American television series?

    Answer: Bottlenose dolphin

    Bottlenose dolphins.
    Image American Oceans

    Four

    There’s only been one instance of a father and daughter performing a number one song in America. Can you name the song and the performers?

    Answer: Somethin’ Stupid Frank and Nancy Sinatra

    This 1967 hit, which was billed as being by ‘Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra’, was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in America. Nancy Sinatra has said, ‘Some people call (it) the Incest Song, which I think is, well, very sweet!’

    Five

    Name any US presidents and British prime ministers with the same surname?

    Answer: Woodrow Wilson and Harold Wilson

    Woodrow Wilson, was the 28th President of the United States and was in office from 1913 to 1921.
    Harold Wilson, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and was in office from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976.

  • Unsinkable

    Today’s questions are random with no connection between them.

    RMS Titanic.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    In the film Titanic what were Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s fictional characters full names?

    Two

    Name the independent countries in Africa that have names beginning with ‘M’?

    Three

    What type of animal was Flipper, the star of the sixties American television series?

    Four

    There’s only been one instance of a father and daughter performing a number one song in America. Can you name the song and the performers?

    Five

    Name any US presidents and British prime ministers with the same surname?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Great Dictator—Answers

    (See question 3.) This iconic shot of Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock in Safety Last! was achieved with some improvisation.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The Great Dictator, which premiered in New York on 15 October 1940, satirised Adolf Hitler, Nazism and anti-Semitism. Who directed this film?

    Answer: Charlie Chaplin

    The Great Dictator is a 1940 American political satire black comedy film written, directed, produced by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. Having been the only major Hollywood filmmaker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound films, Chaplin made this his first true sound film. — Wikipedia

    Two

    From which London railway station does the Hogwarts Express depart and what is the name of the Scottish viaduct it crosses on its way to and from Hogwarts?

    Answer: Kings Cross Station; Glenfinnan Viaduct

    Steam train on the Glenfinnan Viaduct features in four films in the series.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Two for the price of one! Who played the actor dangling from a clock on a skyscraper in the 1923 film Safety Last! and what’s the fictional name of the skyscraper in Die Hard?

    Answer: Harold Lloyd (Safety Last!) and

    Answer: Nakatomi Tower (or Plaza) (Die Hard)

    2121 Avenue of the Stars, formerly Fox Plaza, is a 34-storey skyscraper in Century City, Los Angeles. It stands at 493 feet (150 metres) tall was used for external filming of Die Hard’s Nakatomi Tower.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Which actor was the first to receive two consecutive Academy Awards for best actor?

    Answer: Spencer Tracy

    Tracy was nominated for nine best actor Oscars, a category record held jointly with Laurence Olivier. His two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor were for Captains Courageous (1938) and Boys Town (1939).

    Five

    Sean Connery won only one Academy Award during his career, and it came some time after he had finally retired from the role of James Bond. For which role, and in which film, did he win this Best Supporting Actor Oscar?

    Answer: Jimmy Malone in The Untouchables

    Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987) was nominated for four Academy Awards. Connery won the best supporting actor Oscar and Golden Globe Award for his role as the incorruptible beat cop, Jimmy Malone.

  • The Great Dictator

    Today’s first question centres around a film premiere on October 15, followed by questions related to films.

    Adenoid Hynkel in The Great Dictator.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The Great Dictator, which premiered in New York on 15 October 1940, satirised Adolf Hitler, Nazism and anti-Semitism. Who directed this film?

    Two

    From which London railway station does the Hogwarts Express depart and what is the name of the Scottish viaduct it crosses on its way to and from Hogwarts?

    Three

    Two for the price of one! Who played the actor dangling from a clock on a skyscraper in the 1923 film Safety Last! and what’s the fictional name of the skyscraper in Die Hard?

    Four

    Which actor was the first to receive two consecutive Academy Awards for best actor?

    Five

    Sean Connery won only one Academy Award during his career, and it came some time after he had finally retired from the role of James Bond. For which role, and in which film, did he win this Best Supporting Actor Oscar?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Presidential Genesis—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The US state of Virginia is in pole position with eight US presidents being born there. What state would be in second place?

    Answer: Ohio

    Ohio ranks second to Virginia in the number of US presidents born there. These seven presidents hail from Ohio: Ulysses S Grant, Rutherford B Hayes, James A Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft and Warren G Harding.

    Two

    Which mammal family, common or scientific name, is the wolverine the largest member of?

    Answer: Weasels or Mustelidae

    The wolverine, the largest member of the Mustelidae family – commonly known as the weasel family – includes other animals like weasels otters martens and badgers. Renowned for their stocky build thick fur and impressive strength relative to their size, wolverines are truly remarkable creatures.

    Petrus Kartner—Father Abraham.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    In 1977 Petrus Kartner was commissioned to compose a promotional song for The Smurfs which became a hit single and album. What nationality was Kartner and under what stage name did he perform?

    Answer: Dutch and Father Abraham

    Dutch musician and record producer Petrus Antonius Laurentius Kartner (1935-2022), known as Vader Abraham, wrote around 1600 songs. He is best known for his Smurf-themed music, including The Smurf Song, which sold 400,000 copies after a repress and a full album that sold 500,000 copies.

    Four

    In volleyball, a defensive specialist who can’t serve or rotate to the front line and wears a different coloured jersey is known as a …. What six-letter word describes this player?

    Answer: Libero

    The word originates from Italian and means ‘free’. The libero, is a defensive specialist in volleyball, wearing a different coloured jersey and unable to serve or attack above the net. Libero replacements don’t count against the substitution limit, but can only be made with the original libero.
    Established in 1998, this position is recognised by most volleyball governing bodies and is credited with lengthening rallies.

    Neptune’s Staircase, Caledonian Canal, Scotland, UK.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    What eventually links Loch Ness to Neptune’s Staircase?

    Answer: Caledonian Canal

    Built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822 the Caledonian Canal is one of Scotland’s most remarkable engineering achievements — a scenic 60-mile (97 km) waterway that cuts through the Great Glen, connecting the east coast at the Beauly Firth near Inverness with the west coast’s Loch Linnhe at Corpach near Fort William. Some 60 miles (97 km) in length with 22 miles (35 km) of man-made canal while the rest is natural lochs which include Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. Neptune’s Staircase is a flight of eight locks near to the Loch Linnhe end of the canal.

  • Presidential Genesis

    Here are five random questions for you to consider.

    Wolverine, see question 2.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The US state of Virginia is in pole position with eight US presidents being born there. What state would be in second place?

    Two

    Which mammal family, common or scientific name, is the wolverine the largest member of?

    Three

    In 1977 Petrus Kartner was commissioned to compose a promotional song for The Smurfs which became a hit single and album. What nationality was Kartner and under what stage name did he perform?

    Four

    In volleyball, a defensive specialist who can’t serve or rotate to the front line and wears a different coloured jersey is known as a …. What six-letter word describes this player?

    Five

    What eventually links Loch Ness to Neptune’s Staircase?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Numbers—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    One

    Eight nations lie within the Arctic Circle. Can you name them?

    Answer: Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, United States

    The Arctic Circle, an imaginary line at about 66.5° North latitude, marks the southern edge of the Arctic region. Several countries have land or territories within them. Alphabetically, they are:

    Canada
    Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern areas of several provinces, plus the islands in Canada’s Arctic Archipelago which is described by Wikipedia as:

    Situated in the northern extremity of North America and covering about 1,424,500 km2 (550,000 sq mi), this group of 36,563 islands, surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, comprises much of Northern Canada, predominately Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. — Wikipedia

    Finland
    The Lapland region.

    Greenland
    Greenland, a vast autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.

    Iceland
    Despite its name only a small part of Grímsey Island (off the north coast of mainland Iceland) lies within the Arctic Circle.

    Norway
    Northern mainland, for example, Finnmark; and the Svalbard Archipelago. Longyearbyen (Longyear Town) is the world’s northernmost settlement with a population greater than 1,000, and the capital and the largest inhabited area of Svalbard.

    Russia
    Russia has a massive Arctic region, including parts of Siberia, Murmansk Oblast and several Arctic islands. Murmansk is the largest city located above the Arctic Circle

    Sweden
    The northern part of the country, for example, Norrbotten County.

    United States
    The only US territory within the Arctic Circle is the northern part of the state of Alaska.

    Two

    In what 1996 film is Sherman Klump and various others played by the same actor and, who is that actor and how many roles do they play?

    Answer: (film) The Nutty Professor; (actor) Eddie Murphy; (number of roles) Seven

    The Nutty Professor (1996) Eddie Murphy seven roles
    – Professor Sherman Klump ‘The Nutty Professor’
    – Buddy Love
    – Lance Perkins
    – Cletus Klump, Sherman’s father
    – Anna Pearl Jensen-Klump, Sherman’s mother
    – Ida Mae Jensen, Anna’s mother and Sherman’s maternal grandmother
    – Ernie Klump Sr., Sherman’s older brother

    Three

    … days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge.

    What number begins the opening line from Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin?

    Answer: Ten

    The Blind Assassin, a historical fiction novel by Margaret Atwood, won the Booker Prize in 2000.

    Four

    In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed at the Council of Elrond with the singular purpose of destroying the One Ring. How many members in total were in the Fellowship, and how was this number distributed among the various races?

    Answer: (total) Nine. (comprising) One Wizard, two Men, one Elf, one Dwarf and four Hobbits

    The Tolkien Gateway describe the members of the Fellowship of the Ring as follows:

    Gandalf — One of the Wizards sent to Middle-earth by the Valar. He was the leader of the Fellowship.
    Aragorn, son of Arathorn — The Chieftain of the Dúnedain and the last heir to the throne of Gondor and Arnor. He led the Fellowship after the loss of Gandalf.
    Boromir, son of Denethor — Captain-general of Gondor and next-in-line to be the Ruling Steward of Gondor.
    Legolas, son of Thranduil of Mirkwood — Emissary of the Elves of Mirkwood.
    Gimli, son of Glóin — A Dwarf of the Lonely Mountain.
    Frodo Baggins — A Hobbit from the Shire, chosen to carry the One Ring.
    Samwise Gamgee — A Hobbit, Frodo’s gardener, servant and close friend.
    Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck — A Hobbit and cousin of Frodo, best friends with
    Peregrin “Pippin” Took — A Hobbit and also a cousin of Frodo, youngest of the Fellowship.
    — The Fellowship by Pauline Baynes at The Tolkien Gateway

    Five

    The Hunting of the Snark, a poem by an English writer, is subtitled An Agony, in … Fits. What number is missing from the subtitle and who was the English author?

    Answer: (number) Eight and (author) Lewis Carroll

    The Hunting of the Snark is a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll, published in 1876. The poem follows a crew’s hunt for the Snark, a creature that may be a dangerous Boojum, and explores themes of existential angst and the pursuit of happiness.

  • Numbers

    Today numbers are either in the questions or answers.

    One

    Eight nations lie within the Arctic Circle. Can you name them?

    Two

    In what 1996 film is Sherman Klump and various others played by the same actor and, who is that actor and how many roles do they play?

    Three

    … days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge.

    What number begins the opening line from Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin?

    Four

    In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring was formed at the Council of Elrond with the singular purpose of destroying the One Ring. How many members in total were in the Fellowship, and how was this number distributed among the various races?

    Five

    The Hunting of the Snark, a poem by an English writer, is subtitled An Agony, in … Fits. What number is missing from the subtitle and who was the English author?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later.

  • Today’s the Day—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions about October 10th which were posted earlier.

    Giant, film poster, 1956. Image Wikipedia

    One

    On this day in 1956, an American film premiered and became particularly notable as the final film featuring James Dean, who died in a car crash shortly after filming concluded. Which film was it?

    Answer: Giant

    James Dean, a 1950s Hollywood actor, became an influential figure despite a brief career. His three major films, Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant, are preserved in the National Film Registry.

    Two

    In 1969, the album In the Court of the … was released by a band which included Greg Lake. What words complete the album title and what was the band called?

    Answer: (In the Court of the) Crimson King and King Crimson

    King Crimson, an English progressive rock band formed in 1968, is known for its diverse musical influences and significant impact on the progressive rock movement. In the Court of the Crimson King, King Crimson’s debut album, is a pioneering work of progressive rock, blending rock with jazz, classical and symphonic music.

    Three

    In 1846, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Triton, a moon of which planet?

    Answer: Neptune

    William Lassell (18 June 1799 – 5 October 1880) was an English merchant and astronomer.  He’s best known for his improvements to the reflecting telescope which led to his discovery of four planetary satellites.

    Matt Monro, publicity picture for the single, Born Free, 1966.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    In 1963, the second film in the official James Bond franchise, From Russia with Love, premiered. Which Englishman sang the title song in the film?

    Answer: Matt Monro

    If I had to choose three of the finest male vocalists, Matt would be one of them.
    — Frank Sinatra

    Born on December 1, 1930, Terence Edward Parsons, known as Matt Monro on stage, was an English singer renowned as ’The Man with the Golden Voice’. The former London bus driver, performed internationally for 30 years and sold 23 million records. AllMusic called him ‘one of the most underrated pop vocalists of the ‘60s’, praising his ‘easiest, most perfect baritone’. Monro, a heavy smoker and drinker, died of liver cancer in 1985 after which ‘Frank Sinatra said of him, ‘If I had to choose three of the finest male vocalists, Matt would be one of them.’
    Monro’s recordings include UK top 10 hits Portrait of My Love, My Kind of Girl, Softly As I Leave You, Walk Away and a cover of the Beatles’ Yesterday. He also recorded film themes such as From Russia with Love, Born Free, and On Days Like These.

    Five

    In 1935, Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway. Who composed this opera?

    Answer: George Gershwin

    Porgy and Bess is an English-language opera by George Gershwin, based on a novel and play by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward. It premiered in 1935 and is now one of the most frequently performed operas, known for its story of Porgy’s attempts to rescue Bess from her violent lover and drug dealer.