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?
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?
Three
In 1846, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Triton, a moon of which planet?
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?
Five
In 1935, Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway. Who composed this opera?
In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a Hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
What one word has been omitted from the above opening lines which were first published in 1937?
Answer: Hobbit
The openings words from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937).
Two
The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.
The second book of an unusual trilogy begins with the above lines. What is the title of this book? How many books did the creator of this work write in the ‘trilogy’?
Answer: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Five (books)
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is the second book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a ‘trilogy of five books’ by Douglas Adams with a sixth book written by Eoin Colfer.
Three
It was a pleasure to …
In Ray Bradbury’ Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, the protagonist, was responsible for the opening sentence. What four-letter word completes it?
Answer: Burn
Montag is a fireman. In the world depicted in Fahrenheit 451 firemen are employed to burn books which are illegal to own. Disillusioned with his role as a censor and destroyer of knowledge, Montag eventually quits his job and dedicates himself to preserving literary and cultural writings.
Four
Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.
Who was the subject of this opening sentence (the name has been removed from the above quote) from Ulysses by James Joyce?
Answer: Buck Mulligan
Ulysses by James Joyce, follows the lives of three Dubliners over a single day, 16 June 1904, now celebrated annually as Bloomsday by its fans.
LOG ENTRY: SOL 6 I’m pretty much fucked. That’s my considered opinion. Fucked. — The Martian by Andy Weir
The opening lines of The Martian are displayed above. Who was the American astronaut writing this log entry?
Answer: Mark Watney
Andy Weir’s 2011 science fiction debut, ‘The Martian’, began as a serialised blog post before Crown Publishing Group acquired and re-released it in 2014. The novel follows Mark Watney, an American astronaut stranded alone on Mars in 2035, who must use his ingenuity to survive. Ridley Scott’s 2015 film adaptation, starring Matt Damon, is based on the novel. Drew Goddard wrote the screenplay, and 20th Century Fox distributed it. Both the novel and film depict the astronaut’s struggle for survival and NASA’s rescue mission.
Here are five questions about the opening lines of books.
One
In a hole in the ground there lived a …. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a …-hole, and that means comfort.
What one word has been omitted from the above opening lines which were first published in 1937?
Two
The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.
The second book of an unusual trilogy begins with the above lines. What is the title of this book? How many books did the creator of this work write in the ‘trilogy’?
Three
It was a pleasure to …
In Ray Bradbury’ Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, the protagonist, was responsible for the opening sentence. What four-letter word completes it?
Four
Stately, plump … came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.
Who was the subject of this opening sentence (the name has been removed from the above quote) from Ulysses by James Joyce?
Five
LOG ENTRY: SOL 6 I’m pretty much fucked. That’s my considered opinion. Fucked. — The Martian by Andy Weir
The opening lines of The Martian are displayed above. Who was the American astronaut writing this log entry?
Today there are five questions relating to various lists.
Taylor Swift Eras Tour – Arlington Texas, US. Image Wikipedia
One
Here’s a chronological list of studio albums released since 2017: Reputation, Lover, … Evermore. Who released these and which album is missing?
Answer: Taylor Swift and Folklore
Swift released the studio album Folklore in 2020.
Two
…, Aconcagua, Denali. This is the second and third items in a list of seven. What’s the first?
Answer: Everest
It is a list of the highest peaks the on seven continents: Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Elbrus, Mount Wilhelm. There are variations to this list depending on definition used but the first five peaks remain the same regardless of definition.
Three
Which film follows in this list from an ‘official’ film series: Thunderball, You Only Live Twice? Secondly, who played the main protagonist in this film?
Answer: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and George Lazenby
This was Lazenby’s only outing as Bond.
Four
Out of the 193 member states of the United Nations, nine follow Oman and precede Qatar in alphabetical order. Can you name as many of these nine as you can?
Answer: Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland and Portugal
The Rolling Stones in July 1963. From left: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards. Image Wikipedia
Five
The Encyclopædia Britannica and Wikipedia agree on the first stable lineup of this group. Listed alphabetically by surname, they are Mick Jagger, …, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Who is missing from second place in this list?
Answer: Brian Jones
Formed in London as an alliance between Jagger, Richards, and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones along with Watts and bassist Bill Wyman, the Stones began as a grubby conclave of students and bohemians playing a then-esoteric music based on Chicago blues in pubs and clubs in and around West London. Their potential for mass-market success seemed negligible at first, but by 1965 they were second to the Beatles in the collective affection of teenage Britain. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Today we have five questions about different lists.
One
Here’s a chronological list of studio albums released since 2017: Reputation, Lover, … Evermore. Who released these and which album is missing?
Two
…, Aconcagua, Denali. This is the second and third items in a list of seven. What’s the first?
Three
Which film follows in this list from an ‘official’ film series: Thunderball, You Only Live Twice? Secondly, who played the main protagonist in this film?
Four
Out of the 193 member states of the United Nations, nine follow Oman and precede Qatar in alphabetical order. Can you name as many of these nine as you can?
Five
The Encyclopædia Britannica and Wikipedia agree on the first stable lineup of this group. Listed alphabetically by surname, they are Mick Jagger, …, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Who is missing from second place in this list?
Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn), commander USS Dallas, The Hunt for Red October. Image Jack Ryan Fandom
One
American novelist Tom Clancy died today in 2013. The film adaptation (1990) of his novel The Hunt for Red October (1984) featured who in the role of Jack Ryan and what was the name of the American Los Angeles-class attack submarine skippered by Commander Bart Mancuso?
Answer: Alec Baldwin and USS Dallas
The Hunt for Red October chronicles the efforts of CIA analyst Jack Ryan to prove that Soviet submarine Captain Marko Ramius is not attempting to attack the US but is instead defecting to the United States with the Soviet Union’s cutting-edge ballistic missile submarine, the Red October. The story, adapted from Tom Clancy’s novel of the same name, portrays a dangerous geopolitical game of cat and mouse as both the Soviet and American navies attempt to locate the advanced, stealthy submarine, fearing a nuclear confrontation if Ramius’ intentions are misunderstood.
Two
On this date, who became the first queen to rule England in her own right?
Answer: Mary I
Mary I, England’s first queen ruling in her own right, earned the nickname Bloody Mary for her persecution of Protestants to restore Roman Catholicism. Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of England and Ireland in 1553. Her attempts to restore Catholicism, including the Marian persecutions, were largely unsuccessful and her reign ended with her death in 1558.
Three
Yosemite National Park was established in 1890 by the US Congress. Two questions: in what US state is Yosemite National Park located, and what other US National Park in that state straddles the Nevada border?
Answer: California and Death Valley National Park
Yosemite National Park is located in California. Nevada boasts two national parks: Great Basin National Park and Death Valley National Park. Death Valley extends across both California and Nevada.
The ‘Thrilla in Manila‘ was a 1975 prizefight between which two prizefighters?
Answer: Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier
Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the 14th round of their third boxing match, the ‘Thrilla in Manila’, on 1 October 1975. The fight, considered one of the greatest in boxing history, was watched by an estimated 1 billion viewers.
Paddy O’Neil (Richard Harris), Patriot Games. Image Jack Ryan Fandom
Five
Which Irish actor, born in 1930, played Paddy O’Neil in Patriot Games (1992) and Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator (2000)?
Answer: Richard Harris
Irish actor and singer Richard Harris, known for his roles in films like This Sporting Life, The Field, and Gladiator, received numerous accolades including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Grammy Award. He also gained acclaim for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. He also topped the music charts with MacArthur Park reaching number one in Australia, Canda and Jamaica; and top-ten entries in the UK, US and Ireland.
American novelist Tom Clancy died today in 2013. The film adaptation (1990) of his novel The Hunt for Red October (1984) featured who in the role of Jack Ryan and what was the name of the American Los Angeles-class attack submarine skippered by Commander Bart Mancuso?
Two
On this date, who became the first queen to rule England in her own right?
Three
Yosemite National Park was established in 1890 by the US Congress. Two questions: in what US state is Yosemite National Park located, and what other US National Park in that state straddles the Nevada border?
Four
The ‘Thrilla in Manila‘ was a 1975 prizefight between which two prizefighters?
Five
Which Irish actor, born in 1930, played Paddy O’Neil in Patriot Games (1992) and Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator (2000)?
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 1961. Image Wikipedia
One
In the 1961 comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn stars as Holly Golightly. Born on this date in 1924, who wrote the novella that inspired the film?
Answer: Truman Capote
Truman Capote’s 1958 novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s is set in 1940s New York City’s Upper East Side. It follows a writer’s recollections of his neighbour Holly Golightly and her life in Manhattan. While based on the novella, the film’s screenplay deviates from the book’s original storyline.
Two
In an attempt to appease Adolf Hitler, Great Britain and France agreed to Hitler’s demand for the annexation of the Sudetenland, a region in what former country?
Answer: Czechoslovakia
The Munich Agreement, signed on September 30, 1938, was a settlement reached by Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy that allowed for the German annexation of the Sudetenland, a region in western Czechoslovakia. This agreement was part of the policy of appeasement, where European powers aimed to prevent war by conceding to some of Adolf Hitler’s territorial demands. The Czechoslovak government was not consulted during the negotiations and was forced to accept the terms. The agreement is often criticized for emboldening Hitler, as it failed to prevent further aggression, leading to the occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and eventually World War II.
…professional tennis player who became the youngest person in the “open” era to win a Grand Slam singles title and the youngest to be ranked world number one. In her relatively short, injury-plagued career, she won five Grand Slam singles titles—the Australian Open (1997, 1998, 1999), Wimbledon (1997), and the United States Open (1997).
This quote refers to a tennis player born in 1980 in Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Who is she?
Answer: Martina Hingis
Martina Hingis, who was named after Martina Navratilova, was introduced to sports by her tennis-playing parents and excelled in skiing and tennis from a young age. After moving to Switzerland, she became the youngest Grand Slam junior titleholder at 12. Hingis turned professional at 14, becoming the youngest player to win a Grand Slam match and the youngest Wimbledon doubles champion. The WTA later restricted participation for young players.
Following World War II, Germany was divided into four zones controlled by the British, French, Americans and Russians. Berlin, completely encircled by the Russian zone, was also partitioned. Image Wikipedia
Four
Today in 1949, an airlift delivering 2,323,738 tons of food, fuel, machinery, and other supplies was officially ended. To what city was this relief supplied?
Answer: West Berlin
The Berlin Blockade (1948-49) was a Soviet attempt to force the Western Allies out of West Berlin by severing all land and water routes. In retaliation, the US and Britain launched the Berlin Airlift to deliver supplies to the city by air. This airlift symbolised the Allies’ unwavering commitment to resisting Soviet expansion. successfully supplying the city for 15 months. The operation, involving over 250,000 flights, underscored the ideological divide between East and West and solidified West Berlin’s alignment with the US and Britain.
Five
An opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered in Austria on this day in 1791. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, ‘It is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment presented through Freemasonry symbols’. What is the opera?
The Magic Flute
Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute, is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment, rich with Masonic symbolism. The libretto, believed to draw from various sources including medieval romance and Freemasonry, was written by Emanuel Schikaneder, a close friend of Mozart.
See question 4 above. ‘A U.S. Air Force Douglas C-54 Skymaster making a “Little Vittles” candy drop (note the parachutes below the tail of the C-54) on approach to a Berlin airfield. Aircrews dropped candy to children during the Berlin Airlift.’ Image Wikipedia
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 1961. Image Wikipedia
One
In the 1961 comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn stars as Holly Golightly. Born on this date in 1924, who wrote the novella that inspired the film?
Two
In an attempt to appease Adolf Hitler, Great Britain and France agreed to Hitler’s demand for the annexation of the Sudetenland, a region in what former country?
Three
…professional tennis player who became the youngest person in the “open” era to win a Grand Slam singles title and the youngest to be ranked world number one. In her relatively short, injury-plagued career, she won five Grand Slam singles titles—the Australian Open (1997, 1998, 1999), Wimbledon (1997), and the United States Open (1997).
This quote refers to a tennis player born in 1980 in Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Who is she?
Four
Today in 1949, an airlift delivering 2,323,738 tons of food, fuel, machinery, and other supplies was officially ended. To what city was this relief supplied?
Five
An opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered in Austria on this day in 1791. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, ‘It is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment presented through Freemasonry symbols’. What is the opera?
Quizology.Online 