Joseph Merrick, c 1889. See #2 below. Image Wikipedia
One
Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?
Answer: Los Angeles, California
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was an American actress and model who became a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her ‘blonde bombshell’ characters, she starred in numerous successful films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite her success, Monroe’s personal life was troubled, and she died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36.
Two
Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?
Answer: John Hurt
Joseph Carey Merrick, known as ‘The Elephant Man’ was an English man born in 1862 who suffered from a rare disorder causing severe physical deformities, possibly Proteus syndrome. After being exhibited in freak shows, he lived at the London Hospital under the care of Sir Frederick Treves. There he became well-known in London society and received visits from prominent individuals. Merrick died at age 27 from accidental suffocation. A film The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as Merrick was made about his life.
Three
On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?
Answer: Atacama Desert
In 2010, a collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile‘s Atacama Desert trapped 33 miners underground for 69 days. Despite the mine’s history of safety violations and geological instability, the miners were successfully rescued after a global effort involving multiple organisations and governments.
Four
On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?
Answer: Smoking Gun (tape)
The US Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to release tapes of conversations, including the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape, which revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. This led to the loss of his political support and imminent impeachment, prompting his resignation on August 8, 1974.
Five
Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?
Answer: Denmark
Vitus Bering, a Danish-born Russian explorer, led two expeditions exploring the north-eastern coast of Russia and the western coast of North America. He discovered the Bering Strait, proving that Asia and America were not connected by land. Bering died of scurvy on Bering Island in 1741, along with 28 of his men.
Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?
Two
Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?
Three
On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?
Four
On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?
Five
Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?
Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?
Answer: Republic of Upper Volta
This landlocked West African country, which had been a French colony, gained full independence in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso on this day in 1984.
Two
On this day in 1944, following a tip from an informer the Gestapo search a warehouse and find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. In what city was the warehouse located?
Answer: Amsterdam
Diarist Anne Frank (Annelies Marie Frank), a German-born Jewish girl, documented her life in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in a diary. After being arrested by the Gestapo and transported to concentration camps, Anne and her sister Margot died in Bergen-Belsen, likely from typhus. Her diary, published posthumously by her father Otto, became a global bestseller and a powerful testament to the Holocaust. The warehouse, offices and secret annex are now a museum, Anne Frank House.
Three
An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?
Answer: Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter. He gained international attention for his work in Sling Blade and has since appeared in numerous films and television series, winning several awards including an Academy Award and Golden Globes. Thornton is also a musician, having released four solo albums and performing with the Boxmasters.
Four
The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was here name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?
a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history
…was born 4 august 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?
Answer: Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong, a highly influential American jazz trumpeter and vocalist, was born in New Orleans and rose to prominence in the 1920s. He shifted jazz’s focus from collective improvisation to solo performance and became an international icon by the 1950s. We Have All the Time in the World” was featured on the soundtrack of the James Bondfilm _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?
Two
On this day in 1944, following a tip from an informer the Gestapo search a warehouse and find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. In what city was the warehouse located?
Three
An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?
Four
The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was her name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?
Five
A man described by Encyclopædia Britannica as…
a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history
…was born 4 August 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?
Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy aboard the PT-109, Tulagi, Solomon Islands, South Pacific, 1943. Image Wikipedia
One
Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd?
Answer: John F. Kennedy
On patrol the night of August 1–2, 1943, his boat was struck in the inky darkness by a Japanese destroyer. Two crew members died in the fiery collision, but eleven, one badly injured, clung to the hull until morning. Despite his own injuries, Kennedy managed to get all of them to shore and then secure their rescue, six days later, with the help of native islanders friendly to the Allies. For his courage and leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart.
Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?
Answer: Hedy Lamarr
During World War II, Hedy Lamarr co-invented a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes using spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology. However, this technology wasn’t used operationally until after the war. In 1974, Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for $10 million over the use of her name in the film Blazing Saddles which featured the character ‘Hedley Lamarr’. The case settled out of court for an apology.
Three
Drawing by Nicholas Volpe after Guinness won an Oscar in 1957 for his role in The Bridge on the River Kwai. Image Wikipedia
During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?
Answer: Alec Guinness
Sir Alec Guinness played Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. During the Allied invasion of Sicily Guinness commanded a Landing Craft. Later, in the eastern Mediterranean theatre, he ferried supplies and agents to the Yugoslav partisans.
Four
Christopher Lee at the Women’s World Awards 2009 in Vienna, Austria. Image Wikipedia
At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?
Answer: Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee was Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. After volunteering for the Finnish Army during the Winter War, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. His flying career was cut short due to optic nerve issues, leading him to intelligence work in North Africa and Italy. After the war, Lee worked with the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, tracking down Nazi war criminals.
Five
Official Navy portrait of Paul Newman, 1944-45. Image Wikipedia
John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?
Answer: Paul Newman
Paul Newman was a police officer named Murphy who was stationed at Fort Apache: The Bronx. He was previously Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He served in the US Navy during World War II, initially as a radioman and tail gunner, later qualifying as a turret gunner in an Avenger torpedo bomber. His unit was assigned to theUSS Bunker Hill, but he and his crew were grounded due to a pilot’s earache, missing a kamikaze attack that killed several hundred crewmen.
At 02:27 on 2 August 1943, the US Navy’s PT-109 was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer.
Today’s questions focus on individuals who gained recognition in other fields but had roles in World War II.
One
Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd, 1943.
Two
Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?
Three
During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?
Four
At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?
Five
John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?
The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?
Answer: Clara Bow
Clara Bow, known as ‘The It Girl’, was a prominent American actress during the silent film era and talkies. She retired from acting in 1933 after marrying and having two children.
Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?
Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower
In 1945, the Marquess of Ailsa gifted Culzean Castle to the National Trust for Scotland, offering the top floor to General Eisenhower as a token of appreciation for his role in World War II. Eisenhower visited the castle four times, including once as President, and affectionately called it his ‘Scottish White House’.
Dwight D. Eisenhower played Turnberry in 1959 while still president of the USA. Image BBC
Three
Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle program. Image NASA.
On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?
Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
In response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1958 to establish NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), separating the US military and civil spaceflight programmes. NASA, succeeding NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), has led most of America’s space exploration programmes, including the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle.
On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?
Answer: King Philip II (of Spain) and Queen Elizabeth I (of England)
The Spanish Armada, sent by King Philip II in 1588 to invade England and reinstate Catholicism, was commanded by Alonso de Guzmán and sailed from Lisbon. Despite reaching Calais, the Armada was defeated by the English fleet, which relied on artillery and faster ships. The Armada suffered losses from fire ships and the Battle of Gravelines, forcing it to retreat around Scotland and Ireland. The long and treacherous voyage back to Spain resulted in the loss of most of the Armada, with only 60 ships returning.
Five
Gandalf proves that Frodo’s Ring is the One Ring by throwing it into Frodo’s fireplace, revealing the hidden text of the Rhyme of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring. Image Wikipedia
On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?
ANSWER: 1950s (1954)
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, set in Middle-earth. The story follows the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron, uniting a diverse group of characters including hobbits, a wizard, men, an elf, and a dwarf. The work, initially published in three volumes between 29 July 1954 and 20 October 1955, has become a literary classic, influencing the fantasy genre and inspiring numerous adaptations.
The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?
Two
Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?
Three
On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?
Four
On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?
Five
On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?
18the Duke of Norfolk wearing parliamentary robes as Earl Marshal in 2022. Image Wikipedia
Which English Duke, the hereditary Earl Marshal, was responsible for arranging Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and the accession and coronation of King Charles III?
Answer: (Duke of) Norfolk
Edward William Fitzalan-Howard’s family connection to the Royal Family is long, with the 3rd Duke of Norfolk being the uncle of both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the second and fifth wives respectively of Henry VII.
Jennyanydots, originally a character from T.S Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, later became a character in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats. While she appears lazy during the day, she becomes active at night, ruling mice and cockroaches. In the musical, she leads a tap dancing routine.
Bob and Helen Parr are a superhero couple known as…
Answer: Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl
Parr was the surname of Catherine, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. The Incredibles is a 2004 Pixar film about a superhero couple, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who hide their powers to live a quiet suburban life. However, Mr. Incredible’s desire to help people draws the entire family into a confrontation with a vengeful fan. The film received widespread acclaim for its animation, screenplay, and voice acting.
Four
Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, 1977 Open Championship, Turnberry. Image tomwatson.com
The 1977 Open Championship, famously remembered for the ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, was held at which Open Championship venue?
Answer: Turnberry
The 1977 Open Championship, held at Turnberry, Scotland, was won by Tom Watson by one stroke over Jack Nicklaus. The two golfers, who played together in the final two rounds, separated themselves from the field, leading to the championship being remembered as the ‘Duel in the Sun’.
Five
Solitaire (Jane Seymour), Live and Let Die, 1973. Image Screenrant
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg’s stage name is the same as one of Henry VIII’s wives. In 1973, she played a Bond girl in Live and Let Die. What is her stage name, and what character did she portray in this film?
Answer: Jane Seymour and Solitaire
Jane Seymour was also the name of the third wife of Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, born Joyce Frankenberg, is a British actress known for roles in film and television, including The Onedin Line and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including Golden Globes and Emmys, for her performances. Seymour is also a philanthropist, author and designer.
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