On 2 April 1513, an explorer landed on the coast of what is now Florida, he is believed to be the first European to land in Florida. Who was this explorer?
Sebastian Cabot
Hermenegildo de Brito Capelo
Juan Ponce de León
Born this day in 1805, an author who is probably best known for works such as The Red Shoes, The Ugly Duckling and Thumbelina. Who is he?
Hans Christian Andersen
Jacob Grimm
George MacDonald
Today in 1968, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey had its world premiere. The film was noted for its use of classical music such as the dramatic Thus Spoke Zarathustra for the opening scene of the film. Who composed this piece of music?
Camille Saint-Saëns
Richard Strauss
Igor Stravinsky
Born today in 1914, what actor links these film and television locations: River Kwai, Hejaz, London and Tatooine?
Peter Cushing
Alec Guinness
James Earl Ray
On 2 April 1681, England’s King Charles II proclaimed the charter he had granted in March to William Penn for his colony of Pennsylvania in North America. What word best describes this colony?
E.V. Haughwout Building, 488-492 Broadway, New York City. Wikipedia
Steam—The E.V. Haughwout Building, NYC installed the world’s first successful passenger elevator in 1857. The steam-powered hydraulic lift, designed by Elisha Graves Otis, was a novelty that attracted customers to the five storey department store.
Akira Kurosawa—Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese filmmaker, directed 30 films over seven decades. His bold and dynamic style, influenced by Western cinema, earned him international acclaim. Notable works include Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Red Beard.
President Ronald Reagan—The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), introduced by President Reagan in 1983, was a missile defence system designed to protect the US from Soviet ICBMs using various platforms. Known as “Star Wars,” it faced criticism for its technical feasibility and potential to destabilise the MAD doctrine and escalate the arms race. Although the programme ended in 1993, some elements were revived in 2019 by the Space Development Agency.
Ben-Hur (1959)—Films with the most awards: Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) each earned 11 Academy Awards. (Wikipedia)
2001—Mir, the first modular space station, was launched in 1986 and operated for 15 years. It served as a microgravity research laboratory for experiments in biology, physics, astronomy and more. Mir held records for the longest continuous human presence in space and the longest single human spaceflight until surpassed by the ISS.
Mir’s re-entry into the atmosphere over Fiji, 2001. Satobs
Otis free-fall safety demonstration in 1853. Wikipedia
All of the following relate to today, 23 March.
On 23 March 1857 the first commercial elevator was installed in a New York City department store, it was powered by…
Steam
Electricity
Water
Born today in 1910, a Japanese film director who according to Encyclopædia Britannica ‘won worldwide acclaim with subtle, brilliantly composed films, such as Rashōmon (1950) and Seven Samurai (1954), that combined Japanese historic themes with a Western sense of action and drama”; he was…
Yasujirō Ozu
Ishirō Honda
Akira Kurosawa
On this date a nationwide television address in the US announced a space based defence system against nuclear attacks which came to be known as “Star Wars”; the address was made by…
President Jimmy Carter
President Ronald Reagan
President George HW Bush
On this day in 1998 Titanic won 11 Academy Awards equalling the record set by…
All About Eve (1950)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Godfather (1972)
The space station Mir returned to Earth on 23 March. It had been launched by the Soviet space agency in 1986 with a design life expectancy of five years. In what year did it re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere?
1991
1996
2001
Approach view of the Mir Space Station viewed from Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-89 rendezvous. A Progress cargo ship is attached on the left, a Soyuz manned spacecraft attached on the right. Image ID: STS089-340-035 NASA/Wikipedia
Sophia Myles—Wikipedia describes her as “an English actress… best known in film for portraying Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward in Thunderbirds(2004), Isolde in Tristan & Isolde (2006), Darcy in Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Erika in Underworld(2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006), and Freya in Outlander (2008)”.
Caldwell, New Jersey—Stephen Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th US President, was the first Democrat elected after the Civil War and the first to serve two non-consecutive terms. Known for his honesty and principled approach, he blocked legislative excesses during his first term and championed political reform, fiscal conservatism, and classical liberalism, gaining support from both Democrats and Republicans. His presidency saw significant legislation such as the Interstate Commerce Act and the Dawes Act. However, his stance on government intervention during the economic collapse and the legacy of the Dawes Act have resulted in mixed assessments of his legacy.
Wilfred Owen, an English poet and soldier, expressed anger at war’s cruelty and waste through his poetry. Based on his World War I experiences, his war poetry was about the horrors of trenches and gas warfare. At only 25 years of age, he was killed in action at the Battle of the Sambre on 4 November 1918, exactly a week before the war’s end. His best-known works— most of which were published posthumously— are Anthem for Doomed Youth, Dulce et Decorum est, Futility, and Spring Offensive.
Final draft of Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen, penned by the author. WikipediaHonoree Queen Latifah speaks at the Kennedy Center Honors dinner at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Saturday, December 2, 2023. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett) Wikipedia
Queen Latifah—American musician and actress. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album, All Hail the Queen, which blended diverse styles and feminist themes. The name Latifah is Arabic for “delicate” or “sensitive”.
Neville Chamberlain—Prime Minister of the UK from 1937 to 1940—is known for his policy of appeasement towards Hitler’s Germany. He served in various government positions, including Chancellor of the Exchequer, before becoming Prime Minister. Despite signing the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938, the latter’s invasion of Poland less than a year later compelled Chamberlain to declare war on Germany.
Chamberlain holding up the paper signed by both Hitler and himself on his return to Great Britain from Munich, Germany. Wikipedia
Sheelah’s Day
Sheelah’s Day is celebrated on 18 March, the day after Saint Patrick’s Day, and is observed in the Irish diaspora in Australia and Canada. Although there are no Sheelahs included in my post today, all of the questions are about people born on 18 March.
Sheelah’s Day is celebrated on 18 March the day after Saint Patrick’s Day and is observed in the Irish diaspora in Australia and Canada. No Sheelah’s included here today but all of the following are about people born on 18 March.
Born 1980. Actress who links the following roles: Penelope (in 2004), Isolde (2006), Erika (2003 and 2006), Darcy (2014) and Freya (2008). Who is she?
Born 1837, Grover Cleveland, served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Where was he born?
Amherst, New Hampshire
Brighton, New York
Caldwell, New Jersey
Anthem for Doomed Youth was written by a war poet born this day in 1893. Who was he?
Rupert Brook
Wilfred Owen
Siegfried Sassoon
Who is Dana Elaine Owens, born 18 March 1970, a musician and actress, better known as?
Lauryn Hill
Missy Elliott
Queen Latifah
Born today in 1869, this British prime minister returned from Germany with a “piece of paper” promising to “have brought you back peace — but a peace I hope with honour.” Who was he?
The first Monty Python Live (Mostly) reunion show at the O2 Arena in London, 2014. Wikipedia
The answers to my earlier post are shown here in bold.
Norwegian Blue and
Graham Chapman—The Dead Parrot Sketch from Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a satire on poor customer service, featuring a non-existent parrot species, the “Norwegian Blue”. It was written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. Carol Cleveland and Michael Palin performing the Lumberjack Song during the Monty Python Live (Mostly) show, 2014. Wikipedia
Tree to tree—A man, dissatisfied with his job, expresses his desire to be a lumberjack. He then sings, backed by a choir of male singers dressed as Royal Canadian Mounted Police, about the wonders of being a lumberjack in British Columbia and “Leaping from tree to tree”. The lumberjack reveals cross-dressing tendencies to his best girl and the Mounties, who become increasingly uncomfortable and eventually leave in disgust. The girl, shocked, rejects him and runs off.
And Now for Something Completely Different—And Now for Something Completely Different is a 1971 British sketch comedy film featuring sketches from the first two series of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The film, released in the UK in 1971 and the US in 1972, consists of 90 minutes of sketches and animation sequences.
Graham Chapman—Graham Chapman, a British actor, comedian, and writer, was a member of the surrealist comedy group Monty Python. He was openly homosexual, a supporter of gay rights and an alcoholic until he quit drinking before working on Life of Brian. Chapman died of tonsil cancer in 1989.
Spike Milligan—Spike Milligan, born in British India, was a comedian, writer, and actor known for his work on The Goon Show and Q, a comedy sketch show which ran for six series from 1969 until 1983. He also wrote books, including Puckoon and a seven-volume autobiography, and comical verse, much of it for children. Spike Milligan, visiting Tunisia, was included by the Pythons in a scene of Life of Brian. He had left before being included in close-ups or publicity shots. Terry Gilliam, in the Spanish Inquisition sketch during Monty Python Live (Mostly) show, 2014. Wikipedia
Terry Gilliam—Terrence Gilliam is an American-British filmmaker, comedian, and actor. He gained stardom as a member of Monty Python, collaborating on sketch series and films. Gilliam transitioned to directing serious films with themes exploring imagination and oppositions to bureaucracy and authoritarianism. He has directed 13 feature films, gaining acclaim for, among others, Time Bandits (1981), The Fisher King (1991) and 12 Monkeys (1995).
A title card for Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Wikipedia
John Philip Sousa—Sousa’s Liberty Bell March performed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, was used as the opening theme for Monty Python’s Flying Circus as it was in the public domain and would not be associated with the show’s content.
Ni—In the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, King Arthur encounters the Knights Who Say “Ni!”, who demand a shrubbery as a sacrifice. After obtaining a shrubbery, the knights change their name to the Knights Who Say “Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing!” and give Arthur a new test, which he passes by saying the word “it”, incapacitating the knights.
Spamalot—Spamalot is a stage musical by John Du Prez and Eric Idle parodying Arthurian legend, based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The original Broadway production, directed by Mike Nichols, received 14 Tony Award nominations and won three, including Best Musical.
See question 5. Graham Chapman. Blue plaque erected by The British Comedy Society on 6th September 2012 at The Angel Inn, 37 Highgate High Street, London N6 5JT Wikipedia
The answers to the questions posted earlier are shown in bold.
Bryan Cranston, Comic-Con, San Diego, 2012 Wikipedia
Bryan Cranston—Bryan Lee Cranston is an acclaimed American actor renowned for his roles as Walter White in Breaking Bad and Hal in Malcolm in the Middle. He has won six Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards and two Golden Globes, with nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA. Cranston’s Breaking Bad performance earned him four Emmys and a Golden Globe, and he also won for Outstanding Drama Series as a producer. On stage, he won a Tony for All the Way and another for Network. Notable films include Trumbo, Saving Private Ryan, and Godzilla.
Sir Edwin Landseer By Francis Grant. National Portrait Gallery Wikipedia
Edwin Landseer—Landseer, born in London to engraver John Landseer and Jane Potts, was a prodigious artist recognised early on. He studied under his father and Benjamin Robert Haydon, who encouraged dissections to understand animal anatomy. Landseer’s association with the Royal Academy began at 13, exhibiting as an “Honorary Exhibitor,” becoming an Associate at 24, and an Academician in 1831. He was acquainted with Charles Robert Leslie and visited Scotland in 1824, which influenced him. In 1823, he painted Georgiana Russell, Duchess of Bedford, with whom he had an affair. Knighted in 1850, he declined the Royal Academy Presidency in 1866. Suffering from mental health issues, he was declared insane in 1872.
Crossing of the Strait of Dover by Blanchard and Jefferies, 1785. Wikipedia
Jean-Pierre Blanchard—Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753–1809) was a French inventor and pioneer of gas balloon flight. He achieved fame with a hydrogen balloon flight in Paris in 1784 and later crossed the English Channel in 1785, earning praise from Louis XVI. Blanchard toured Europe, demonstrating balloons and parachutes, using the latter for a successful escape in 1793. In 1792, he conducted the first balloon flight in the Americas, observed by President George Washington. Blanchard married Sophie Blanchard in 1804 and died of a heart attack in 1808. His widow continued balloon demonstrations until her accidental death.
Rachel Weisz Wikipedia
Rachel Weisz—Rachel Weisz is an acclaimed English actress known for her roles in both independent films and blockbusters. She began her career in the early 1990s, gaining recognition with her film debut in Death Machine (1994) and winning a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Design for Living. Her breakthrough came with The Mummy series (1999-2001). Weisz won an Academy Award for The Constant Gardener (2005) and a Laurence Olivier Award for A Streetcar Named Desire (2009). She continued to excel in films like The Bourne Legacy (2012) and The Favourite (2018),winning a BAFTA for the latter.
Viv Richards Wikipedia
Viv Richards—Sir Vivian Richards is a retired Antiguan cricketer celebrated as one of the greatest batsmen ever. Representing the West Indies from 1974 to 1991, he was pivotal in their 1975 and 1979 World Cup victories and a runner-up in 1983. Richards made his Test debut in 1974 and scored 8,540 runs in 121 matches, becoming the West Indies’ leading run-scorer. Despite eye surgery in 1984, he continued to excel. Knighted in 1999, he was named a Cricketer of the Century by Wisden in 2000 and inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.
Ranulph Fiennes at the Celebrating Captain Scott’s Legacy: 100 Years of Discovery and Diplomacy in Antarctica event in London. Wikipedia
Ranulph Fiennes—Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is a renowned British explorer, writer and poet, holding several endurance records. He served in the British Army for eight years, including counter-insurgency work in Oman. Fiennes is celebrated for being the first to visit both the North and South Poles by surface means and the first to cross Antarctica on foot. In 2009, at 65, he summited Mount Everest. Recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1984 as the world’s greatest living explorer, he has authored numerous books on his adventures and explorers like Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.
Maurice Ravel Wikipedia
Maurice Ravel—Maurice Ravel was a distinguished French composer, pianist, and conductor, often associated with Impressionism alongside Claude Debussy, though both distanced themselves from the label. His work gained international acclaim in the 1920s and 1930s, earning him the title of France’s greatest living composer. Ravel’s compositions are celebrated for their intricate harmonies and innovative orchestration, exemplified in Boléro (1928) and his arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (1922). Despite facing bias at the Paris Conservatoire, he developed a unique style blending modernism, baroque, neoclassicism and jazz, known for its clarity and experimentation.
Amanda Gorman steps to the podium to recite her inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb,” during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II) Wikipedia
Amanda Gorman—Amanda Gorman is an American poet, activist and model known for addressing issues like oppression, feminism, race, and marginalisation. She was the first National Youth Poet Laureate and published The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough in 2015. Gorman gained global fame in 2021 for her poem The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s inauguration, leading to best-selling books and a management contract. She was featured in Time magazine’s 100 Next list and became the first poet to perform at the Super Bowl, delivering Chorus of the Captains at Super Bowl LV.
Ivan Lendl, 1984. Wikipedia
Ivan Lendl—Ivan Lendl is a Czech-American former professional tennis player and coach, celebrated as one of the greatest in the sport. He held the world No. 1 ranking for 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles, including eight majors. Lendl is the only player with a match-winning percentage over 90% in five different years and leads head-to-head against rivals Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. Known as the ‘Father Of Modern Tennis’, he pioneered aggressive baseline power tennis. Post-retirement, he coached Andy Murray to three major titles and a world No. 1 ranking.
Stanley Kubrick—Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999) was an acclaimed American filmmaker known for his meticulous attention to detail, innovative cinematography and dark humour. Born in New York City, he developed an early interest in literature, photography, and film, teaching himself filmmaking after high school. Kubrick’s notable works include The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. He moved to England in 1961, where he maintained artistic control over his films, often using groundbreaking techniques. Kubrick’s legacy includes numerous award nominations and critical acclaim.
Production photo of director Stanley Kubrick (left, seated) and actor Tony Curtis (right) on the set of the 1960 film Spartacus. Wikipedia
See question 10. Poster for the film Spartacus (1960) Wikipedia
Ten questions about people who were either born or sadly died on the 7 March—each answer will follow these two words: “I am…”
Question 1. The second man to walk on the Moon. Wikipedia
Born today in 1956 in Los Angeles, California, I played the second man to walk on the moon in From the Earth to the Moon (1998). I did voice work on the animated series Family Guy, Robot Chicken and SuperMansion. I am…
Bryan Cranston
Patrick Warburton
Hulk Hogan
Question 2. Monarch of the Glen. Wikipedia
Born 7 March 1802, I am British painter and sculptor best known for my paintings of animals such as the Monarch of the Glen (above). I am…
Frank Knight
Edwin Landseer
Langford Monroe
Died today in 1809. I am a French balloonist who, with the American physician John Jeffries, made the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. I am…
Jean Pierre Alfred Nadal
Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier
Jean-Pierre Blanchard
Born today in 1970, I am an actor and appeared as as Evelyn Carnahan in the Hollywood action films The Mummy (1999) and its sequel. I was Tessa Abbott-Quayle in the 2005 film adaptation of John le Carré’s The Constant Gardener. I am…
Abigail Cruttenden
Olivia d’Abo
Rachel Weisz
Born this day in 1952, I am a West Indian cricketer described by Encyclopædia Britannica as “arguably the finest batsman of his generation”. I am…
Born today in 1944, I am a British adventurer and explorer who, as part of the Transglobe Expedition circumnavigated the world via the North and South Pole. I also ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven consecutive days. I am…
Benedict Allen
Ranulph Fiennes
Gino Watkins
Question 7. Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean, Dancing on Ice, 2011 Wikipedia
Born 7 March 1875, I am a composer probably best known for Boléro (1928) which gained new popular following after featuring in the film 10 (1979) and the 1984 Olympics when used by ice-dancers Torvill and Dean. I am…
Antonín Dvořák
Maurice Ravel
John Philip Sousa
Born this in 1998, I am a poet and activist who gained international fame when I read my poem The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s 2021 presidential inauguration. I am…
Amanda Gorman
Amanda Grayson
Amanda Hunsaker
Born today in 1960, I’m a former American tennis player of Czech descent who was very successful in the 1980s and early 1990s. As a right-hander, I was known for my powerful forehand. I won eight Grand Slam titles, including three consecutive US Open championships from 1985 to 1987. I am…
Goran Ivanišević
Ivan Lendl
Ilie Năstase
Died this day in 1999 in England. In 1960, I took over direction of Spartacus, the slave revolt epic set in Ancient Rome; I am also known for my Odyssey. I am…
Queen Victoria receiving the news of her accession to the throne, 1837. [Image Wikipedia]
The answers to today’s earlier post about a few events from 2 March are shown in bold below.
Eight—On March 2, 1882, Roderick Maclean, a poet who had apparently been offended by Queen Victoria’s rejection of one of his poems, attempted to assassinate her as her carriage departed Windsor railway station. Gordon Chesney Wilson and another Eton College student struck him with their umbrellas until a policeman intervened and escorted him away. Notably, there were eight attempts to assassinate Victoria, with two separate attempts by the same person. In 1842, while riding in a carriage along The Mall in London, Queen Victoria was shot at by John Francis, but the gun failed to discharge. Francis managed to escape, but the following day, Victoria deliberately drove the same route, albeit faster and with a larger escort, in an attempt to lure Francis into a second attempt and capture him in the act. As anticipated, Francis fired at her, but he was apprehended by plainclothes policemen and subsequently convicted of high treason. His death sentence was commuted to transportation for life.
Publicity poster for King Kong, 1933. [Image Wikipedia]
King Kong—The landmark monster movie King Kong had its world premiere. In addition to pioneering special effects by Willis O’Brien, it was the first significant feature film to star an animated character. The film’s final lines were Police Lieutenant: “Well, Denham, the airplanes got him.” Carl Denham responded: “Oh no, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty that killed the beast.”
British Airways Concorde G-BOAC, 1986. [Image Wikipedia]
Toulouse, France—Concorde was a supersonic airliner developed by the United Kingdom and France, first flying on 2 March 1969. Known for its sleek design and ability to fly at twice the speed of sound, it significantly reduced transatlantic flight times. However, high development costs, environmental concerns like sonic booms, and high operating costs limited its use to transoceanic flights. Only 20 aircraft were built, operated by Air France and British Airways, with service starting in 1976. Despite initial routes to destinations like Bahrain, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, D.C., and New York City, financial losses and competition from subsonic airliners led to route cuts, with New York City becoming the only regular destination. A fatal crash on 25 July 2000, resulting in 113 deaths, led to a temporary grounding. Concorde was retired in 2003, with most aircraft preserved in museums. The program was a significant European cooperative venture but never achieved financial profitability.
Charlie Chaplin’s grave in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. [Image Wikipedia]
Vaud, Switzerland—In March 1978, Oona Chaplin was informed by police that her husband Charlie Chaplin’s grave in Switzerland had been disturbed and his body stolen. The film star, who had died just months earlier, was taken by two thieves, Roman Wardas and Gantscho Ganev, who demanded a ransom of $600,000, threatening the Chaplins’ children. Oona dismissed the ransom as absurd. The police effectively tracked the thieves, leading to their capture in May. Wardas and Ganev, driven by desperation, had hidden Chaplin’s body in a cornfield. They expressed regret for their crime, which Oona forgave, even exchanging letters with them. Wardas was imprisoned for four years, while Ganev received an 18-month suspended sentence. Charlie Chaplin was reburied with a concrete vault to deter further theft. Though a 2014 film revived interest in the odd incident, his grave has remained undisturbed since.
Czech—Vladimír Remek, the first Czechoslovak in space, is also considered the first EU astronaut. He served in the European Parliament and as Czech Ambassador to Russia.
Charlie Chaplin, The Tramp, 1915. [Image Wikipedia]
Quizology Online 
