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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 30 general entries.
Special Topics
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Women of the Year
| The very first "Woman of the Year" award was given to this English actress in 1951. She lived from 1898 to 1952, when she lost her battle to liver cancer. This lady was a regular in London and Broadway musicals, and her film career spanned from 1929 to 1950.
Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Gertrude Lawrence. Gertrude Lawrence was only in a small number of films, but she was well known for her stage performances too. She played a wide variety of characters, including Catherine The Great in "Great Catherine" (1948). The award tends to go mostly to actresses, but apparently takes stage work into account, as well as film and television.
| 1952 : This actress, born in 1922, was probably most famous for her television roles, though she was well known in cinema too. She died in 2005, after a long battle with lung cancer, most likely caused by her heavy smoking. She had also suffered with breast cancer earlier in her life. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Barbara Bel Geddes. Barbara Bel Geddes is probably most recognisable as Miss Ellie, her famous "Dallas" (1978) character. She also guest starred on a number of other television shows, including "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1959). She also had a number of film roles, including her turn as Midge in "Vertigo" (1958).
| 1953 : This lady is one of the few non-actresses to be given the award. She was one of the first-ladies of the United States for a number of years. Her maiden name was Doud. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Mamie Eisenhower. Mamie Eisenhower, wife of US president Dwight Eisenhower, lived from 1896 to 1979, when she died from a stroke. Mamie was known for her trademark hair, and for her popularity among the male population in her youth. Although the award usually goes to actresses, in this occasion it went to Mamie for her outstanding contribution to entertainment.
| 1954 : This actress, born in 1898, lived until she was 94, when she died of natural causes. She starred in a number of films and television programmes throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, and received great praise for her role in "About Mrs Leslie" (1954). Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Shirley Booth. Shirley Booth, real name Thelma Marjorie Ford, is one of an elite group of actors and actresses who won both a Tony and an Oscar for portraying the same character on the stage and the screen, putting her among the likes of Yul Brenner, Rex Harrison, and Anne Bancroft. Once again, she contributed much to theatre, film, and television over the span of her career, which is what led to her being chosen as 1954's "Woman of the Year".
| 1955 : This former beauty contest winner was well known for her acting work, particularly in musicals. She continued to work late in life, not giving up even when she was well into her 70s. She had never been trained to dance before she was picked to star in a popular music, at aged 19, but learned quickly, and soon became known for her dance work. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Debbie Reynolds. Debbie Reynolds was taught to dance when she was selected by Gene Kelly to star in "Singin' In The Rain" (1952). Her first husband left her for Elizabeth Taylor, and her second husband was responsible for losing them a large amount of money. It was with her third husband, Eddie Fisher, that Debbie had her two children, one of whom was Carrie Fisher of "Star Wars" (1977) fame.
| 1956 : This actress, who worked in both film and television, passed away in her 52nd year from pancreatic cancer. She started her career at a very young age, as her somewhat pushy mother started her daughter's modelling career at the tender age of 6. The mother outlived both her only child and her only grandchild - who was born to this actress during her second of three marriages. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Peggy Ann Garner. Peggy was a very popular actress when she was young, but her career started to fizzle out as she got older, although she did keep working, with many guest appearances on television programmes. Peggy was a very beautiful woman, and sadly died at the relatively young age of 52, from cancer of the pancreas. She married and divorced three times, but only had one child, who died in 1995.
| 1957 : This very beautiful lady was a prolific actress, with over 70 film and television appearances to her name. Born in 1931 into a Polish-American family, she grew up with the surname 'Piekarski', and started her career as a dancer and magician's assistant. Her daughter, Blanche, is also an actress, and can be currently seen regularly on television and cinema screens. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Carroll Baker. Carroll Baker was the 1957 recipient of the award, and continued to work well into her 70s. Her daughter, Blanche Baker, is also a popular actress in current television. She was married three times, and is currently still married to her third husband, Donald Burton - another popular television actor.
| 1958 : This very famous lady was born in 1907, and died in 2003 of natural causes. She was known as the First Lady of Cinema, and was voted the #1 woman in the AFI's "50 Greatest Movie Legends" poll. She was the first person to ever receive four Oscars for acting. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Katharine Hepburn . Katharine Hepburn (sometimes credited as KathErine) is one of the most well-known figures in cinema history. She is frequently awarded high positions in official polls of most famous/influential movie stars, and her efforts in the entertainment industry make it only fitting that she should have achieved the Hasty Pudding prize.
| The 1959 winner was another very prolific actress, with nearly 70 credits to her name in film and television. This lady was born in 1930. She was well known for her tendency to play emotionally or mentally disturbed women. At the age of 9, she attended the premier of "Gone With The Wind" (1939) with her mother, and jumped into Laurence Olivier's limo, and sat in his lap, claiming she had a crush on him. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Joanne Woodward. Joanne Woodward is married to Paul Newman, whom she has three children with, including actress Melissa Newman. She was the first actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the year after she received her "Woman of the Year" award.
| 1960 : This singer and actress was born in 1932, and was still acting in the new millennium. She was married three times and had two children with her second husband. She has starred in a large number of television shows and films, including an appearance as a guest star on an episode of "Sex and the City" (1998). She found fame and recognition mostly from her role in "West Side Story" on Broadway. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1951-1960
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Carol Lawrence. Despite Carol's portrayal of Maria in "West Side Story" being met with such excitement on Broadway, she was beaten to the film role by Natalie Wood, even though Natalie had to have her voice dubbed. Carol is an accomplished singer, actress, and dancer, which shows that her contributions to the entertainment world were varied, and showing that she probably deserved the award.
Thanks must go to:
The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
The Third Empire (Almost) Annual Movie Miscellany - from Empire Magazine
for the information in this quiz.
| 1961 : This famous actress, born in 1937, comes from a famous family. She has starred in a number of popular films since the 1960s, though she officially retired from acting in 1992. She has two children, from two of her three husbands. She suffered from bullimia for much of her life, and was once arrested and charged for drug smuggling. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Jane Fonda . Jane Fonda is the daughter of Henry Fonda, the sister of Peter Fonda, and the aunt of Bridget and Justin Fonda. Jane and her father are one of only two father-daughter pairs to both win Oscars, along with John and Hayley Mills. She is well known for her film roles, particularly in “Klute” (1971) and “Barbarella” (1968).
| 1962 : This actress, real name Rosetta Jacobs, was born in 1932, and continued to make films well into her 70s. She has over 100 film and television appearances to her name, one of the most recent being a guest slot on "Cold Case" (2003). One of her most famous roles sees her playing a religious fanatic in a very popular film. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Piper Laurie. Like many others, I mostly remember Piper Laurie for her fantastic turn as Mrs White in "Carrie" (1976). Piper, sometimes credited as Fumio Yamaguchi, starred in her first film in 1950, aged just 18, and one of her more recent films is “The Dead Girl” (2007). She had one child with her (ex)husband, the film critic Joe Morgenstern, whom she divorced in the early 1980s.
| 1963 : This famous actress, born in 1934, was well known for her beautiful hair. She has starred in over 60 television and film roles since the 1950s, and has played a number of characters, including one particular film where she was credited as playing 8 characters. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Shirley MacLaine. Shirley MacLaine is the sister of Warren Beatty, and the mother of Sachi Parker. She was named after Shirley Temple, and was recognised for her red hair. Shirley starred with the whole of the Rat Pack in the original "Ocean's Eleven" (1960), many of whom were close friends of hers.
| 1964 : This actress was born in 1907, and passed away in 1976 from breast cancer. She met her husband, who remained married to her until her death, when they were both guests at Cary Grant's house. She was nominated for 4 Oscars, and received an award in 1972 for her charity work. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Rosalind Russell. Rosalind Russell was named after the S.S. Rosalind - a name her father chose for her - and was one of seven children. It was discovered after her death, after a long battle with her cancer, that she was actually a few years older than she had claimed, and was in fact 69 at the time of her death.
| 1965 : This actress lived from 1935 until 1991, when she lost her battle against cancer of the liver and kidneys. She started her career by training as a dancer, and after becoming an actress, she was nominated for an Oscar for playing an alcoholic. She spent the latter part of her life living in England, with her British (second) husband. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Lee Remick. Lee Remick trained to be a dancer, and made her film debut in 1957, but was really noticed when she starred in "Anatomy of a Murder" in 1959. Her role in "Days of Wine and Roses" in 1962 landed her an Oscar nomination. Her good friends included Gregory Peck, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jack Lemmon, who were all present at her funeral in 1991.
| 1966 : This actress from New York lived from 1908 until 1984, when she died following surgery for a cancerous tumour in her brain. She married four times, all of which ended in divorce. An eccentric lady, she was so enchanted by Christmas, that she chose to keep her tree up at all times. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Ethel Merman. Ethel Merman, real name Ethel Zimmermann, was married to Ernest Borgnine for just 32 days. She had two children with her third husband, Robert Levitt, one of whom died from a drugs overdose in 1972. Ethel was well known for her roles in various musicals, which were later made into films.
| 1967 : This famous actress, real name Betty Joan Perske, was born in 1924, and was well known for her beauty and her deep voice, which was considered extremely sexy by many. She was married to Humphrey Bogart until his death in 1957, and married Jason Robards in 1961.
Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Lauren Bacall . Lauren Bacall became engaged to Frank Sinatra shortly after Humphrey Bogart's death, but Sinatra backed out after it was released to the press. Katharine Hepburn was a close friend of Lauren Bacall, and is also the godmother of her son. In 2005, Lauren became the last surviving star mentioned in Madonna's 1990 hit, "Vogue".
| 1968 : This British actress, born in 1925, has acted in a great many films, but is probably best known for her role in a popular television programme from the 1980s. While she holds the record for the most Emmy nominations given without ever winning, she also holds the record for being the only actress to win all four Tony awards she was nominated for. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Angela Lansbury. I grew up watching Angela Lansbury in films like "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (1971), and, of course, as Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote" (1984). Angela Lansbury is a very versatile actress, who is capable of playing both very sinister women, and very kindly, motherly types. She was married to her second husband, Peter Shaw, from 1949, until his death in 2001.
| 1969 : This actress was born in Texas in 1933. She now lives with her third husband, her previous two marriages ending in divorce. She was raised by her grandmother, and when on camera she would always try to tug her left earring as a way to say hello to her. Her best friend was Julie Andrews. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Carol Burnett. Carol Burnett is probably just as well known for "The Carol Burnett Show" (1967) as for her acting career. She has also been a producer for a number of programmes. She had three children, one of which, Carrie Hamilton, died in 2002 from lung cancer and brain cancer. Her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was placed, at her request, outside the theatre where she used to work.
| 1970 : This singer and actress, born in 1940 with her real name, Marie, was the first black woman to win the Hasty Pudding prize. One of her songs was nearly the theme tune for a Bond film, before it was replaced with a Tom Jones song. Who was she? | Women of the Year : 1961-1970
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Dionne Warwick. Dionne Warwick originally spelt her name "Warrick", but decided to keep her current spelling after it was written that way in error on her first record. Her song "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" was replaced by Tom Jones' "Thunderball" on the 1965 film of the same name.
| 1971
This actress was born in 1921, and started her showbiz career as a model. She's had four husbands, and is well known for her unique voice. She's also known for her large blonde hair, but it is not so well-known that this was achieved with the use of wigs, as she is allergic to hair bleach. Although she appears to be Caucasian, her father was actually African-American, making her of mixed race.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Carol Channing. Carol Channing has a very distinctive voice, and as a result can often be heard in animated features, including the animated "Addams Family" (1992) series, where she played Grandma Addams. She acted in many famous Broadway plays, including "Hello Dolly" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", before moving into cinema.
| 1972
This actress was born in Nova Scotia in 1909, and died in 1993 from cancer. Her real name was Ethel. She met her future husband (a very famous man in the industry himself) when he was 40, and she was just 16. They married just two years later, when she was 18.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Ruby Keeler. Ruby, real name Ethel Hilda Keeler, married Al Johnson in 1928, and they divorced in 1939. She then married John Homer Lowe in 1940, until he passed away in 1969. Ruby was a dancer on Broadway until her marriage to Al Johnson. After this, she moved into Hollywood, and began her career in musicals.
| 1973
This very famous singer and actress was born in 1946 in California, to another very famous lady. Her film debut was made at just fourteen months old. She has had 4 husbands, all of whom she divorced. She is one of only three actresses to win both an Oscar for Best Actress, and a Razzie for Worst Actress.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Liza Minnelli . Liza May Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli. She is as well known for her personal life as for her showbiz performances - her marriage to David Gest in 2002 was seen as an extremely strange event by much of the world, particularly with the infamous photograph of them kissing. Liza is probably best known for her role in "Cabaret" (1972).
| 1974
This actress, real name Dorothy, was born in 1941. She had a brief relationship with Lenny Bruce. She appeared in a 1999 remake of one of her earlier films, making her the only person to have appeared in both.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Faye Dunaway. Faye Dunaway is probably best known for her role as Bonnie Parker in "Bonnie And Clyde" (1967), with Warren Beatty's Clyde. She appeared in both the 1968 and the 1999 versions of "The Thomas Crown Affair". She has appeared in nearly 100 roles, and has also been a producer, a director, and a writer.
| 1975
This actress, born in 1940, is known for her comedic roles. She and her ex-husband wrote a script for the series "Love, American Style" in 1969. She also has many theatre roles, particularly on Broadway.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Valerie Harper. Valerie Harper is a staple of television, film, and theatre. Her first husband was actor Richard Schaal, whom she formed a writing team with. She is well known for playing the title role in "Rhoda" (1974).
| 1976
This actress was born in Hawaii in 1945. She has one child with her husband Martin von Haselberg, who she married in 1984. One of her early jobs was in a pineapple processing plant, and by the 1970s, she was singing in a bar with piano accompaniment from Barry Manilow.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Bette Midler. Bette Midler is a singer and actress, probably best known for her role as C.C. in "Beaches" (1988). She's sometimes known as The Divine Miss M, which was also the title of her debut album. She was named after Bette Davis, but the last syllables of their names are pronounced differently due to an error on Midler's mother's part.
| 1977
This very famous actress was born in England, in 1932, to American parents. She is as well known for her marriage record as she was for her acting. In 1999 she was made a Dame.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Elizabeth Taylor . Dame Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to earn US$1,000,000, for her famous role in "Cleopatra" (1963). Her marriage history, which she is well known for, runs as follows:
1950 - married Conrad Hilton Junior
1951 - divorced Conrad Hilton Junior
1953 - married Michael Wilding
1957 - divorced Michael Wilding, married Michael Todd
1958 - Michael Todd died
1959 - married Eddie Fisher
1964 - divorced Eddie Fisher, married Richard Burton
1974 - divorced Richard Burton
1975 - re-married Richard Burton
1976 - divorced Richard Burton, married John W Warner
1982 - divorced John W Warner
1991 - married Larry Fortensky
1996 - divorced Larry Fortensky
| 1978
This actress and singer, born as Belle and nicknamed Bubbles, was born in 1929. She was the first woman to become president of the New York City Opera. She does work for multiple sclerosis charities, as her daughter is a sufferer of the disease.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Beverly Sills. Beverly Sills was born as Belle Miriam Silverman, and started performing under the name Bubbles Silverman. She is an acclaimed soprano, and was the first woman to become General Director, and then President of the New York City Opera, which she was a member of for around 25 years.
| 1979
This actress, born in 1945 and sometimes credited as Olga Mallsnerd, is known for both her film and television roles. She has one child, from her first marriage, and she remarried in 2000 after her first husband's death in 1995. She received 7 consecutive Emmy nominations, and after winning her fifth, she said she would decline any future nominations for the same role.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Candice Bergen. Candice Bergen is a staple of our television screens, and is probably most famous for playing the title character in "Murphy Brown", which ran from 1988 to 1998. She was also the first woman to host "Saturday Night Live" (1975). Candice is a vegetarian, and was kicked out of her university for failing two classes - one of which she failed because she never arrived on time.
| 1980
This very famous and very prolific actress was born in 1949, and is often known for her ability to master a wide variety of accents. She has four children with her husband, who she married in 1978.
Who was she? | Women of the Year: 1971 - 1980
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Meryl Streep. Meryl Streep is frequently selected in polls of greatest actresses and greatest film roles. She won an Oscar for her role in "Kramer vs Kramer" (1979), and subsequently left it behind in a toilet. Bette Davis remarked that Meryl Streep was her successor, but Katharine Hepburn seriously disliked her.
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