First and Last Name Start with "H" Quiz

Answer: Helen Hayes

It has been said of Helen Hayes that she made her stage debut at a very early age - younger than most would begin to attend public school. Helen Hayes was born near Washington, D.C. (USA) in October of 1900 and continued her professional acting career well into the 1980s. She was recognized and regarded as one of the greatest leading ladies of theater considering the entire 20th century.

As mentioned in the question, she was the first woman - and, only the second person - to win all four top awards of the performing arts (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony). Fun fact: Helen Hayes in the mother of actor, James MacArthur, who starred as Danny "Danno" Williams on the television services, "Hawaii Five-O" (1968 - 1980).

Answer: Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes had reached millionaire status by the time he was eighteen years old. Howard, Jr. inherited the fortune of his father, Howard Hughes, Sr., who died when his son was seventeen years old. His' birth into a very affluent family afforded him the opportunity to pursue a variety interests early his life; his own drive, determination and fearlessness magnified those interests - and, their profits. Sadly, those are not the characteristics that would be his only legacy.

Much has been written about his declining health - both mental and physical - as Hughes aged.

He was seventy years old when he died in 1976.

Answer: Hubert Humphrey

Hubert Humphrey was born in South Dakota but after attending University of Minnesota it was clear to him that state would be his home. His political career began when he was elected to Mayor of Minneapolis (Minnesota, USA) in 1945. After only a few years he was elected to represent Minnesota in the United States Senate - his career in politics was well on its way. He served in several important positions as a Senator and was selected by Lyndon Johnson as his running mate when he (LBJ) was elected President of the United States in 1964.

It was Humphrey's skill as a negotiator, legislator and leader that won the bipartisan support to pass two very important bills into law for the USA: The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Answer: Hal Holbrook

Hal Holbrook won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (in 1966) for his portrayal of Mark Twain in his show, "Mark Twain Tonight!". It was the first of many awards for Holbrook; among his awards was the National Humanities Medal which was granted him in 2003.

His resume showed over 150 film, stage and television appearances for a career that spanned more than sixty years. At the age of 82 Hal Holbrook was nominated for the Academy Award, Best Supporting Actor, for his role in the movie, "Into the Wild". At that time he was the oldest male performer to have ever been nominated for an Oscar. Of course, he was also remembered for being the husband of Dixie Carter (of "Designing Women" (1986 - 1993) fame); they made such an adorable couple.

Answer: Hugh Hefner

Hugh Hefner was remembered for his stalwart defense of the part of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that prevents the government from abridging its citizens freedom of speech. Needless to say, this freedom allowed Hugh Hefner to make a lucrative career of publishing controversial materials in various media formats.

It was written of Hugh Hefner that he had a philanthropic inclination and was recognized for his support of various charities. He spearheaded the campaign to save the "HOLLYWOOD" sign from devastation. Hefner hosted a fundraiser that auctioned each letter, with the winner paying for the restoration of their "purchase". He was also recognized for his support of the victims of hurricane destruction, animal rights campaigns and those struggling in the creative arts.

Answer: Howard Hesseman

Howard Hesseman could claim over 150 roles in a wide variety of appearances in film and on television. He often found the spot light (and, great reviews!) even when working with the tiniest of exposure.

He was a true "child of the sixties" (Hesseman was born in 1940) and often embraced all the counter-culture that decade offered as his persona when he acted. Certainly, his work from the 1970s and 1980s would be for what he was most recognized. He was "Dr. Johnny Fever" on "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978 - 1982), he was "Sam Royer" on "One Day at a Time" (1975 - 1984) - his appearances were between 1982 and 1984 - and he was "Charlie Moore" on "Head of the Class" (1986 -1991). He died from complications of colorectal surgery in January of 2022. He was 81 years old.

Answer: Harry Hamlin

The year 1987 coincided with one of his most successful television roles, that of attorney-at-law, "Michael Kuzak" on the very popular show, "L. A. Law" (1986 - 1994). An actor who list of movie, made-for-TV movie and television roles could fill a page seemed to work continuously. He was often mentioned and appreciated for his entrepreneurship. His endeavors included co-founding a technologies company designed to promote fusion energy and along with his third wife, Lisa Rinna, sold women's fashions via their own boutiques and on the television shopping channel, QVC.

Fun fact: Hamlin's father was an aeronautical space engineer who worked for NASA. Harry Hamlin has sat on the Board of Governors of the National Space Society, that is self described as "an independent, nonpartisan, educational, grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization".

Answer: Hulk Hogan

It may be surprising to learn as a young adult Terry Bollea spent several years playing guitar in some rock bands in the Florida (USA) area. Oddly enough, it was through his band that he became acquainted with professional wrestlers in the area. It was after he signed with the World Wrestling Federation that he began to use the name "Hulk Hogan". Very quickly he became very popular. His wrestling match with Andre the Giant in February, 1988 was one of the most watched wrestling programs in television history.

Hulk Hogan's popularity naturally led to him expanding his talents and media appearances. The invitations to appear in television shows and movies were forthcoming. As mentioned in the question, Hogan's first film was "Rocky III". The film's star, Sylvester Stallone, said of Hogan's work with him: "Great guy, great friend, his presence made the film very, very special."

Answer: Helen Hunt

Both of Helen Hunt's parents worked in the arts industry; her mother was a photographer, her father was an acting coach. Her opportunities to experience and enjoy performing arts were many - and, apparently she was able to capitalize on those. One of her earliest roles was on the TV show, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Helen played the daughter of (character) Murray Slaughter in a episode that originally aired in February of 1977; she would have been a young teenager at that time. It was only the beginning for her career; one that included not only award-winning acting but becoming a well-respected director.

Fun fact: In 1998 Helen Hunt became only the second female performer to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Golden Globe (Awards) in the same year.

Answer: Holly Holm

Her professional nickname was "The Preacher's Daughter" and it was more than a fabricated moniker - Holly Holm was the daughter of preacher (her father) in the Church of Christ. On her way to becoming the Ultimate Fighting Championship's UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion in 2015, she trained and excelled in boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts. To complete her all-around athlete background, she participated in soccer, swimming, diving, gymnastics and aerobics as a young girl.

Although her parents divorced before Holly graduated from high school she maintained a close relationship with her father. He was supportive of her career as a professional athlete and the two of them sought business opportunities away from the sport, as well. In 2016, Holly Holm starred in the movie "Fight Valley" alongside fellow fighters Miesha Tate and Cris Cyborg. The movie is about women who participate in underground fighting events to earn money.