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Autobiographies Trivia Quiz

Many people, both past and present, have written autobiographies. See how many titles you recognize in this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by bullymom. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
bullymom

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
78,206

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
9 / 20

Plays
1455

Last 3 plays: Dreessen (20/20), Guest 37 (7/20), Guest 152 (2/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What jazz musician's autobiography is titled 'To Be or not to Bop'? Hint

BB King

Miles Davis

Dizzy Gillespie

Louis Armstrong

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Question 2 of 20

2. What film star wrote an autiobiography titled 'Tall, Dark, and Gruesome' in 1977? Hint

Bela Lugosi

John Wayne

Boris Karloff

Christopher Lee

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Question 3 of 20

3. What songwriter's autobiography is called 'Sometimes I Wonder'? Hint

Hoagy Carmichael

George Gershwin

Irving Berlin

John Denver

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Question 4 of 20

4. What country singer's autobiography is titled 'Coal Miner's Daughter'?

Answer: (Two Words-first and last name)

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Question 5 of 20

5. What famous lawyer wrote an autobiography called 'Journey to Justice'? Hint

Johnnie Cochran

Clarence Darrow

F. Lee Bailey

Melvin Belli

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Question 6 of 20

6. What movie star wrote an autobiography called 'On the Other Hand' in 1989? Hint

Lana Turner

Carol Channing

Katherine Hepburn

Fay Wray

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Question 7 of 20

7. What famous criminal's autobiography is titled 'Cell 2455, Death Row'? Hint

Charles Manson

Caryl Chessman

Gary Gilmore

John Gacy

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Question 8 of 20

8. What scandal figure published a memoir titled 'Passion and Betrayal' in 1995? Hint

Paula Jones

Gennifer Flowers

Monica Lewinsky

Fawn Hall

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Question 9 of 20

9. What former Vice-President's memoir is called 'Standing Firm'? Hint

Hubert Humphrey

Dan Quayle

Walter Mondale

Al Gore

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Question 10 of 20

10. What American tycoon's 1963 autobiography was titled 'My Life and Fortunes'? Hint

J. Paul Getty

John D. Rockefeller

Howard Hughes

Hugh Hefner

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Question 11 of 20

11. What sports figure wrote a bestselling autobiography called 'Drive: The Story of My Life'? Hint

Joe Namath

Tiger Woods

Larry Bird

Arthur Ashe

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Question 12 of 20

12. What's the title of Dolly Parton's 1994 autobiography? Hint

'Hello, Dolly'

'My Life and Other Unfinished Business'

'Dolly'

'My Story'

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Question 13 of 20

13. Evelyn Lincoln published a memoir in 1965 telling about her 12 years as personal secretary to which US President? Hint

John F. Kennedy

Franklin Roosevelt

Dwight Eisenhower

Harry Truman

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Question 14 of 20

14. What Watergate figure's memoir is titled 'Undercover'? Hint

Howard Hunt

John Dean

Gordon Liddy

John Sirica

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Question 15 of 20

15. What newsman's autobiography is titled 'A Life On the Road'? Hint

Peter Jennings

Walter Cronkite

Charles Kuralt

Sam Donaldson

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Question 16 of 20

16. Brian Epstein's autobiography was titled 'A Cellar Full of Noise'. He is best known as the manager of what band? Hint

The Monkees

The Kinks

The Rolling Stones

The Beatles

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Question 17 of 20

17. What was the title of Xaviera Hollander's bestselling autobiography? Hint

'The Happy Homemaker'

'The Happy Hooker'

"The Happy Housekeeper"

"The Happy Housewife"

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Question 18 of 20

18. 'Marilyn Monroe: Confidential' was written by Lena Pepitone, Marilyn's _________. Hint

Acting coach

Maid

Hairdresser

Manicurist

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Question 19 of 20

19. "Mr. Nice" is a popular autobiography of the life of famous criminal Howard Marks. What sort of criminal was Mr. Marks? Hint

Serial killer

Drug smuggler

Bank robber

Forger

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Question 20 of 20

20. This television actor's autobiography, "After All", is named for the last words of the theme song of her show.

Answer: (Three Words)

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 22 2024 : Dreessen: 20/20
Apr 18 2024 : Guest 37: 7/20
Apr 06 2024 : Guest 152: 2/20
Apr 06 2024 : Guest 152: 3/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What jazz musician's autobiography is titled 'To Be or not to Bop'?

Answer: Dizzy Gillespie

The autobiography of the famous jazz trumpeter was published in 1979.

2. What film star wrote an autiobiography titled 'Tall, Dark, and Gruesome' in 1977?

Answer: Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee was born in London in 1922. Although he is best known for his roles in horror films such as 'Dracula' and 'The Mummy', he has also acted in many Shakespearean dramas.

3. What songwriter's autobiography is called 'Sometimes I Wonder'?

Answer: Hoagy Carmichael

The book, published in 1965, is named for the first three words of 'Stardust', Carmichael's most popular tune.

4. What country singer's autobiography is titled 'Coal Miner's Daughter'?

Answer: Loretta Lynn

Loretta's is the quintessential rags-to-riches story. Born in a log cabin in the Kentucky mountains, she was married at 13 and a grandmother at 29. Her debut single was "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl".

5. What famous lawyer wrote an autobiography called 'Journey to Justice'?

Answer: Johnnie Cochran

The book was published in 1996. Cochran is best known for being part of the 'Dream Team' defense of accused murderer-football star O. J. Simpson in 1995.

6. What movie star wrote an autobiography called 'On the Other Hand' in 1989?

Answer: Fay Wray

Fay was best known for her role as King Kong's 'girlfriend' in the 1933 classic 'King Kong'.

7. What famous criminal's autobiography is titled 'Cell 2455, Death Row'?

Answer: Caryl Chessman

The title obviously refers to the San Quentin Death Row cell where the convicted robber spent over ten years awaiting his execution, which finally occurred on May 2, 1960. After his arrest in January 1948, Chessman became a celebrated cause. Popularly known as the "Red Light Bandit", he used a ruse of flashing a fake police light at motorists to get them to pull over, then robbed them.

Some of the famous people who spoke in his defense were Eleanor Roosevelt, Norman Mailer, and Billy Graham.

8. What scandal figure published a memoir titled 'Passion and Betrayal' in 1995?

Answer: Gennifer Flowers

Gennifer Flowers is best known as one of the "Bimbos" who accused President Bill Clinton of seducing her (before he was President). Since then, she has written a book, posed for Penthouse, and received an $800,000 settlement from Clinton.

9. What former Vice-President's memoir is called 'Standing Firm'?

Answer: Dan Quayle

The 1994 autobiography was written by Dan Quayle, an Indianan who was Vice-President under President George Bush. He was best known for his dimwitted quotes and misspelling of the word 'potato'.

10. What American tycoon's 1963 autobiography was titled 'My Life and Fortunes'?

Answer: J. Paul Getty

Jean Paul Getty (1892- 1976), American oil executive and financier, was one of the world's richest people. In 1948 he became president and chief owner of the Getty Oil Company.

11. What sports figure wrote a bestselling autobiography called 'Drive: The Story of My Life'?

Answer: Larry Bird

The 1990 book tells the story of basketball star Larry Bird, best known for his career with the Boston Celtics and as Rookie of the Year in 1980.

12. What's the title of Dolly Parton's 1994 autobiography?

Answer: 'My Life and Other Unfinished Business'

13. Evelyn Lincoln published a memoir in 1965 telling about her 12 years as personal secretary to which US President?

Answer: John F. Kennedy

Evelyn Lincoln was the personal secretary of John F. Kennedy for a total of 12 years, including his two in the White House.

14. What Watergate figure's memoir is titled 'Undercover'?

Answer: Howard Hunt

Most of the people even remotely involved with the Watergate scandals have written a book. Howard Hunt's 1974 memoir is titled 'Undercover: Memoirs of an American Secret Agent'. In it he describes his adventures in the CIA and how they prepared him for his role as one of the masterminds of the Watergate break-ins.

15. What newsman's autobiography is titled 'A Life On the Road'?

Answer: Charles Kuralt

'A Life on the Road', published in 1990, describes the adventures of CBS news correspondent Charles Kuralt as he travelled the USA in a motor home.

16. Brian Epstein's autobiography was titled 'A Cellar Full of Noise'. He is best known as the manager of what band?

Answer: The Beatles

Epstein was also the manager of the Bee Gees and the DaKotas. He was the Beatles' manager until his death in 1967.

17. What was the title of Xaviera Hollander's bestselling autobiography?

Answer: 'The Happy Hooker'

New York City madam Xaviera Hollander is probably the world's most famous madam. "The Happy Hooker" became an international bestseller in the 1970s. Her follow-up memoir, "Child No More", was published in June 2002.

18. 'Marilyn Monroe: Confidential' was written by Lena Pepitone, Marilyn's _________.

Answer: Maid

Lena Pepitone was the housekeeper for Marilyn when she lived in New York City. Her memoir, published in 1979, presents a touching side of Marilyn, who called Lena 'Baby Lamb'.

19. "Mr. Nice" is a popular autobiography of the life of famous criminal Howard Marks. What sort of criminal was Mr. Marks?

Answer: Drug smuggler

His name should be "Mr. Weed". He is noted as a proponent of the legalization of marijuana, and has smuggled over 30 tons of it in his "career". He has stated that the illegality of the substance is a violation of human rights.

20. This television actor's autobiography, "After All", is named for the last words of the theme song of her show.

Answer: Mary Tyler Moore

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, as it covered new ground with its portrayal of a single, successful woman. By the way, the name of the theme song is "You're Gonna Make it After All". (Joan Jett has a really cool version of this song).

Source: Author bullymom

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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