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Quiz about And the Oscar Goes to 1931
Quiz about And the Oscar Goes to 1931

And the Oscar Goes to... (1931) Quiz


The 4th Academy Awards took place on November 10th, 1931, honoring the best films from August 1st, 1930 to July 31st, 1931.

A multiple-choice quiz by reedy. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
reedy
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
333,247
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
579
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The host of the fourth Academy Awards ceremony was an Englishman who first came to America in 1908 at the age of 37, and only acted in his first film in 1915 at the age of 44, beginning a 30-year film career. Who was he? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor went to this man for his role as Stephen Ashe in the movie "A Free Soul" (1931). You might remember him better for his later role as the villainous Henry Potter in the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life." Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Only the fourth Academy Awards ceremony, and a third Best Actress Oscar went to a Canadian-born actress. She did not begin her film career until 1910, at the age of 42, and her career was cut short when she died of cancer in 1934. Who was this actress, who won the Oscar for her role in "Min and Bill" (1930)? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The Oscar for Best Story went to a tale set in World War I and centered around a Royal Flying Corps base. Which film (and writer(s)) won? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The winning film for Best Adapted Screenplay went to "Cimarron" (1930). The author of the story was also known for her novels "Show Boat" and "Giant," which were both adapted for the screen in 1927 and 1956 respectively. Who was the lady who wrote "Cimarron"? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The award for Best Sound Recording did not go to any individual or to a specific film. Rather, it was presented to a sound department. Which company (and sound department), known for its mountain and stars logo, won the Oscar? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Best Cinematography was the category that earned this film its only Oscar nomination and subsequent win. Also known as "____, a Story of the South Seas," the movie had two parts to it: "Paradise", and "Paradise Lost". What film (and cinematographer) won? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What award(s) did the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences present for the first time at the fourth Academy Awards ceremony? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The Oscar for Best Director went to Norman Taurog for his work on a film based on a comic strip character. What was the movie? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The movie that took home the Oscar for Best Picture was a blockbuster that took $1.5 million to make, needed more than 5,000 extras, and used 28 cameramen along with numerous assistants and photographers to properly capture its epic scenes. Which film won the Oscar? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The host of the fourth Academy Awards ceremony was an Englishman who first came to America in 1908 at the age of 37, and only acted in his first film in 1915 at the age of 44, beginning a 30-year film career. Who was he?

Answer: Lawrence Grant

This ceremony was the only time that Lawrence Grant (1870-1952) ever hosted the Oscars. An English actor, Grant was known primarily for his supporting roles in such movies as "Bulldog Drummond" (1929), "A Tale of Two Cities" (1935), "Son of Frankenstein" (1939) and "The Living Ghost" (1942).
2. The winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor went to this man for his role as Stephen Ashe in the movie "A Free Soul" (1931). You might remember him better for his later role as the villainous Henry Potter in the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life."

Answer: Lionel Barrymore

Lionel Barrymore (1878-1954) was part of a multi-generation family of actors. His parents, Georgiana Drew and Maurice Barrymore, were both actors, as were his younger siblings John and Ethyl. His brother John fathered John Drew and Diana Barrymore, which in turn means that Lionel is great-uncle to John Drew's daughter Drew Barrymore.
3. Only the fourth Academy Awards ceremony, and a third Best Actress Oscar went to a Canadian-born actress. She did not begin her film career until 1910, at the age of 42, and her career was cut short when she died of cancer in 1934. Who was this actress, who won the Oscar for her role in "Min and Bill" (1930)?

Answer: Marie Dressler

In Canada, Marie Dressler has left a legacy behind her. Her hometown of Cobourg, Ontario holds a vintage film festival every year in her name, and in June of 2008, Canada Post issued a stamp featuring Dressler as part of its "Canada in Hollywood" series.

Dressler appeared in over 40 films in her relatively short film career, and she also completed an autobiography before her death, entitled "The Life Story of an Ugly Duckling."
4. The Oscar for Best Story went to a tale set in World War I and centered around a Royal Flying Corps base. Which film (and writer(s)) won?

Answer: "The Dawn Patrol" (John Monk Saunders)

"The Dawn Patrol" (1930) starred Richard Barthelmess and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as two flying aces struggling with the high rate of casualties among their ranks, and the seeming callousness of their leadership in sending out barely-trained pilots to almost certain death. The film was re-made in 1938 with Errol Flynn and David Niven in the same roles.

John Monk Saunders himself saw service during World War I, but as a flight instructor in Florida, never having the opportunity to serve overseas. Amongst his credits as a filmmaker were as a screenwriter on the Best Picture winning film "Wings" (1927).
5. The winning film for Best Adapted Screenplay went to "Cimarron" (1930). The author of the story was also known for her novels "Show Boat" and "Giant," which were both adapted for the screen in 1927 and 1956 respectively. Who was the lady who wrote "Cimarron"?

Answer: Edna Ferber

One of the posters advertising "Cimarron" boasted that it was "Terrific as All Creation." The film followed Yancey Cravat and his family as they moved from Wichita, Kansas to Oklahoma as part of the government's opening of the territory for settlement. Richard Dix and Irene Dunne filled the roles of Yancey and his wife Sabra as they struggled to make a life for themselves.

Edna Ferber (1887-1968) wrote many novels and plays, and was also credited as a writer on various theatre-themed television shows, such as "The Stage Door" (1950) and "The Best of Broadway" (1954-55). She made her own acting debut in the Orson Welles radio production of her own novel "Show Boat," playing the role of Parthy Ann Hawks.

The gentleman who accepted the award for adapting Ferber's novel to the screen was Howard Estabrook (1884-1978), who had also been nominated the previous year for adapting "Street of Chance" (1930).
6. The award for Best Sound Recording did not go to any individual or to a specific film. Rather, it was presented to a sound department. Which company (and sound department), known for its mountain and stars logo, won the Oscar?

Answer: Paramount Publix Studio Sound Department

Paramount Pictures traces its origins to the Famous Players Film Company and founder Adolph Zukor (1873-1976). As such, it has been the oldest film production company in existence.
7. Best Cinematography was the category that earned this film its only Oscar nomination and subsequent win. Also known as "____, a Story of the South Seas," the movie had two parts to it: "Paradise", and "Paradise Lost". What film (and cinematographer) won?

Answer: "Tabu" (Floyd Crosby)

"Tabu" (1931) chronicled the story of a pair of lovers on a South Seas island. Part I ("Paradise") had the couple forced to flee their island when the woman was chosen to be sacrificed as a holy maid to the gods. Part II ("Paradise Lost") showed them dealing with life on a colonized island and with the exploitation of the native peoples.
8. What award(s) did the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences present for the first time at the fourth Academy Awards ceremony?

Answer: Scientific or Technical Awards

The Academy Award of Merit was presented to Electrical Research Products Inc., RCA-Photophone Inc., RKO Radio Pictures Inc. for noise reduction recording equipment, as well as to DuPont Film Manufacturing Corp., Eastman Kodak Co. for super-sensitive panchromatic film.

The Scientific and Engineering Award went to Fox Film Corp. for effective use of synchro-projection composite photography.

Technical Achievement Awards were given to Electrical Research Products Inc. for moving coil microphone transmitters, to RKO Radio Pictures Inc. for reflex type microphone concentrators, and to RCA-Photophone Inc. for ribbon microphone transmitters.
9. The Oscar for Best Director went to Norman Taurog for his work on a film based on a comic strip character. What was the movie?

Answer: Skippy

"Skippy" (1931) was based on the comic strip of the same name by Percy Crosby that was published from 1923 until 1945.

The title role was played by Jackie Cooper, who also received a nomination for Best Actor for his role. In the film, Skippy tried to help his new friend Sooky, who lived in the local Shantytown. To keep Sooky's dog from being taken by the dogcatcher, Skippy and Sooky had three days to find a way to pay for a dog license.

Norman Tourog (1899-1981) directed over 140 films in his career, including nine that featured Elvis Presley. His win for Best Director at the age of 32 made him the youngest director to win the award, a record which stood until the end of the 20th century, and may continue to stand for years to come.
10. The movie that took home the Oscar for Best Picture was a blockbuster that took $1.5 million to make, needed more than 5,000 extras, and used 28 cameramen along with numerous assistants and photographers to properly capture its epic scenes. Which film won the Oscar?

Answer: Cimarron

The huge budget for "Cimarron" took its toll on the film's revenue. The depression era had begun, and the producers of "Cimarron" lost money on the film, despite being a critical success.

The film followed Yancey Cravat and his family as they moved from Wichita, Kansas to Oklahoma as part of the 1888 Oklahoma land rush. Richard Dix and Irene Dunne filled the roles of Yancey and his wife Sabra as they struggled to make a life for themselves. Yancey became an important man in the community as they developed it, but later felt confined again and periodically headed further west to the Cherokee Strip, leaving Sabra behind to take up the slack, and she became significant in her own right.

A bit of trivia: "Cimarron" was one of only three westerns to win Best Picture in the 20th century, the other two being "Dances With Wolves" (1990) and "Unforgiven" (1992).
Source: Author reedy

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